Felicity Hacks

The Felicity and Women’s Felicity are our next two patterns for The Resort Collection! This is a great top or dress for summer, whether you’re heading out for a tropical vacation or just running errands around town. Options include three different lengths, an optional flounce, and either a slim or full swing option (maxi only has the slim swing option). Testers had fun using a variety of fabrics for their flounces to achieve different looks, including burn-out fabrics, patterned mesh, and more!

Looking to get even more out of your pattern? We’ve included several hacks and mash-ups below!

FOE (Fold Over Elastic) Finish

Intimidated by binding? You can easily sub in FOE (fold over elastic) to finish the neckline and create the straps for Felicity. In addition to the Felicity pattern, you will need FOE to create this hack!

Cut the FOE the the same length as the neckline binding and arm strap binding pieces.

Pin the FOE to the neckline (as instructed in the tutorial), only this time you will place the WRONG side of the neckline against the WRONG side of the FOE. Place the edge of the neckline just inside the center crease of the FOE. Stretching the FOE to fit, sew the FOE to the neckline.

Fold the FOE over the neckline along the center crease. The neckline will now be enclosed. Edgestitch the FOE closed with a lengthened straight stitch or a zig zag stitch. Repeat this process for the other neckline.

For the arm strap binding, sew the FOE together to create a loop (as you would the traditional binding). Pin the FOE in place along the armscye, as instructed in the tutorial. The FOE should be attached the same way the neckline FOE was attached. Once the FOE is attached along the armscye, fold the FOE together along the center crease. The ‘strap’ portion of the FOE will simply be folded in half. Edgestitch the FOE closed with a lengthened straight stitch or a zig zag stitch. Repeat this process for the other arm strap.

All done! FOE is a super quick and easy way to finish your Felicity neckline/arm straps!

Sew In Cups

Did you see that Felicity includes a shelf bra? I love the idea of a shelf bra, but often find myself wanting just a bit more coverage to feel comfortable wearing my dress out and about without a bra. A quick and easy way to get a bit more coverage and support is to add sew in cups to your shelf bra.

: First pin your cups to the wrong side of the shelf bra piece with them cupped towards you. The cups will be against your skin. (This is personal preference as well you can certainly sew them on the right side of the shelf bra so that they are sandwiched between the dress and the shelf bra) Make sure that you leave an inch at the bottom so that you can still attach your elastic and 1/2 for the side seams and 3/8th at top for your binding.

: Zig zag your cups in place. You will now continue just as instructed in the pattern. Sew your side seams with your front and back shelf bra pieces right sides together and add your elastic to the bottom just as instructed.

Note: check the size of the cups if you are sewing a smaller Felicity; I am a grey and just barely squeezed these cups on. You can always trim your cups down a little too if needed. Also, before you sew, hold the piece up to you to make sure you have the cups placed just how you like them. With the shelf bra and cups, I’m now good to go bra free and still feel like I have a bit of support and a little bit more coverage! – Angela

Lexi Romper Mash

If you’ve seen me around, you know rompers are my fave. I’ll try to turn anything and everything into a romper, and Felicity is no exception! You can mash any bottoms you’d like, but I love the Lexi Lounger joggers. You’re going to take both of your patterns, the Felicity and your bottoms. If you’ve made them individually already, this is a major plus, but you really want to see where they hit on their own, and holding the pattern up to your body is a good starting point. For the bottoms, it should be around your hip bones, and the Felicity pattern has a marking for the waistline, you want to take this and see how much you would have to add to get it to your hipbone. On my first romper, I added 1-2 inches to the rise of the pants and folded my Felicity pattern 3.5″ below the waistline marking.

*My front Lexi legs were 1″ narrower at the top than my Lexi back legs. I had to grade out my front legs to match the back. See the photos below to see how and where I graded, and how both of the legs should be the same width as the bodice.

So, you should have your Felicity bodice, your Lexi legs, and your optional pockets, optional drawstring or elastic, and optional flounce. (If you choose elastic, it should be around your waist measurement.)

You will continue to construct your Lexi pants all the way until you’re ready to attach your waistband (your bodice will take the place of your waistband). Construct your bodice until just after the side seams step. You will now attach the top and bottoms by aligning raw edges, right sides together, matching side seams and centers. Clip/pin in place.

Sew your waist seam. I took a 3/4″ seam here. This seam allowance will become your casing, so you will want to use a stretch stitch on your sewing machine, not a serger.

Trim the seam allowance of the top only. Do not trim the seam allowance of the bottoms. Press the seam allowance of the bottoms up towards the top.

Now, find the center of your front bodice, as close as you can get to the seam line. This is where you’ll install your grommets or buttonholes for your drawstring. You will want to stay within your casing allowance. I am doing a 3/4″ casing, so I made sure to stay within 3/4″inches above the seam line, front center. If you’re doing elastic, not a drawstring, skip this step.

After finishing your method of entry for your drawstring, edge stitch your casing in place. If you chose buttonholes, open your buttonholes carefully with a seam ripper. If you’re doing elastic, remember to leave an opening when sewing your casing to thread your elastic through afterwards.

