I am trying to make a holiday dress for my daughter. The fabric I chose has a cute pattern at the bottom edge of the fabric (on the selvages) of penguins in hats. I can't figure out how to pin the skirt pattern piece and cut the fabric so the pattern will be preserved at the hem as it's obviously intended to be.
I'd really, really, really appreciate any help with this! Thanks!
~Tapestry~
Ooohh it's been soooo looong. I can only give hints. It has something to do with establishing what your finished length will be and then placing the edge of the fabric along that line.
To start at the begining you need to pin at least the pattern pieces if not make up a muslin of at least the skirt part of the outfit and either hem the muslin at the finished length or fold up the pattern pieces. Of course, this becomes more difficult if the skirt is an empire waist or no separate top and bottom pieces at all. If you use only the paper pattern it will not fall/handle like the fashion fabric will. As you can see there are a bunch of variables here. You may want to get someone else's opinion first. Ping Kate! I don't know what else to say, I've read about the process but have never had to do it. Sorry I couldn't have been more help, AK in PA
So much for proof reading. The last sentence above should read:
"and then placing the edge of the fabric along that line before cutting. "
Also, in order for the pattern in the fabric to mesh properly you might have to cut each side out individually taking care to reverse the pattern pieces for each side. Placing the pattern at the right intervals in the fabric repeat all the while you must also allow for seam allowances.
Oh please get this confirmed or corrected by someone else!! AK in PA
Unless the pattern has a very shaped waistline, I would simply cut out a rectangle and either pleat or gather the skirt onto the waistband. I not only used to do that for my DD, I still do it for myself on occasion. I figure the fancier the fabric, the plainer the pattern.
Olwyn Mary in New Orleans.
Dear Tapestry,
If your pattern has a gathered skirt, don't use the pattern pieces. Make sure you allow for a hem, and cut a straight piece long enough for the front and back. Twice the waistline measurement plus seam allowances will give you a nicer, fuller skirt than if you use the pattern pieces.
Teri
It would be helpful to know what *pattern* you are using. If the skirt is "A" shaped, it's almost impossible to get the border to work, and I would recommend that you change patterns.
These types of skirts are usually just a straight rectangle of the fabric, cut to allow the hem to fall exactly where you want it to on the design, and either pleated or gathered to a waistband or bodice.
If you take a look at the "envelope back" for Simplicity 4201 :
Beverly
You're being me, you are! I was gonna say that!
This sort of print can be fun to play with as well, making the border crawl up unexpected places and turn up upside down at the waist of the bodice. :) Or on the edges of pockets...
Once you get the skirt done however you are going to do it I'd cut out a penguin or two and make appliqués on the bodice or even on a little cardigan sweater to match the outfit. I did a little dress that had a dancing fairies for a border print. I made the skirt, then cut out the long piece of print along the selvedge edge, cutting around the top shapes, hope this makes sense, and then sort of appliquéd it to the bottom of the skirt using a variegated rayon thread with the colors on the print, fiddling by over lapping or opening the design when it needed to bend and such. I also appliquéd a fairy on the bodice and appliquéd one on the front of a little pink cardigan and a little group of fairies dancing on the back of the sweater. It took forever but when you don't have kiddies at home and time constraints to take up your time you can dink around with things like that. It turned out just darling. I miss having little around girls to sew for :(
Val
I've never done it just to play, but I did once as a challenge. I came across a one-yard remnant of 72" border print in a beautiful heavy but silky cotton - I think it probably started life as very upscale curtain material. Now, technically there was enough fabric to make the garment I wanted, but 38" hips into 36" fabric do not go!! So, I spread the whole thing out on my 9' x 12' carpet, and crawled around the floor all day, picking up pattern pieces and laying them down again until I got a result which pleased me. (Thank goodnes I now have PatternMaster Boutique, which moves pieces around at the click of a mouse, I can't crawl around the floor like that these days.)
Anyway, I ended up with a dress which brought compliments every time I wore it - right until the day when, sadly, even starch would not perk it up, and I had to cut it up for dusters. Not bad, for $2 and three days labor.
Olwyn Mary in New Orleans.
Yes, and check to see if you can match the penguins at the center back seam. I have made many a sjkirt in this way, one piece, with slits for the pockets on where the side seams would be.
Using parts of the motifs in other locations can be really cute, too.
Before doing all this effort, see if you have enough fabric length to put a couple growth tucks in it to make it wearable for a couple of years.
HTH
--Karen D.
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