ITF SPOTLIGHT: LEANNE'S KEBAYA-INSPIRED WEARABLE TOILE & SEWING JOURNEY

A couple of weeks ago I shared my experience using the Copy Your Clothes resources to modernise and personalise a Kebaya blouse, a garment with a lot of cultural sentimental value to me. 

This week, I’m really excited to share some of my toiling journey with you, along with the lessons I’ve learned through the process. If you’re keen to see the entire process, I’ve shared it all in great detail in the Curated by ITF private online community (I recommend joining us!), but here’s a brief overview for context.

After analysing the original Kebaya blouses I had in my wardrobe (watch the video I created about this here), I used the techniques I learned in last month's Copy Your Clothes Skills Kit to trace the garment and draft a base pattern. Here you can see the drafted front bodice, back bodice and sleeve pattern pieces. 

I then graded my pattern up two sizes using the slash and spread method. As the original blouse was a little tight I felt that moving one size up would deal with this tightness. The additional size up was a personal design ease preference, taking this from being a form fitting blouse to a more relaxed and casual light layering jacket. Here’s my graded Kebaya pattern.

I quickly proceeded from this stage to whip up my first toile!

I used this first toile to gauge what kinds of style changes I wanted to make, as well as how I wanted the garment to fit. I realised that, despite grading up two sizes, I still needed to make a broad shoulder adjustment. (This is why it’s so important to make a toile or two!)

With my notes from toile number one in hand, I proceeded to make the modifications to the pattern and dived into toile number two. I was really happy with the boxier fit that resulted from the adjustments I made to the original pattern.

I then made a third Kebaya toile, choosing a fabric from my stash which I thought fit the bill but that I wasn't overly precious about (should things not work out well). I had 1.2 metres of this fabric (140cm wide) which, as it turns out, was the precise amount I needed! Sadly, by the time I finished my garment, I found myself questioning why I chose this temperamental fabric for a toile, wishing I'd chosen something better behaved. 

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It wasn't a complete disaster, and I do love the breezy, elegant drape of fabric like this; it's wearable, with a touch of special. But, this Ochre Moonstone Viscose from Atelier Brunette was a bit shifty and liked to fray. 

Attempting to hem it had me shaking my fist at those fabric gods though. I applied interfacing to the bodice facing, as well as 3cm strips of interfacing to the bodice and sleeve hems to add a bit of heft to this slinky fabric. I folded up the hems and then tucked the raw edges under, using hem tape to help keep things place. 

This turned out to be a mistake as when I went to steam the garment in preparation for taking these photos, the tape shrank and made the fabric pucker. I had to unpick the hem and remove the tape. 

But this experience got us thinking. One thing about copying a ready-to-wear garment is that you don’t have sewing instructions to refer to. There’s no notes about the best fabric to use, or how to approach tricky situations like these. So what do you do?

WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU DON’T HAVE SEWING INSTRUCTIONS

• Most sewists have a decent stash of sewing patterns, and this can be a great resource for trying to figure out what you need to know. Find a pattern that has a similar style or perhaps uses similar fabric and see what approach it uses to solve the problem you’re having.

• Ask the fabric store you bought the fabric from if they have any advice. Most people who work in fabric stores are also avid sewists, so there’s bound to be someone who can help!

• Ask your sewing community! Having a community to turn to, like we have with Curated by ITF, is great because there’s a wealth of knowledge just in the sewing experience of all the members. In Curated by ITF you can also ask as many questions of our team. (We love helping our Foldies!) When I posed the question to our community we came up with two solid solutions to my tricky fabric problem.

HOW TO HEM SLIPPERY VISCOSE FABRICS

1. Double-rolled hem - Check out our tutorial here.

2. Hem facing - Adding a facing to a shifty fabric like this will give it more structure and help it sit nicely. The concept of drafting facing is pretty straightforward - we shared this tutorial a while back and it can be adapted to any garment edge you’re working on. It's often a good idea to add lightweight interfacing to give the facing stability which will help support the structure of the garment.

We’ve also shared a couple of other posts about working with tricky fabrics, which might be of interest if this is something you’re navigating at the moment. This one is about cutting linen, or other tricky fabrics, and this one has some tips for working with difficult fabrics.

For a minute there I was getting frustrated about the hem, but looking back I feel like I learned more from the mistake than I would have if it had gone smoothly. It also gave me an opportunity to be supported by and cheered on by our community which gave me the boost I needed to get this project over the line. 

Overall, I am so happy with my Kebaya project, but if I’m honest, it’s less about the finished garment and more about the learning journey behind this entire process. 

