Printing & Assembling PDF Patterns...The Afternoon Blouse

If you're new to sewing or dress-making, seeing a PDF pattern can either be the boost you need to get going because it's so instant, or it can be intimidating, because, how the heck does that all work anyway?

As I've just released my first pattern, The Afternoon Blouse, which is currently only available as a PDF pattern, I've written a quick tutorial on putting it together, so you can see just how easy it can be.

Now, the way I've laid out my pattern is a little different to your conventional PDF pattern. Why? Well, I've made it easier!

Instead of having to print out every-single-piece and join them all together in one big lump, I've broken them up for you. You can choose to print out each pattern piece individually, which means if you are only wanting to make one version, you can select the page numbers of the pieces you need, and print out those pieces only. This makes putting your pattern together faster (because you aren't taping a huge sheet together and therefore don't need to rearrange your entire living room to make enough floor space) and it also minimises paper wastage, because you aren't printing out unnecessary pattern pieces. So really, it's a win-win in my book.

Before we get to the printing and assembling bit of The Afternoon Blouse pattern, first you should decide what option you are wanting to make (and you're totally allowed to make both. In fact, it's encouraged!). You'll need to choose the following page ranges depending on the version you are making -

Version 1
Pages 3-5 (Facing Pieces) & 6-23 (Front and Back pieces)

Version 2
Pages 1-3 (Facing Pieces) & 6-14 (Back piece) & 24-31 (Front piece)

Supplies:
Afternoon Blouse PDF Pattern
A4 or Letter printer paper
Adobe PDF Reader Software (free to download here) or other PDF Reader
Tape or Glue
Ruler
Scissors (optional!!)

Steps:

1. Once you've downloaded and saved your Afternoon Blouse pattern and instruction sheet to your computer, open your PDF Pattern and select 'Print'

2. In your print options, select 'Actual Size' or 'Scale 100%' depending on which setting you have (I have the Scale 100% setting in my print options) and print page 31. This page has a handy Print Test Box that you can use to ensure you are printing to the right scale. Take your ruler and measure the sides of the box, they should measure 10cm x 10cm.





3. Once your print test box is measuring the correct size, you can go ahead and print out your pattern. You can choose to print just one version by selecting the page ranges you require (listed above).

4. Once your pattern is printed, you'll notice that there are page numbers at the bottom of each printed page. To ensure your pattern piece is up the right way, these need to be in the bottom right hand corner.

5. At this stage, you can either choose to fold your borders back, or cut them. Fold or cut the bottom side and the right side of each pattern piece in order to make it easy to lay them on top of each other to join them together.





6. On page 3 of your instructions, you'll find a Lay Plan of how you should lay each piece of paper together. Follow this guide and lay out your pieces of printed pattern.

7. Join each pattern piece together, making sure to line up borders and pattern lines from each piece to the next and tape or glue in place.





8. And, erm, that's it! Now you're ready to trace your pattern and spend the afternoon sewing.

xx
J

The Afternoon Blouse is Here...

Well folks, you can now buy your very own Afternoon Blouse pattern right here. Just in time for some Easter Weekend sewing!

Thank you so much for all of your sweet comments last week when I announced that I had been working on my first pattern. It's really rather a nerve racking thing to have worked to hard and spent so much time on something and not know how people are going to react. I said it in my last post and I'll say it again - your comments have been so supportive and really very humbling. THANK YOU!

I've decided that I'm not going to be running a sew-a-long per say, mostly because it's such an easy pattern, but I will be writing a number of posts about the blouse on things like stabilising seams (especially useful if you plan to make the blouse using silks, rayons or other 'slinky' fabrics), pattern hacks (a sleeveless version anyone? Or how about adding waist-ties for a bit more definition if you want to wear it untucked?) as well as a tutorial on printing and assembling your Afternoon Blouse Pattern as I've chosen to lay my pattern out a bit differently to other PDF patterns, which hopefully means it's easier to put together and you'll have less paper wastage!

So, ummmm, I guess all there is to do now is go get your own copy of the blouse, find that amazing vintage button that for some reason you only have one of, set aside an afternoon and get sewing, huh?

