DEFINITION:
When you are sewing and you make an alteration, you’re just making a change to the shape of the sewing pattern. For example, you may lower a hemline, extend a neckline (like the image above shows), or you may add a seam allowance where no seam allowance had existed before.
This is my own definition. Of course you can google this term to find other definitions as well.
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In the image above, I’ve taken a skirt pattern –the Barbie wrap skirt from Simplicity 8281— and I’ve shortened the hemline. When we make an alteration like this, we say, “I’ve brought that hem up.”
You can also bring a hem down, to make a skirt (or a pair of pants) longer than the original pattern.
Any time you’re changing the shape of an original pattern, you’re making an alteration (AKA altering a pattern).
The image above shows how you can change the shape of a pattern. In this series of photos, I’ve altered a pattern for a pair of bell-bottom pants so they will have a wide leg from him to floor.
If you’d like to learn how to create pattern alterations for your doll clothes, I actually teach a class on that! Scroll down to the bottom of this page to find out more about my course in doll clothes pattern alterations.
DISCUSSION QUESTION: How often do you make pattern alterations? Do you alter your doll clothes every time you make something? Are you nervous about making alterations?
Please add your thoughts in the comments section, so other doll clothes sewing enthusiasts can learn what you’ve learned about pattern alterations.
Come back to this blog post at the end of next week, so you can see what comments other people left!
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Chelly Wood and the ChellyWood.com website are not affiliated with any of the doll or toy companies mentioned in this blog post, but Chelly enjoys designing her doll clothes to fit a variety of dolls. To learn more about the doll companies mentioned in today’s post, please visit the doll or toy company’s website.