Hibi Hacks and Mashes!

It’s Hibi week at Petite Stitchery & Co! That is, Hibiscus, of course, our off-the-shoulder bodysuit with optional sleeves, flounces, skirts, all that! The pattern got a face-lift, new top added, revamped tutorial, and we’re not done! This week, we’ll be focusing on hacks, mashes and add-ons that will make your Hibi even BETTER! Let’s get to it, shall we?!

Here’s our schedule for this week!

Hibiscus “No-show” Thong!

Super Mod Jenn loves bodysuits—even more so with a thong option! And she’s got mad love for the Briar no-show undies also! As you’ll see here, she’s got a super simple mash to give you that no-show look (or lack thereof!) by combining the two patterns! Check it out!

“I am always looking for ways to make a pattern easier to sew or have even more options, so I am a huge fan of mashing and mix and matching patterns. Putting the Hibiscus Bodysuit with the Briar No-Show Thong was a no brainer because there is no need to add elastic or bands!

Step 1! Gather your pieces. You will need: Hibiscus Bodysuit pattern, front and back. Briar No-Show Thong and lining.

Step 2! Using the front of the Hibiscus and the Briar No-Show Thong, line up the fold lines and the crotch curve. Trace from the crotch curve through to the seam allowance tab then stop.

Step 3! Line up the seam allowance tab (where you stopped tracing) and angle the Briar No-Show Thong until you reach the hip. Continue tracing until you reach the side. Your front in now complete!

Step 4! Remember that the Briar no show thong has a seam allowance of 3/8”. You will need to eliminate that when lining up with the Hibiscus.

Step 5! Using the back of the Hibiscus and the Briar No-Show Thong, line up the fold lines and the crotch curve. Trace from the crotch curve until you can blend in the back with the thong of the Hibiscus. Your back is now complete!

Step 6! Sew the bottom of your new bodysuit according to the Briar No-Show Thong instructions and the rest of your bodysuit according to the Hibiscus.

Hope you love your new no-show thong Hibiscus!!

Enjoy!
~Jenn”

Skirt Hacks & Pockets!

Next up is Super Mod MARINA with her separates and pockets hack!

“Are you ready for the quickest, easiest skirt you’ll ever make? Cause that’s what I’ve got for you today! We all know that Hibiscus is a fantastic top, bodysuit, and dress pattern, but did you also know that you can use it to quickly and easily make separates? All you need is stretchy fabric, 1” elastic, the circle skirt piece from the pattern, and your crop waistband pattern.

For my circle skirt, I chose an amazing mystery box tie-dye print that isn’t super stretchy and doesn’t have great recovery. It wouldn’t be good for the bodysuit, but it works great for a fun, flowy skirt. I had a 2 yard cut, and it was just enough to get a skirt and a cute flounce for a crop. My waist is 36.5 and my hips are 50.5, so I’ve graded mine from an XXL waist to a 1X hip. I used the 2X length, because I’m slightly taller at 5’8” (PS&Co patterns are drafted for 5’5’ to 5’7”) .Clearly I’ve used this circle skirt pattern a few dozen times, so you know it’s a good one.

Start by cutting your fabric on a double fold. If you’re not sure how to fold your fabric, we have a great video on it here: How to Double Fold

Next, cut your crop waistband piece, or just use the measurements in the cut chart provided! I prefer to use the cut chart, because it’s one less piece to misplace, plus I feel that I measure and cut more accurately than I can tape. (1)

That’s it, just those 2 pieces, plus a piece of elastic about 1” shorter than your waistband!

Start by sewing the short edges of your waistband together with a ⅜” seam allowance. (2)

Sew short edges of elastic together into a loop. My fabric has poor recover, but I still recommend elastic for fabric with good recovery because skirts tend to pull down quite a bit without it. (3)

Place elastic inside waistband piece, and fold over so elastic is completely encased. Stitch around. (4)

Quarter your waistband and skirt with pins or clips, and stitch around. You will have to slightly stretch the waistband as you go. (5)

That’s it! You’re done! You can hem now if you want, but I usually don’t.

Now, maybe you’re saying to yourself “This is all fine and good but what if I want POCKETS and a completely different waistband?” Don’t worry, I got you.

