I just finished the 100% that witch sweater pattern, it’s free on Ravelry and I’ve been meaning to make it for years lol I’ve been in a colorwork craze and now I really want to do some cables. Haven’t quite decided what I’m going to make next.
@@amyofmelbourne yay! I thought you’d like it. It was a lot of fun, and a lot of people did their own pattern variations so I spent quite a while poking through all the other projects and mixing and matching my own. Mine is purple and I added little graveyard ghosts ☺️
Mate! This is amazing 😍 Have reserved the Che Lam book at my library. And the tip about circular needles! Personally I'm an armpit strangle attempting knitter so an option where I'm not trying to m*rder a stick is very welcome 😁 Seriously brilliant video, can NOT wait for more in this series.
Awe thank you so much, you have absolutely made my day!!! I honestly think switching to the circular needles made all the difference! Thanks again for watching ❤️❤️❤️
Omg I keep hearing people talk about that but I don't even know what that is 🤣🤣🤣🤣 I have so much to learn! Or forget depending on how long the fad lasts 🤣
@@amyofmelbourne haha my maternal grandmother tried to teach me how to knit and that didn’t go well. I taught myself during lockdown with 10ply wool big needles and RU-vid lol.
Thank you so much for this video. Although I probably wont attempt this dress, just seeing the alterations you made has given me some ideas of the challenges I will face with my own body. As a relatively new sewer I haven't been game to try and sew anything for my upper body which is plus sized with a spinal curvature meaning nothing is quite where patterns tell me it should be.
I'm so glad you enjoyed it and found it useful. Learning to fit is one of the biggest learning curves for everyone and is especially steep for plus sizes or those outside the "standard" if you have any fitting issues or anything you want help with let me know and I'll try to cover it in a video 😁
Don’t use reconstructing history patterns- they have a bad reputation for being poorly drafted and even worse customer service. If you like Tudor/elizabethan I like and have used a couple Margo Anderson patterns and they go to size 30 or a 54 1/2 inch bust.
Thanks so much for letting us know. I've had a lot of feedback saying the same thing. Feels like it's a space that needs more attention from quality pattern companies ♥️ Definitely going to checkout Margo Anderson, thanks for the suggestion!
I just actually worked on the Reconstructing History pattern that you recommended. The history written is very interesting, but that's about the best thing I can say about it. The instructions are woefully bad and the pattern drafting is not great. I am a pretty good seamstress and figured it out and futzed around with the mockup enough to get it workable, but it is absolutely not a good pattern for most people. I almost set it on fire. Black Snail's patterns are great, but they're drafted with the idea that you are not only using a corset, but that your corset takes out 2 inches. Which is fine if you know that, but can be really frustrating if you don't remember or don't know. Also some people, like me, don't get a full two inch reduction, which is why I usually pick sizes while wearing my corset if I plan to wear one, and it's frustrating. Once that is taken into account though, their patterns are great, but there can be some areas where the original German is translated in weird ways. I had trouble with the 1830's chemise because of that, but I figured it out. Laughing Moon is one of my go-to pattern companies. They have a lot of stuff to print if you print at home, but after that, they're clear and easy to follow. They only have a few patterns that have a specific home printing layout because they drafted for A0 pages. This can cause lots of paper with minimal stuff printed out and a bit of waste. Scroop is wonderful and I had absolutely no issues with the stays and i love how they have both modern and historical construction. The only problem is that they don't have much options right now. I hope that they come out with many more patterns soon. I hadn't heard anything about House of Brick, but I'm definitely interested now. I actually will look at quite a few places you highlighted on Etsy... I'm actually going to add that Redthreaded is hit and miss. I got a Victorian corset pattern that when printed were different sizes and didn't fit together. Like the top part was (just random numbers) 79 mm and the bottom page of the same piece was 81 mm. But i had no troubles at all with the Regency stays, so not all of theur patterns are like this.
Omg thank you soooo much for so much quality information! This is brilliant! Like I said, I highlight because I haven't personally tried all of these patterns but getting your personal feedback is so so so helpful! Thankyou!
I just found your channel and love that you make videos on size-inclusive patterns and that you make so many beautiful garments. I started making period costumes but gave up because I had to draft my own or size them up and it was so time consuming. I would love to see you make the 1950s split side skirt from Embonpoint Vintage or the blouse/tunic from House of Brick Design. Thank you for all the suggestions, these may be what brings me back to sewing again!
Loved your video. Great choices for a more modern wardrobe choice. In love with so many patterns that I dod not know existed. As a plus size sewist some times I find it hard find patterns in my size, regardless of the fit issues! So, this is a major help!
I really appreciate you sharing these size-inclusive patterns and makers! It can be such a chore to wade through all of the listings to find ones that will work for large bodies.
