How to Create Patterns from Existing Clothing - Intermediate Tops

[@keykey7646]

That folding the dart in the paper method is gold! Do you hear me GOLD!

[@ckflowers1]

For me it’s like winning the lottery. The trickiest part to copying a pattern. Happy as Larry now.

[@dianakidd5688]

I struggled for ages trying to figure out how to best copy a bust dart from my blouse to paper- You solved the mystery beautifully! Thank me so much for all your Fabulous tutorials!

[@3012630126]

You are the ONLY sewist instructor that addresses the dart addition, let alone explains it and SHOWS it. Bravo, bravo bravo. Aj from SE PDX

[@mariadanshin3796]

Thank you so much for the clear instructions. I was looking for that dart tutorial for a long time.

[@im_tacha]

THANK YOU SO SO MUCH! I've been looking for a tutorial on how to cut my fabric out for the dart when cloning a top. You just made my life so much easier haha.

[@lauracrevel6078]

Thank God.. searched all afternoon to find a video that shows how to report dart from a cloth. Thank you ❤

[@TheTrickytroggle]

so easy once someone shows you how, really clear and seems straightforward, thank you so much

[@alice30045]

Finally got it!! With my laptop right on my table I followed it step by step, stopping when needed to go back and watch each step till in got through my brain. You're a wonderful teacher, good camera work and slow and concise enough to follow. Thanks so much. Now to go thru my stash to find just the right fabric for this pretty dress copied from eBay. Women’s Printed Sleeveless V-neck Maxi Dress Split Hem Baggy Kaftan Long Dress

[@ProfessorPincushion]

I'm so glad you got it figured out! The dart is tricky but if you can do that, you can do anything now. :)

[@jeaniecutler9147]

Thank you so much! This is the only video showing how to clone the dart.... clearly and easily. So appreciate you taking the time to do this.🙂

[@gracehowie630]

Thanks for the video, easy to follow. Score the dart lines with the wheel then use the ruler to help guide the fold along the scored lines before folding the dart together.

[@ProfessorPincushion]

You're right that it would increase the top and bottom because you're not sewing from top and bottom, just the middle, and therefore it'll flair out even more on the bottom. These ones are a little trickier so I do plan on doing a tutorial on them as well. It's almost like you have to divide piece into two sections, draft the dart and then fit it in-between the pieces.

[@alexforsythe2429]

Best dart copying explanation EVER!!

[@glitterngloss13]

Thank you!!! I actually never found the beginner video I got distracted by the quick sew bikini! You are a fantastic teacher!!!

[@pennywrenny]

I came online specifically to know how to recreate a shirt almost exactly like your tucked shirt - and voila' - here you were! Thank you...such an excellent video!

[@ProfessorPincushion]

yay, so glad to help :)

[@NadoCrowFriend]

You make this confusing puzzle so easy to understand! Thank you!

[@PrincessCrabcake]

I was wondering how to transfer a dart... thank you so much! Awesome video as always.

[@ProfessorPincushion]

Glad our tutorial was helpful :)

[@msieurdaveyray5393]

Thanks for your presentation & clear explanations, well done👍

[@Toota95]

Thank you! I've been searching for a way to add pin tucks to an existing pattern, and this was enormously helpful. I got an added bonus with your most excellent tutorial using existing clothing! Well done!

[@ProfessorPincushion]

Toota95 Thanks for the kind words, glad you found our tutorial helpful :)

[@Frunze42]

This is one of the BEST video tutorials on this topic. Thank you very, very much for creating this to share with us! 👏👏👏

[@NancyKolodchak]

This is beyond marvelous, please let me know what other great videos u have on learning to make patterns from other sophisticated sewing as this. Ie how could u tell where there is fabric doubled vs lining? Also I’ve wondered is there a correct number for seam allowance for making shirts? Thank you so much u r a great teacher. I look forward to more videos from you.

[@shellococo]

Hi, great top tips for darts. How is it best to manage a gathered garment?

[@ceekay3143]

I found this tutorial whilst trying to make a pattern from a top that is a little more complex than the ones I've copied before. This one involves darts, now I know how to handle that. Thanks! It's a peplum top, and I'm going to have to measure the seams to see if I need to gather the bottom part of the shirt or not. It's a bit deceptive and a busy pattern, so I can't tell for sure.

[@ceekay3143]

I tried and there wasn't enough space left on the paper for the rest of my waist (it was a huge side dart). I think I'm going to try again starting from the waist, since there's a dart on each side of the waist that are a lot smaller than the side bust dart. Might not run out of space that way.

[@crystalcatherine3922]

This is so amazingly helpful! Thank you so, SO MUCH!!!

[@dianakidd8267]

You Always post such uselful, clearly presented content ~ Thank you, thank you, thank you!

[@ProfessorPincushion]

My pleasure!

