sewing patterns – Page 2 – Measure Twice Cut Once

Posted on 25/10/2016 by Susan Goodwin — 2 Comments

Sewing Adventures – Sophie Hines Euler Bra

I saw this pattern on instagram last week and just had to have it. It’s the first pattern from designer Sophie Hines, while this is her first sewing pattern she has been making and selling lingerie for some time and has this laid back sporty luxe style that’s super sexy without the raunch factor. The colour aesthetic Sophie uses is super minimal and really beautiful in these muted type tones.

I wanted to whip up a quick wearable toile and so decided to make a swimsuit version using these lush lycras from Pitt Trading. So in keeping with my regular style why pick just one print when you can use ALL THE PRINTS.

The pattern offers 2 versions, a single hook/clasp back or a double hook/clasp back. I chose the double as I thought it would be cute?

After measuring myself and comparing it to the sizes I cut a size Large. Sizing is done as per garment sizing not cup sizing which I think is fine for soft cup bras.

Sewing was fairly straightforward. I used my overlocker for all seams and then straight stitched on the elastic. The instructions are written more than illustrated so have a read through before you get sewing and just refer back to the original garment photos and you will be fine.

I used what hardware I had on hand and took the opportunity to try some metal hardware and a plastic O ring too. I wanted to see how they will go in the water so snuck in a mismatched set so I can compare and contrast how they wear.
Everything went together easily and I like the fact it’s all lined as it makes it super smooth on the inside. I can see myself making more of these for sure. Am already thinking a soft bamboo jersey lined one would be great for summer.

Fabric: printed lycras from Pitt Trading, lightweight jersey lining from Pitt Trading

Trims: Elastic and hardware from the stash

Pattern: Sophie Hines Euler Bra

Alterations: none

Posted on 27/07/201619/06/2019 by Susan Goodwin — 6 Comments

New Pattern: Active Beanie

Exciting day with a new pattern!

It’s a close fitting beanie perfect for activewear as it is lightweight and small so can be shoved in a pocket or a pack and brought out when needed. It’s even small enough to fit under a bike helmet so those early morning starts are a whole lot warmer.

With an interior pocket you can carry your house key or some notes to grab a coffee or go to the supermarket on your way home from your run.

Suitable for stretch knits with good stretch recovery. Ideal for knits, jersey, interlocks, ribs and lycra blends. An elastane/lycra/spandex content is highly recommended for a better fit. Merino knits, polyester lycra blends and performance fabrics highly recommended. Cotton and other absorbent fibres not recommended if being used for Activewear purposes.

This is a one size fits most, the instructions take you through step by step including how to add the internal pocket. A quick simple make it’s perfect for using up scraps and as presents for the active people in your life.

From now till the 8th of August it’s on sale for $2.50 (plus taxes where applicable) before going up to it’s regular price of $4.00

Posted on 14/06/2016 by Susan Goodwin — Leave a comment

Everyone deserves Pretty Lingerie – roundup

What an absolutely wonderful fortnight of all things Lingerie, it’s been fascinating seeing everyone’s makes and my wishlist of styles is getting ever bigger.

The Thrifty Stitcher aka Claire-Louise used lace and trims from our shopping trip in Sydney to create this beautiful black and red number

Carolyn made this stunner of a set

Jodie from Scared Stitchless shared a beautiful satin piece on Instagram, Jodie recently attended one of my bra making workshops so it was great to see new found skills put to use.

This stunning set from Karen made my jaw drop

Plus so many more plans, kits, fabrics and patterns were ordered and tested. All in a fabulously inspiring week, be sure to check the hashtag for more #everyonedeservesprettylingerie See you all for the next Everyone deserves Pretty Lingerie week!

Posted on 01/06/201518/01/2016 by Susan Goodwin — Leave a comment

Everyone Deserves Pretty Knickers Week – discount code

It’s Everyone Deserves Pretty Knickers Week!