The Make It Your Own Skills Kit has equipped me with the tools to:

• Analyse how a garment is constructed. 

• Accurately copy a loved garment.

• Draft an accurate and finished pattern.

• Grade a sewing pattern.

• Modify a garment by adding ease, cropping length, eliminating darts and changing curves.

• Pattern hack by drafting additional elements like ties and facings.

• Make a garment without instructions.

• Explore optimal finishing methods.

• Toile methodically in order to fine-tune my vision.

In just a few short weeks I have gained so much more pattern-making knowledge and confidence–I no longer feel I have to rely solely on bought patterns and I'm more inspired to go 'off script' to materialise my ideas into reality.

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WHAT YOU’VE BEEN MAKING…

Marden shirt made by Curated by ITF member, Libby.

Attwood pants by Curated by ITF member, Cady.

BEHIND THE SCENES WITH LEANNE: HOW TO USE OUR MAKE IT YOUR OWN SKILLS KIT

The Make It Your Own Skills Kit (part two of our Copy Your Clothes series) is jam-packed full of tutorials to help you individualise your wardrobe. But sometimes we need a little help to understand exactly HOW to use a resource like this. So, I thought it could be helpful to share some of the projects I considered making to share in our Curated by ITF private community.

While I’ve only moved forward on one of these, the rest have been added to my to do list. If you’re in need of a little inspiration, read on!

INSPIRATION FOR HOW TO PERSONALISE READY-TO-WEAR COPIES

Grade loved garments into new sizes

Grading is one of those skills that many sewists wish they knew how to do. (We know because we’ve been asked about it a LOT in our Curated by ITF community!)

And while it is definitely a specialist skill in industry, there’s absolutely no reason why home sewists can’t add it to their repertoire. And it’s the perfect skill to have if you’ve got growing kids who are always in need of the next size up!

I recently inherited a stack of stretch towelling/velour type fabrics in pastel shades, which I knew I wouldn’t wear, but would be perfect for comfy kids trackies. 

If you already own basics like this that you love, consider copying the pattern and just grading it up to the next size. 

Add length for a perfect extra tall fit

At almost 2 metres tall, my husband has a really hard time finding clothes to fit. He needs extra length, but when he sizes up in RTW clothes everything that’s long enough ends up being too wide. It’s very frustrating.

With a bomber jacket that fits fairly well, but is slightly too short, already in his wardrobe, I considered copying the design using the Copy Your Clothes Skills Kit, and then using the tutorials in the Make It Your Own Skills Kit to grade up in size and add the extra length where necessary. And a bomber jacket is a great opportunity to be a bit adventurous with fabric choices - what a fun project!

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Trendy two piece

Having already traced off a favourite t-shirt of mine during Copy Your Clothes month, I felt I was already halfway towards a matching set! 

And I knew exactly which much-loved pair of comfy pants to trace off to complete the outfit. The only question was, which fabric? 

Having recently moved to Melbourne I’ve been enjoying discovering local sustainable fashion brands. During my explorations a theme started to emerge–matching sets in stretch velour. Pretty out there, but also kinda cool. 

Alas, the price tags were often quite high, but luckily we sewists possess a certain “I could make that myself” mindset and voila! The idea for a stretch-velour #TwoPieceSpectacular was born. 

I am still very-much inspired to bring this idea into existence, but since both of the RTW garments I would be using as base patterns fit me perfectly, this project offered little opportunity to explore those pattern drafting techniques I’m so keen to learn, such as grading sizes and other fit modifications. 

Plus, I love a good story, and ultimately it was the narrative behind my final idea which sent it straight to the top of the list.

Modernise a sentimental garment and make it more suitable for everyday wear and lifestyle

Thanks to my part Chinese-Malaysian heritage, over the years I have come into the possession of several traditional Peranakan Kebaya blouses, handed down to me from my mother, grandmother and aunties.

These garments have a very special place in my heart, and happily, I got a decent amount of wear out of them while I was a teenager, before I (very sadly!) outgrew them. 

As I was preparing for this month’s project, and considering what garment I’d like to personalise using the Make it your own Skills Kit, I was really inspired to create something very unique to me. 

As someone whose daily life is spent dedicated to caring for a family, my creative pursuits are a chance to be myself in the moment. They’re an opportunity for mindfulness, self-care and self-therapy. A project focused around my Kebaya blouses seemed to be the perfect fusion of all these elements. It would give me the opportunity to express my own personal modern style, while honouring my family’s traditional ceremonies and celebrating my cultural heritage. I also loved the idea that an everyday staple could be imbued with a touch of sentimental nostalgia.

