I find having the Girls Fun Tee Pattern so handy for life’s little emergencies! For that necessary yellow shirt needed for tomorrow at school or for that costume for a school play that is coming up soon.
I have been so thankful for the Girls Fun Tee PDF Pattern many a time over the years. Here are a few examples of how it has been put to good use.
Letterland – Clever Cat Costume. Sized up and lengthened.
Colonial Day
Colonial Day
Dress Ups – The puff tee looks great with everything!
Book Week – Heidi
Multicultural Day – A little Dutch Costume
A Christmas Tee for the last day of school. This was worn to death and until it did not fit anymore!
An embarrassing Mum supporters t’shirt! The kids were sad when they moved schools and Mum did not have a supporters tee to wear anymore.
Do you have a need for a great fitting t-shirt pattern? Maybe you’d like to try our Girls Fun Tee Pattern?
The lovely Samantha Wolgast fromLittle Jem Handmade has been sending me the most beautiful photographs of suits that she has been making from our Stinger Suit pattern, with the zip inserted up the back.
If you would like to keep a copy of this tutorial for later use, please download a copy here. (Works from desktop-only!)
The tutorial has also been added to the files menu of our Sewing Group.
I know many of you out there have been wanting to be able to do this also. I asked Samantha if she would be able to capture some pics of the process the next time she made one and put a few instructions with them, so that you can see how she does it and be able to follow along and make some of your own.
Samantha was only too pleased to do this for us and therefore I hope you enjoy reading and following along with her instructions below. We hope to see your own creations, using these instructions, in the near future either on our Facebook Group or tag me @sewbypatternpieces via your Instagram account.
Sammantha’s Instructions
So, I am sure we’ll get stuck into our sewing projects to while away the time while we are in isolation. I have been asked several times by my customers if I could do a stinger suit (awesome sun protection!) with the zipper at the back!
Well sure why not I said hahahaha…. Surely it can’t be that hard……well guess what? It isn’t hard at all! If you have already made a stinger suit you should find this super easy to do….
Grab your pattern & check measurements of the child you are making it for & work out the best size. (all sizing info and how to work out the mixing of sizes to get the perfect fit instructions are included in your stinger suit pattern). For my model I made a straight size 8.
Gather all your pattern pieces…. For the collar, you will need to make a basic adjustment. Grab some paper or pattern trace & take your collar piece and re-draw making the curved ends into a straight rectangle piece adding a further 1/4″ or 6mm each side, see pic below.
Cut out the collar piece but leave the zipper cover for the moment.
Now following the original instructions from the stinger suit prepare your BACK piece for the zipper… I like to draw on my lines with a sewing pen. See pics below.
For this suit I made the zipper about 10cm longer than what would have been needed for the front. The back neck is higher than the front and extra is also required for the zip to reach to the top of the collar.
I drew the mark at the end of the pattern piece adding the extra, then drew on the lines.
Now you are ready to proceed just like you would any other stinger suit, do not forget to sew in your little tab at the base of the zip as described in the purchased instructions.
After you have sewn the front & back pieces together you will need to attach your NEW collar piece (it should be a rectangle) The end of the collar should line up with the edges of the zip insertion spot on your back piece. Sew on your collar matching the centre fronts together.
Now you are ready to insert your zip. Make sure that the top of the zipper sits nicely to the top of your collar.
You now need to add your zipper guard & top stitch (same as the original pattern) you will need to add extra length, to the zipper guard, so re-measure how long you will need. Finish off inserting & top stitching your zip.
Now complete the rest of your suit following the instructions, and you are done!
Thank you so much to Samantha for this awesome tutorial.
If you would like to purchase a copy of the original pattern you are welcome to visit our store. The Stinger Suit is available in both Ladies and Girls Sizes.
Shop for Pattern: Girls Pattern HERE Ladies Pattern HERE
It is with much excitement today that I share with you the Girls Stinger Bodysuit Tester Round Up. We have many style options included in this pattern. It is a comfortable, skirted bodysuit with the option of sleeveless, short, 3/4, or long sleeves. You also have the option of 1pc or 2 PC. The sizes included in the Girls Stinger Bodysuit PDF Pattern are from 1-14.