Everybody likes pockets! I know I do! This is actually the version of a circle skirt I make the most often. It looks great on everyone, and can be super fancy or casual depending on fabric and styling. For this version, I stole the pockets from Get It Together dress as well as the contoured waistband from Sorrel (The Hell’s Bells also has a great contour waistband, if you own that one!) I also used ¼” elastic, but I actually prefer swim elastic for this, if you have it handy. My local fabric stores are currently a barren wasteland, so depending on yours you can make do with anything around ¼”. I’ve even used picot lingerie elastic before and it works just fine.

Start off by double folding your fabric again. My fabric for this version is DBP from the 4 yards for $4 rolls at Walmart. Instead of lining up both double folds with your pattern piece, line up 1 side and use your ruler to measure ⅜” from the double fold line on the other. You can use Tailor’s chalk or a marker to draw a straight line out and down, or be like me and just cut it—we’re going for style, not precision here. Or something. This line will be your side seam. (1)

Cut along your new side seam, the hem, and the waist. DO NOT cut the other double fold.

Cut your 4 waistband and 4 pocket pieces. You will now have 2 skirt pieces, 4 waistband, and 4 pocket pieces. (2)

With right sides together, pin one pocket to the top of your skirt piece, and sew together. Repeat for other 3 sides. (3)

Place one skirt piece on top of the other and pin together pocket and skirt edges. Sew around the outside of the pocket and down to the hem of the skirt. Repeat for other side. (4)

Fold pocket to one side of the skirt at waist edge, and baste across. This is now the front of your skirt. Repeat for other side, being careful to baste both pockets to the same side. Ask me how I know you should double check this. (5)

Hem that skirt! I turn mine up and just free hem it to whatever the 10 line is. I think it’s ⅝” . If you’re more comfortable pinning and ironing feel free, but I usually don’t for knits! (6)

Sew short edges of 2 waistband pieces together. Repeat for other set of waistband pieces.

Place one waistband inside the other, right sides together, and stitch around the top edge. This edge will be slightly smaller than the bottom edge. (7)

Without taking your waistband off the machine, place ¼” elastic in the seam allowance and stitch around the entire waistband, being careful not to stretch the elastic much at all. This is just for stability, not for pulling the piece in. (8)

Turn your waistband right side out and fold so the bottom edges are together. Quarter the waistband and skirt pieces and pin together. Stitch around the waistband. (9)

Ta da! You’re done! Now you’ve got my super favorite skirt!

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial! Mashing and hacking patterns are some of my very favorite things about sewing, and I’m so happy to get to share it with you!

~Marina

Lined Bodysuit

Today, Super Mod Cassie takes us through probably the EASIEST of hacks—a lined bodysuit!! Take it away, Cassie!

“My kid has been begging me for a new swimsuit this summer. And I’m with Jenn, I love it when I can get more options out of a pattern or make it easier to sew. Turning the Hibiscus into a lined swimsuit seemed like a quick and easy way to get a new suit for my constantly growing daughter.

This is a super fast hack that involves minimal extra work, which makes the #Lazysewist in me happy.

Step 1! Cut your pieces. You can use any of the Hibiscus options, the only difference is that for the main body pieces (front and back) you will just cut 1 set in your main fabric and 1 set in your lining. I used swim and swim lining, however you can line with whatever you want, just make sure it has the appropriate stretch (50% 4-way stretch).

Step 2! Sew your main pieces, per the tutorial. Repeat with lining. You will now have two full body pieces

Step 3! Place your lining main piece inside your bodice main piece, wrong sides together.

Step 4! Finish the leotard per the tutorial, making sure when sewing bands/elastic to capture both the lining and main fabrics.

Step 5! ALLLLLLL DONE!

Go find some sun or a pool in your fantastic new swimsuit!

~Cassie

Wooot!! Thank you, Cassie! And we will have a LIVE SEW of a lined Hibiscus in our group later today–we will link to that here once it’s over!

Tomorrow, let’s add some STRAPS!!

Straps! Straps! Straps!

Once again, Super Mod Cassie with our Hibiscus Straps Hack!

Ever since she watched Aladdin, my daughter has been begging me for an off shoulder crop top, just like Jasmine. Hibiscus was the perfect pattern for that! And then I added some straps to make sure this crop top isn’t going anywhere!

