So, I've got some of this delicious Tilton Sisters knit fabric that I purchased (one of those cool combos) and I made a great top in it. 


And I thought that was great, but I had quite a bit of fabric left over - you know bigger than normal hunks.  So I thought I would like leggings with this fabric too.  And believe me I won't wear them together - this is a strong pattern combo, so wearing them together would put peoples' eyes out and I really don't want to make the world blind, simply with my coordinating outfits!

But with a solid top, this would be a kickin' pair of pants.  But neither piece is long enough to fit the leggings.   So what's a sewists to do?

Why not go to the famous Lululemon site and see what's over there. 













So I buzz on over there and they have some interesting insets and pieces in leggings that really started me thinking that if I could only get part of the leggings out of the big piece and the rest out of the small piece, this would work.  I'm not really hot on a side seam and want to keep the majority of the piece to the inseam and that's it.

So now I have a design


OK - so this drawing leaves a lot to the imagination and I didn't finish it, because I could tell it was going to work.  

This sketch step is vital - not important, but absolutely imperative.  The sketch can help you solve a lot of problems other than good design, which is also a necessary part of the process.  But thinking about things like - How am I going to make that center back seam thing work?...do I need to tilt those stripes for better illusion for smaller hips?...which way?

And again the sketch comes to the rescue

And again the sketch can answer that question.  Our eyes know what's right and what's wrong and when it's right and when it's wrong.  In this case the same of the stripe inset - the longer version is on the left side because the stripes are longer and move the eye more.  This just so happens to be the same direction of the original top.  (look at the reflection in the mirror)


Courtesy of the sketch or the croquis, I can now draw out my pattern with a real good picture of what it's going to look like.  Now believe it or not this step is a lot easier simply because I've answered most of my design and assembly questions by working them out in the sketch. 



On the left is my traced copy of my core pattern leggings.  All I had to do was draw out my lines the way I had them on my sketch.  Now, you're going to think that, "I'm not an artist, Claire.  I can't draw anything!"  And you're going to hear me say - "Yes, you can!"   Your lines do NOT have to be perfect and notice that mine aren't parallel or anything but more flowing.


NOTE:  As an update - I really can't stress enough how much fun this is and how easy this is.
1.  Draw your lines on your pattern
2.  Copy the pieces and leave enough spaces for seam allowances.
3.  You can even ad notches to your heart's content
4.  Mark your straight of grain, or which direction you want the most stretch (usually that's your width not your length, but in the stripe I wanted to match a direction so that's the way I cut the fabric - knit is very forgiving this way). 

See this isn't that hard!  Play with it.  It doesn't have to be leggings, but play and have fun with the swirls and designs you can make.

This isn't actually drawing as much as it is copying the line you have on your sketch to come pretty close to the line on your pattern.  I wanted the top of the inset to hit above my knee, so I measured from my waist to knee and made a little mark to remind me where that is.  Then simply by drawing a curve (and if you feel funny about this use this styling curve to help you out) then matching the curve but making the bottom one a little lower, I got exactly what I wanted.

Now - here's the plus on this!  I got the leggings cut out of this kickin' fabric that I love so much and they came out fabulous.  There are several reasons for this:

1. I used a core-pattern that I know works and fits me (yeah, I've got a serious sway back and my leggings are a lot higher in back than in front,
2. I worked out all my questions, problems and solutions in the sketch
3. I got some ideas on how to solve my big original design by going online and looking at some very popular and professional sites (even though they will be made out of really bad fabrics their design concepts are good).

• garment that fits
• garment that works
• saving time through
  • working through design problems/solutions
  • creating takes some adapting,
  • working with other concepts,
  • altering those concepts to work for you and
  • problem-solving design solutions

Yeah, the first time you do this, it's hard - I won't lie, but it's also enormously exhilarating.





Yes, I am enormously exhilarated here.


This was a huge success cause it had be ruminating around in my noggin for a long time.










And the second time is less hard, but just as exhilarating....
the sixth time is getting into the hang of it and
the sixteenth time, it's old hat and a piece of cake! 

Doesn't take long before you begin to think, "Holy Cow - I can make anything and it will look good on me, feel good on me and gives me a real high to make!" 

And you'll be right - it will be your own high!

From the present.....
One last note here that made this outfit work.....pressing.  Here's the before and after of the pressing and even in a knit it matters. 





Now I've had these pants for over a year and wear them a lot and they don't need pressing again, because the construction pressing does the trick. 

I don't wear them much to show off the back stripe match, cause it's not the prettiest part of my figure or my favorite part, but it does match.


They are a favorite with an oxblood red top, a jade or turquoise top, a acid green top, a red-orange top, an orange top....well you get the idea - there's a lot that this print tones with and I solved the problem of not having enough length to do the leggings in the wild print, but with the stripe, it works great. 

This all came about from a sketch - again, how important the sketch can be.  This isn't exactly like the inspiration but very close, and it's exactly what I wanted.  The examples I used weren't what I wanted exactly, but my leggings are. 

Elements & Principles of Design w/Color

Proportion (Divine and Rule of Thirds) and Apex Point Fitting







and something new:


Sketching - taking the idea to sketch, to pattern to garment and yes, you can do that.  It's not that hard.  There are a lot of steps, but this is the final part of the whole package of creating something especially for yourself.











You know all those pictures on Pinterest or pinned in your studio or on your bathroom mirror?...those ones you know you would look smashing in if...1.) you could find the right pattern, 2.) you might be able to find it in RTW, but to fit you would be a problem or 3.) you've always wanted to create a look or certain collar or fabulous sleeve or some other detail and never knew how.  Here's how to do that. 

This does require that you have your core pattern up and running.  That's what the whole pattern will be based on and it is what makes all this work so well.  Whereas commercial pattern makers and designers have to go through 5 to 8 iterations to get it right, with your core pattern, we already know it works, and what we're doing is copying that to make the style you want. 

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