Sometimes, a simple pattern hack is so satisfying. I love to challenge myself and think outside the box and all that, but sometimes, I just want to keep it simple. Whenever the urge for simple sewing arises I go for a tried and true pattern, something I have made before and I know I will enjoy wearing. Combine that with a user friendly fabric and I know the finished garment will be a hit in my wardrobe.
Loungewear – DIY style
The starring patterns in this outfit are the Stella Hoodie and Bibi Skirt. Both patterns are featured in the book Stretch, by Tilly Walnes. I previously made another hacked version of the Stella hoodie, minus the hood. I wrote a post about that hack on my profile at Minerva.com, you can read it here.
I used a fleece lined, sweatshirt knit fabric for this matching set. It has a small amount of stretch and is incredibly soft and cosy. I purchased 2m from Poundfabrics.co.uk and immediately regretted not buying more. That error actually gave birth to this DIY loungewear outfit because I wanted to make a full tracksuit but came up short on the fabric for the Stella joggers.
After pondering my options ( I did consider making shorts) I flicked through the Stretch book again and remembered the Bibi skirt. This pattern has 2 pieces and I had just enough to make the skirt with extra length. This pattern is a great candidate for scrap busting or experimenting with colour blocking as it is made up of 4 panels and a waistband.
The Pattern Hack
I cropped the Stella Hoodie by roughly 5 inches, making an allowance for a 1 and a half inch hem. I used this hem as a casing for a 1 inch elastic which gave me the cropped fit I wanted. When cropping the pattern, I simply folded the bottom up by 5 inches instead of using the lengthen and shorten lines. Sometimes that is not the best method of shortening a pattern but it worked for me.
The Bibi skirt was lengthened by 6 inches and once again I didn’t use the printed lengthen and shorten lines. Adding length the bottom did not affect the shape of the pattern and I was pleased with the outcome.
I would love to make this entire outfit again in another colour (or maybe a few colours) and so far I have earmarked some more fabric for another version. When I’ll actually make it again is another question, my list of “things to make” is forever growing.
What about you, do you like to hack sewing patterns? What’s your go-to method of transforming your makes? Share them in the comments so we can all keep hacking.
Until next time, keep creating!
Comments
4 responses to “Pattern Hack – DIY Loungewear Featuring The Stella Hoodie”
Love this hack Miranda – a great way to get the hoodie out of less fabric and it looks sooo good on you! Also a big lover of hacking – sometimes I cut up the tissue first, but the most fun is, like you say, just drawing/extending lines straight onto the fabric and working it out as you go along! 🙂
Thank you Ruth. How much effort I apply to my hacks definitely depends on my mood too. I still have a soft spot for a complex hack every now and then.
I love this whole outfit! It’s so interesting how a cropped hoodie works with a midi skirt! And this fabric looks so cozy too. Another great sewing session here, Miranda ❤
Thank you Abbey, I’m so glad it did work out as it was not my initial intention but the slightly higher waistline of the skirt is definitely the saviour here lol.