Category: Eddie Smock

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Guest Post: Eddie Smock Sweater Hack

Today I’m pleased to bring to you a guest post from Bean of @sewsoybean. Bean was a tester for the Eddie Smock and she made a few beautiful versions during and after the testing process. She also made a knit cardigan hack that just blew my mind. I asked Bean if she would be willing to write up a blog post about the process of hacking the Eddie Smock into a cardigan and I’m thrilled she was willing to do so. I’m planning on making myself a version in the next few of weeks. Continue reading below to learn how to make your own. If you don’t already have the Eddie Smock Pattern, you can find it here.

Eddie Smock Sweater Hack

As cool fall breezes begin to whisper in my ear of the colder temperatures to come, they seem to usher into my sewing plans ideas for cozy garments, perfect for hunkering down or even bundling up to head out. Cue the knit Eddie Smock Sweater hack! Straightforward and simple modifications to Goldfinch Textile Studio’s pattern and design yield a unique wardrobe staple that you can throw on for any occasion.

What you’ll need: 

– Eddie Smock PDF Pattern

– Stable knit fabric for the body, 8-14 oz. per square yard: cotton slub, french terry, sweater knits  

– Cotton/elastic ribbing fabric for the neckline and cuffs: ¼ yard cut of 50-60 inch wide should be sufficient; see note below if you’re shopping for your stash ***

– For neckline ribbing: (80% of finished neckline + .75) x 3 inches 

– For cuff ribbing: (Wrist circumference + desired cuff ease) x 6 inches 

– Needle for sewing knits (I like Schmetz Stretch 75/11 as an all purpose needle for knits)

– Ball point pins

– Pre-made single fold bias tape (purchased or made from your stash)

– Matching thread for topstitching

– Snaps or buttons (optional–this hack is lovely as an open cardigan too)

– Tailor’s clapper (optional–for getting a better press on bulky fabrics)

– Tailor’s chalk or marking tool and long ruler to transfer pattern to fabric

*** Your ribbing should be 80% of your finished neckline measurement. You can measure your paper pattern pieces to mathematically determine finished neckline length before constructing your garment.  Add the curved edge of back and front necklines pattern pieces and multiply by 2 as they are cut on the fold. Subtract 4.5  inches (2 inches for shoulder seam allowances, and 2.5 for placket construction). Find 80% of that quantity and add .75 inches for tapered neckline construction.   EXAMPLE: Back neckline curve 5.75 inches, front neckline curve 8. (13.75 x 2 = 27.5; 27.5 – 4.5 = 23; .80 x 23= 18.4; 18.4+.75= 19.15 inches). Neckline ribbing cut:  19 x 3 inches.

Picking out your fabric 

What I love about the Eddie Smock pattern is its panel pattern pieces, allowing you to optimize a single piece of yardage, or even better yet, utilize narrow strips of knit yardage that are leftover from past projects. If you’re like me, when you sew with knits you may end up with long narrow pieces of fabric at the edges of your fabric after cutting out your project.  While these leftovers can be challenging to reorient and use in other knit patterns that require the cross grain stretch of the fabric, because the Eddie is designed for wovens, the degree of stretch of the fabric is of little consequence when considering placement of the pattern pieces for cutting. That being said, don’t be afraid to think of how you can place your panels and pattern pieces to maximize the fabric already in your stash. I never would have thought I could complete an entire cardigan sweater from these green leftovers, but the beautiful result is a testament to how incredible this pattern can be as a knit scrap buster.

Notice how my sleeve pieces have the striations of the fabric running horizontally, but in the body panels they run vertically. In many knits you may notice these sorts of directional textures, and again, don’t be afraid to play around with placement of the pattern pieces in order to make use of fabric you already have. I recommend more stable, and not extremely fluid or drapey knits. Cotton slubs, light to medium weight french terry, or even some sweater knits that are not too bulky would be perfect. For my green version, I used a 9 oz. cotton slub sweater knit, and the camel version is sewn in a 12 oz. french terry. The sweater knit is slightly more fluid and drapey, and the french terry resulted in a more structured jacket-like cardigan.  

Considerations for sewing with knits

Some knits can be prone to stretching out as you sew, so decreasing your presser foot tension for all seams is recommended. I lowered my presser foot tension to -3 for all seams and had very minimal rippling of fabric. It can also be helpful to increase your stitch length for bulkier knits. Throughout the construction process I used a regular straight stitch, which the exception of the cuffs and the neckband where I used a lightning bolt stitch.

