What's The Stitch?

I've seen some people on here express interest in making their own clothes, and I recently discovered this database for plus size/size inclusive sewing patterns and wanted to share.

All of the patterns/brands on the list accommodate at least a 60 inch hip measurement, though the actual size ranges and other measurements vary, and there’s even a search function that allows you to plug in your own measurements (both imperial and metric) and find brands that can fit them. The site also does a monthly pattern roundup sharing specific patterns that meet the sizing criteria, which I think is neat.

A lot of these *do* tend to max out around the 60-65 inch range, so it's not the most inclusive for superfats, but it's still waaaaay more inclusive than the big-brand sewing pattern companies tend to be.

I get a lot of questions about material choices, so I thought it would be cool to do little overviews of my favorite materials! (since to be honest, i pretty much just rotate between 3-4 fabric types haha)

Starting with microsuede, my all time favorite and most used material choice. Microsuede is a faux suede made from lots of tiny polyester microfibers split and combined together. its similar in feel to natural suede but distinctly different in its overall fabric drape. It can sometimes have stretch, but usually its a non-stretch fabric. (also not to be confused with microfiber!! mircofiber fabric is similar but its much softer, its the material that cleaning wipes for glasses/screens are used of.)

Some of the advantages of microsuede is its a thick, sturdy fabric. Personally I find it a very friendly fabric due to its thickness and body. Its a great choice if you want something to have some heft to it and structural support. It presses well and can hold folds like the dickens. Its both easy to work with and easy to make a garment that looks nice out of imo. It comes in all kinds of weights from apparel to upholstery. I've personally never used heavy duty, true upholstery weight microsuede so I cant speak much to that, I tend to use microsuedes intended for apparel.

Another great advantage of microsuede is it has an inherent, mottled texture. this is great for making simpler, color blocked designs still have visual interest.

It also takes to adhesives well due to the fuzzier texture, meaning the glues can grisp with more surface area (you just might have to press it in a bit, its still a poly fabric so its not the easiest thing to get hot glue to stick to but by god it can be done).

But microsuede is not a one-size-fits-all fabric. One, the stiffness it has can be a downside if you want a more flowy drape, it would rather fold and crease than flow. Two, its a pain to paint or use HTV on, the fuzzy texture is a downside here. Three, It can also show needle holes if you have to seam rip depending on what you used. You can use a universal needle on microsuede dependings on the weight (I usually do). But its still a thick fabric so be sure not to use too thin of a needle, i also have luck using medium pressure and a walking foot. but all the same ive lost many a needle to microsuede via snapping.

Another thing is personally i find that due to its texture, it looks more homespun and rugged, as such I would hesitate to use it if i wanted a costume to look more regal or formal (i still used it on thistle though lol so its all about the particular use-case)

I source my microsuedes from Big Z primarily (like literally 90% of the time) but I also use fabric wholesale direct, and jo anns, who despite their markups does have some very nice quality suedes, i love their stretch suedes in particular.

Yes, how you fold your fabric before putting down the pattern pieces and cutting matters, because it influences how the fabric drapes, and ignoring that can cause fit issues in ways you wouldn't expect

Yes, cutting an entire separate piece to sew to the edge to finish it is going to be better than turning the edge and stitching it on its own, because there are geometry issues in play that make it actually harder to just fold a curve to the inside.

Yes, cutting clips or notches into the seam allowance around curves should always be done, because those geometry issues will work on the seam allowances and keep the curve from laying flat (remember, clip when the curve goes in, notch when the curve goes out)

Yes, interfacing may seem completely superfluous and frustrating and an extra step to work with, but it adds rigidity and stability to areas that need it (especially under buttons)

Yes, using a fun quilting cotton print for lining looks nice, but the point of lining isn't to make the inside pretty as much as it is to make the inside slip smoothly over the layer under it, and quilting cotton is going to instead be prone to grabbing everything under it, so you really should use those annoyingly slippery lining fabrics