50% 4-way stretch knit fabric blend containing Lycra/elastane/spandex. Chunky Plastic Zip – 5mm Width – Open or Closed End Video tutorials to shorten zip from the top or the bottom included. Magic Tape or “Sew Easy” Wash Away Quilters Tape (Dissolvable) 1/4”-5/16” or 6mm-8mm Leghole and Armhole Elastic 3/8” or 10mm Crop Top and Swim Pant Turnover Waist 3/4” or 20mm Crop Top and Swim Pant Waistband Elastic 1” or 25mm
To make a Girls Stinger Bodysuit just takes one step further than making a plain swimsuit. The Zip! You need not be afraid of inserting a zip. You just need to get hold of some wash away tape. Using this tape to hold the zip will make sewing a breeze. If you join our Facebook Sewing Group you will see a post, with this picture, where members have shared where they get their tape or zips from. There are many places online where you can buy Wash Away Tape from and have it sent right to your door.
We have found zips in both Spotlight and Lincraft and some of these stores carry the tape also. In the instructions of the pattern, there are video links, showing you how to shorten your zips if too long and another to help you sew the zip into your garment, using the wash away tape.
Be prepared to be blown away by our tester’s gorgeous makes. They have gone all out with fabrics, photography, and look at those zipper installations. Such perfection!
Get ready for cuteness overload in this Girls Zip It Good Rashie Set Tester Round Up. Our pattern testers have sewn up a storm putting together these gorgeous zip front rashies in the hope they can keep their little ones burn free this summer.
Such a huge selection of options are available in this pattern. You could make a different option of rashie every year, for years to come. On top of these options shown here, there is the option to add a frill on the hem as well.
Amy Hodge
Alice Blackmore
Fea Stephens
Fea Stephens
Linda Stilling
Michelle Ball Johnson
The written instructions guide you through every step of the zipper installation, with links to step by step video tutorials. Making zipper installation into stretch super easy to master.
Tanya Karolia
Sarah Mumford
Carmen West
Helen Currie
It does not matter what the age. Frills look so sweet on both long sleeves or short sleeves. You have the choice to add cuffs or turn up the hem on the sleeves.
When you have such fair skin and there is the risk of stingers in the water a pair of leggings come in really handy at the beach. The swim pants can be worn underneath if you do not wish to line the leggings.
Karen Fildes
Kristy Fleischmann
Nabilah Razif
Shannon McClain
Yvonne Pyke
Shannon McCraken
Weren’t they just the cutest photos to scroll through? Are you ready to make your kids burn free this summer with a Girls Zip It Good Rashie Set as well?
First we gave you the Ladies Norma Jean Shorties and now we have sized this pattern down to childrens sizes. We have been amazed at the popularity of this pattern. It seems to have become a staple in so many childrens wardrobes. This is something that continues to bring me joy.
The Girls Norma Jean Juniors PDF Pattern makes the perfect every day under pant garment, suitable for all seasons. Featuring soft comfortable bands on the waist and legs and designed to stay in place and not ride up.
Instructions for 4 different finishes have been supplied in this pattern being;
Wide self-fabric bands,
Narrow self-covered elastic bands,
Picot, and
Fold over elastic (FOE).
The PDF pattern includes 4 Video tutorials links for the ‘flip’ and ‘burrito gusset methods’ and application of ‘picot’ and ‘FOE’ elastic.
From above left to right and bottom left to right. Wide bands, Narrow bands, Decorative FOE and Picot.
Thank you to all from the Norma Jean Juniors Test. I really appreciate all that you do to make our test fun and run smoothly. Due to the nature of this release, I will not be providing your names. I do hope all your little ones are enjoying their new Norma Jean Juniors are getting a lot of wear out of them.
Weren’t these just the cutest line of photos. If you would like to find out more please hit one of these links below and you can view our shop, Insta hashtags, and Pinterest Boards. Happy browsing!
I am here today to show you the Girls Revised Fun Tee Tester Round Up but first I would like to tell you about how it got to this stage. The Girls Fun Tee pattern was the first pattern that I released when starting SEW by Pattern Pieces. I have learned so much since that first day. One of the things I was not aware of at the time was just how big the online sewing community was.
I have always loved to sew but since I left Home Economics at high school and Design College I have not really talked much to anyone outside of work about sewing. Talking to friends about sewing was always a quick conversation as it was not a shared interest. I never thought to look at Facebook for sewing related groups.
Then one day I found a fabric designer that I loved and she had a PDF Pattern for a girl’s quilted jacket. It was the first time I had come across a PDF pattern. I had been making clothes for my girls either from patterns I had made or from the big 5. I decided to sew up a jacket for each of them from this pattern. They loved them and got a lot of wear out of them that Winter.
My little cuties in their cool homemade jackets.