[@soniaboulden4432]

Brilliant tutorial as always. You are an excellent teacher. I am now going to attempt to make my own pattern. Thank you for all your help and hard work.

[@ProfessorPincushion]

+Sonia Boulden thanks so much for the kind words. You can do it! :)

[@laurasalsa]

What a great vid! Just what I needed, wanted to trace my fav dress :) keep up the good work, thanks from Holland

[@zoegirlshalom]

Another fantastic video! Ps if you were to copy a princess dart would the tuck method work? Cutting the dress to the hem and adding paper. I wondered if this would add more volume to the bottom of the dress. I get the side/bust dart but a little unsure of the princess dart copying.

[@effyfred2643]

Thank you so much. Can you show how to do cowl neck draft and placing the fabrics to get the cowl.

[@RC-ul4gj]

Great tutorial! Very thorough and easy to understand :) Could you do a video about how to create a pattern for the sleeves?

[@clairedriscoll8628]

Have been searching how to copy a dart - thanks so much x

[@sandralb2237]

great video, thank you! I was looking for it to know how to reproduce a pattern with darts! i made a shirt for a friend and i never found out how to do it! Now i can do it!

[@mrsfossie]

Wonderful tutorial. Clear and precise. Thankyou

[@patsygraham2600]

thanks I'm glad for coming at your channel

[@song6576]

I love your videos!!! They are very helpful!

[@siewtin4323]

Thank you so much! Now I know how to copy patterns with single darts for the chest. Now I need to look for a video that shows how to replicate patterns with the long darts that goes down on either side of the back zipper of a one-piece shift dress. Do we really need to make fabric allowances for that, please? Or are those just shapers for a straight cut pattern...

[@jeremyg2709]

Hi Prof, your videos are incredibly helpful! I have a question about copying darts onto a pattern. I have a suit vest that I would like to replicate. It has darts on the front, but I can't see the back side of the darts to do measurements because they're hidden by the inner lining fabric. Do you have any tips on how to figure out whats going on inside? Are there cases where all of the original material isn't present at the dart because the excess has been trimmed, making the measurements you showed difficult?

[@ProfessorPincushion]

***** hmmmm...this is a little tricky because it's hard to guess what isn't there if it's cut off or can't be seen. If the dart is still there but hidden behind a lining, I would just try and feel through the fabric to get an estimate. If the dart excess is completely cut off, then I think you just have to experiment. Maybe start with 1" on each side of the dart center line, cut out a muslin, baste the dart and fit it on the body to see if it gives you enough shaping.

[@ratouli73]

@@ProfessorPincushion , thank you, this answered my own concern. Sewing is something that takes time, sometimes....we can't always do the 'couture sauvage'

[@sarahosmari7870]

fantastic Professor Pincushion i am so glad i watched your video on creating your own pattern with one of your favourite outfit. In my case I did what you do tracing the outline of my outfit but forgot to add seam allowance that would explain why my outfit did not fit thank you for your help and explaining in your video very helpful

[@ProfessorPincushion]

+sarah osmari Nice! At least your pattern is an easy fix :)

[@sarahosmari7870]

No i just forgot to add seam allowance

[@sarahosmari7870]

I just forgot to add the seam allowance

[@alice30045]

Watched it twice, still wondering how that @12:25/12:27 becomes the center of the dart when I can see the stitching at the right. I'll keep going over it until I "get" it, maybe I'm just dyslexic. Anyway, I'm thinking that where the stitching is would be the center and fold would be right (top of fold) and left (under fold). I'm going to watch this until my eyeballs roll out. I have finished cutting out a pattern but that darts has me stumped. RIP, Nancy Zieman.

[@joannebarrette9]

You look gorgeous with your new haircut. Suits you very well. Tyvm for this nice video

[@aukjes86]

Great tutorial! Do you know how to copy a princess seam front in a top too?

[@donotfret]

I searched darts and it took me here where I stayed for no reason other than the loveliness of her hands.

[@grammardog]

Thank you so much! This was so helpful and clear. Do you, or does anyone else reading, have any tips or tutorials about how to copy a garment with a dart in the middle of a whole piece of fabric? (That is, the dart doesn't end at a seam, and would appear as a diamond shape on a pattern.) I am trying to wrap my mind around this and struggling!

[@grammardog]

grammardog Oh, hm... I guess you could maybe fold the fabric and paper in the middle of the dart and essentially do what you've done here? Give me long enough and I'll have my own answer. Ha ha!

[@ProfessorPincushion]

grammardog yup! that's exactly what you have to do. :D Usually, you're splitting the top at the waistline area and doing half the dart and then repeat the process with the bottom part. Then you just combine the patterns. It's kind of a pain but that's how to do it without taking the top apart.