If you make an Afternoon Blouse, well, I'd REALLY like to see them, so please let me know if you've blogged about one, or feel free to email me a picture :)

Yay!

xx
J

The Afternoon Blouse - Pattern Release Sneak Peek...

So, I've been keeping secrets. I've been busily working away on my first pattern for release, The Afternoon Blouse!

WHAAAA! {insert excited, nervous, happy dance here}

Yes, I know - everyone and their cat (and/or dog, fish, rabbit, guinea pig, chickens...etc) have been releasing patterns lately, but after a few doubts and some sage advice, I thought 'Why not?!' and bit the bullet. You see, sewing is my passion and I want to share it with everyone I possibly can. The worst that can happen is everyone hates my patterns and doesn't buy them, but at least I've had fun making them right?

So, how did this all come to be? Well, it sort of started when I approached our local Recreation Centre about the possibility of teaching sewing classes there (oh yeah, did I mention I'm going to be teaching sewing classes starting on Monday? YAY!! Except, more nervous dancing - what if I forget how to sew?). I wanted to teach two classes initially to gage reaction to them, one a Learn to Sew class and the other an Introduction to Dressmaking class. For the latter, I decided that I kind of wanted to teach my own patterns and so away I delved, into the relatively unknown. Cue: huge learning process here.

These patterns were originally going to just be for my classes, but then I realised what a whole buttload of work was going into one little pattern, that I wondered if I should sell them too. Just in case, you know, any of you wanted to make one!

So, my first pattern, The Afternoon Blouse.  I guess you could sort of call it a retro-vival pattern, as it is based off an original 50s pattern. However, I had made a number of significant fit changes to my original Afternoon Blouses and I've made even more changes to the pattern that I'm going to be releasing. I've made it easier to construct, have drafted a second neckline option and have made the overall shape and design of the blouse more modern so it should blend in well with a vintage and modern wardrobe.

It is a beginners pattern but for the advanced sewer, you should be able to make the blouse in an afternoon - hence the name, but it's also kind of perfect for receiving afternoon guests and for just kicking around in on a lazy Sunday afternoon - making for a quick and satisfying make.

As I said above, the blouse has two necklines to choose from, a round version and a square version. The Button detail on both versions is decorative (aka non-functioning) and it also has my very favourite, soft 1940s style kimono sleeves.  While the blouse is designed to be tucked into high waisted skirts and pants, it looks equally cool worn with jeans and sandals for the modern gal. Really, it's the perfect flowy blouse for those of you heading into summer, and you can make it up in luxurious silk or a practical cotton. Both work perfectly!

The pattern is currently with my lovely testers at the moment and it will be available in the next week or two. At this stage, I'm only going to be releasing it in PDF format, however, if there is enough of a demand for paper patterns, then I'll certainly look into getting them done as well.

AND if you don't sew, but want one, I'm going to be taking orders to make custom Afternoon Blouses for all! Ain't no reason why you non-sewers should miss out, right?! The Afternoon Blouse ranges in size from an NZ6 right through to an NZ20.

So, keep an eye out for when the pattern is officially released for download straight to your computer - I'll be announcing it right here! I'm also pretty sure there'll be a giveaway somewhere in there as well.

Can't wait to hear what you think!!

xx
Jen

The Anna Blouse...

I'm having a bit of 'blog' writers block at the moment. There's a lot to say, but words just aren't coming easily this week. So, a short and sweet sewing blog post with mostly pictures will have to suffice this time round.

This is the Anna bodice turned into a back button-up blouse. Pretty sweet huh?

I actually made and took photos of the blouse before we moved into our new house. I was hoping to find the time to make up a tutorial to go along with this post but unfortunately, that just hasn't happened yet.  If you would like to know how I did it, let me know in the comments and I'll rustle up a tutorial for you.

And just quickly, while we're on the subject of the BHL ladies, have you seen their kickstarter page? I've had the honor of meeting (and fabric shopping with) Elisalex and Charlotte, and they are such lovely ladies! There are some pretty sweet goodies available for all pledges (big and small), so if you can pledge anything towards their project, you can do so here. 

I'll be back this week with a sneak peek of what's been eating up my life at the moment (and has taken up all my words. And it ain't just the house, though that has been taking up plenty enough on it's own). Can't wait to share...

xx
J