Now that I had been introduced to PDF Patterns, I set about working out how to write them. I had been working in the rag trade for many years as a patternmaker but I had felt I had stopped learning and was not sure which direction to head with the skills that I had. It was then that I found the Pattern Workshop course for designing PDF patterns. My mind was blown with the possibilities.
I began drafting a little Fun Tee for my girls. I could only find plain 100% jersey at Spotlight and at that stage Lincraft was not easily accessible but I do not think their knit range was great, at the time. So, I used some fun iron-on transfers to jazz them up.
The very first version of the Girls Fun Tee on my two girls.
During the test of this pattern, I was amazed at some of the fabrics and prints testers were making their tees out of. After the test, I started buying some of the amazing stretch cotton Lycras and sewing them up for my girls. I then realized that the pattern needed tweaking and this was the catalyst for the revised version.
For a second time, my team of testers did an amazing job and I look forward to showing you all their gorgeous makes. In the Girls Revised Fun Tee, we added a few more sleeve options giving you a tee with lots of style choices.
The Revised Fun Tee and its options.
The Girls Revised Fun Tee Tester Round Up, get ready to see lots of cuteness right here, as I love all these makes. It brings me so much joy to see these photos as this is what I love about doing what I do.
Abigail Shelling
Abigail Shelling
Amy Hodge
Anja Wouters
Anja Wouters
Cassie Fussle
Cassie Fussle
Fea Stephens
Fea Stephens
Fee Stirt
Karen Grimshaw
Kel Curteis
Kel Curteis
Sandra Schommer
Sue-Jones
Amanda Kaye Saffold Jones
Sarah Mumford
It was such a fun test the second time around. The fit was gorgeous on all the girls and I am much happier with all the tweaks and new sleeve options. I hope you will love the Girls Revised Fun Tee as well.
Taking the Girls Fun Tee and Girls Skip Skirt Pattern am going to show you how you can change the flare on the hips of the pattern pieces, to give you the option of making a slightly looser dress over the hips. This is what I have done with the dress below. It seems to go with this style of skirt nicely.
We have three further gorgeous photos of the dresses made from combining the Fun Tee and Skip Skirt. Isn’t it fun to see the different looks that can be achieved when doing this?
The patterns have been made so that the top and the skirt fit together perfectly so that you have the option to create a dress. The instructions to create the looks above come with the #22101 Skip Skirt pattern.
So to give you an overview of what we are going to achieve. Below is the Fun Tee front pattern piece. The areas in orange are what I have added to the pattern piece.
To begin, go to the centre front hem of the pattern and add 3/8″ or 1cm and square out to the halfway line.
On the side seam square up from the hem 2″ or 5cm and mark out 5/8″ or 1.5cm.
Going back to this image, as shown in orange, join the markings on the hip with the waist notch on the side seam and draw the curve from the hip to the centre front.
Next, shorten the length of the Tee as specified in the pattern by 2″ or 5cm and trim this off as shown.
Next, divide the amount added onto the hip of the Fun Tee. Add the 1/4″ or .75cm onto the centre front of the skirt and 1/4″ or .75cm onto the side seam as shown below.
Those are all the changes you will need to make to the front pattern pieces. Next, you will need to replicate these changes and add them to the back.
Now your little models’ dresses will have a little more swing and a little more flare.
The complete Fun Tee and Skip Skirt can be made by following the instructions that come with the patterns.
Pockets are all the rage on T-Shirts. We are going to show you our Fun Tee Pocket Hack It is a quick and easy way to add a bit of fun and add a splash of colour onto a garment. I wanted to make up a garment using this feature and keep it youthful, so I started by doing a little research online.
This is what my research came up with:
Next, I did not want to spend the earth on fabric, so I headed to the nearest 2nd hand shop with a vision of stripes in my head. Quite excited by my $4 au purchase, this is what I came home with and popped straight into the washing machine.
When making children’s wear, it is amazing the number of pattern pieces you can fit onto the fabric of an Adults shirt. The cardboard pattern piece shown below has been directly printed from my work computer. It is a front pattern piece of a Size 10 Fun Tee. Another point to make here is, when using ready-made clothing to create a new garment, there is NO hemming required, as you can utilise the existing hem, now that saves setting up the cover-stitch machine or finding that twin needle and two spools of matching thread.
Cut out your preferred choice of the two pocket types. The Fun Tee Pocket Hack instructions are available for download. Join our group for your FREE copy today.
Use a single fold hem on the top edge of the pocket, press, pin, and sew in place with the desired stitch.
For a more professional finish, use the same stitch for the top edge and the circumference of the pocket.
Press the seam allowance for the sides and bottom edges of the pocket toward the wrong side of the fabric.