[@ratouli73]

Brilliant, clear and simple, thank you so much ! :)

[@edg09]

Thank you so much for this video, I really appreciate it.

[@MarcelaQuinteroquinto83]

Hi there, I am a fan of your channel and website, I was wondering if you could upload a video showing how to create a pattern from an existing pinafore dress for ladies as I am a beginner and it is difficult for me at the moment to make a dress for me from a commercial pattern, Thank you so much and keep up with the wonderful tutorials.

[@desprookjeskamer]

Goodafternnon, Thanks for the great instructions.. You use a very special pattern paper, do you know where to buy this? greetings Ingrid

[@latitude1904]

Thank you for showing us how to do darts

[@ShaniaShania]

Hi there! I'm not sure if someone has asked already, but what would you do if you have a dart at the bust and at the waist? Would you have to keep one of the darts taped closed while your tracing/forming the other dart? For example: let's say I've drafted the bust dart and I'm want to draw the waist dart, would I follow the same steps but just keep the bust dart taped down while I follow the steps? I hope that makes sense. Please help. xoxo, Shania

[@ProfessorPincushion]

yes, I think you're on the right path. I'd try keeping it taped after I finished one and then move on to the next one.

[@ShaniaShania]

Okay, thank you so much for getting back to me!

[@KathBorup]

Wow I have always wanted a tutorial like this. Thank you!

[@heard3879]

I didn't understand how to make the seam allowance at the very end of the video around the jagged edge where the tucks are going to be. Do you maybe tape the tucks into folded final position, then draw the seam allowance on the paper, then un-tape them again maybe?

[@ProfessorPincushion]

thanks for the kind words! :)

[@jesshothersall]

Nice explanatory video, though puzzled about why you use the pin cutter to mark the outer edge instead of a pencil?

[@alice30045]

It's not a Pin Cutter, it's a tracing wheel. You lay down your fabric, then on top lay a piece of tracing paper, shiny side down, it's like carbon paper but for fabrics. Next, now that you have two layers, first your fabric, tracing paper and on top of those two things you will now lay your pattern on top and with the tracing wheel you will run it around the pattern on the cut line. You will then have the pattern on your fabric ready to cut. Tah, dah

[@ProfessorPincushion]

The simple tops video link is now in the description and annotated in the video. Thanks for the suggestion.

[@ProfessorPincushion]

It's called alpha-numeric pattern paper. You should be able to find it on amazon

[@franciedee]

Would have been nice to make 2 videos. One of the tank top for beginners and one of the print top with pin tucks for the more advanced. I skipped ahead in the video to the print top and found your lesson very helpful.

[@ProfessorPincushion]

If it's a simple sleeve check out our How To Make Patterns from Existing Clothing - Simple Tops. Even if it's not a tshirt sleeve, it's a similar process.

[@gladtidings4all]

When I first saw this video I thought you were going to show us how to cut that pretty red zipper blouse I love that one! Can you show us doing that? I also would like yo learn to draft a bodice top using the French curve with body measurements!

[@reneelt9197]

Thank you! So helpful

[@julieannemooreedwards9909]

Question: the original shirt had FOUR tucks...I only see three on the pattern you made? Thanks so Much! 😍

[@vinamax]

I thought drafting patterns with darts was some kind of dark magic 😵‍💫 Thanks a million!

[@ratouli73]

I do think making darts is black magic, as my problem is the darts on the lovely top I want to reproduce have been CUT inside, so I have no idea of how much fabric I have to make the pretty pleat with ! Is there a magic way of doing it WITHOUT unsewing the whole thing ? That would be a bonus gift ! thank you for the video, in any case !

[@jlew1030]

Is there a video after this? for the even more difficult tops? I would really like to see that.

[@ProfessorPincushion]

Jessica Lewis We haven't created another top yet but we do have one for jeans. It's on our channel.

[@Sonyambulo]

great video can you show us how to do an off shoulder dress? Thank you so much

[@anneshirleyduncan]

Thank you so much for making these videos.

[@catarinadelencastre1209]

Very interesting! Very well explain... Now, just have to try it too ;)

[@dianabarreto3311]

Creating the back pattern from the pink top seems very simple, but I am curious as to why the back dart was not transferred to the pattern. Is this not necessary?

[@touchingnature]

Thank you soooooo much for a truly wonderful video. This has helped me greatly. I cannot wait to try your techniques. Please tell me if you have written a book on this subject because I would dearly love to buy a copy from you. xx

[@ProfessorPincushion]

No book but thank you so much for the support! :)

[@ProfessorPincushion]

No book but thank you so much for the support! :)

[@hindawilliams3673]

how do you measure to get the other dart in the center of your top?

[@sarrah8367]

After hours of research, finally the method to duplicate a piece with a dart! Thanks a lot! One follow-up question: do we keep the paper dart closed when copying the rest of the garment? Somehow my center front is not that straight when reopening the dart... Any suggestion?

