I became a Pirate!

 Sewing with Patterns for Pirates patterns, A Review:

I'm starting my year of 'using what you have and sewing what is there' with a bang and a whole lot of new clothes.  It is time to use and review all those patterns hiding in my stash.  Why am I keeping all of this flat clothing potential?  It is time to use, and keep or let go depending on the results.  Someone else will be blessed by my decision making I am sure.

MiniWardrobe Contest:  Two weeks, nine garments.

 Patterns for Pirates had a fall 'sew 9 items in two weeks' mini-wardrobe contest.  This is a new to me pattern  company.  Until I sewed for the contest, I had only ever tried their peg leg pattern and the essential tank top.  But I am a sucker for wardrobe contests and I had to give it a go.

I used mostly stash fabric for this contest.  The flower print, the black and white stripe and the light grey sweater knit fabrics were both new purchases but everything else has been marinating in my stash for more than a year. 

I started late--five days before the deadline (I was working on the wedding dress).  In the end, I sewed 20 different garments.  I am not the only person in the Pirate Community who sewed multiple 9 garment wardrobes. Quite a few people sewed me and mini-me wardrobes.  I'm not even close to the highest number of garments sewn in two weeks.  At least one person made four 'mini-wardrobes' so 36 garments.  I only made two sets of nine garments.

Well, 19 garments because the white shirt got thrown in at the last minute or 20 if you count the leggings I made and promptly gave to my daughter because the fabric did not have enough stretch for my body lol.

Patterns for Pirates: A Review

P4P is a downloadable pdf pattern company (aka, purchase, print, tape the pattern together).  They design modern stylish patterns for everyday life in a respectable size range (from very small (XXS) to 3XL) which means I can sew with them for my sister who is a size 4 and my SIL who is on the larger end of the size range.  They  have maternity add-ons to their patterns.

 The patterns are 'no trim' pdf patterns; you can put them together with a glue stick and you don't lose the lines of the pattern at the edges of the paper.   Many (but not all) of their patterns have pdf layers.  That means you can print a single size instead of having to find your line in the many sizes (after printing and trimming a Jalie pattern, I would say this is a definite bonus).  You can also print two or three sizes to easily grade between them. 

The patterns are modestly priced (averaging about 7-10 dollars US each) and offer family bundle packs. They allow you to sew for others and sell the items made from their patterns at no extra cost.  

The woman's pattern block is based on a realistic curvy body shape. I have a generous 'european' curvy backside and I measure on the smaller end of the XL. I do not have to grade between sizes to get a pattern to reflect my waist curve.  The back rise on their pants reflects a curvy body shape and has a significantly longer back rise.  (Translation: if you need the StyleArc Flat bottom Flo pants,  these patterns are going to take work for you to get them to fit.)

Their block is based on an average height of  5'4" which is significantly shorter than the big4's block of an average height of 5'8".  I still had to shorten the patterns but I'm 5'1" if I measure right after I see the chiropractor.  On average, I took out an inch above the armhole, an inch between waist and hip on the tops and one to three inches between waist and the floor on the pants and the maxidress (a far cry from the average 7-10 inches I take out of most patterns).

Most of their patterns are designed for stretch fabrics, anywhere from 30 to 100% stretch.I have only tried the women's patterns and I haven't tried any of their patterns for wovens (none of them but the Linen Loungers appealed to me) but I made seven of their knit patterns.

Rating:

I love these patterns.  They fit the way they say they will (always a bonus!) and for every pattern you can see what they look like on lots of different sized and shaped people.  There is reasonable ease in the patterns I tried, in other words, they fit like they say they will.  The pants have decent sized pockets.  My iphone6 fits in my front pocket of my Sos pants.  They have lots of options in every pattern and they don't cost an arm and a leg.

They also have an amazing community in their private Facebook group.  Lots of support if you need help with a pattern or a technique or need to figure out how to make a pattern work for you.  I am in good company with my crazy love of sewing an instant wardrobe. It made me feel better to know I am not the only crazy person who sews a wardrobe in four days.

You can try their legging pattern and skirt pattern for free. And that includes the maternity add on to the leggings and the color blocked version of their legging with pockets.

I wish they would put up a top pattern for free as well because I think that they would sell more patterns if you could try both a top and bottom.  That said, I am sure there will be a lot more garments made from patterns by this company in my future. 

My first set: Sos Pants and the Essential Tank.  The tank fits exactly like a tank top I purchased and love.  The  pile of fabric is the plan of what is to come.  My sewing room looked like this when I started. 

Sos Pants made from stretch denim, and the Essential Tee without a band. The essential Tee fits like a tee shirt I purchased and wore out.  I am thrilled to find a tee shirt that is not tight across my belly and hips. Notice the clean sewing room.

Essential Tee and Sos pants. These pants are like the Jalie Elanor stretch jeans but they have real front  pockets!  I straightened the pants from an inch above the knee to hem so they are not tight on my calves.  I can roll them up to capris, no problem.

Sos Pants in black ponte, Essential Tee with a band in a rayon sweater knit. Wow, I need to clean that mirror.

Sunshine dress maxi with a lot more skirt than the pattern calls for because I wanted the fullness. I didn't put pockets in the skirt and I am going to add them. I wore this dress to karaoke with my daughter and goddaughter.  And how do other people get such good selfies?   These are my first selfies and they are no where near that good. You can't see the decent coverage on this dress.