Tap Pants

Tamara George

Gretchen is a very clear and warm teacher. She included a lot of tips and tricks to make sewing not only easier but more professional looking.

More than 3 months ago

Stacy Anderson

Overall a good class, but she was a bit cavalier about her measurements. By bringing the waist in one inch to create a flair rather than extending the shorts hems by one inch, she tightened her waist by 4", which is quite a lot. Since she didn't try it on the mannequin at the end, we couldn't see the mistake. Also, a minor thing, because she said it right but did it wrong, she decreased her inseam on the front by one inch but didn't increase the back at all. In the end, the back should have been 2" longer than the front (since the front was 1" less than 3.5), but she measured it to be just 1" longer than the front. She said it should be 2.5" in the front and 4.5" in the back but it only ended up being 3.5". Just watch your math and make sure you do it right. It's also a good idea to cut elastic 2"-3" shorter than the place you want it to sit on your waist to accommodate stretching and allow for a tighter fit so they're not falling down below where you want them to sit. It also would have been nice if she had mentioned other techniques for sewing with silk charmeuse like using pattern weights and clips rather than pins, sewing with paper under the fabric for stability, and using a walking foot for even feed if you find it helpful. Other than the stress I experienced as a math person while watching her draft, I enjoyed learning more about drafting since I like to make my own patterns. This is a great project if you want to learn to draft your own patterns or work with a new fabric since they're worn as undergarments or PJs so it doesn't matter if they don't turn out perfectly. Definitely would recommend giving this project a shot with the corrections listed above and maybe a little extra research on the fabric you're sewing with if you have never sewn with it before. Most importantly, don't be afraid to try something new!

More than 3 months ago

Jacquie Keer

Gretchen is so enthusiastic and knowledgeable, it was a really lovely class to watch. And great to be able to make your own personalised pattern. I also found the elastic sewing tutorials really helpful. I think I'll be making lots of these, but mainly in jersey.

More than 3 months ago