Curated by ITF - Issue 50
Delicate Fabrics Hack Kit
This kit is all about slowing down and sewing with delicate fabrics, less about rushing to the finished garment and more about building confidence with pattern hacking and thoughtful preparation. We invite you to slow down, stretch your skills and make something special with fabrics you may have been saving for “someday”. Silk chiffon, cotton voile and semi-sheer linen bring a magical quality to handmade garments, adding movement, softness and lightness, but they also ask for extra care and consideration in the sewing process.
To get started, you’ll receive a detailed guide that focuses on patternmaking and preparation skills to set you up for success with delicate fabrics. You will draft and adapt a pattern to create your own party top before you confidently cut into those precious fabrics. Learning these invaluable pattern making techniques sparks our creativity and empowers us to revisit TNT patterns in our stash.
We’ll be referring to the Cartwright and the Rennie dresses, and guide you step by step to adapt them into a versatile top that feels festive yet timeless, perfect for layering or wearing on its own as a celebration piece. You will receive a FREE pattern of your choice to work from.
Skills you’ll learn
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How to adapt an existing pattern for lightweight or sheer fabrics
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How to use an existing pattern to draft a new pattern
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Introductory tools and techniques for pattern making
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Pattern tracing and checking for accuracy (truing seams, adjusting darts)
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Dart manipulation
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How to transform a dress into a top
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Altering sleeve fullness through slash-and-spread technique
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Adjusting seam and hem allowances to suit sheers (narrow hems, French seams)
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Creating Vilene shields to stabilise delicate areas like necklines
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Planning and making a toile
Within this resource, we refer to the Cartwright and Rennie dresses as examples for the pattern hacking process. You’ll receive a free pattern of your choice to work from. Of course, the skills outlined here can also be applied to designs from your own personal pattern collection.
Mighty Networks group
By purchasing this issue you will gain access to the extra resources we shared in our online community when we released the project. This means that you will be able to ask questions, share your makes and connect with other makers who are also on a mission to learn new skills and sew clothing in a slow and conscious way.
Difficulty
This resource has been designed for advanced beginners and beyond.
Although this resource could be applied to a number of patterns, the tutorials are based on the Cartwright dress and the Rennie dress. We recommend using one of these patterns to support you as you learn the skills covered in this issue of Curated, particularly if you’re new to pattern drafting.
Have a question?
If you have any questions please see our FAQ and Digital Product Policy.
The Delicate Fabrics Hack Kit is not currently available as a standalone product and is only available for purchase to current members of Curated by ITF. It will be released as a standalone product in 2026.