When you sew, many times you want to change the design and have a different collar or sleeve on your garment. Most of the time, you’ll find another sewing pattern that has all the features you’re looking for and start the adjustment, trial, and error process all over again. You don’t have to do that. You can mix and match sewing pattern pieces to create your own designs.
When you know how to sew, you can have whatever you want on any garment. You are the designer. You can create “original designs” like other designers do.
You just have to know a few rules and use a little common sense with your sewing projects. For example, you can’t wear a fitted sleeve in an off-the-shoulder design.
Adjust the bodice once!
Adjust the body of your bustier or blouse once and use it over and over again. After your basic bodice or blouse fits your figure the way you want, try changing the styles of sleeves, necklines, etc. to give you more variety instead of getting another pattern and modifying it to fit you. This will save you a lot of time and frustration.
Make multiple copies of this “master” fitted bodice and change the design features on each one for a full wardrobe of perfectly fitting tops. Be sure to label them so you know what each one is when you use it.
There are only so many neck and sleeve designs. You can interchange them in the sewing pattern of your garment. Go through your box of sewing patterns and select the ones you like best and flatter your figure.
The rule is that if you choose a sleeve or neckline from another pattern, you should also copy the armhole or neckline curves of the bodice from that pattern into your personal basic bodice master pattern that already fits you. You can then sew the new collar or sleeve onto your personal basic bodice/blouse with no problem because they have the same curves as originally intended.
She changed the design, but it didn’t affect the fit because she used the body from the master sewing pattern that she knows already fits her.
Remember to copy the face that matches the collar you wear so that it also fits the garment.
Place the new sleeve or collar together with one of your “master” bodices with corresponding armholes or neckline curves. Mark it so you know what it is and are ready to sew it whenever you want.
Change necklines and other details of another sewing pattern
To change to a totally different neckline, such as changing a jewel neckline to a V-neckline, place the pattern with the desired detail or neckline on top of the pattern you know looks good on you.
Match up the shoulder lines, mid front and mid back. Now draw your new neckline. The neckline and linings of the new neckline are fitted because it is the same neckline they were originally designed for.
Handle sleeve changes in a similar way.
Add a seam anywhere
You can add a seam anywhere you want in a pattern. For example, if you want a yoke, draw a line on one of your “master” bodies where you’d like the yoke to be. Cut the pattern along that line. Add a 5/8″ seam allowance to both cut edges. When you sew this back on, you have a yoke and the fit of the garment has not changed.
Create your own original designs. Have fun being a designer.
It just makes sense!