Use some of your fabric scraps from squaring up your fabric to test out your stitching before you get started. If you do have some stretching or rippling while constructing your garment, be sure to give your seams a good blast of steam at the iron which should bring them right back into shape. Do this between each step of the construction process over each new area that you have sewn. 

Cutting out your pattern pieces

Once you’ve decided on your fabric, you will need to cut out the body panels, side panels, and sleeve pieces of the pattern view that you have chosen. For my versions, I have based my pattern layout on View 3, but adjusted the length of the body and side panels to accommodate my available fabric. Since View 3 is the short sleeved version of the pattern, I have used the long sleeve pieces from View 1. You may consider drawing out your layout on a piece of paper to map out any changes that need to be made before cutting.

For this camel version, I decided to rotate my pattern pieces so the fold of the fabric is along the top of the panels and the selvedge edges are at the hem. This means that the stretch of the fabric runs vertically, and not horizontally as it usually would in a knit garment requiring stretch. Again, this is not a problem with Eddie. Also, this placement means that the width of my fabric dictates the length of my finished garment.

Cut the garment pieces according to the pattern, omitting the woven cuff pieces and the bias binding rectangle. We will be using rib knit fabric for a neckline and sleeve cuffs and pre-made (purchased or made from your stash) bias binding. You can choose to incorporate the pattern’s pocket pieces into your cutting layout if you would like too. For my camel version,  I used the entire piece of 56 inch wide fabric in my cutting layout and was left with a 16” x 20” square after cutting the sleeves pieces to length that I could potentially use for adding patch pockets to the front, or save for a future project or mending.

Sewing your Eddie Smock Cardigan Sweater

Using the above tips above for working with knits, construct the garment per the pattern instructions, except for the following steps: 

Back panel pleat and neckline facing (starting on page 20) 

Step 6a (pattern instructions page 20)

When attaching the back neckline facing, the pattern calls for a pleat in the facing piece. I personally love this design detail, and have included it in both my versions. However, it can be quite bulky depending on your fabric choice. To omit this for a bulky knit, follow the instructions already written into the pattern on page 20 for removing ¾ inch along the curve of the neckline facing.   

Step 6b (pattern instructions page 22)

The pattern calls for folding your back neckline facing under ¼ inch (.6 cm). With my stable french terry, I was able to fold under and finish the facing as written. 

With my green version, I opted to finish the facing edge on the serger to reduce bulk. Keep in mind that if you go this route, you will want to either trim your facing down the ¼ inch (.6 cm) before serging, or adjust your topstitching about ⅜ inch in from the serged edge so your stitching line crosses right where the pleat on the back begins. 

Step 6f (pattern instructions page 23)

The Eddie Smock has this great little hang loop feature that I avoided including on my green version due to bulk; however, I figured out a work around for my french terry version that is simple and lovely. Construct the hang tag as written in the pattern and instead of folding raw ends under by ⅜ inch when attaching to the facing, simply lay it flat and use a wide yet short length zig zag to completely cover the raw edge. On my machine, the appliqué stitch worked wonderfully here.    

After fully constructing your garment body per the pattern instructions, it’s time to finish the sleeves and neckline—sweater style!  

Gathered sleeve with ribbed cuffs

Follow the instructions on page 30 for View 1 to gather the sleeves. I started and stopped my basting stitches at the underarm seam where the two sleeve panels meet. Be sure not to overlap the gathering stitches.

Cut your matching ribbing for the cuff to your desired width by 6 inches tall. I like a tighter cuff so I usually add 1 inch to the circumference of my wrist which is 6 inches. My rib cuffs on this version were 7 inches wide by 6 inches tall. A snugger cuff is my personal preference, and I feel like it creates a dramatic pouf that I’m really like on a sweater sleeve. A cuff with more ease will have less pouf. Fold your cuff rectangle in half widthwise and sew the 6 inch edge, right sides together, with ⅜ inch seam allowance. Press the seam open.  Next, fold your cuff wrong sides together lengthwise and press. It should now resemble the finished cuff. 

With the sleeve inside out, slip the cuff inside so the right side of the cuff and the right side of the sleeve are together. Align the cuff seam and the underarm seam of the sleeve. Adjust your gathering so the sleeve circumference is flush with the cuff circumference. Pin in place. With the presser foot inside the sleeve cuff, sew the cuff to the sleeve with ½ inch seam allowance making sure you do not sew over the basting stitches. Remove the basting stitching. Finish the seam allowance with a serger or zigzag stitch and press the seam allowance away from the cuff towards the sleeve. Repeat with the second sleeve.  

