Lutterloh Patterns Come Alive!

 Supplement 334 - Model #207 - 2024

Crossover front blouse for stretch fabric

 

   Hello again Lutterloh fans. I liked the look of this crossover style shirt but I'm afraid I misinterpreted the clues I should have gotten from the fashion drawing. I was going for a crossover front style T-shirt and although this blouse pattern is marked with the knit symbol it was not the best starting point.

 

Pattern Hints:

   There was no problem enlarging this pattern to my size. My problems began before I ever started plotting the dots for the pattern. This pattern is labeled with "NN", the symbol for a blouse. I should have looked more closely at the fashion drawing for the clues about the fit.

   The red arrow in the picture above points to a looser, blouse like, fit. The shoulders are also wider allowing for a looser fit in the upper chest area. The picture below shows the pattern pieces and back view of this pattern. The back view shows a rather boxy shape to this blouse. You can see that there is not much shaping at the waist. The sleeve is also loose and flowing, not at all like a T-shirt. I should have known better but plowed ahead anyway.

 

 Design Changes:

   I initially sewed up this shirt with no design changes except to narrow and shorten the sleeves. I did end up with a boxy, loose blouse in a knit fabric. Because I was hoping for more of a close fitting T-shirt I ended up taking in both side seams by ¾". This constitutes a reduction in circumference of 3 full inches. This should give you an idea of how much ease is added to this pattern. The shoulders also seemed wide and square to me. If I had adjusted the slope on the shoulder seam I could have probably eliminated the wrinkling around my armpits. When I realized this shirt was also a little shorter than I like, despite adding my regular amount to the length, I knew I had to look for another pattern.

 

Fabric Used/Suggested:

   For my light blue shirt I used a lightweight fine ribbed knit. Obviously this was not the best choice since this is supposed to be a blouse. I did see some lovely stretch chiffon while shopping at JoAnn Fabrics the other day. This is probably closer to what the designer had in mind for this pattern. Perhaps a rayon or bamboo knit with more drape could work as well.

 

Closing Hints:

   Even though this shirt didn't turn out exactly as I had planned I will still wear it. I love the color and it is very comfortable so it has that going for it.  I'm sure if I look back further in my Lutterloh supplements I'll find a T-shirt pattern that is closer to my vision of the perfect front crossover T-shirt. In the mean time I have a nice wearable muslin in a color that suits me.

 

Until next time then, happy sewing everyone,

 

Ann in Calif.

Lutterloh Patterns Come Alive!

 Supplement 313 - Model#42 - 2019    

   Hi there Lutterloh fans. We're having, what I hope, is the last heat wave of the season. I'm wishing for cooler weather so decided to make these lightweight pants for the transition. I looked for a wider leg but with the ease of an elastic waist. This pattern fit the bill nicely.

Pattern Hints:  

   There were no problems drawing out this pattern. It's a pretty basic pattern that can be used for many looks depending on the fabric choice. I didn't use the pocket pattern for these pants because I have a favorite pocket pattern that I know works with so many patterns. There's no point in reinventing the wheel. 😉 

 

Design Changes:

   As mentioned this is a straight forward pattern that just needs some personal fitting fixes. The fashion drawing does show slits on the inseams of these pants. I didn't want the legs to be any wider or floppier so I sewed the entire inseam, top to bottom. 

No pockets in the back make this a quick sew. Side seam pockets sew up fast and you can place them anywhere on the side seam to suit your preference.

 

Fabric Used/Suggested:

   My fabric for these pants is a nice 100% cotton oxford cloth. It's just the right weight to transition into some cooler weather. I told my husband "All I need now is an invitation to a yacht party 😜! Not likely, but a girl can dream. 

   Since there is no knit symbol on this pattern we can assume that many different woven fabrics will do. Of course a stretch fabric could be used with perhaps deeper seam allowances depending on the amount of stretch. I see this as a very useful pattern now that I've adjusted the fit. 

 

Closing Hints:

    I'm so glad I took the time to get this pattern to fit well. I already have plans for a couple more pairs in flannel and maybe chambray or rayon challis. This basic pull on pants pattern is a keeper! 

 

Here's hoping you find some favorites in your Lutterloh patterns. Until next time...

Happy sewing everyone,

 

Ann in Calif.     