Choose your favourite patterns and get to making some new pairs or take a leap and make your very first pair. It doesn’t matter how you celebrate the week it’s all about giving it a try and enjoying making some pretty knickers!

To help celebrate I’m offering 10% the entire Measure Twice Cut Once site. You can try some knicker patterns or stock up on supplies like this lovely red lace kit

or this stunning blue

and there are options for elastics and trims too.

Use the code

take10%off

at the checkout to get you ready to celebrate and make some pretty knickers!

Posted on 18/03/201519/06/2019 by Susan Goodwin — Leave a comment

Digital pattern sale – get 15% off

Today marks 1 year of Measure Twice Cut Once having digital patterns for sale. Now I had wanted to celebrate by releasing a new range but it’s not ready yet. So I’ve decided to celebrate by giving you 15% off all digital patterns for the next week.

Use the code go15off at the shopping cart to take 15% off all digital patterns. Does not apply to workshops or kits and supplies.

Happy Sewing!

Posted on 18/08/201418/08/2014 by Susan Goodwin — 16 Comments

Sewing Adventures – Paris Malvarosa dress

I have dreamt about going to Paris for forever, like forever forever. In my mind I always had it worked out that I could be there in July when it would be summer, I could celebrate my birthday there with The Englishman, the couture shows are on and the Tour de France finishes in Paris. Add in some cheese, bread and pastries and we are pretty much getting close to all my favourite things in one place. So far that is yet to happen, but I have been living vicariously though the Instagram feeds of Roisin and Christine. Jealous much? um yeah, a whole lot of jealous.

So instead of being in Paris for my birthday I found myself in Bondi Junction Spotlight and saw some lovely Japanese Lawn (I adore this fabric so much). Not overly thinking it I saw it as a lovely geometric print…then I realised no, it was mini Eiffel towers with lasers shooting out of it! SOLD!

I needed something fun to make out of it and settled on the Pauline Alice Malvarosa dress as I love the ease of construction, no zips, no buttons! Plus it’s breezy style is perfect for this odd inbetween type weather we are in as I can match it with tights and a jacket and then as it warms up wear it on it’s own.

I finished it up last week and was wearing it to head to a meeting so grabbed 3 very quick photos before I headed out. Only 3 because I had a meeting and it was so windy this day that I couldn’t wait to put my jacket on.

I’m standing weirdly and the wind has caught my skirt but I’m pretty happy with the dress. I find the lawn gets a better drape to it after it’s been washed which means the skirt looses some of it’s poufyness at the gathering which is good. The wrinkle above the bust is due to me being slouchy more than anything else.

I didn’t get a back shot but I get some slight pooling at the lower back, am unsure if it’s because the gathering skirt was sticking to my tights or if I could take it in a bit? I’m not bothered by it as I prefer a drop waisted dress to be loose and breezy but I’d like to see if I can fix it?

Much like my last Malvarosa I didn’t bother with the facings, just bagged the whole top out for a clean finish.

One last photo of me trying not to laugh and telling The Englishman to hurry up so I can put on my jacket. The complete derp face photo I’m saving for instagram as it’s just too “what the?” style face. So funny.

Posted on 12/08/201419/06/2019 by Susan Goodwin — 2 Comments

New Releases – additions to the Basics Collection

Even though it’s technically meant to be winter here in Sydney it seems my brain and the weather have skipped straight to summer and so I thought a timely release of some summer tops was in order. So here are two brand new releases for the Basics Collection.

Women’s tank top featuring bound straps and stretch band at waist. Sure to become a wardrobe staple as you layer it under jackets, wear it on it’s on in the summer time and mix it up with some trims to make cute sleepwear. A very versatile wardrobe addition.

Suitable for knits. Body ideal for combed cotton knit, jerseys,interlocks and single jerseys or knits with lycra. Need a minimum of 5% stretch. Binding can be self fabric, fold over elastic or woven bias binding. Band fabric Ideal for Rib knits, knits with an elastane/lycra/spandex content is necessary.

