Pattern Testing – Making it Yours

Have you wondered what goes on in a pattern test? Are you worried about applying for a test because your worry about your skills? Have you tested a pattern and wished you could quickly change it to make it more you, like adding sleeves to the new Love Notions Tempo Sundress after testing. Keep reading for all the details and pattern review.

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I love pattern testing. It is a great way to expand on skills you might already have, or learn new ones. And if you find it hard to allocate time to sew, it is a great way to force yourself to make time for sewing – there is a deadline after all!

A newish stay at home mother, it was exciting to have a project with deadlines!

I first began pattern testing in 2017 for kids patterns. A newish stay at home mother, it was exciting to have a project with deadlines and I wanted more! Since I didn’t have a good experience making myself my first shirt, confidence in sewing for myself was pretty lacking! So I kept applying for new tests, but only kids patterns.

But, as I may have mentioned here before – kids sewing is a great way to learn the skills because they require less sewing and are less finicky about fit. You can check out my first pattern test here.

It took almost a year to build up my confidence to do an adult pattern test and it wasn’t too bad. Was it more stressful than the kids one, YES! Did I learn more about sewing for me, absolutely! Did I do more tests for me, yes! And while I haven’t done too many for myself, each test makes it easier to do the next one.

Tempo Dress Pattern Review

My recent pattern test was for the Love Notions Tempo Sundress. It is the perfect summer dress. And it’s a quick sew, ensuring you can wear it to your next summer outing!

Tempo is a sundress made for wovens, with thick (bra friendly) straps. Back panel is either shirred or elasticated, requiring no closures. The dress hits right above the knee with an optional ruffle tier that lengthens the dress to a midi. I really like how quick it is to come together. And I love the neckline – v necks are my favorite.

Pattern Sizing: Full Bust 33″-57.5″ Waist 26.5″ – 49.5″ Hips 35.5″ m- 59.5″

Are instructions easy to follow? Yes, as usual, Love Notions does a great job explaining each step. The only tricky part might be the construction of the back, where you sandwich the middle panel, with the straps, and facing. Also, if you don’t like shirring- there is an option for an elasticated back instead.

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Fabric Used

This is actually an upcycle. I had a purple peacock feather top that I loved for it’s color but never liked how it fit my body. It was perfect for the bodice.

The original top had a shirred waistband which I picked off and cut, and attached vertically to make the shirring panel. I made sure to stretch the pieces out while sewing the straight stitch, to ensure it would stretch like it was supposed to.

The skirt was made from a thrifted purple anarkali with a cute elephant print border. To keep the skirt shape, I removed the border print and cut the two pieces like a color block – the top main skirt was cut from the purple and the bottom block from the printed fabric.

Making pattern testing yours

What do you do if you are testing a pattern because you like some of the design elements but would like to change it up a bit?

First step is to plan your changes. For the Tempo, I knew I would rather have sleeves and a longer dress. I could have made the longer dress version, but as this was an upcycle, my fabric was limited.

Then see how you can keep the original intended look and fit for the test, but be able to switch it up afterwards. For the length, I had cut the elephant print fabric longer, then folded it up to the intended length. For easy removal, I did a hand sewn blind hem stitch. So pattern pictures show a dress just above the knee. To add length back, I removed the blind hem, releasing 2″ and used the leftover purple fabric to create an extra 3″ ruffle, making it just long enough to be comfortable.

Now for the sleeves part!

My peacock feather top came with sleeves – billowing sleeves! I cut them out as carefully as possible when deconstructing the garment, just so I could use them as is.

I ended removed about 2″ from the underarm area to make it more fitting. Then pinned it on directly to my finished bodice, facing, straps and all. In this pinning phase, I removed about 1″ from the cap height to allow for a smoother transition to the armpit area. Hand basted the sleeves and tried it on, to make sure it looked alright. And it was perfect!

If I didn’t have sleeves pre-made I would probably start with a bishop sleeve pattern, like the one that comes with the Cadence Dress. The cap would need to be slashed and spread to allow for the gathers at the top – around 8″ total. Then I would flattened out the cap curve by 1″. See the picture for comparison with the Cadence Dress bishop sleeve.

How do you get around the corners made by the straps? Because the sleeves are full, rather than fitted, you can fudge it a little. The curve of the sleeve comes past the corner of the strap and it’s totally fine. Take a look at the insides below. You see how that flat cap head lends well with the strap, and that extra fabric going across the corner? I know this isn’t a step by step but hopefully enough information to make your own. The main thing to remember is, that the extra fabric will help you work around the Tempo’s design elements.

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Should I apply for pattern testing?

Lets talk more about pattern testing. Before I dive in, this is based of my own experiences and each designer does things a bit differently so this is a generalization.

How do I pick when to apply for a sewing pattern test?

So how do I pick when to do a pattern test? The main thing is timing. Typical turn around are 2 weeks. Being a slow sewist and only having an hour or so a day to sew, I have to be careful of timing. Be sure to gauge if the time line works for you for that particular pattern test. I also look at the design. Do I like it? Is it something I would wear or make again? Would I feel comfortable promoting the pattern afterwards? These are all questions I consider before applying.

I also see testing as a learning experience and sometimes will test out of my comfort range.

What happens during a pattern test?

First day of test – testers receive pattern and instructions, they usually read through instructions and provide feedback on grammar and the actual steps written out. Testers also make the pattern, this is to help determine fittings. Usually, there are a couple versions of the pattern before it is finalized. Depending on expectations, testers make one draft version and one final. When testing a sewing pattern, it’s best to do as little modifications as possible. This helps the designer see if the pattern will work for the majority of people.

Am I good enough to make the cut?

Only you can answer that truly. But I also see testing as a learning experience and sometimes will test out of my comfort range. However, you feel you are too beginner AND you have kids around you – I urge you to find some kids pattern designers and apply for them. No kids, no problem – be on the look out for simpler patterns with just a few pattern pieces. You can do it!

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I hope this insight inspires you to be a pattern tester. And be sure to get your Love Notions Tempo Sundress before the release sale ends!

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