A women's office suit is necessary not only for those who work in the office. Formal clothing is recommended for teachers, doctors, officials, lawyers, sales managers, schoolchildren, students - employees of any government or commercial institution where they pay special attention to a strict dress code. Such clothes are very comfortable and popular, since office suit models include many elements: from a traditional jacket and skirt, jacket to a formal dress, classic trousers and business-style sundresses.
Preparing for work
Before you start sewing, you need to take measurements, choose the fabric and style of the future product.
Which fabric to choose
For the summer model, it is better to choose light fabrics: cotton, three-thread, knitwear, jersey or viscose . Suits made from such materials look stylish and simple. They are comfortable to walk in and your body does not sweat in the summer.
For autumn and winter, we choose denser materials: fucro, velor, fleece . They will help warm the body in cold rainy weather and keep warm well.
How to take measurements
When taking measurements, it is important to take into account all the girl’s parameters.
For a tracksuit you will need the following information.
- For pants : waist circumference, leg length, buttock circumference (when sewing tight-fitting models, you will need knee and ankle circumference).
- For a sweater : length of the back, arm, shoulders, chest and waist circumference, back width (for tight-fitting models you will also need the circumference of the hand and elbow).
What you need for work
To make women's sportswear, you will have to stock up on such materials and tools.
- Scissors.
- With threads.
- Pattern.
- Soap.
- Fabric.
- Rubber band.
If you plan to use decor, you can also take additional accessories to suit your taste.
- Important! Having a sewing machine will be a big advantage when sewing. However, if it is not there, do not be upset: all the details can be sewn by hand.
Women's tracksuit pattern
Two patterns are made for the pants and jacket. You can already find ready-made options on the Internet or create your own . The pattern is made only according to the person’s parameters. Otherwise, the product may turn out big or small.
Trousers
The trouser pattern consists of two parts (front and back). We add 3–5 cm to the girl’s parameters if we plan to make a free-type model. To sew tight-fitting models, add 1–2 cm.
The back should be 2–3 cm wider than the front, as the roundness of the hips is taken into account. The length of the product should be ankle-length or slightly lower.
Important! If knitwear is chosen for a suit, then we do not make the product loose, since the fabric tends to stretch.
Sweater
A jacket for a suit can be in the form of a sweatshirt with a hood without a fastener or with one .
For summer options , instead of a sweater, you can sew a sleeveless vest . You can also make a simple top or T-shirt .
When creating a pattern, you should take into account the chest circumference, that is, the product should be slightly larger in front. A cutout is made if desired. The product is decorated with a lock, patch pockets or lacing.
This is interesting: Pattern Sports bust (size 34/36 C)
Selection of fabrics and sewing tools
Tracksuits with a loose fit must be made from knitted fabrics. Knitwear stretches well, gives freedom of movement, and also makes it easier to fit a certain size, thanks to the stretchy fabric. To sew things for summer and winter, you can use various types of materials:
- Fleece. It consists of knitted fibers that allow you to warm the body in cold weather and also do not absorb moisture. Clothing made from this fabric dries quickly and is great for winter jogging and other sports activities;
- Viscose. Sufficiently elastic fabric, clothes from which will be pleasant to wear. It quickly removes moisture, but tears and wrinkles easily. Clothing made from this fabric is usually worn in warm weather;
- Velours. Fabric consisting of small fibers and a velvet surface. Clothing made from this material retains heat well and does not wrinkle at all. Clothes made from this type of material can be worn in cold weather;
- Three-thread. Fleecy and dense material. When used, the material is quite soft and pleasant to the body. Often used to insulate clothing;
- Double thread. Rough and durable cotton fabric. This fabric is difficult to wrinkle and is great for wearing in summer weather;
- Fukra. Characterized by softness and impeccable appearance. If you wear clothes made of this fabric, it will pleasantly warm your body in cold and winter weather;
- Jersey. The material consists of loops that are intertwined and connected into rows and columns. Thanks to this, clothes made from this material stretch well, and also have elasticity and softness. Perfect for designing summer tracksuits.
You may be interested in this: Simple patterns for sewing jeans yourself
Tailored suit
To design a tracksuit you will also need tools such as:
- sewing machine;
- needles of various sizes and diameters;
- marking tools;
- household overlock.
Important! In order to measure pieces of fabric you will need a measuring tape. The fabric must be cut with special scissors. Consumables will include threads of various colors, as well as decorative ornaments.
Pattern of men's sports trousers
Which fabric do you prefer?
