Tutorial: Color Blocking a Sewing Pattern

I’ll tell you my story, then explain how to change the color blocking of a sewing pattern.

A while ago I decided I needed a new dress, and I didn’t want to buy any new fabric for it. I looked at my stash of fabrics, and my collection of patterns. I didn’t have enough of any one fabric for the dress I chose, even though the pattern did have some color blocking. Decisions needed to be made.

In my stash I found fabrics that were either polka dots, or circles with dots, or just tiny dots, all in black and (off) white. I found that there was enough of these fabrics to almost follow the pattern’s color blocking. But not quite. So, I decided to make a wide band around the bottom of the dress. That would work. I used tracing paper and made myself a cutting pattern for the needed pieces.

I continued by cutting out my fabric and started sewing. I was ready to sew the bottom of the dress onto the top of the dress. Before I did that, I tried on the top of the dress. Aaarrrrgh! I had cut the top too small! I tried sewing the seams and darts smaller. But nothing worked! Would I have to scrap the dress?

I decided I would have to change the color blocking and cut a whole new bodice. Since I didn’t have enough fabric that would look good with what I had, I set the project aside. Over time I ended up buying three or four different fabrics that had a “circle/dot” theme.

This month I finally decided to finish my dress. I “auditioned” the new fabrics with the skirt of the dress to see which worked best. The dress skirt did not need to be recut because of the pleats. I would just make each pleat smaller. Then I verified that I had selected the correct size bodice and cut it out. I sewed the needed pieces together. I again tried on the dress bodice before I sewed it to the skirt.

After comparing my first and final versions, I found that I liked the final version better. Maybe it was a good thing I messed up originally.

Here's how to do it on your own:

Patterns have a drawn image of the dress. If you buy from the “Big 3” companies, the drawing is on the first page of the instructions. How you can change the blocking:

1. Copy the drawing, either by tracing it, with a copier, or by scanning it into the computer.