Tapered Ribbed Knit Neckline

Measure the finished neckline with a fluid measuring tape, taking care to not stretch the neckline. Then cut a rectangle of ribbing that is 80% of that value plus ¾ inch, by 3 inches. My finished neckline was 23 inches, I cut a rectangle of ribbing 19 x 3 inches.  (.80 x 23 = 18.4; 18.4+.75= 19.15)  

Press the 3 inch edge of the rectangle in half wrong sides together so you have a ribbing piece that is now 1.5 inches wide by your specific length. Fold neckline ribbing half lengthwise and place a pin at the center. Fold the side edges in to meet at the center point and place a pin at each fold. You now have your neckline ribbing quartered. 

To find the quarter points of the neckline, place the center point of the front neckline where the two front plackets meet directly on top of the center back neckline, and line up the neckline curve. Place two pins where the neckline folds in half (yellow pins). When you let the neckline fall naturally at the shoulder seam you will see that those pins fall a bit to the front of the shoulders. 

Align the pinned center point of the ribbing with the center back of the neckline, at the pleat seam on the back panel; then align neckline ribbing quarter pins with the two yellow pins, or quarter marks of the neckline. Gently stretch ribbing so it lays flush against the sweater neckline and finish pinning ribbing between the second and third quarters.

For the quarter of the ribbing that aligns with the front plackets, mark a ⅜ inch seam allowance down from the neckline on both sides of the placket edge, and ⅜ inch in from the end of the ribbing strip along the folded edge. Align these two marks. There will be ⅜ inch of ribbing that will overhang the front placket on both sides. This will get folded down and secured when you topstitch the finished neckline. Continue pinning the rest of the ribbing to the front neckline, again only stretching the ribbing, not the sweater’s neckline. You will have a triangular portion of the raw edge of the ribbing that will not align with the raw edge of the neckline. This will create the tapered ribbed neckline finish.  (See video below for more info on inserting the neckline.)

Sew the ribbing to the neckline from the wrong side of the garment so that you can follow the raw edge of the sweater neckline with your presser foot, not the raw edge of the ribbing, which will not align with the sweater neckline the whole way. Once the ribbing is attached, you can trim the excess triangle of the neckline ribbing. 

Where the ribbing attaches at the back neckline facing, there will be substantial bulk, especially if you’ve included the neckline facing pleat like I did. Grade the seam allowance, trimming down some of those layers to reduce bulk. Then, finish the seam allowance and press away from the neckline and towards the body of the sweater. From the right side of the garment, topstitch ⅜ inch away from the neckline seam, catching the neckline seam allowance below. 

Hem Sweater

The only thing you have left to do is hem your Eddie Smock Sweater. On my green version I used bias binding from my stash in quilting cotton weight fabric. I followed the French Bias Binding method as outlined in the pattern on page 35, Step 15. I do think the double layer of the quilting cotton provides a bit more structure than the garment fabric, making the hem bow out a bit. For the camel french terry version, I opted for a pre-made single fold bias tape which functioned as more of a narrow facing to finish the hem. This was a much softer finish and doesn’t affect the drape of the fabric at the hem. Both options produce lovely results, it will just depend on the look you are going for and the type of fabric and bias you use. 

Optional Closures

I think the Eddie Smock Sweater is perfect with no closures and left flowy and open in the front as in my green cardigan style version, but the copper snaps on my tan french terry iteration give it a sweater jacket feel that I cannot wait to style this fall. If you would like to add snaps or buttons and buttonholes, you can do so now at your preferred spacing. Either way you can’t go wrong with this garment. It is a workhorse piece that you’d never know you needed until it’s in your closet and you catch yourself reaching for it again and again. Enjoy!  

Eddie Smock PDF Sewing Pattern

Thank you, Bean! I’m looking forward to diving in and making my own Eddie Smock Cardigan Sweater. If you make your own version we would love to see it! Share on IG with the hashtag #EddieSmockSweaterHack and be sure to tag @sewsoybean and @goldfinchtextilestudio.

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Eddie Smock Hack #1: How to make View 1 with a V-neck, short sleeves, and elastic back

One thing I love about the Eddie Smock is that once you understand how all the pieces come together, you can adjust the layout and design to suit not only your available fabric but also your preferences. For this hack, I used View 1 (the long-sleeved, dress version) as the base and I modified the neckline from a scooped neck to a v-neck, adjusted the layout to shorten the sleeves, and replaced the side ties with an elastic back. I also shortened the dress to work better for my height (5’4″). The steps below will walk you through the process of making these modifications to your Eddie Smock. You will need the original Eddie Smock pattern to complete this hack, along with a piece of elastic that is about half to two-thirds the length of your waist.