You now have the base of your romper completed. Thread your drawstring or if you chose elastic, thread your elastic through and sew your opening closed. Finish your romper per the tutorials (flounces, cuffs, etc) There is some wiggle room with these steps to get the perfect romper for you. These measurements worked for me, but only you know your body and what will work for your shape. Making a muslin is always recommended. -Stephanie

Tie Straps Hack

Dresses are one of my favorites to wear for summer and spring, but now that I’m full-time nursing again, they aren’t exactly “nursing friendly”- I mean you can lift them up but that shows a bit more than I’d like ;). I love the new Felicity but wanted to make it a little easier for nursing so I’m going to take you through how to change the straps to be tie straps. Tie straps are amazing for nursing, or just for the straight cute factor! I personally love the look of tie straps even when I’m not nursing.

This is a super simple hack and gives you the ability to tie it as loose or tight as you’d like. The way I take you through will give you extra long ties that you can then cut to your personal preference. If you are short on fabric you can always make them smaller to start with.

Let’s get started!

First, you will grab your regular strap piece- Since I’m not a huge fan of making new pattern pieces I just cut it on a fold instead of singles. So cut 4 strap pieces on a fold. You’ll be left with 4 extra long straps that you’ll then prep as directed in the pattern for binding.

Then you’ll need to mark the bodice placement on one end of each strap (they are equal distance so it doesn’t matter which one)

Now, take two straps and serge the marked ends together creating an extra long strap. Repeat with the second set leaving you with two long straps.

When you are ready to apply the straps you’ll do so as directed in the pattern but instead of a circle strap, you’ll have open ends. Line up your serged point with the serged underarm point, and your marked bodice points with the tips of the bodice and baste as directed in the pattern.

Once you’ve basted it on, I’d recommend trying on your dress and tying your straps so you can mark what length you want them. Cut off the extra length.

Take your edges and flip them under as shown then pin/clip all the way down your binding, around your dress, and back out to the other edge.

Finally, you’ll topstitch all the way along the open edges, starting at one strap end and finishing at the other. You can use a coverstitch, but I’d recommend your sewing machine for a cleaner look since your ties are showing.

Now put on your dress, tie your straps as desired, and you are good to go!

Happy Sewing! –Michelle

Maternity Hack

For the maternity hack, I used the LMU maternity add-on from Patterns for Pirates. For myself, I removed about 2″ from the mid section. I laid it about an inch below the armpit area, and angled it outward, matching it up with the skirt flare piece around the bottom triangles.

I then added 3″ to the dress length cut line. This might need to be adjusted a bit based on different sizes, but 3″ was perfect for size blue.

Since I removed some length from LMU piece, I cut my elastic at 8″ instead of 9.5″, then marked the center as well as 1″ from each end, then clipped to match up with the triangles, per the LMU maternity instructions. I stretched the elastic between the marks, sewing my 1/4″ elastic 1/4″ away from the edge.

At this point the front piece is treated as a normal front piece to finish the dress. Enjoy! –Alyssa

Nursing Hack

As a mom of 5, I’ve nursed many babies during the hot days of summer. The two shirt method is my go to for modest nursing clothes, but humid Ohio weather sticks around and I dont want to layer up when it does. When I saw the Felicity had a flounce option, I knew it would be an easy hack to add hidden access. Plus, as an added bonus, the flounce covers any extra skin you dont want exposed.

Felicity is such a fast project to sew, so I didn’t want to add a bunch of complicated steps. I kept this hack fast and easy, only adding about 15-20 minutes to your project.

: Step 1: Find and mark with a pin the center strap point on your front piece. You will be marking the right side of the fabric. Once you find that, measure down 2.5 inches and pin again. Keep it as centered with that point as possible. This keeps the opening to the side of the bust, eliminating any bulk over the roundest part of your bustline.

: Step 2: Measure down from this new mark 4 inches and place another pin. I am a B cup and I found this size to be adequate for me, but there is plenty of room if you added more length here. I actually would recommend adding length if you have a larger cup size. NOTE – Buttons are just to show where the two marked points are.

: Step 3: Cut 2 strips of fabric, 1.5 inches wide by 5 inches long. If you added length, just cut your length 1 inch longer than where you placed your pin.

: Step 4: Right sides together center your fabric strip over your pins. Pin in place, keeping the pins in the same spots where you marked them.

: Step 5: Draw a vertical line with fabric marker, or in my case, a washable kids’ marker, from pin to pin. Next, measure 1/4 inch from that line on each side and draw a line making a box around.

: Step 6: Using a stretch stitch, I did a narrow zig zag, sew all the way around the box staying on the lines as close as you can.

: Step 7: Draw lines from the center to the corners making a V.

: Step 8: Cut through both fabric layers, down the center and on the V lines. Clip as close to the corners as you can. Take care not to cut your stitching.

: Step 9: Turn front piece over, wrong side up, and pull fabric through the opening. Using spray starch and steam, press your fabric well. It will look like a long rectangle opening. Pin to secure if your fabric rolls a bit. Take your time here, its a bit fiddly but it will all work out nice, you’ll see.

: Step 10: Sew around the edges of the fabric strip with a stretch stitch. I used a medium zig zag catching the edges.

: Step 11: Complete Felicity as instructed in the tutorial. I recommend using the long flounce to ensure the opening is covered, though your bust will be covered by the shelf bra or nursing bra too!