Women’s Baseball Singlet with scoop hem and low back. Featuring twin needle neck, armholes and hem. Perfect for a warm summer day with a low scoop back (not too low you can still wear a bra) and then the curved hems skim over the hip ensuring a flattering look over the stomach.

Suitable for stretch knits with more than 5% stretch only. Ideal for knits, jersey, interlocks, ribs and lycra blends. An elastane/lycra/spandex content is highly recommended for a better fit.

Both are available right now in the shop.

Posted on 30/07/201419/06/2019 by Susan Goodwin — Leave a comment

Additional inspiration for Basics

Last week I shared with you some inspiration from The Designer Manual and how you can treat any pattern like a block and bend it, twist it, hack it to make it your style. Today I’m back with some extra images of inspiration that would all work perfectly with the Racer Back Singlet pattern.

1 – scoop out the underarms to create this look, paired with a black pencil skirt for an unexpected but fashionable ensemble. Image via The Sartorialist.

2 – a painterly fabric is on trend and adds a pop of colour to your look. Image via Friend in Fashion

3 – The always stylish Jessica Alba pairs a singlet with coloured skinnies and a blazer, I could’ve filled an entire inspiration magazine with cool photos of her rocking singlets.

I cannot find the correct image link for this one, if anyone knows can they let me know so I can update?

4 – a lace back can really showcase the beauty of the fabric. Image via KeC

Posted on 02/06/201402/06/2014 by Susan Goodwin — 4 Comments

Everyone Deserves Pretty Knickers – knicker making class

It’s been a few hours and multiple cups of tea and I’m finally recovering from the amazingness of teaching my first knicker class.

First up it was SO MUCH FUN and that was down to the lovely ladies in class of Mel, Stef, Carmen and Lyndall. They were all so enthusiastic and willing to give it a try that it made it a joy to teach them.

The space at Sew Make Create was all set up with Janome machines and an overlocker for people to share and a beautiful big cutting table.

We went through how to find the right size, cutting on the bias, creating the gusset and then attaching the elastic. Along the way I was trying to make sure that everyone understood what I meant to not only do it in class with me there to help but more importantly to be able to do it once they got home.

Overall we did really well, I wish we had another hour in class to help out as with many new techniques to learn I felt slightly cramped for time.

It was great and I so hope everyone keeps sewing knickers at home.

If you’d like to come along to a class, there is a button on the sidebar that will take you over to what is on offer with dates and other information and more photos can be found on our flickr page.

Posted on 29/04/201418/01/2016 by Susan Goodwin — 23 Comments

Everyone deserves Pretty Knickers

Everywhere I look I’m seeing sewers from all over the world making knickers and bras and all kinds of lovely underthings. In the comments on all these lovely creations are so many sewists who say they want to try but they think it’s too hard or that they don’t have the right machinery or fabrics or trims or a myriad of other problems.

Knickers are not hard and they don’t take any fancy kind of machinery. You can make them using a regular machine with a straight stitch and a zig zag using normal elastic. So in the spirit of encouragement, I’m announcing Everyone deserves Pretty Knickers Week

Throughout the whole week we will be encouraging sewers to take the plunge and just try making one pair of knickers. Any style, any fabric any pattern that you like. Make what will suit you and what you want. It’s a few weeks away so you have some time to look around, choose a style and a pattern and find some fabric.

So if you’d like to take the challenge, add your name to the comments here and grab a button for your blog. Follow us on instagram to see as many makes as we can find to regram, tag your makes with #everyonedeservesprettyknickers.

I cannot wait to see what you all create.

Cut and paste the code below to add the pretty knicker lady to the sidebar of your blog

<a href="http://www.measuretwicecutonce.com.au/2014/04/everyone-deserves-pretty-knickers/"><img src="http://www.measuretwicecutonce.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/knickers-website-button-190.jpg"/></a>

We will be featuring round ups of supplies over the next few weeks to help you find everything you need for the week, so keep checking back for more information.