It is always easier to attach a pocket to a garment before assembling. This will ensure the fabric is not distorted. Before attaching your pocket to the garment, work out its general placement, and stabilize the wrong side with iron-on interfacing or tear-away stabilizer. Use a piece that is approximately 1” bigger in width and length than your pocket.
Using the information provided in your FREE pattern, regarding the placement for the size you are making, measure, and pin the pocket in place.
If you feel the pocket will still move whilst sewing with the pins in place, you could opt to use wonder tape to hold the pocket in place.
To start begin near the lowermost point of the hem, on the upper right-hand side of the pocket. Here you will form a triangle to reinforce the pocket on the garment. Straight stitch towards the upper fold of the hem of the pocket, then pivot and sew two stitches towards the corner and then pivot once again, forming a complete triangle. Continue down the right side, along the bottom and up the left edge of the pocket. Complete attachment of the pocket with a second triangle, on the upper left side of the pocket,
back-tack to secure.
Trim threads and either trim away the excess interfacing or carefully remove the tear-away stabilizer on the back of the garment. If you used wonder tape this will dissolve away when washed.
Finally, continue sewing the remainder of the garment using the #21100 Fun Tee Pattern Instructions. (Link for store below)
Now you have an up to the minute fashionable shirt that your child will be happy to hang about in.
Thank you for viewing. We hope this has inspired you to put some pockets on your tees when you sew them. Are you in need of a great fitting Fun Tee PDF Pattern for your little ones?
The Final photographs sent to me from the lovely testers of this pattern were so gorgeous I just had to share them in one location for all to see as a Sport Dress Tester Round Up.
I have been very fortunate to have many testers come back a second, third, and fourth time to test my new patterns. I feel very thankful for that and for the friendships formed through this process.
Thank you to all the lovely testers that helped work on this pattern. Without you, it would not have been possible.
I have shown the widths and lengths testers have used to make their model clothes to demonstrate that not many people are standard height and width. Through using the layers function when printing the patterns you can easily make the correct size required for your model. Full instructions for making combination sizes come with the pattern.
Photographs shown are in order of size.
Size 1 width 3 height Mirelle Melanson
Size 1 width 2 height
Rhonda Bowen
Size 2 width 4 height
Megan Ray
Size 2 width 3 height
Kary Davis
Size 2 width 3 height
Linda Stilling
Size 3 width 3 height
Amy Hodge
Size 3 width 4 height
Thao Luxa
Size 3 width 4 height
Shalini Verma
Size 4 width 5 height
Megan Ray
Size 3 Chest 5 Hip and 4 length
Juanita Bell
Size 4 width 5 height
Rena Knotingham
Size 4 width 5 height
Alison Daines
Size 5 width 5 height
Danielle Kuznia
Size 6 width 6 height
Lauren Wernli
Size 7 width 6 height
Dianne Firth
Size 7 width 7 height
Jessica Vert
Size 10 width 10 height
Lauren Wernli
Size 12 width 14 height + 3″
Cindy Parett
Size 14 width
Donna Welburn
Well there you have it, so many amazing testers showing just how you can utilize this pattern, in all its views whether that be the Top, Tunic, Knee length, or Long length.
We cannot wait to see your version of this fabulous Sport Dress if you’d like to share photos in our sewing group.
The latest pattern from Sew by Pattern Pieces has arrived! The Sport Dress is the perfect base garment for this up and coming Summer. The pattern can be adapted in so many ways. Featuring 4 lengths it can be a comfortable tapered top, tunic, or dress along with 3 back armhole options. The Tbar, Sport, and Sleeveless.
Every little girl wants to feel comfortable while they are playing and this design sure makes them feel this way but feminine at the same time. As I have two girls, I watch which items of clothing my kids pull out to wear time and time again and I design with this information in mind.
You will love how quickly these garments come together. It has an easy to follow tutorial with a combination of line drawings and photographs and video links to help you every step of the way.
The size chart and finished garment measurement chart ensure you will get a perfect fit on your little model. The coloured and layered printing function helps you to achieve the combination sizes for when your child is having those growth spurts. Sizes included are 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 12, 14. The PDF pattern is available for download on tiled pattern pieces that can be printed and taped together using US 8.5″ x 11″ and or A4 paper or take your A0 file to the copy shop and do away with all the taping.
It is not always easy finding gorgeous prints on stretch so I have put together two fun applique templates, which you will be able to access in my sewing group as a Free Download Sure to add some fun to your next project. These templates are in a layered PDF printable document and are available in three sizes to suit sizes 1-14 and will also suit the Fun Tee pattern already available in the store.