Lutterloh Patterns - Fashion Flashback

 Der Goldene Schnitt - 1939 Book Box   

Vintage apron altered for cross back style

 

   Hello folks, I hope your Summer is going swimmingly. I needed a gift for a friend and, since she is an avid gardener and a fan of vintage, I thought this apron would be perfect. She had mentioned that she'd seen some cross back style aprons in a gardening store and I knew that I could replicate one in her favorite colors with just a little alteration of this vintage pattern. 

 

The Pattern:                         

   This pattern appears in several of my vintage books. The photo above shows the pattern pieces that needed to be enlarged. The red "Xes" indicate the pieces that I didn't use since this was going to be a cross back style. I found it interesting that none of my books where this pattern appears included a back view or even any suggestion for a closure or length for ties.  Clearly this must have been such a ubiquitous article of everyday wear that they felt it wasn't necessary. The photos below are of my vintage book which opens into an actual box to hold the patterns.           

The Alterations:  

   Because I was changing this to a cross back style, I didn't need to draw out the back pattern piece. After researching patterns for this style I discovered that only the front of the apron is needed to create the back pattern piece. The front of this apron is made up of two separate pattern pieces but I was able to tape these two together to make one front pattern piece. Below is a photo of how I created the pattern piece for the cross over back.

    I started by cutting the front pattern piece more curved on the bottom rather than the point shown in the original. In order to create the back cross over I needed to copy the front pattern twice so I had a complete front. The red lines drawn in are approximately where I drew the curve for my cross over back. Of course the pattern lines were much smoother but its difficult to draw with my mouse. The back pattern was cut along my red lines, including the right shoulder strap, and along the left side seam. The rest of the pattern was discarded. The grainline for the back was drawn in on the line where the two fronts were joined together. The front pattern piece was cut on the fold of the fabric just like the original apron and I cut two of the back pattern piece with the fabric right sides together. I wanted my apron to be reversible so I cut these pieces again in a coordinating fabric.  

 

The Sewing:

   Sewing this apron together was a breeze. For each fabric I sewed the side seams together, which matched perfectly because they're drawn from an identical pattern piece. I left my shoulder seams open because I wanted to make this apron reversible. I placed my aprons right sides together and sewed around all the edges except the ends of the shoulder straps. I then turned the entire apron out through one shoulder strap. To finish I pressed in a small seam allowance on the back straps, crossed over the back pieces and tucked the front straps just inside those back straps. The shoulder straps were then top stitched closed. Once everything got a good pressing I had a fully reversible apron.

Conclusion:

   I have found that with so many Lutterloh patterns in my collection that I can almost always create whatever style I like with just a few pattern alterations. I know the fit will be right because I've already worked out my personal pattern adjustments with the basic patterns. I certainly hope you consider using your patterns in this way since it opens up so many more possibilities from your Lutterloh patterns. 

 

Until next time then, happy sewing everyone,

 

Ann in Calif. 

Lutterloh Patterns Come Alive!

Supplement 332 - Model #23 - 2024

Shirt Dress with cut on sleeves

 

    Hello again from California. It's taking a while for the weather to warm up here but I thought I would get a jump on some sewing for Spring/Summer. The pattern for this dress is such a simple shape but a belt transforms it into a chic piece to dress up or down for lots of occasions.

 

Pattern Hints:

    As I mentioned, this pattern is a very simple shape including straight sides, cut on sleeves and POCKETS. There are only 4 pattern pieces to enlarge, front, back, collar and pocket. From the symbols included it appears as though the front facing should be folded back on itself but I believe there may be a mistake. Below is a picture of the front pattern piece. The only symbols I erased are the numbers to enlarge it to your size.

    The dashed line, to the right of the button symbols, would appear to suggest that you should fold here to form a facing. However, when I enlarged my pattern, I found that if I folded the pattern here that not only was the neckline the wrong shape to fit the collar but it was also too short. I believe there are symbols missing here to indicate a separate facing to be sewn onto the the front edge. When I measured the length of the neckline and the length of the collar I found them to be nearly identical. The red line is where I drew my actual facing because I knew I wouldn't button this dress all the way to the top. 

    Like others have found, the collar pattern draws out taller than the fashion drawing shows. Mine ended up about 1 ⅛" high. When I measured some items in my closet I found this type of collar to be only around ¾" tall. It was easy enough to adjust this when I added the seam allowances.