Eddie Smock PDF Sewing Pattern

For this hack, I used 3/4″ elastic to gather the back. I chose this width because that’s what I had on hand and I didn’t want to use a wide elastic. You can choose to use whatever width suits you. The placement of the elastic casing can also be adjusted. I was able to make the whole dress first (with the exception of finishing the hem) and then decide exactly where I wanted the elastic to go. Once the dress was finished, I was able to pin the elastic over different portions of the back panel to decide where I wanted my elastic gathering to be.

Process

After selecting my size (Size B), I began the process of making my desired changes by shortening the front/back and side panels and swapping out the long sleeves from View 1 with the short sleeves from View 3. I used Adobe Illustrator to do this, but you could draw the layout to scale on a sheet of paper or use Inkscape (a free vector drawing program). I first shortened the front and back panels to 42″ (taking 4″(10.2cm) from the length). Then, I adjusted the side panel length and hem width based on the instructions in the instruction booklet. If you don’t need to make any length adjustments, you can skip to swapping out your sleeves.

To shorten the sleeves, I simply used the sleeve measurements from View 3 instead of the measurements from View 1. This left me with a sizable gap in the pattern layout. I used this area to my advantage and placed the pocket piece under the sleeves. Due to the width of the sleeve, the pockets didn’t need to be pieced together as in the original layout. I decided to keep the original length of the pockets, but this length could be adjusted if you wanted to. Also, because I used the short sleeve option, the cuff pattern piece was eliminated.

For the final adjustment to the layout, I eliminated the side tie pattern piece and made the remaining portion of the layout the continuous bias binding. Note: A long, skinny piece of fabric will need to be used for the elastic casing. This could be a scrap piece of fabric or it could be incorporated into the layout. I didn’t add this piece to my pattern layout because I used a scrap piece leftover from squaring off the fabric used to make the dress.

Once the pattern layout is finalized, you can make the necessary adjustments to the neckline template. After printing and cutting out the template for the front neckline, I took a piece of paper and placed the template in the top, right-hand corner. Then, I traced the template leaving me with a starting guide for adjusting the neckline. Next, you will want to determine how much you want to lower the neckline — 1/2″(1.3cm)-2″(5cm) depending on your preference. I chose to lower mine by 1.25″(3.2cm). Mark this point along the right-hand edge of your paper (the fold line edge of the template). Now, adjust the width of the neckline slightly — 1/2″(1.3cm)-1″(2.5cm). I widened mine by 1/2″(1.3cm). Again, mark this point.

After your height and width adjustments are made, you can change the neckline from a scooped neck to a v-neck. Begin by marking the edge of the button placket, 1.25″(3.2cm) over from the center of the neckline, and transfer over your new low point of the neckline to this edge. You don’t want to include the width of the button placket when re-drawing your neckline. To create the v-neck, you will connect this point to the new width point using a gentle curve. You can use a curved ruler to do this or if you don’t have a curved ruler, you can print one. Don’t just draw a straight line connecting the two points, as it will not look quite right on your body once sewn up.

Next, you will fold the paper on the button placket edge (at the 1.25″(3.2cm) point) and then fold it in again by 1/4″(0.6cm). This mimics how the button placket is created. Once folded, flip the paper over and trace the v-neckline. You will do this for both portions of the button placket (as shown below).

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Finally, once the front neckline adjustments have been made, you will need to make the same width adjustment to the back neckline.

Sewing Steps

Now that all the pattern adjustments have been made, you can begin sewing your modified Eddie Smock. When sewing your garment you will follow the written instructions with a few minor changes to the process as follows below. I’ve noted when a step is skipped and when changes have been made to a particular step. If nothing is noted about a step, then proceed as written in the original directions.

To begin, follow the cutting steps as directed using your updated layout and use the new neckline template to trace your neckline to the front and back panels.

Skip Step 3

Step 4: If your pocket pattern piece was adjusted to eliminate the need to piece your pocket together, skip Step 4b.

Step 5: The image below shows how the new neckline and button placket will be pressed in place.

Step 6a: When making the neckline facing using the front neckline cutout, your piece will look different due to the v-neck adjustment. Instead of matching the wrong sides together, match the right sides together so that the box pleat will be on the wrong side instead of the right side.

Step 6b: When pressing the edge toward the wrong side, make sure the tip of the V is folded in to conceal any raw edges.

