Hi mermaids and pirates! I am SO excited about our Sierra SAL this week. I hope you are able to create a romper or dress (or both!!!) that you love by the end of the week! 🙂

Sierra and the Women’s Sierra are trendy romper and dress patterns with lots of options! The Sierra bodice features a flattering v-neck in the front and back, optional side cut-outs or open back, and either tank style or flutter sleeves. Hem lines include romper inseam, a peplum top, mini dress, maxi dress, or a dramatic high-low maxi dress. Perfect for spring and summer as is, or you can easily pair with tights and layering pieces to be ready for the colder months! You can check out our existing hacks, or you can stay tuned for two additional hacks coming later this week!

 

Before we get started, there is a ton of helpful beginner information between the M4M and P4P blogs, in case you are new to knits, or new to PDF patterns in general.

• New to PDF patterns? Check out our helpful tips here
• New to sewing with knits? Brittany has some great info here
• Need an FBA? Check out the P4P blog for tips on how to accomplish that
• Not quite sure how to measure yourself accurately? Don’t worry; check out the post here!
• Having issues printing? Most issues can be resolved by using our FAQs/troubleshooting tips
• Not in our official SAL group yet? Join here 🙂

Our first day is all about prep! First, be sure to measure yourself (or the person that you are sewing for) accurately. An accurate measurement is very important for the Sierra, especially for the open back or cut-out bodice options! The bodice simply won’t fit properly if measurements aren’t accurate.

After you’ve measured, you’ll want to choose a medium-weight knit fabric with at least 40% horizontal stretch, and some vertical stretch. During testing, we found double brushed polyester gave the best results. For the bodice and waistband especially, you really need a fabric with good recovery, such as DBP or cotton spandex. Fabric without spandex content (cotton interlock, etc.) will not work. You can use fabrics like rayon spandex, but be aware that those fabrics have a tendency to “grow” throughout the day.  Sierra & Women’s Sierra do use quite a bit of fabric, so be sure to check the fabric requirement charts for each.

Next, go ahead and print your pattern! Be sure to print a test page and measure your 1″ square before you print the whole pattern. I included a few helpful tips below  to get you started:

Once you’ve got your pattern pieces printed and assembled, go ahead and cut out your fabric so you are all ready for day 2! If you have questions about printing, putting your pattern together, or cutting your fabric, you are always welcome to post in our SAL group so we can help you! Be sure to check in each day during the SAL, and look for daily posts to enter our giveaways. We can’t wait to see what you create this week!

 

Day 1: Cutting – printing/cutting/assembling your pattern, cutting fabric

Day 2: Tank Bodice Options

Day 3: Flutter Sleeve Bodice Options

Day 4: Waistband

Day 5: Romper/Skirt Bottoms