 

Design Changes:

    Other than the changes to the facing shape and collar I only made one other style alteration to this dress pattern. I found that the length on this dress would hit right at the largest part of my calf. I know this length just doesn't suit me so I cut it without a hem allowance and then folded the bottom up 3 inches so it now falls just to the bottom of my knees. To give the hem a little bit of weight I applied fusible interfacing at a width of 1 ½" and folded this up twice.

 

Fabric Used/Suggested:

    This version of the pattern is made up in a soft, quilting weight cotton. I had a nice big piece in my stash in shades of blue that just makes me happy. I was hoping to use some flower shaped buttons but found the selection at JoAnn Fabrics to be slim pickings. 

    The pattern does suggest a woven fabric for this dress and I can imagine using a rayon blend, chambray or even a silky type fabric for a dressier version. This would probably work in a medium weight knit as long as it was stable on the lengthwise grain.

 

Closing Hints:

    For the simple shape of this pattern I'm pleasantly surprised with the outcome. It will definitely be put away for future use. I will admit that without the belt this dress is pretty straight and sack like. I am hoping after a few washes that the fabric will soften a little. Even if it does wrinkle in the dryer the basic shape should be easy enough to iron in a jiffy.

 

Here's hoping the Spring weather will brighten your days.

 

Until next time then, happy sewing everyone,

 

Ann in Calif.

Lutterloh Patterns Come Alive!

 Supplement 332 - Model #5 - 2024

Loose fitting, full figure, knit top

 

   Hi there fellow Lutterloh sewists. Spring is almost here and the newest Lutterloh supplement is full of promise for a new wardrobe! This recent top seemed like a good start to ease into some warmer weather. It's another full figure pattern adapted to fit my less than full figure.

 

Pattern Hints:

   This pattern surprised me a little with a very loose fit and longer length. I anticipated a looser top from examining the pattern lines but the fashion drawing, with the hand in her pocket, disguised the true length of this top. It hits just at the bottom of the crotch. That's not really long enough to be a tunic but certainly longer than the average T-shirt. Below is the miniature of the pattern pieces.

 

  You can see that there isn't much shaping at the waist. The red lines are roughly where I reduced the waist for a slightly closer fitting top. The center back seam also gives a little more opportunity for more shaping at the waist. Because this is a full figure pattern I used a number on the Lutterloh scale that was a full 5 dots less than my actual measurement. Even though this represents a pattern that is 10cm less than my normal measurement it still produced a fairly loose fitting top. 

 

Style Changes:

   As mentioned above I ended up taking in this top at the waist at all the seams. In addition to being a looser fitting top I also found the length to be too long for my liking. I ended up cutting off 2 inches from the bottom to get a more standard T-shirt length top. This pattern, if extended quite a bit, might also make a pretty nice dress pattern. The ruching, below the V neck, is quite flattering for a larger bust and would probably help disguise a thicker waist if made up in the original looser fit. 

 

Fabric Used/Suggested:

   My lavender fabric is close to a medium weight interlock knit. This may have contributed to my dislike of the original fit. A lighter weight, clingier knit may have been more appropriate. Now, looking at the photo, I may even take the seams in further to get a closer fit for this particular fabric. If I make this again I'll look for a rayon or bamboo blend or perhaps an ITY knit. This probably isn't a pattern that would work well in a stretch woven unless it was much closer fitting with a zipper opening.

 

Closing Hints:

    After the alterations I do like the way this top turned out. My only reservation would be that the strap in the center of the ruching was a little fiddly to apply. I was afraid that if I top-stitched it that the gathers would be distorted. I ended up hand tacking the center strap on from the inside all the way up to the neckline. I tried the top on before the strap was applied but it just didn't look finished without it. For the future I'll try to figure out another way to apply the strap.

 

Until next time then, happy sewing everyone,

 

Ann in Calif.           

My Favorite Blouse

 Supplement 267 - Model #48 - 2007 

Collarless Blouse converted to front button style

   Hello again Lutterloh fans. I'll be taking a vacation soon to warm, sunny, southern California so I was looking through my closet and realized these blouses would be perfect. These aren't new but I thought I would share how I converted this pattern to a front button style instead of the intended side zipper opening.