[@ProfessorPincushion]

I keep it closed until my full pattern is made. I just find it easier that way.

[@imhere82]

Lowe your videos :) They are so helpfull, Thanks :) But what if you have a top with 5 box pleates on your front piece, how would you create that pattern??

[@ProfessorPincushion]

+Ria-Kirstine Mølgaard It would be a similar process to my tucks. You'd basically create the main outline then draw lines where your pleats are and then can insert strips of paper for the width of each pleat. The only difference really is how the fabric is ultimately folded. :)

[@clarareeves152]

Could you please tell me how to alter pants pattern?

[@euniceluna8534]

Nice video, thank youso much.

[@janedarc1471]

Thanks for your help.

[@jlew1030]

Doesn't wrapping paper (like Christmas or birthday wrapping paper) also have the little square/dot/grid marks on it on the back too? Would that do the same thing for me or are they entirely different?

[@ProfessorPincushion]

Jessica Lewis I haven't seen the wrapping paper with the grids but if that's what you have, then I'd say use it :)

[@zaglline1]

Thank you so much!!!

[@sharonlatour6230]

awesome!! as always!

[@nyamebatandoh9611]

thank very much for teaching me a simple way how to make partners I love Fashion disgin but my problem is how to cut dress this will help me thanks a lot God bless you

[@marysinclair1917]

Hello, please could you tell me what fabric that is on your tank top, its georgeous. Thanks

[@ProfessorPincushion]

+Mary Sinclair I love it too! It just seems like a polyester lace. The top has a lining underneath so you can only tell it's a lace overlay if you look at it close up. I haven't seen anything like it at the fabric store though. This is the closest I could find online: stylishfabric.com/lace-fabrics/cotton-lace-fabrics/coral-sugar-chevron-pattern-lace-fabric-pattern-herald.html

[@ghadaali2545]

wow very informative

[@janedarc1471]

When I copy the dart on muslin cloth from the original blouse when I fold the dart on the muslin it shrinks from the original blouse meaning that the original blouse is longer than the copy I hope this is clearer Tks

[@ProfessorPincushion]

marie-pierre allagnat hmmm....is it measurable? so that you can just extend it on the muslin to fit?

[@susanhuynh9658]

What happens when the dart is graded down, meaning the excess fabric is trimmed? How do we find the dart intake when we are tracing the garment?

[@ProfessorPincushion]

that's a little tricky. If I were you, I'd find a pattern you like that has a bust dart and use that as your guide to determine the dart with. At least it should give you a good jumping off point.

[@susanhuynh9658]

Professor Pincushion Thank you so much, I will try that out!

[@anon4518]

thanks for sharing

[@msnco-ep7vc]

Thank so much you're the best 👍👍

[@glitterngloss13]

Can you link the beginner video next time so it is easier to find. Thank you! I am off to find the beginner video!

[@dovaillancourt]

What about the back darts ?

[@cfg1110]

What if the excess of the dark has been trimmed, so you can't tell how wide it was

[@janedarc1471]

How do you deal with the waist darts? Thanks

[@ProfessorPincushion]

marie-pierre allagnat if it's for a bodice and the dart ends at the waistline, the method would be similar to the bust dart.

[@janedarc1471]

Can I copy on a muslin cloth instead of paper? Tks

[@ProfessorPincushion]

marie-pierre allagnat yes, you can :)

[@brendamartinez7876]

How do you transfer a fisheye dart to paper? I have fisheye dart design in the back.

[@ProfessorPincushion]

It's a similar process but you'd be splitting the pattern so the dart is split in the middle and drafting each side separately and then afterwards putting the drafted patterns back together. Don't forget to make a muslin to test your finished pattern

[@brendamartinez7876]

@@ProfessorPincushion Thank you for having the time to respond back. That helped a lot! :)

[@janedarc1471]

What if darts start under the bust and finish under the waist? Tks

[@ProfessorPincushion]

marie-pierre allagnat it would still be the same. bust darts start at the bust and end at the side so they're very similar.

[@barbaraferron7994]

What about gathers?

[@keishabethel8881]

Thank you

[@zoegirlshalom]

Thank you in advance,

[@maryl.8281]

Why don't you iron the garment first?

[@janedarc1471]

When I do that it's shorter than the original shirt. Why? Do I have to redraw the harmhol?

[@ProfessorPincushion]

marie-pierre allagnat sorry, I don't understand what is shorter

[@snootbysandy]

Dart is at 11:00

[@ProfessorPincushion]

Thank you so much! :)

[@garmarq]

creating patterns II

[@orcamum]

Great!Second time round it had a voice too!

[@aliciajoyce770]

How about the DART? you did not explain..love your tutorial..

[@orcamum]

No voice???