Transform Your Alder
Last week we launched the Alder Shirtdress in our 14 – 32 D-cup size range and I want to thank you all for the warm welcome! As with our other patterns, in addition to the sew-along, the Alder has a ton of great tutorials to help you customize your dress and get the most out of your pattern.
I've rounded them all up today for inspiration as I work on the next Alder pattern variation. I'll have that for you in a few weeks, but in the meantime I hope these get you ready for some spring sewing! The Alder is still 20% off till Sunday night so now's a great time to grab your own copy!
Stand Collar Tutorial (left): You can simply leave the collar off to create a more casual stand collar. This variation requires no pattern alterations, simply don’t cut the upper & under collar pattern pieces and sew the collarstands together along the upper edge without the collar pieces sandwiched between.
V-Neck Tutorial (right): This is a great option if, like me, you’re not into having fabric around your neck. It’s also a bit more casual than a full stand collar and really gives the dress a different look. It's also very easy to execute and you'll feel like a drafting wizard!
A lot of you have been asking if there's a way to add the Archer sleeves onto the Alder and the short answer is yes but not right out of the package. The reasoning behind this is that sleeved and sleeveless garments are drafted differently, not to mention the fact that not all sleeves fit all armholes. With this in mind, I've created tutorials on two ways to make your Archer sleeves work with the Alder.
The first method (right) is much easier and involves blending the upper bodice of the Archer with the Alder. This is a great option if you don't want to fiddle around with armscye adjustments.
If you're looking to really dig in there with your pattern the second tutorial (left) shows you what adjustments you'll need to make the Archer sleeve fit into the Alder armhole. Its definitely more involved, will require some fitting on your part, and I would absolutely recommend making a muslin. But is is doable? Absolutely!
The Alder also makes a great shirt. Since the Alder was drafted to be sleeveless, the only thing you need to do is pick your length, shorten the pattern and sew. We’ve got tutorials on both views A & B on the blog – it’s a great way to add versatility to an already loved pattern! View the View A tutorial here and the View B tutorial here.
One of our most fun Alder tutorials walks you through the process of turning the View B dress bodice into a cute cropped, tie front blouse! It's got great potential on its own or as a layering piece and it's perfect for the warmer weather rapidly approaching!