Step 6c: To determine how long to make the back pleat, measure down the length of the new neckline along the center of the back panel.

Step 6f: You may choose to adjust where the hang loop is positioned. In this case, I decided to place the hang loop at the neckline edge as shown below.

Step 8a-c: I chose to sew the panels together first and then finish them together. Since the side ties are not being used, you do not need to add the openings as directed in Step 8b.

Step 8d: Press the seam allowance toward the side seam. At this point, ONLY topstitch the seam allowances on the back panel. The front seam allowances will be topstitched at a later step.

Skip Step 10

Step 12: Follow the instructions for View 3 – the short-sleeve version.

Step 15: When finishing the neckline, I used the same instructions as given for the original neckline, but because of the angle of the neckline I made some adjustments at the button placket edge. The following is what worked for me, but it is not perfect. When pinning in place, I hung the bias binding over the edge slightly. Once sewn and pressed to the wrong side, the edge of the bias binding was very close to the edge of the button placket and I was able to continue as directed.

It may have been better to insert the bias binding using the traditional method so that you can align the angled edge with the edge of the button placket better than how I have done it. Play around with it a bit and see what works for you.

Step 16: Because the front panel seam allowances have not been topstitched yet, you will finish the hem after the elastic casing has been inserted.

Skip Step 18

How to add the elastic casing

The final step is to add the elastic casing. To begin, you will need to determine where you would like to insert the elastic casing. I chose to place mine at the same point where the side ties would have been inserted; starting and ending at the front panel/side panel side seam. By starting and ending at the seam, the seam allowance can be folded over the end of the casing and topstitched down to conceal the ends.

Once the placement has been determined, you will measure how long your casing needs to be by measuring from one endpoint to the other. For mine, the length was 36″(91.4cm). Next, determine the width of the casing. Take the width of your elastic and add 1″(2.5cm). My elastic was 3/4″(1.9cm) wide so I cut my casing 1.75″(4.4cm) wide by 36″(91.4cm) long. Then, press each long raw edge toward the wrong side, by 3/8″(1 cm).

To attach the casing, begin by marking a straight guideline from one endpoint to the other. To do so, I first marked the point where each side tie opening would have been, 16.5″(41.9 cm) down from the shoulder edge as shown in the instructions. Then, to find the point at the center back, I measured from the first points I marked (16.5″(41.9 cm) down from the shoulder) down to the hemline. I used this distance to measure up from the hem at the center back. Then I was able to connect all the points to have a straight guideline. With the guideline established, I pinned the casing in place and topstitched along both the top and bottom edge of the casing, leaving both ends open.

Now that the casing has been inserted, you will need to determine the length of the elastic. I didn’t want mine to be too tight, so I just measured on my waist, at about the point where the side ties would be inserted, from side to side. I marked the elastic at this point but didn’t cut it yet. Then, using a safety pin, I inserted the elastic into the casing. Once the elastic was in the casing, I pinned each end and tried it on. At this point, I decided to tighten it up just a bit. You will be able to play with it to determine just how gathered you want the back to be.

Once I was happy with the length, I cut the elastic, making sure it was still pinned in place. Then, I folded the seam allowance over the ends and topstitched it in place. This secured the ends of the elastic. Finally, I didn’t want my elastic to twist in the casing, so I also stitched it down at a couple of points on the back.

Lastly, I finished the hem as directed and was done!

If you have any questions about these modifications, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me via email – emily@goldfinch.limited. I would love to see any Eddie Smocks that you make – please share using the tags #EddieSmock and #GoldfinchEddieSmock – make sure to also tag @goldfinchtextilestudio.

Happy making!

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Eddie Smock Tester Makes

Every time I go through the testing phase of pattern design, I’m hopeful but also nervous about how the process will go. It can be a bit nerve-wracking having your work looked at for the first time after you have been staring at it for months. One of the points of pattern testing is having help finding any errors in the instructions and drafting but also seeing the finished garment through the eyes of other makers besides myself. I love seeing all the different types of fabric used, modifications made to suit one’s body & preferences, and overall interpretation of the design and how it is styled.

During the testing phase, it was discovered that the sleeves for view 1 were too short. You will notice that for some testers their long sleeves are a bit short but still wearable. Some testers took this as an opportunity to make a few mods to the sleeve finishes. The sleeve length has since been adjusted.

Below is a look at the testers’ makes. I have included all the testers’ measurements, the version made, and if they had any potential plans on how to use any remaining fabric from the project.