Download your FREE star and heart sewing template. HERE
Projector File HERE 1″ and 5cm Grids for calibration, toggle on and off in layers menu.
We were having so much fun in testing we came up with a pattern hack at the same time and this has also been included in this pattern release. The technique to add ties or splits to any of your existing favourite patterns, is fully described and comes with a “Turnback Template” to help you adapt your pattern and add these features.
So much included in this pattern, so why not head over to our store and purchase your new Summer staple pattern today.
While I have your attention also be sure to be on the lookout for our leggings pattern which also looks lovely paired together with the Sport Dress.
The 3/4 length leggings look great with the tunic or top from this pattern release.
Thank you for viewing this post and have a great day!
If you’re having trouble downloading from here pop into our sewing group and look in the files menu to download your FREE star and heart sewing template to add to your next project.
A good leggings PDF pattern is something handy to have on hand when sewing a wardrobe for kids. From the experience I have had with my kids, it so much easier to get them to wear leggings, rather than jeans in the winter. Meet the Girls Basics Leggings Pattern.
This PDF document comes with all the pattern pieces you need to make any of the 4 lengths of leggings being; full length, 3/4, knee , and boyleg.
Size Range: 1-14
Fabric: Jersey 25% and Lycra 4 way stretch 50%
If you would like to learn how to measure the fabric stretch, hit the link to watch a short video on how to do this HERE.
This pattern was fortunate to have a mini-review written by Janet on the Blog 7 Pine Design if you would like to check it out.
Today I am very excited to show you my latest sewing project. Stinger bodysuit vintage ruffle hack. From the time that I created this pattern, my daughter’s friends have quite vocally let me know they wanted one as well. Slowly the whole group of them are getting one to wear, this is the 10th Stinger Suit that I have had the pleasure to sew.
The image above shows the finished swimsuit, however, it does look like it needs a little more to complete the look in this fabric and we have decided it needs a ruffle on the hem. So today I am going to show you how to add a ruffle to the Stinger Bodysuit, which can be utilized on any project made from Lycra.
1. Firstly, measure the hem of the area you will be adding the ruffle to.
2. Next cut the strips to be ruffled at 1 1/4″ or 3cm wide. These strips need to be cut with the longest measurement going from selvage to selvage 2 1/2 times the garment length measured. The total circumference of fabric required was too long for the width of fabric, so I cut 2 1/2 times the front for the front strip and 2 1/2 times the back for the back strip.
3. Now run a gathering stitch along the left and right edge of our strips of fabric. Start by putting your machine on the longest straight stitch possible. Then line up the right edge and sew 3/8″ or 1cm in from the edge, as shown below.
4. Next with the left side under the pressure foot sew the second row of gathering, again this is done 3/8″ or 1cm in from the edge, as shown below.
5. Now pull up the gathering stitches on your strips of fabric, pulling on the bobbin threads only. Pull the threads so that they gather evenly along the length and check that they now measure the correct length to fit onto the area you wish for them to attach to.
6. Next, change your machine to a wide zig-zag stitch, or in this case I used a 3 step zig zag. The reason you will use a zig-zag is because the ruffle is being added onto stretch fabric and if we use a straight stitch it will be more prone to cracking or getting damaged if the area is pulled whilst being worn.
7. Pin your ruffle to the area that you are attaching it to. To begin sewing place the ruffle under the foot of the machine and let 3/8″ or 1cm overlap the side seam of the skirt. Start your sewing 3/8″ or 1cm in from the strip of edge.
Ensure you are sewing your row of zig-zag in the centre of the ruffle strip and do not stretch the skirt as you sew.
8. This how it should look once sewn.
9. This is what the reverse side of the skirt looks like. With the ruffle slightly showing as it covers the raw edge of the skirt.
10. Next place and pin the ruffle to the back of the skirt.
11. To begin sewing the ruffle onto the back tuck the back ruffle under the front 3/8″ or 1cm overlap and continue using your zig-zag to attach.
12. Remove all your gathering stitches and yippee you are done! Easy as that! Now you will want to start ruffling everything in sight.
The complete Stinger Suit can be made by following the instructions that come with the pattern. If you would like to make this suit without a skirt, instructions to eliminate it also come with the pattern. How cute is this fabric?
You can also visit the Sew by Pattern Pieces Sewing Circle to ask questions or gather more sewing inspiration. Thank you for your time today and happy sewing!
Ready to make your own?
Shop for Pattern: Girls Pattern HERE Ladies Pattern HERE