I often find that my most successful projects are a result of a spark of an idea channelled thoughtfully into something with purpose. For me, the best handmade garments are a combination of having an interesting narrative, being aesthetically beautiful and serving a clearly defined function. And this definitely ticked those boxes!

What is a Kebaya?

A Kebaya is an elegant blouse worn throughout South-East Asia to formal events and ceremonies. (There are variations of this traditional garment – in my description here I will be referencing the particular ones I have inherited.) It is commonly paired with a sarong skirt, essentially a tube of fabric, tucked to fit.

Typically made from sheer materials, like silk, cotton or nylon, and embellished with intricate and often colourful embroidery and lace, a Kebaya has a tailored fit with fisheye darts in the back bodice. It has a deep v-neck and is usually fastened with a brooch around bust height, with the bodice lower front hanging freely and the centre front often tapering to an elongated point. The sleeves are 3/4 length. 

My Kebaya project - Blending tradition, cultural heritage and personal style

Apart from grading up in size to fit my adult body, there were a few must-have modifications that the finished garment needed to include. Using the original and traditional Kebaya pattern as a base, I want to:

• Create a neutral version suitable for everyday wear and not limited to special occasions. (Sadly no embroidery or delicate/ sheer fabrics.)

• Potentially incorporate front ties to eliminate the need for a brooch fastening. Brooches don't fit into my daily lifestyle looking after my little kids, and in the past I found the brooch damaged the fabric leaving a visible hole in the garment.

• Modernise the feel by cropping the length and removing the darts to create a boxier fit. I like the length and feel of the Kebayas below, they seem more casual and jacket-like. I'm going for a light layering piece rather than a form fitting blouse. 

• Either finish the edges with bias binding to mimic the front ties or draft a facing and possibly leave off the ties.

• Consider the amount of design ease to take the garment from being a blouse to a light layering piece or outerwear jacket.

The Kebaya below is a more recent one I bought when visiting Singapore 5 years ago. It was intended to be a present for my mum but unfortunately it was too small for her, and it's a little snug on me too. This is the one I'm choosing to trace off for my pattern, as it is the one closest in size to my current measurements.

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When it comes to sewing garments, the Make It Your Own Skills Kit really opens up a world of opportunities. I hope I’ve given you some ideas for how to use the resource to personalise your wardrobe, and make your garments suit your style and life.

I can’t wait to share the finished Kebaya project with you. Stay tuned!

Happy sewing,

Leanne

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WHAT YOU’VE BEEN MAKING…

Sawtell dress made by @wis_g

Attwood pants by @spinknitsuehobbs

Tips for getting a good fit on a jumpsuit

Tips for getting a good fit on a jumpsuit

We are very excited to let you know that our new Neale jumpsuit pattern is here! This is the jumpsuit we've been dreaming about for a long time. It's the perfect piece to wear to work, to wear out, to relax on the weekend. It will make you feel put together, but incredibly comfortable and at ease to do the things you want to do in your handmade wardrobe.⁠⁠

The Neale jumpsuit is a a real skill builder of a pattern! Which is why we chose it to be our first Curated by In the Folds pattern.⁠ Sewing a jumpsuit means working with both the top and bottom of the body, which allows for the opportunity to learn more fitting techniques. We created a jam-packed Neale Fit Kit to go along with our first Curated by ITF pattern, so you can jump straight into it.⁠⁠ In today’s post, we would like to shares some of these great tips for getting a good fit on a jumpsuit.

Sewing a jumpsuit can be tricky as you are fitting both the top and bottom part of a pattern. But often as they have a looser fit, they are a great intro introduction to pants fitting and with this post we hope to make the process a lot more fun!

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1. Pick the right size for you

a. Take your measurements using a tape measure, check out our diagram to see exactly where you should measure! Make sure to measure at the fullest part of your hips. We suggest doing this in front of a full length mirror. 

b. Check the size chart and circle or note the corresponding size for each pattern. If your measurements are between sizes, you could blend between the two. Before doing this, look at the finished garment measurements to decide if you could select the smaller or larger size. 

TIP: Use a tape measure and place it around your body to get a feel for how it will fit. (Remember to place yourself in the centre of the tape measure rather than pulling it forward or back.) This allows you to see the amount of ease in the pattern - as this is something that changes between patterns. For example the Neale jumpsuit has more ease in the waist than it does in the bust and hip.

2. Make all the adjustments you can before sewing

Before we get started with making our toiles / muslins, it's worth thinking about which alterations you can do beforehand.  You can make some alterations before making a toile / muslin using your measurements, while others are made when you have done a fitting of a toile and have the toile to refer to.