Thank you for all the patterns. I will add Wildflower design with the coquelicot skirt which has huge pockets and 18e century construction but fit perfectly in the modern world
Hell yeah you can!!!! But I agree, until you can see people like yourself in a certain style, it's hard to imagine yourself being part of it. Exactly why representation matters so much! Thanks for watching ❤️❤️❤️
I have issues with milkmaid sleeves too. I have worked out that if i sew a channel along the top of the sleeve leaving a gap in the middle I can put the elastic in and if it’s bugging me because it’s too big I can knot the elastic in the middle and then sew the gap closed. Works great
Considering that you were unwell, learning new things and on limited time, you did a wonderful job. Sometimes those projects which test us can be the most gratifying. Your daughter looks adorable modelling this creation, and you should be proud of your work. She will treasure this memory ❤
Search Amy of Melbourne for my tester group on Facebook or go to "tester opportunities" on my website. I would love to see my patterns at a Ren Faire! We don't have them in Australia and it's honestly a bucket list item to go to one ❤️❤️❤️
Have you seen Käärijä's new stage outfit? 🙂 It is a purple and black bolero with green piping accents, and matching purple, green and black pants. So far he's worn the outfit at Böle (Finland) and Malmö (Sweden). I hope that he comes to Australia for a concert one day. Alternatively that you can come to Europe to see him. 😊 He is doing a gig in Spain in September.
I have and I love it!!! I think it was like a project runway contestant who designed it with him. Very cool! I am actually trying to save up to come in 2025! Number 1 thing on the list is Kaarija, then the northern lights 😜 priorities
@@amyofmelbourne Oh, I didn't know he did it with a Project Runway contestant. That's interesting. 🙂 Cool, I hope you can make it to a Käärijä gig eventually. 😃
Such a beautiful work of art ❤ and I absolutely adore the story behind it. I have only just found your channel and I'm ridiculously excited that you are a fellow Aussie! I need a free afternoon and plenty of coffee to binge all of your videos.
@@amyofmelbourne I know that I am giving away my age here a little, but as a child, I started to learn measurements in imperial and then we switched to metric while I was still quite young. It was easy for me to make the change, but much harder for my paren's ' generation . For some reason I still think of my height in feet and inches and my weight in kilograms. 😂
@@TheRealGrannyWeatherwax I do the same but I think because of my parents still using feet and inches. As long as we don't get down to Tony fractions I'm ok but agree for weights cannot use anything but metric
I'd also recommend a few Muna & Broad patterns: the Whitlam Skirt (knit column skirt), the Nullarbor Cami and Dress (which can be cut straight or bias), and the Alistra Dress (knit column dress with either a scoop or turtle neck), all up to 71.5"/182 cm hip. Style Arc also has some good patterns, most of their items go up to a 61"/154 cm hip, and they have extended sizes up to a 70.125"/178 cm hip.
I love Muna and Broad! I have a few style arc patterns but haven't made any yet, though I do hear that their instructions can be a little minimal. Thanks for the great suggestions!
Thanks Amy 💜 That's the most comprehensive bias binding turning the corner demonstration I have seen! I now feel confident to have a go myself. (Perfectionism is paralysing 😵💫)
Thank you! It's both easier and harder than you think. I would highly recommend using a larger grid, mine was tiny and good for the size of a kids short but in terms of learning it was frustrating in scale. Worth learning though, I definitely want to make something for myself now 😍
It's great to hear someone be really honest about how long it can take to learn a new craft. Especially when it looks so easy on other RU-vid channels. Well done on giving it a go! And yes, would love a folk shirt pattern in a plus size ❤
Well that's all the motivation I need, it's on the list! 😉 I agree, sometimes it feels like people can learn a new skill in a day but it takes a long time to actually learn something properly rather than just muddling through ❤️
I had this on while I was in the shower so I might have just missed you saying it, but is there a reason for doing the side panels separately and not just part of the main pieces? Looks fantastic!
Great question, it's for the shaping so that it fits around the chest and torso, the curve is straighter on the X fit (mens/straight fit) and much more prominent on the larger bust option.
Thank you so much for sharing all of these wonderful patterns. Even though I don't plan to make all of these specifically as my wardrobe doesn't lean as deep into the academia aesthetic, it is so helpful to know what designers, websites, etc. do offer size inclusive patterns. I'm just barely dipping my toes into sewing my own clothes and am currently in the research and pattern accumulation phase and videos like yours are invaluable to someone like me who is tired of having to spend hundreds of dollars on a single item of clothing that actually fits. So making my own is the best way I can think of to get clothes that actually fit me well and feel comfortable as a plus size woman.
That's exactly how I got started and then the obsession grew and took over my whole life, it's the best! I'm so glad you enjoyed the video and found value in it! 😁 Thanks for watching!
Thank you. As someone who has a mother with a neck spinal cord injury, a sister with MS and both of my parents are over 80, I am always looking for techniques for adaptive clothing
Great bias binding tutorial, your joins once the tape is attached looks great. I love the vest, might make a jazzy winter one, could be handy as you tend to get cold on you back when you sew, Deb
That would be lovely, make sure you tag me if you do, i would LOVE to see what you do with it! Its also great for keeping you warm but your arms free to make!
No, but I usually have to do an sba so that won't help you much. Helen's closet Jackson tshirt is great (not free though) if you need a t-shirt to accommodate a larger bust.
Same. I'm trying to make the effort to teach my son both metric and imperial so that he doesn't struggle in school, but so that he hopefully will be able to switch between the two easier.