Ambrosia: Chest/Bust – 40″, Hips- 41″, Height – 5’9″ | View 1, Size C, D-CUp | @ambrosiakramer

Ambrosia made View 1 out of a lightweight slubby cotton plaid. She made size C in the D-cup range and lengthened the dress by 3″. Ambrosia plans to wear the Eddie Smock not only as a dress but as a layering piece and a duster/light jacket. Due to the fabric width that she started with, she had very minimal fabric remaining and will probably use the scraps for stuffing.

Michele: Chest/Bust – 47.5″, Hips – 55″, Height – 5’2″ | View 1, Size E, B-Cup | @handmadelife.knit.sew

Michele was my first test fitter. She was instrumental in helping me through the early phases of hashing out the B-Cup & D-Cup ranges. Michele made two versions and with each, she went “off-road” a bit to make the garment work for her. Here she made View 1 in the B-cup range (even though she is a D-cup) to see how much the garment would rise in the front. It did rise, but she is not bothered by this. Michele included plenty of personalized details throughout the smock by adding details to the pockets and the neck facing.

Christina: Chest/Bust – 40″, Hips – 47″, Height – 5’9” | View 1, Size C, D-Cup | @ccmadethat

Christina made View 1, size C in the D-Cup range without any modifications. She used light-to-midweight cotton to make her version. Christina used bias binding to finish her sleeves since they ended up being a bit short for her. Her version shows how view 2 sleeves would look with view 1 body. Christina plans to wear her version as a dress, but also as a duster/layering piece. Christina made a Pearl Head Scarf by Spaghetti Western Sewing with her remaining fabric.

Rebecca: Chest/Bust – 34″, Hips – 37″, Height – 5’3″ | View 2, Size B, B-Cup | @rebeccacreechcreates

Rebecca used 5.3oz softened linen to make View 2. She didn’t make any modifications to the pattern layout. When deciding how wide to make her sleeve openings, Rebecca made sure they were wide enough that she could easily layer a long sleeve shirt under the tunic. Rebecca plans to use her remnant fabric to make a Thread & Sprout nature top and/or pillowcase.

Jess: Chest/Bust – 58”, Hips – 62”, Height – 5’6″ | View 1, Size H, D-Cup | @jessicarosesews

Jess made View 1, size H in the D-cup range. She didn’t make any modifications to the pattern. Jess used a poly-viscose to make her dress. Her pockets ended up being a bit short so that was something that I was able to adjust in the final pattern layout. She had a long, thin piece of fabric remaining that she thought could be made into a variety of accessories – a hairband, scrunchies, hair ribbon, wrapped on chunky hoop earrings, etc.

Bean: Chest/Bust – 35.5″, Hips – 36.5″, Height – 5’5″ | View 3, Size B, B-Cup | @sewsoybean

Bean made two versions of view 3, each with a different sleeve length. She was able to play with the pattern layout and made adjustments to make a version with 3/4 sleeves and one with long sleeves. I love that she was able to take the concept of the pattern and tweak it to work for her preferences and the fabric that she had on hand. Bean had a great idea of making a removable collar with some of the remaining fabric.

Nele: Chest/Bust – 34.5″, Hips – 39″, Height – 5’7″ | View 3, Size B, B-Cup | @cornelia_np

Nele made View 3 out of a very flowy, lightweight fabric. She made size B in the B-cup range without any modifications. While the shifty fabric was a bit more difficult to cut out, the finished blouse is lovely. Nele had minimal fabric remaining as she had previously used some of the fabric and she was able to get the pattern layout in the remaining piece.

Frankie: Upper bust – 36.5″, Full bust – 34″, Waist – 33″, Hip – 43″, Height – 5’7” | View 1, Size C, B-Cup | @gaseous.gay

Frankie made View 1, Size C, in the B-cup range. They used yarned-dyed cotton to make their version. Frankie only made modifications to adjust the layout to accommodate the slightly smaller fabric width. Frankie plans to use the garment as a layering piece. They had remaining fabric from the total cut and have already made a Pearl Head Scarf by Spaghetti Western Sewing.

Jini Kai: Chest/Bust – 48″, Hips – 49″ | View 2, Size E, D-Cup | @jini.kai

Jini Kai made View 2 out of lightweight linen. She made size E in the D-Cup range without any modifications. She chose to make her side ties from the remaining bias binding instead of using the provided pattern piece for the side ties. Jini Kai had minimal fabric remaining once the project was complete. She recommends making patchwork clothing with the scraps a la this patchwork clothing tutorial from Elbe Textiles.