Yes, in general, you should use the kind of fabric the pattern tells you to use, because there have been centuries, if not millennia, of people throughout the entire world figuring out what fabric best suits what kind of garment, for reasons beyond aesthetics

I know that a lot of people new to sewing see these things and feel like they're things that just aren't necessary, because they skip them when they sew and the item ends up just fine. And if you don't mind the idea of your clothes looking homemade, then it is fine. But...if you're consistently skipping these things and end up unhappy with how homemade your items look, please consider that that result is at least partly because you're not following the entire directions

Is it as good as fabrics designed for shirts? No. (My personal favs for winter are a cotton sateen with some stretch, and for summer a nice linen, if you must know, but I often use cotton double gauze for summer, too.)

Can you make a perfectly good button-down shirt out of it that will last you 5+ years of regular use? YES. I've made several. It's fine. Wash the fabric with super hot water and dry on hot first to make sure it's not going to shrink on you. The shirts last longer if you hang them to dry but that's true of most things.

A "menswear style" button-up shirt will probably work out fine in even the sturdiest quilting cottons. If the shirt's goal is to be soft and flowing, then the weight of the fabric becomes more important.

"Button up shirt made from quilting cotton = fabulous" versus "Button up shirt that, If I had made it in quilting cotton, probably would have looked--and felt--like a tent"

Sometimes with a press cloth, depending on the situation. You can cut a piece of silk organza to use and it works nicely because you can still see through it.

And staystitching the curved edges is absolutely necessary if you're working with a soft drapey fabric and you don't want the neckhole to stretch out horribly.

It's worth learning to use a thimble, I promise it makes hand sewing so much easier.

And ffs, clean your sewing machine regularly, and oil it! AND clean your iron now and then when it gets gunky! You can buy these melty sticks of iron cleaner to do it with.

Some people may say that mockups and basting are for the weak, but it's the other way around. Skipping them is for reckless fools.

A recent commenter on my 18th century shirt tutorial said:

We’ve all seen it before: The scandalous, daring anime skirt that is completely open in the front, yet manages to defy gravity and remain obscenely poofy. Now, usually the fluffy skirts of anime girls everywhere can be handled by adding a hoop skirt or a petticoat underneath, but what are we to do about the open panel? No one wants their hoop skirt or petticoat to be seen, but without it, you lose the gravity defying poof that gives the character their signature silhouette. 

Fear not my friends, for the open hoop skirt tutorial will now grant you a solution. To begin, I will say that I started my own open front hoop skirt following this tutorial here(It’s great and if you’re doing a full length hoop skirt, definitely check it out). The reason that I decided to make my own tutorial is because I picked up some extra tricks to make it work when you don’t have bendable plastic. Here, we will be modifying a hoop skirt rather than making one from scratch.  First, grab your reference picture, and determine what shape/how long your need your hoop skirt to be. In my case, I was making Saber Nero’s cosplay from Fate/Extra:

Because her red skirt only comes to mid-shin or so, I knew that I didn’t need a full length hoop skirt. However, because we are taking out a section of the hoop skirt, I would recommend getting a long hoop skirt with a lot of hoops, and to cut off the excess. This is what I started with:

It’s a 6-hoop skirt from amazon, way too long, and completely the wrong shape. This is all fine, because we’re going to be reconstructing it.  The first thing that I did was cut off all the excess after the 4th hoop. Take out the hoops, and serge the edges to stop the fraying. Don’t throw away the extra fabric and hoops–they will be used later on in the tutorial. This step is optional if you plan on keeping your hoop skirt long, but know that you might have to buy some extra boning for the last parts of this tutorial. Also optional, but this makes it a lot easier to handle the hoop skirt: Insert an elastic waistband instead of the ribbon tie on top. In my case, I had to seam rip the casing because it was too small for my elastic band, and sew down a larger casing. This was necessary for me because the skirt was going to sit very low on my hips. (And I just plain don’t like the ribbon ties.) Next, put the hoops back inside the skirt:

Now, the fun part! Mark where you want your hoop skirt to start. I used a tape measure to get it even on both sides. When you are satisfied with how it looks, cut away! (Don’t cut through the actual boning tho!) When you are finished, you can take apart the hoops and remove the panel that you have cut through. 

