Tutorial Tuesdays Archives | Little Kids GrowLittle Kids Grow

Tutorial Tuesdays: Double “Key” Quick Knit Top

April 2, 2013 by | 15 Comments

Happy Tuesday everyone!

I have something “just for the ladies” today! I’m sharing a quick and easy knit top for spring, something super confy that you can throw on with your favorite pair of jeans and sandals (Great for an impromptu picnic at the park!) It can be made in under 2 hours (less than 1 hour once you get use to it). I wear a medium (8/10) and used 1 yard of (two-way stretch) 45″ knit fabric. Based on the diagram below, I believe one yard of fabric will work for most sizes depending on the fabric’s width; however, if you find that you are not able to fit the WAIST pieces underneath the arc of the top, you will need to add extra yardage for the WAIST pieces.

(1/2″ seam allowance is used unless otherwise noted.)

STEP 1: Cut out your pieces.

In Windows, double click image to enlarge

Since the top requires only 4 basic measurements, I drew directly onto the fabric using tailor’s chalk. (I freehanded the side seam arc)

The total length between sleeve ends is 38″. This will hit most above or just below the elbow. Extend or shorten the sleeve to your liking .

The front and back pieces of the top are duplicates. The top is fairly “roomy”, but if you have a full bust you may need to make an adjustment. NOTE*: The bottom of the top is ¼ of the total waist measurement. The WAIST piece is ½ of the total waist measurement.

Once you cut out your pieces, hem top edge of front and back pieces by ½”

STEP 2: Cut Out 2 Keyholes

For the keyhole I freehanded a “teardrop” shape onto my card stock (use any paper) and used it as a pattern. It measured 2″ tall and 1.5″ at it’s widest point, but you can play around with size until you find something you like. Just remember, any larger, and you’ll need to adjust the length of the KEYHOLE STRAPS.

Cut 2 keyhole shapes 3” from center front (1” between).

STEP 3: Attach Keyhole Strips to Keyholes

This was difficult to diagram or explain in words, so I put together a quick video tutorial to explain how to attach the fabric strips to the keyhole. (You can also use bias tape here)

STEP 4: Attach Waistband

Gather the bottom of your top using a basting/gathering stitch. Gather until bottom of top matches width of WAISTBAND.

Placing right sides together, attach waistband to bottom of top. (Do this for your front AND back top pieces.)

STEP 5: Mark Starting Point of Shoulder Seam.

Mark Starting Point for shoulder seam 6” from Center Front (On both sides of center). The point should fall a little past your second keyhole.

STEP 5: Pin Front and Back Pieces Together

With right sides facing, pin front and back pieces together at marked starting points. Continue pinning until you get to the end of your sleeves. Sew pinned area together on both sides leaving a center opening. To keep the “unstitiched” areas from rolling up, fold under ½” and top stitch in place.

STEP 6: Sew Side Seams

Sew Side Seams starting at bottom of sleeve to bottom of top.

STEP 7: Double Waistband

Place a ¼” hem at the bottom of the top. Iron flat. Turn the bottom of the top inward until it just covers the inside seam. Your waistband should now be about half its height. Pin in place. Stitch “in the ditch” of the seam.

STEP 8: Hem Sleeves

Turn sleeves in and hem in place.

That’s it! So super easy, right? Feel free to ask me any questions in the comments or send me an email at littlekidsgrow (at) gmail (dot) com.

Thanks for stopping by today.

Keep doin’ what you love!

Shannon

Tutorial Tuesday: Peek-A-Boo Button Fly

February 12, 2013 by | 10 Comments

Happy Tuesday everyone!

Today I have a great tutorial for making a hidden faux button fly front. Do you want to know how long I stared at my husband’s pajama pants before I figured it out? (Ha! Ha!) Probably not! I use this type of fly for pajama pants, but it’s super simple to use in place of a zipper fly on any pant with an elastic waist.

The width of your placket is 1.75″. The length should stop at 2″ from the base of the curve. (If you’re drafting from an existing pair of pants, you can use those fly measurements.)

Updated Placket Diagram 2/16/13

(Updated 2/16/13)

Draft your button placket using the fly front of your pant as a guide. The outer edge will be the same. The inner curve of your placket will include a 5/8″ seam allowance. (Cut out 2 pieces).

Once you’ve cut out your 2 plackets, place one on top of the other (matching straight and curved edges) with right sides facing. Sew along the curved side of the placket to the bottom of the curve using a 5/8″ seam allowance. Trim seam allowance down to 1/4″. Turn right side out. Iron flat.

Sew a basting stitch down original curve of pant front. At base of curve switch over to a standard stitch.

Clip 1/2″ below base of fly (Do not clip through stitching). Open the fly and iron flat.

Mark your buttonholes on your placket at least 3 3/4″ from top of placket (to accommodate 3″ waistband), at least 3/4″ from folded edge, and 1 1/2″ from bottom of placket. I used (2) 3/4″ buttons. You can add more buttons, but adjust for spacing accordingly.

Place placket on left side of opening (for boys). Right side (for girls). Match fold of placket to basted seam of pant front. Pin in Place. Baste Stitch along outer edge to hold in place.

Flip right side of fly over to left side for boys. (Flip left side over to right side for girls)

Turn over and press seam flat and away from center. Locate fly edges and pin in place.

Using tailor’s chalk (or temporary marking tool), draw your top stitching guide for your fly (1 1/4″ from center fold). Top stitch following this guide.

Stitch a horizontal line, 1″ from bottom of fly from top stitching over to center seam.