 

The Pattern:

    The original pattern suggests a side zipper opening with the front pieces cut on the fold. I admit I have never made this blouse in its original form. From the first time I saw it I knew I would alter it. Below is a pic of the front pattern pieces which are drawn as one and then cut apart into upper and lower bodice. 

   You can see the symbol for a side zipper on the right of the photo. The red line indicates where I extended the neckline and center front by 3/4 of an inch. This allowed me to add a button placket for 5/8 inch buttons. I cut my 2 inch wide facing before I cut the top and bottom apart thus avoiding the extra bulk where the seams would meet. The blue line is a rough drawing of how I shaped the front facing. The back neck facing was cut at the same width. After my initial test of this pattern I felt the lower front bodice could use a little more shaping so I sewed a small dart in the lower bodice just under the bust gathers indicated by the green lines. You can see that first version on Sewing Pattern Review here.

 

Style Changes:

    I decided to cut the puff sleeve much shorter for the white version and leave the sleeves off altogether for the orange version. The arm hole is plenty high enough to wear this as a sleeveless blouse. Rather than arm hole facings I bound the arm holes of the orange blouse with bias tape. 

   Model #46 shows this blouse with a tie collar. Instead, to my white blouse, I added a lace collar which I embroidered onto 2 layers of organza. Both models of this pattern have a back bodice cut in one piece with long double ended darts for waist shaping. This allows for waist shaping for any figure since you can make them wider or narrower to your preference.

 

Fabrics:

     So far I have made this blouse in a variety of fabrics. The blouses in the photo are made up in a white striped seersucker and an orange/red quilting cotton. I have also made this in lightweight flannel and a slightly sheer Swiss dot. Obviously the lighter the fabric the sooner the blouse wore out. For a dressier look a silky fabric would work too. This could even be made in a stable knit with some adjustments for stretch. 

 

Conclusion:

    What makes this my favorite blouse pattern is that it can be made in so many fabrics. With a little imagination for the collar, sleeve and embellishment variations, you too can have a wardrobe of blouses in your closet. Since I have the bodice fitted to my liking I may even experiment with cutting the back piece at the same level as the front so a flowy, gathered bottom portion could be added. I do love the versatility of a well fitted pattern.

   I would strongly encourage you to think outside the box with your Lutterloh patterns. Sometimes with just a little tweaking you can end up with your very own favorite pattern.

 

I hope the new year is bringing you time to sew with your Lutterloh patterns.

Happy sewing everyone,

 

Ann in Calif.

Lutterloh Patterns Come Alive!

Supplement 290 - Model #39 - 2013      

  Full Figure Panties Pattern

 

   Hi there everyone and Happy New Year! I for one am glad the holidays are winding down. My sewing machines could use servicing and frankly I really don't need any specific items of clothing right now. In an attempt to pare down my fabric scraps I decided to make undies out of some of my favorite prints. These will just be for everyday wear under jeans or dresses or whatever.

 

Pattern Hints:

   I looked through many Lutterloh patterns to decide on this one. There was another more recent one that looked promising but I chose this one for the slightly higher cut leg. There were even swimsuit bottoms that I considered but this one seemed to most closely resemble the shape I commonly wear. Make sure to look at the line drawings for the patterns to get a better idea of the expected fit.

 

   Don't be surprised if you end up making a test pair or two. Since underwear fits so closely and each knit fabric has its own properties you may get a better fit with one fabric over another. The elastic will affect the fit as well so you may want to try more than one type to find what's comfortable. 

 

Design Changes:

   I did make a few minor changes to this pattern to make it fit my preference. First, since this is for full figures, I enlarged the pattern to a size that was a full 6 sizes lower than my measurement. My first attempt was downright baggy but that could have been a feature of my fabric choice too. Once the size was right I wanted to cut the legs a little higher. I drew the curve for the top of the leg opening a half inch higher than suggested and then added a half inch to the top hem all around the pattern. I didn't want the sides to end up like string bikinis. There was a little tweaking of the back leg shape too but the curves were pretty close from the start.

 

   There is a suggestion for cutting a crotch lining for these undies and I would agree they need one. I actually cut my pattern apart at this marking to make a 2 piece front. It's marked on the pattern diagram that I included in the next section. In my opinion this made it easier to attach the lining and keep all the seam allowances tucked in and neat.  