It will look roughly like this! Don’t cut any of the boning yet, remove it from the hoop skirt. Serge all the raw edges. 

Taking some heavy duty scrap fabric (I used a type of flat braid I found at Joanns), sew it to the edges of your hoop skirt to create a casing. Note: I actually left gaps between stitches on the inner layer so that the original hoop casings going perpendicular to the new casings weren’t cut off. That way, the new casing is giving extra support to original casing. Also, I didn’t show it in the diagram, but please remember to close the casing at the bottom of the hoop skirt. Optional: I took the extra fabric that I cut off from the hoop skirt, serged the raw edges, gathered it a bit, and sewed it on the halfway point around the hoop skirt and at the very top. This is solely for the purpose of hiding the hoops so that they don’t show through your fabric over the hoop skirt. Put your hoop skirt back on the dress form. Cut little holes right outside of the new casing you installed, and slide your hoops back in. If your boning is sharp, I very much recommend wrapping some tape around the edges to make it as dull as possible because there will be pressure applied to the fabric that the hoops hit. Once you have the hoop completely in place, cut a little bit past the point of where the hoop skirt ends, and tuck the edge into the casing (Don’t forget to dull the edge of the boning). Apply fray check to the holes you made and sew it up. Depending on the quality of your hoop skirt, you may have to do some hand sewing if the hoop casing is coming loose when you originally cut out the front panel.  So, now your hoop skirt probably looks like the picture on the left:

How do we get that extra poof? Well, take your leftover boning, and insert it into the new casing you made like so:

The two blue pieces of boning will help create a strong end point for the hoops going around, while the orange piece will channel the blue ones and make them poof out. The longer your orange piece is, the better. As a result, your hoop skirt will now flare out a lot more! (Thank you lovely engineering boyfriend for this wonderful idea)

In this post you learn how to add seam allowance to sewing patterns. Do you want to learn how to sew garments that look professional and fit well? If so, you need to master the concept of seam allowance. Seam allowance is one of the most important aspects of sewing, yet it is often overlooked or misunderstood by many sewists. In this guide, we’ll explain everything you need to know about seam…

This is a question I’m asked a lot!  

My answer? - - 

For 16th Century (Elizabethan/Tudor): 

NOBLE GOWN with cartridge pleat skirt: I stick to fabrics that are 58″ to 60″ wide and use four panels. Now, the amount (yardage) will depend on how tall your client is, but generally I allow about 6 to 7 yards for the skirt - alone. i like my skirts FULL!  I literally have a visceral reaction when I see skirts that barely fit over the farthingale (cone shaped hoops). 

Now there’s a caveat to that number: A woman size 5 to 10 you can get away with 3 panels of 58″ wide fabric. Narrower fabric will require more! A woman size 12 to 20 can generally get away with 4 panels of 58″ to 60″ fabric. Size 22 and up may need 5 panels of 58″ to 60″ wide fabric - It depends on your fabric! It also depends on “prepping” for cartridge pleats. I sew on a strip of grosgrain ribbon to stabilize the fabric for pleating. This is especially important when using silks - otherwise, your pleats will be paper thin and require MORE fabric. I

My cartridge pleats are generally marked at about .75 or ¾ of an inch wide. NOTE: I’ve done tutorials, BUT I’ll have to do a video. If you follow my Facebook page that’s usually where I post my “tutorials.” 

I allow another 2 yards for the bodice, and another 1.5 yards for sleeves - - fitted sleeves! Most of my clients want matching embroidered sleeves and forepart. 

For the forepart, which is the embellished “underskirt” I allow 2 yards. 

*Now…the sleeves and forepart are usually made in a contrasting color! So make sure to split up your yardage accordingly by color. 