Step 1! Cut your pattern as usual, per tutorial. Straps can be added to any of the Hibi options.

Step 2! Sew your pattern as usual, per tutorial.

Step 3! Mark placement for your straps. I put my Hibi Crop on my daughter. I then marked where I wanted the straps to go on her shoulders (My model is a size 3, and I ended up marking 1.5in away from each shoulder seam, front and back). You can choose to do straight straps, criss crossed straps, or even halter straps.

Step 4! Measure for your straps. My super scientific method for measurement was to measure from the inside band seam, front to back, while my daughter was wearing it. I didn’t subtract for stretch as these straps are just extra to help keep it in place, and I’m using swim fabric. If you want your straps a little tighter, you could subtract a small amount to make them stretch more. My measurement was 8.25in long for my model. *If you are doing criss cross or halter straps, make sure you measure that way on your model to get the length you want.

Step 5! Cut your straps. Cutting your straps at 1.75in wide will result in .5 in wide finished straps. That is the measurement I used, however you can make them any width you’d like. My straps are 1.75in x 8.25in.

Step 6! Construct your straps by placing each strap right sides together then sewing along the long side to create a tube.

Step 7! Turn your straps right side out using a safety pin or tube turner.

Step 8! Attach your straps to the bottom of the neckband inside your suit, making sure you are sewing to the bottom of the band (the seam allowance section) so it doesn’t show on the outside of the suit.

Step 9! ALLLLLLL DONE!

Hibiscus/Phoenix Mash Dress

Hi Friends! I have an easy hack for you today. It’s a mashup of the Hibiscus top with the Phoenix maxi skirt. Super easy! Here I am with my little one in our dresses.

Both patterns have crop cut lines so you basically cut them there and combine the two.

This is what it looks like, there is going to be a little more ease this way. Likewise you can line it up with the foldline and grade out to make it more fitted. Cut everything as you normally would and follow the pattern. This was in a rayon spandex with a lot of stretch so I didn’t have to adjust the neckband, but keep fabric stretch in mind when doing this.

Since my fabric was pretty stretchy I ended up having to add elastic to the neckband to help hold the dress up. That’s it! Can’t wait to see all the pretty dresses!

BONUS Tube Top Hack/Sorrel Mash!

Image may contain: 1 person, standing and shoes

We’ve got a BONUS hack and mash for ya!!

Back when Hibiscus and Sorrel first released, Super Mod Jennifer did ALL THE HACKS AND MASHES! I think she must have done, like, a dozen? So many! This was a popular one!

First up is the tube top hack! For this hack, just follow Jennifer’s steps 1 and 2 using either the top or the bodysuit, measure the circumference of the top of the pattern piece, and then add a band calculated at 90% of that length! Easy!

Now for the mash!!!

Patterns you need: The Hibiscus Bodysuit (using the off the shoulder top, modifying it to be under arm) The Sorrel Romper (using the waist cutline and the culottes, making a flounce pattern using the culottes silhouette)

1. Take the back of the Hibiscus bodysuit, draw a STRAIGHT line from the underarm to the fold line.

2. Take the front of the Hibiscus bodysuit, draw a CURVED line from the top of the bodysuit to the underarm.

3. Take the Sorrel romper top and match up the underarm with the Hibiscus bodysuit, using the Romper top waist cutline, draw a straight line from the side waist to the fold line.

4. Using the Sorrel romper culottes, make a pattern for the flounce. Trace the top and sides so you get a nice A line shape. Measure from the top of your new Hibiscus pattern to where you want the flounce to fall. Mine is 11 inches. You will cut this piece on the fold. PLEASE NOTE: If your upper bust is way smaller/larger than your waist you will have to measure your own flounce using a circle skirt calculator. You will want to measure the top of your new pattern pieces of the Hibiscus for that measurement.

*Once all pieces are mashed/made you will have a front, a back, a flounce and the culottes*

5. Cut and sew the culottes per the pattern, sew the front/back and flounce right sides together. Sew the tube top to the culottes.

7. Quarter the flounce and the tube top, matching quarters slide the right side of the flounce into the wrong side of the tube top, pin all the way around.

8. Using clear elastic, sew it onto the wrong side of the fabric. Once you get back to the beginning, overlap the clear elastic about 1” and serge over to finish off.