 

Fabric Used/Suggested:

  These were all made from remnants of past projects but they are all cotton knits. The 2 way stretch knits fit better when I cut a smaller seam allowance but the elastic lengths worked the same for every pair. Once you get those figured out you can line up several pairs of panties to sew in a production line. If you're going to try more than one type of elastic (picot, clear, fold over etc.) it's probably best to do that in the initial "muslin" phase so you can see how each type affects the fit. I would keep all your fabric choices similar to each other so there are no surprises after applying the elastic. 

 

   The elastic I ended up using for most of my panties was 3/8" clear elastic for the legs and 5/8" picot elastic for the waistband. I was equally pleased with picot elastic on the legs and clear elastic on the waist but I was at least trying to match colors so they're an assortment of fabrics and finishes. My elastic measurements ended up about 3/4 of the length of the fabric they were gathered to. For example: If the waist of my panties measures 32 inches then I would use 24 inches of elastic. The same goes for the leg holes. Turn your measuring tape on its side to get an accurate measurement.

 

   If you search there are plenty of sites on the internet that will explain the different applications for each type of elastic. What's a little harder to find is an explanation of how specifically to apply it to the legs of panties. I've included a diagram below to demonstrate where I applied my elastic at a 1:1 ratio and where I stretched the elastic to fit better on the buttocks.                                                                    

   The pink line on the outside is where I sewed on my elastic with little to no stretching. The area of the panties that gets gathered the most is all in the back leg. You'll need to stretch your elastic quite a bit to attach all the fabric to the elastic in this area. The pink arrow is pointing to the edge of the lining where I cut my pattern to make a third piece as I mentioned in Design Changes above. After a little experimenting I found I preferred to serge the elastic to the inside of the fabric, turn and then topstitch down from the outside with a stretch stitch. Your preferred method may be different depending on your type of elastic.

 

Closing Hints:

   For such a small project that seemed like a lot of explaining. I assure you, once you work out the shape and the elastic measurements, these really are a quick sew. I don't know that I would go to the trouble if I only needed one pair but when you make them assembly line style they come together in a snap. You also have the benefit of having a pattern to use in the future that can help use up those scraps you couldn't part with.

 

Here's to using up our stash and finishing those projects in the new year!

Until next time, happy sewing everyone,

 

Ann in Calif.

Some Lutterloh Gifts

 Children's Collection 3

Special Edition 39 

Pajamas and nightshirt for my son's niece

    Hello again Lutterloh enthusiasts. I thought I would get a jump on some sewing for the holidays. Sewing for children can be so rewarding and Lutterloh makes it easier with their customizable sizing. 

 

Pattern Hints:    

     This pattern is from the most recent Special Edition for children but it also appears in Supplement #319 from 2020. Unlike many recent Lutterloh patterns the neckline on this pattern is not actually as wide as the drawing makes it look. I made the nightshirt first and decided to make the ribbed neck binding a little longer for the pajamas. 

 

Design Changes:

    Since the sleeves are interchangeable for these patterns I ended up with long sleeves on the nightshirt and shorter ones on the pajamas. This had more to do with a shortage of fabric than any real design decision. I was just trying to make the items look cohesive with the fabric that I had on hand. 

 

Fabric Used/Suggested:

    As the symbol indicates this pattern is intended for knit or stretch fabric. The nightshirt is a lovely cotton interlock from Fabric Worm and the pajamas are made from a mystery fabric from a rummage sale. One of the nice aspects of sewing children's clothes is that it doesn't take much fabric. I still didn't have quite enough thus the contrasting sleeves. 

 

Closing Hints:

    Somehow I thought I was getting a head start to my holiday sewing but there is just so much more to do! At least kids pajamas are a fast project and ultimately satisfying because they always turn out so cute. 

 

Here's hoping you get all your holiday sewing done in time. I sure hope I do anyway.

 

Happy sewing everyone,

Ann in Calif.

Lutterloh Patterns Come Alive!

 Supplement 330 - Model#161

 Knit dress with short, kimono sleeves and side slits

 

    Hi there folks. It seems like Thanksgiving is right around the corner and I thought I should make a dress that won't have me roasting in the hot kitchen along with the turkey. This cap sleeved, knit dress looked like just the ticket. The high, round neckline is not the most flattering for me so I changed it to a draped, cowl neckline. 