I allow an EXTRA yard to 1.5 yards to make piping!

TOTAL: 13.5 yards  -  BUT ALWAYS ORDER AN EXTRA yard of your main fabric! 

Why order extra?  I’ll tell you! 

Back in 2019, I started THIS gown for the actress who portrays Queen Elizabeth at the Washington Midsummer Renaissance Faire in my hometown of Bonney Lake. (She’s a very good friend!) The pandemic happened and she had some health changes and gained some weight in the 2.5 years since. When you gain weight, you gain it ALL OVER so just widening the back of the gown is NOT a fix. The width of your chest changes. The entire circumference of your torso changes. The width of your shoulders change. Everything changes! I had to redraft the entire bodice, pick off ALL of the gold bullion trim and beads and redo it! (I’m currently in the throes of that particular project). If I hadn’t had extra fabric I would not have been able to make those alterations! And the client would have to start from scratch. I have a contract that each client is given when they pay their deposit. It clearly states that I am not liable for alterations required for weight gain or weight loss. So the labor would be double!

You can take a skirt, provided you’ve been generous in your width like I am, and shorten the length of your cartridge pleats to alter the skirt larger, but you CANNOT make proper alterations on a bodice that is too small. You have to start OVER. :(  So always order extra fabric!  It’s much easier to widen a skirt and re-cut another bodice. *wink*

MEN’S NOBLE DOUBLET: I always try to source the widest fabric possible, but some of the beautiful brocades I’ve used are only 45″ wide (as seen in the picture below which I believe was only 38″). The narrower the fabric the MORE you have to buy. 

For fabric that is narrower approx 38″ to 45″ wide, you will need 5 yards - unless you want spiral sleeves as seen in the picture below. In that case, you will need more. For fabric that is wider, such as 58″ to 60″ - you can get by with about 3 yards. 

Also - - you will need MORE fabric in order to pattern match your panels as I’ve done in the doublet below. So that 5 yards can go up to 6 or 7, if it’s narrower in width. I do not attempt to pattern match my spiral sleeves. That’s just a level of insanity I don’t willingly venture. 

For piping, I order an extra yard to 1.5 of contrasting or coordinating silk. 

WORKING CLASS KIRTLE: 

For most of my kirtles I use 100% linen from Fabric-store.com. Their linen is 58″ wide. I order 5 yards. Again, I like my skirts to be fuller. I use three panels cut to whatever length you need to accommodate for your height.  

For the contrasting strips, you only need about ¾ of a yard. I cut the length exactly to the width of the fabric. Three panels in a skirt means three pieces for each strip. If you want your pinner sleeves (that’s what the detachable sleeves were called) in a contrasting color, then order an extra yard. 

WORKING CLASS TROUSERS: 

I recommend wool lined with a lightweight linen. You’ll need about 3 yards. 

I see a decent amount of criticism of Giselle’s dress at the ball in ENCHANTED. How, viewers say, could Giselle go from this:

To this:

and think it an improvement?

This is not the ideal choice for a gown for Amy Adams, but I also think that’s the point.

The point is that Giselle spends the first part of the movie singlemindedly trying to leave the city and get back home to her fairy tale. Her growth is when she realized that’s not enough for her any more, and she wants to commit. To put down roots. To date, to adopt the customs of this new world.

This gown isn’t intended to be a “glow up” or a “rags to riches” or “she was beautiful all along”.

Similarly, Robert is introduced to us as a sterile lawyer:

Who ALSO has a dramatic costume change at the ball:

They are DOING THE SAME THING.

Robert is trying to show Giselle he understands that her needs and dreams are not only valid but correct - here he is dancing! In a period suit!

Giselle is trying to show Robert that she can adjust and compromise without losing herself! His world matters too! Here she is in a modern gown!

And neither of them are supposed to stay in those costumes - they’re both costumes. How does the movie end?

In outfits that are casual, maybe, but colorful and indicative of themselves. They’ve met in the middle, but become more themselves. She’s more dignified and he’s more lively.