make a pattern from an old garment

Ever mourn an article of clothing? Yes, I said mourn. You know you have…a favorite tee or pair of jeans that you absolutely adored, and when they finally bit the dust, you mourned. For me, it was a chambray tunic I bought from the Gap several years ago. I wore it over leggings, with jeans, with a tank, with a cardigan… well, you get the picture. The fit was so perfect that I couldn’t let it die without an heir. Hence, my first attempt at apparel pattern making.

Pattern making isn’t difficult, but a basic understanding of garment construction is needed. First step: deconstruction. I cut the tunic along its seams into its 3 basic components – front, back & collar. For the front placket, I actually took the seams apart to figure out how they were originally pieced together. Second step: cutting new pattern pieces. I folded the front and back in half and placed them on my fabric along the fold. I cut them out, leaving about a 1/2 inch margin all around. Then I cut 2 pieces for the collar and  also 2 small rectangular pieces for the front placket.

Third step: make it! By applying some basic sewing knowledge, fashion the pieces back together. For this tunic, I first installed the placket on the front, then I stitched a row of small gathers at the top of the back and front pieces. The rest was easy: sew the 2 collar pieces together, then turn rightside out; attach collar; sew back to front at shoulder seams; sew up the sides; hem the armholes and the bottom and… voila.

DISCLAIMER, FOLKS: This is by no means a complete tutorial for a tunic. I simply want to show you that by deconstructing an old garment and using it to cut new pieces from your fabric, then applying some sewing know-how, you can easily make a fresh reproduction of an old favorite. If you want more detailed help on pattern making, check out these sites: Make Your Own Pattern from Dana at MADE,  How to Make a Dress Pattern from an Old Dress by Lizzie Lenard on You Tube, or you can take an online class at Craftsy.