Pattern Hints:  

    This pattern was a breeze to enlarge to my size. It is rather long though so make sure you have a nice long table to work on. The short sleeved view of this pattern is comprised of just two pattern pieces, front and back with neck facings from the same pattern pieces. The self belt is a suggested length rectangle. I was surprised to find that despite the apparent shaping at the waist this dress really does turn out as shapeless as the line drawing for the back suggests.

Design Changes:  

    The one major design change I made was to convert this pattern to a draped, cowl neckline. I used the instructions outlined in this article by Threads magazine. Since my figure is curvier than the model pictured I knew I would skip the self belt worn at the hips. I also had to cut my pattern at the waist and make separate bodice and skirt pieces. Besides making it easier to adjust for the cowl neckline it also made it possible to cut this altered pattern out of just 1.75 yards of 58 inch wide fabric. Since my belt sits at the waist it completely hides the seam there.

 

Fabric Used/Suggested:

    This pattern is designed for a knit fabric and without a closure of some kind that's exactly the type of fabric needed to get the dress over your head and shoulders. My fabric is a lovely, soft cotton print from Fabric Worm with 5% Lycra added. I was fortunate enough to have stopped by their retail store in Paso Robles, CA on a trip to see a friend in Ventura, CA. I'm sure this simple pattern would lend itself to many different knit fabrics. I may change the neckline to a "V" shape to use up some sweater knit.

 

Closing Hints:

    The longer length with high side slits on this dress makes it feel just a little fancier than a standard T-shirt type dress. The top of the slits, at the suggested 30cm, hit a little above the knee on me. I am finding I prefer the shorter, kimono type sleeve to a separate set in style. I feel like it gives me just a little more room at the bust when making an otherwise close fitting bodice. Now that I have this altered for a cowl neck I will likely use the pattern at the shorter, top length for #162 to make a shell for under jackets. Cooler weather is upon us.

 

Make sure to take some time for yourself this busy season. We all deserve it.

 

Happy sewing everyone,

Ann in Calif. 

Lutterloh Patterns Come Alive!

 Supplement 325 - Model #26 

Loose fitting elastic waist pants

 

    Hello there, Lutterloh enthusiasts. Now that the weather is finally cooling I thought I would wear pants to an upcoming birthday party for a neighbor. This pattern seemed like a good start for something that could be dressed up a little. The review for the top I'm wearing can be found here. 

Pattern Hints:

    Usually I steer clear of the full figure pants patterns because the crotch length is so long for me. This time I thought I might use this to my advantage. Instead of using a number on the Lutterloh scale that was lower than my actual measurement I just enlarged this pattern to my actual body measurement. From past experience I knew this would give me a pattern that was larger than I needed. Because of the semi sheer fabric I was using I wanted pants that would flow around my figure with no clinging. This strategy seemed to work for this pattern anyway. I ended up with a pattern with very loose fitting legs but extra length at the top that needed to be chopped off.

    Here are the pattern pieces for model #26. It's a fairly basic straight leg pant with front pockets. All the length that I subtracted from the top I ended up adding to the length of the legs but this is a normal alteration for me anyway. Fortunately the slit for the pockets was deep enough that I can still fit my hand.

 

Design Changes:

    It doesn't feel like making the pattern extra large was a design change although it did result in a looser fitting pant. The only real design change I made was to line these pants with another layer of the same crepe fabric. To do this I did need to combine the pocket pattern with the front leg pattern. It was easy enough to lay one pattern piece over the other to draw a plain front leg piece with no pocket. My elastic waistband is also 1.5" wide instead of the suggested 6cm folded in half.

 

Fabric Used/Suggested:   

    To make these pants dressier I used a polyester crepe fabric that was just a little sheer. I'm sure they would work just as well in many other woven fabrics. For a more casual look, like in the fashion drawing, I might use linen or even a heavy gauze fabric. Some dressier fabrics like velvet or satin could work too.

 

Closing Hints:   

     This pattern will prove to be versatile in the future for both casual and dressy pants, I'm sure. You can hardly go wrong with a loose straight leg pant with pockets. 

 

Until next time then, happy sewing everyone!

 

Ann in Calif.