Some of you will have a good idea of the alterations that are usual for you to make to a pattern before getting started. We encourage you to make these standard alterations to the pattern before you make a toile so that you can achieve a good fit at the fitting stage.

One example of an alteration you can do beforehand is checking the length. Especially in a jumpsuit you need to consider the length between each section e.g bust to waist, waist to hip, hip to crotch, then add in or take away length at the appropriate section.

Another alteration that you may be able to do before making a toile is a SBA (Small Bust Adjustment) or FBA (Full Bust Adjustment). To check this, work out the difference between your high bust measurement and bust measurement. If the difference between your high bust measurement and your full bust measurement is 2.5cm (1") your bust is an A cup, 5cm (2") it's a B cup, 7.5cm (3") is a C cup, 10cm (4in) is a D cup and so on. Record your bust cup size.

Often pattern companies draft for a B cup, sometimes they will offer a range of cup sizes. It's best to check before you start sewing. In the Folds currently offers a B cup.

• If you have a B cup bust cup size you will not need to make a bust adjustment to the pattern.

• If you have an A cup bust (or smaller) you may need to do a Small Bust Adjustment.

• If you have a C cup bust cup size or larger you may need to do a Full Bust Adjustment

3. Sew a toile

A toile is a test version of a garment, made from a similar, but often cheaper, fabric that assists with the fitting process. By making a toile, you can check the fit, and make any adjustments before cutting into your 'real' fabric.

You only need to cut the front and back pieces, you don’t need to sew the zip, facing pieces, pockets or finish the seams. On the toile - mark the bust, waist and hip line on the fabric. On the Neale jumpsuit we’ve added notches so you can easily find these on your pattern!

You can also mark in the bust apex point by drawing a line from the centre of the dart, through the dart point and beyond the tip of the dart by 2.5cm (1in). Lastly extend the pocket notches on the toile with a marker so that you can check you are happy with the pocket positioning.

Other tips for sewing a toile are:

• Remove the seam allowance from the neckline and armholes and add staystitching to stop them stretching.

• Sew the toile with a longer stitch length than usual, so that when fitting the toile it is easy to release the seams if you need to.

• Do not sew the hem. It is good to have the hem allowance available if you would like to experiment with length options. 

• Remember, it is still important to press the toile well as you sew. This will help you when assessing the fit of the toile.

4. Assess the fit

Now it's time to assess the fit. Yay!

Get yourself set-up in front of a full length mirror with a notebook, pen, pins, seam ripper / snips and marker. If you have a friend who can help you - get them too! Work through the checklist below and take note of any issues. It’s also a good idea to take pictures on the front, side and back (you can use the timer on your camera). Sometimes you notice things on the photos that you may not see in real life. 

Jumpsuit fitting checklist:

• Check that your side seams appear straight and are perpendicular to the floor. If your side seam is pulling towards the front or the back, this normally means that you need more width in the area where it's pulling.

• Lift your arms and check that the armhole sits in a comfortable position under your arm. Check that the armhole is a nice shape on the front and back.

• Check that your BUST LINE, WAIST LINE and HIP LINE are in the correct position for you and are all parallel to the floor. If any of these lines are in the incorrect position, you will need to either shorten or lengthen the pattern. For a jumpsuit it’s important to notice where to add/take length because you are fitting both a top and pants in one.

• Check the front and back crotch are not too tight or too loose. If they are, you will need to adjust the crotch length.

• Move around. Check that you can move and sit comfortably in the jumpsuit. If a seam feels tight, let out the seam with your seam ripper and re-pin the seam with a smaller seam allowance to see if this helps.

You can find more fitting tips, the full checklist and instructions on how to make these adjustments in our first issue of Curated by In the Folds. Our September project, the Neale jumpsuit, comes with a bonus Fit Kit that will walk you through a range of different pattern alterations in detail. 

5. Grab a cup of tea and take a break!

Fitting patterns at times can be hard. It’s important to take a break! Remember not to ‘over fit’, it’s easy to start obsessing over every wrinkle but in reality, we move around and we aren’t just a static image! 

You don’t have to make all of the adjustments at once. You can choose which are more important to you and if you like, you can build on these as you go. With Curated by In the folds we aim to help you through the fitting process, one step at a time, providing you with all the information (always tested by us!) in one place and hopefully have some fun with it! As part of the subscription, we also have a great online platform in which you can ask any questions and see what other people are making and learn from their fitting process too.

If you’d like to learn more about fitting and join us with our monthly subscription, Curated by ITF you can do so via the link below.

