Ok all of you sewing types...

[nimawae]

I have a question for you. The vest I'm making needs to be a medium and I don't want to cut off the large and extra-large parts of the pattern. How on earth do I fold the pattern so the I'm getting the medium measurements? I'm fine with the straight lines, but I'm not sure what to do at the curved parts. Should I cut a straight line into the

Comments

[noveldevice]

Go buy some tracing paper or transparent pattern paper in large sheets. Trace the medium size onto the paper. Cut it to size and refold your original patterns and stow them away. :)

Are you making a muslin so you know how the pattern fits before you use your good fabric?

[nimawae]

Oh, that makes sense. I should have thought of that before. Thanks! :)

Actually, I hadn't planned on making a muslin. I hadn't even thought about it actually. Do you think I should definitely do that? I'm supposed to have this thing finished by July 7th (for a wedding) and I'm concerned about having enough time. Although I'm hoping that once I finally get this blood thing cut out it won't take that long anyway. Thoughts?

[noveldevice]

Definitely make a muslin. You don't have to do the finish bits, pockets, lining etc, but it's good to know how it's going to fit.

[nimawae]

Ok. I'll do that. Actually, I'll probably go buy the muslin in about an hour. So much for getting started on sewing today. Heh. Seems like every time I try I find something else that confuses me. Oh well. I'll get this eventually.

[treeskin]

We used to grab a bit of carbon paper and trace the sizes/pieces we needed off a pattern, rather than cut the whole bit out. Lets you reuse the pattern for other sizes later.

And if it's something you're planning to use multiple times, you might want to iron the pattern pieces onto fusable interfacing, so they'll be more durable. By's mom did that, and then would put the whole thing in a large manila envelope, rather than try to stuff the business back into the little envelope the pattern came in. Then she'd write notes on the outside--what size she'd used, who for, etc.

[nimawae]

Good idea! Thanks so much. :)

I might use it multiple times. I'm just not sure yet. Would fusing the interfacing on the pattern involve just cutting some to fit the pattern and then ironing that on? Also would it be better to iron the interfacing side or the pattern side? Sorry, I haven't done any of this in a very long time, and the people who taught were not very skilled or knowledgable anyway.

I also like that manila envelope idea. Sounds like a very good way to keep things organized.

[noveldevice]

The interfacing will have instructions. Just iron it on and then cut the excess away.

[nimawae]

Doh! Good point...thanks! :)