Eowyn: Chest/Bust – 34″, Hips – 36″, Height – 5’5″ | View 1, Size B, B-Cup | @mr.and.mrs.rat

Eowyn made View 1 in size B, B-cup range. She used a piece of thrifted yarn-dyed cotton plaid to make her dress. Due to the shorter sleeves during the time of testing, Eowyn decided to finish her sleeves with bias-binding ties. She also chose to position her patch pockets in the front of the dress instead of on the sides. Eowyn plans to use any remnant fabric for toy-making projects.

Erika: Chest/Bust – 32″, Hips – 34″, Height – 5’6 | View 1, Size A, B-Cup | @ricky_sews

Erika made View 1 out of fine corduroy fabric. She made size A in the B-cup range. She adjusted the layout slightly by placing the side tie pattern piece in the horizontal direction because her fabric was only 43″ wide. Erika had 11.5″ of fabric remaining and she is considering making a fanny pack with it.

Beth: Chest/Bust – 48″, Hips – 49″ | View 1, Size D, B-Cup | @bettiegee

Beth chose to make View 1 out of heavier-weight linen. She sewed a size D in the B-Cup range. She changed the length to accommodate her height and also moved the pockets up to better work for her. Beth is going to wear the dress for a bit and decide if she wants to shorten the ties some and/or add more buttons.

Amanda: Chest/Bust – 50″, Hips – 49″, Height – 5’5” | View 3, Size E, D-Cup | @Mandabe4r

Amanda made View 3 out of cotton shirting. She made size E in the D-Cup range. She didn’t make any adjustments to the pattern layout. Amanda decided to leave off the buttons for now and use the blouse as a layering piece. I also love how she styled the blouse by crossing over the front panels and tucking them in. Amanda plans on incorporating the small amount of remaining fabric into a patchwork project that she is currently working on.

Laurie: Chest/Bust – 49″, Hips – 52″, Height – 5’5″ | View 1, Size D, D-Cup | @Serendipitystation

Laurie used a heavier-weight mystery fabric from their stash to make View 1. They chose to make size D in the D-Cup range. Laurie’s measurements put them directly between two sizes in the bust. They chose to size down and in the end, they think that sizing up may be the better option, especially in a heavier fabric. Laurie plans to use this Eddie Smock as a duster. With the small amount of remaining fabric, they thought adding a ruffle or collar to the smock would be a good option.

Jeanne: Chest/Bust – 37″, Hips 50″, Height – 5’2.5″ | View 2, Size D, B-Cup | @prairie_sewn

Jeanne chose to make View 2 out of cotton lawn. She made size D in the B-cup range. Jeanne adjusted the length of the overall smock (shortened by 4″) and the length of the sleeves by 2″. Due to her length adjustments, she was able to make her pockets out of one piece instead of piecing two together. She also positioned her patch pockets in the front of the tunic inside of the sides.

Chris: Chest/Bust – 38.5″, Hips – 44.5″ | View 1, Size C, B-Cup | @cnielsenns

Chris made View 1 in size C, B-cup range. She chose a cotton/linen blend with a fairly loose weave. She adjusted the overall length and the sleeve length to accommodate her height, but the sleeves still end up being a bit short for her. Her sleeves ended up being 3/4 length with bias bound placket and edge. Chris will use the remaining fabric for pocket facings, etc.

Andrea | View 1, Size D, B- Cup | @andreawedley

Andrea reused an old linen bedsheet to make her version of the Eddie Smock. She sewed her version in a size D using the B-Cup range. Andrea used 3/4 length sleeves and chose to leave them un-gathered. Andrea experimented with different ways to tie her smock.

Lucy: Chest/Bust – 40″, Hips – 44″, Height – 6’1″ | View 2, Size D, B-Cup | @Lucyjobeeh

Lucy used lightweight denim to make View 2 of the Eddie Smock. She sewed a size D in the B-cup range, with 4″ of length to accommodate her height. Lucy plans to wear the smock as a utility type of garment and she chose to include visible topstitching to enhance this look. She had about a 4″ wide strip of fabric remaining and she plans on using it for patchwork projects.

Dani: Chest/Bust – 49.5″, Hips 50″, Height – 5’4″ | View 2, Size E, D-Cup | @maviecreative

Dani made View 2, size E in the D-cup range. She used a cotton bedsheet as a toile and plans to use it as a painting smock and she plans on adding 4 large buttons to close it over her clothes while painting, etc. Dani didn’t make any adjustments to the pattern layout. Dani is considering making a denim version for gardening with extra pockets. She plans on making more continuous bias binding with her remaining fabric.