Remover basting stitches with seam ripper.

Attach back of pants to front at side and inner seams (Don’t forget to iron!) Fold your waistband over 1 1/2″ to create your waistband casing. Add elastic. Add your buttons.

You’re done! Congratulations!

Keep doin’ what you love!

Shannon

Tutorial Tuesdays: Drafting a Shirt Collar

January 1, 2013 by | 5 Comments

Happy New Year & Happy Tuesday everyone!

Today I’d like to show you how I draft my shirt collars. This one is from the Knock Off Polo, but you can use these drafting instructions for other types of shirts as well. The drafting method below has been adapted from The Pattern Making Primer by Jo Barnfield and Andrew Richards. For alternative methods, I’d also recommend Metric Pattern Cutting for Children’s Wear by Winifred Aldrich. Great resources!

NOTE: These diagrams are not to scale.

Step One: Take your shirt’s full neckline measurement and also the back (only) neckline measurement. I prefer to take my measurement directly from the shirt itself after the placket has been added, but in this tutorial, I’m including a “button extension” in the drafting. So, this draft does not include the placket in the neckline measurement.

Step Two:

Draft Collar Stand

Draw a rectangle 1/2 of the neckline measurement in length and approximately 1.25” in height (This stand height can be adjusted to preference. ) Mark Center Back (CB) point on collar. From CB, mark your shoulder point with a vertical line using 1/2 of the back neckline measurement. (My back collar measurement was 7″. I marked my shoulder point at 3.5″ from CB.
Slash your vertical line and carefully overlap your top edge by 3/16″.
Trace the adjusted collar stand smoothing out your curves. Draw a button stand extension out from center front (CF) equal to the width of placket. Round out the top of button stand extension.

Draft Collar Fall

Using your collar stand as a guide, draw a perpendicular line 1.5″ down from the top of the center back (CB) line. Draw another perpendicular line 2″ down from the top of the center front (CF) line (not collar band extension). Connect the two lines.
Divide your collar into 3rds. Slash and spread each collar section by 1/8″. Trace new collar.

There you have it. Your collar and stand!!! Don’t forget to mark your pattern pieces. Your center back for your collar and stand will be cut on the fold. You’ll need to cut two of each (plus interfacing if you plan to use it.)

Not quite sure what to do with your pattern pieces now? Here’s a great tutorial on assembling and attaching collars from Pam over at Sew off the Cuff. Find more great sewing tutorials from others and suggestions on my Pinterest Sewing page.

Thanks for stopping by today.

Keep doin’ what you love!

Shannon

Girly Girl Hoodie: More Details

December 26, 2012 by | 0 comments

Hi friends! I hope your Christmas was filled with lots of love, good food, and happy memories.

Now that we’ve slowed down (well, sort of), I wanted to tie up a few loose ends.

Below you’ll find the supplemental information for the Girly Girl mini-tute that I shared here: http://littlekidsgrow.com/tutorial-tuesdays-the-girly-girl-hoodie/. Feel free to ask me any questions.

Drafting the Hood

There are many ways to draft a hood from simply tracing an existing garment to the more technical side of taking full measurements. I’d like to think of my solution as a “happy medium”.

For this hood you’ll only need 3 measurements: Hood Depth, Hood Height, and Hoodie Neckline Measurement. Here’s how to get those pesky measurements done:

Hood Depth:
From profile: Measure from forehead to desired depth of hood. If you have lots of hair to fit under your hood, make sure you take that into consideration (I added a couple of inches of “just in case” room). Add preferred seam allowance to final measurement.

Hood Height:
From Profile: Starting at 1.5” above crown, measure vertically to hoodie neckline. Add seam allowance to final measurement.

Hoodie Neckline:

Measure the full hoodie neckline. Take 1/2 of the total and add your seam allowance.

Using tailor’s chalk or any temporary marking, draw your hood shape directly onto your fabric (or permanently on pattern paper) using the sample diagram in the mini tutorial.

Tips: I started the opening of the hood at the existing hemline of the t-shirt to avoid having to hem the hood. If you choose the same, make sure both the front and back hemlines of the shirt are lined up. Pin the hemlines together and smooth out the fabric before cutting out your hood.

Adding Ruffles to Pocket:

Tips: When adding ruffles to your pocket, make sure that your ruffles overlap. Pin the ruffles on both sides of the pocket. Sew down both sides of the pocket to secure. Starting with your top ruffle, place a pin in the middle of the ruffle and then sew down the center of each ruffle to attach securely.

Tip: Once attached, press ruffles flat.

Tip: When attaching pocket to shirt (at top and bottom of pocket only), lift up your ruffle, and attach underneath.

That’s it! If I missed anything, please let me know.

Thanks for stopping by today.

Keep doin’ what you love!

Shannon

Tutorial: Single-Placket

November 7, 2012 by | 17 Comments

Hi All!

I thought I’d share a quick placket tutorial with you today. Well, the tutorial isn’t all that quick (lots of pictures), but once you get the hang of it, drafting your own placket is fairly simple. (Want to also draft a collar to go with this placket? Click here.)

A single-piece placket is just a folded rectangle attached to the front (or back) of your top to make putting a garment on or off easier. There are different ways to attach the placket. I’ve found this one to work best for me.

The drafting measurements are given below. I prefer to create a pattern piece to use later, but you can always measure directly onto your fabric. For this tutorial I use a 1/2″ seam allowance, but 1/4″ is fine if you prefer. Continue Reading →