How to (and why) make a toile

At this point in the Rushcutter sew-along, I thought it would be a good time to talk about toiling.

What is a toile?

A toile (also known as a ‘muslin’) is basically a draft version of a garment. A toile is normally made from a cheaper fabric, so that you can test the fit of a particular garment before cutting into your real (and normally more expensive) fabric. 

It is best to choose a fabric to toile in, that is similar to what you plan to make the actual garment in. If you are using a lovely sandwashed silk, then you will need something with a similar handle and drape as the silk, so you can get a good idea of what the final garment will look like. Making a winter coat? Choose something with a similar thickness and drape.

While I was developing The Rushcutter I made countless toiles. Many of them are ‘wearable toiles’ – meaning that I used a cheapish fabric and finished them properly, but expected to need to make some small adjustments. This way I could wear them around for a few days, and see how each dress really felt out in the wild! 

Why should I toile?

We all come in different shapes and sizes, and although I may have the same measurements as the girl next to me, this does not at all mean we have the same body shape. Some of us may have a sway back, forward sitting shoulders (that’s me!), narrow shoulders, longer legs etc. By doing a toile, you can quickly see if any adjustment needs to be made. As you sew more garments for yourself, you will get better at knowing what to look for, as you will often notice the same fitting problem across the board. 

How do I make a toile?

Make up the dress in your chosen toiling fabric. You don’t have to add facings, collars or pockets etc. I never bother with buttonholes or zips when I toile, I just pin the opening closed when it’s on.

You just want to check the overall fit of the garment, so you will only need the main pattern pieces. There is no need to even finish the seams! Mark the position of pockets so you can check pocket placement, without actually having to sew them.

When sewing, consider using a long stitch length, so that you can quickly and easily unpick any seams that need to be altered. You can also use a contrasting thread to make it even easier to see your stitches. As you will not be adding binding around the neckline and armhole of The Rushcutter, make sure you trim back the seam allowance (1cm) so you can get an accurate idea of how it will look when it’s finished. 

What’s next?

Try it on, get in front of the mirror and take a look! Is it sitting like it should? How does it feel? Can you sit down comfortably? Can you raise your hands in the air without showing off too much booty? Is it hanging properly? Does it feel too tight in any areas?

If you do need to make some changes, then take a pen (or fabric marker / chalk) and draw the changes directly onto the toile.  

Check the neckline

For example, if the neckline is too high, then draw where you would like the neckline to be. If you are toiling in a darker fabric, or making a wearable toile (like I was), then use masking tape to indicate problem areas and mark the changes on that. I also like to use tape to write notes on the toile, if needed.

Use a tape measure, or ruler, to make note of any distances / measurements. You can write them directly on the toile (like I do) or write them on a piece of paper. 

Focus on the overall fit

If it feels too big, pin out some of the excess fabric in the side seams and / or centre back.

If the dress feels too wide in the body of the dress, pin out the excess in the centre of the SIDE PANEL. Remember, if you bring the dress in at the side, you will also need to reduce the width of the sleeve, as these two pieces join together. 

On the contrary, if an area is too tight, cut into the fabric and use pins to fill the gap with a separate piece of fabric.

Check the length

Check the length – does it need to be lengthened or shortened? Place a pin horizontally at your ideal length (or take note of how much longer you would like to make it).

Is the hem sitting straight?

You will see in the image above that the hem lifts slightly at the front - this could be a sign of needing to do a full bust adjustment (my dummy has quite large breasts for her size!) The same goes for the back. If the hem is lifting at the back, you may need to add some length to the pattern.

Focus on the placement / position of design details 

Check the pocket placement (whether it is with actual pockets or just markings of where they are) and make note of any changes required.

Check dart placement / shoulder seams

For View A, check the placement of the shoulder dart. Does it sit on your shoulder and finish at the peak of your shoulder? You will see in the image above, that the dart sits slightly back from the shoulder line. 

To mark the change I required, I used masking tape to draw in the new dart position (being sure to also mark the dart point).

For View B, check that the shoulder seam lies on your shoulder. Re-draw the shoulder seam if you feel it needs to be further forward or back.

Check the sleeves

Have you got enough room in the sleeve to bend your elbow? Is the length of the sleeve right?

All done. Now what?

If you have made a lot of changes, you may need to make another toile to check the fit again. If the changes are minor (shortening or lengthening, moving the shoulder dart, changing the neckline etc.) then you will probably be fine to skip making a second toile.

In the next post I will show you how to go about transferring these changes to your pattern!

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I'd love to know, do any of you always make a toile? I must say, I'm a bit cheeky and skip it sometimes (I do often regret it though!) 

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