I hope seeing all the testers’ versions is helpful when you are planning your own version. While the Eddie Smock is not intended to be an overly fit garment, it is helpful to review the finished garment measurements and make adjustments as needed. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me via email if you have questions about selecting your size – emily@goldfinch.limited.

Once again, thank you to all my amazing testers! Going back through all the photos has me feeling so grateful for everyone who is so willing to help make sewing patterns better.

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Introducing the Eddie Smock

I’m thrilled to introduce you to my latest zero/minimal waste PDF sewing pattern – the Eddie Smock. The Eddie Smock is a garment that can be worn in many ways; from a fashionable, everyday piece to a functional, utility garment. It is an effortless garment staple with a loose-fitting, A-line silhouette that can be worn fully buttoned or easily layered over other garments to complete an outfit. The Eddie Smock is designed using zero-waste pattern-cutting techniques and features modular pattern pieces that come together to create a whole. The pattern is drafted directly to the fabric using the provided pattern layouts as a guide.

Eddie Smock PDF Sewing Pattern

The Eddie Smock was inspired by the classic artist smock. It is a practical garment, that is comfortable, flexible, and functional. The smock is a canvas for the expression of the individual sewist that provides freedom of movement and everyday practicality. You may choose to wear your smock as a fashionable dress or use the tunic as a gardening smock – there is a multitude of ways to wear the Eddie Smock.

The Eddie Smock comes in 3 views – dress, tunic, and blouse. There are 10 sizes ranging from bust/chest: 30”-70” (76.2-178cm) and hips: 32”-72” (81.3-183cm). The pattern is drafted for both B-Cup and D-Cup for all sizes. The pattern is designed to be sewn with light to mid-weight woven fabrics with no stretch; such as linen, cotton (poplin, lawn, gauze, chambray), silk noil, rayon or viscose, Tencel, mid-weight twill or light denim or canvas, etc (3-7oz/square yard | 102-238 GSM).

All views of the Eddie Smock feature slightly dropped shoulders, a button front, an inverted back pleat detail, and a bias-bound shirttail hem. View 1 is dress length with long, gathered sleeves with a button cuff, side tie detail to cinch at the waist or tie in the back, and patch pockets at the sides. View 2 is tunic length with ¾ length, gathered sleeve with a visible bias-bound edge, side tie detail to cinch at the waist or tie in the back, and patch pockets at the sides. View 3 is a blouse with short sleeves.

At some points throughout the design and development of this pattern, it felt as if the pattern had a mind of its own. The design began as a dress, but early in the development phase, I made a sample to test out a different neckline using of a piece of fabric that was shorter than the required length and so became View 2. Upon discovering that I liked the tunic length, I set out to add a blouse version. Due to the zero-waste pattern layout, each view has a different sleeve treatment. The components of each view/layout can be mixed and matched with a bit of creative planning. I plan on digging deeper into these potential adjustments in the near future.

Another design element that evolved over the course of the design process was the B-Cup and D-Cup size ranges. I knew I wanted to offer these options, but with a zero-waste layout, I wasn’t sure of the best way to go about it. I spent a lot of time researching and thinking about the different options. I asked myself “Could darts be added? How?” and “Was the idea even necessary with the amount of bust/chest ease?” In the end, I determined that I could keep the shoulder the same dimension for the B-Cup and D-Cup and change the bust ease to allow for a curvier fit of the D-Cup range. To do so, I needed to change the angle of the side panel. All of this is to say that, this project involved a lot more math than I expected. It was a fun challenge, but I’m so happy to be past that point.

I would like to thank my pattern testers for all their help in bringing the Eddie Smock pattern to the next level. Every time I go through the testing phase of pattern development, I’m blown away by the testers’ willingness to commit their time and energy to help me work out any issues the pattern may have. I’m looking forward to sharing their versions over the next few weeks, both on Instagram and the blog.

I have filmed a sew-along that I am in the process of editing. I will let you know once it’s up on my YouTube channel. I’m also looking forward to exploring a few hacks/modifications that I have been thinking about.

Eddie Smock PDF Sewing Pattern

I’m looking forward to seeing everyone’s versions of the Eddie Smock. Use the tags #GoldfinchEddieSmock #EddieSmock and @goldfinchtextilestudio to share your makes. I love seeing people’s different versions of the pattern. If you have any questions about the pattern please don’t hesitate to reach out to me at emily@goldfinch.limited. Thank you for your support!