Classics are sewn from soft worsted fabrics, that is, light, with a smooth or slightly fleecy surface - wool, wool blend, blends. Pure wool is especially good for autumn-winter models - it warms, is pleasant to the touch, and almost does not wrinkle. For strength and durability, synthetics or cotton are often added to it.
Read what to sew from polyester here ↗.
In 2019, jackets have become even looser and easily compatible with everyday items
For spring and summer, office wardrobes are made from natural linen, plain cotton, crepe satin, silk and other thin fabrics with natural fibers. They are highly breathable and provide comfort in hot weather. And the variety of bright colors can impress even the most demanding ladies.
Gabardine is a non-seasonal fabric, things from which fit perfectly on the figure
Read more about choosing suit fabric here ↗
If you're new to sewing, we recommend making your first business suit from inexpensive stretch gabardine or cotton corduroy. These fabrics hold their shape well and, if necessary, allow you to hide minor imperfections. In addition, rich shades best brighten up the traditional restraint and simplicity of business cut lines.
Which color should I choose?
Work clothes and boredom don't mix. Choose beautiful fabrics with interesting prints or printed patterns. Feel free to mix different materials in one ensemble.
The most stylish two-piece and three-piece suits in 2019 are made from striped and checkered materials, as well as fabrics with animal prints.
Suits made from striped, herringbone and fine ribbed fabrics are trendy in 2019
A couple of couture life hacks! To visually add height, choose a solid color fabric and decorate the lapels, sides and pockets with light vertical stripes.
Choice of style
Things for sports are characterized by convenience and provide freedom of movement. Models are classified by season: summer, winter, demi-season. Beginning seamstresses need to take into account that the products will be washed often, so suitable fabrics should dry quickly and retain their original shape.
The costume consists of two elements. The top can have several variations:
- Jacket, sweatshirt. Optimal for cold weather.
- Sweatshirt with or without hood. Suitable for training in autumn and spring.
- Sleeveless vest, T-shirt. Comfortable to wear in hot weather.
Often T-shirts and sleeveless vests are complemented by a hood, but the element plays an exclusively decorative role, since it does not protect the head from bad weather or sunlight.
The bottom can have different lengths; loose, tight-fitting models are common. The most popular are:
- Straight trousers, bell-bottoms, bananas, wide and narrow, joggers, tapered, with cuffs. Long pants are in demand in winter and during the off-season; they are less often used in the summer.
- Cropped trousers, shorts. They can be loose or tight-fitting, optimal for warm weather.
Spacious models feel less hot. The tapered style allows you to show off your toned figure. Cuffs make your legs slimmer and protect you from getting grass, insects, and other external irritants under your clothes.
Winter
Demi-season
Summer
Tight-fitting
Free
Taking measurements
For the top of the suit you need to measure:
- back width;
- length of the entire product;
- waist and chest;
- cutout depth;
- the length of the sleeve and the entire work.
For the bottom of the suit you need to measure:
- hips and waist;
- lifting height;
- crotch length.
Fleece suit
Constructing a pattern
You can simplify patterns in the following places:
- Trousers. To simplify the work of the lower part of the product, you can take an already prepared pattern, and using its example you can already model the desired model. In the case of a material such as knitwear, there is no need for allowances for fit, since this material independently stretches to fit the figure. In all other cases, it is necessary to draw a smooth line along the outer and inseam of the product;
- Sweater. The upper part of the suit is cut out using the same technique as the lower part. You also need to take a ready-made pattern and work according to its example. If necessary, you can narrow the sleeve, and also increase or decrease the length;
- Top. For the top, you can use a pattern from a blouse or a fitted dress. The assembly of such a model consists of edging the sections and sewing the side seams;
- Skirt. The width is measured at the hips, so it will be wide at the waist. In this case, excess fabric can be removed into gathers or folded.
You might be interested in this: Creating a pattern and sewing dropped sleeves for tops and other clothes
Sportswear for an interior doll
This is interesting: Pattern Stylish women's bag
We cut and sew
The easiest way is to take measurements and, having determined the size, find a suitable model with a ready-made pattern in the latest fashion magazines or download it for free on the Internet. You can also buy an electronic PDF pattern for any model you like on the Burda Moden magazine website.
If the figure is non-standard or you want a unique cut, draw the base and model it yourself (we recommend experienced seamstresses!). You will find the rules for construction and sewing in any book on cutting and sewing, for example, in I. Yu. Selyutin in “Sew Yourself a Business Suit” (2002) or in Lin Jacques in “Cutting Techniques” (2008). Both are available online.
What are your favorite office clothes? What methods and what fabrics did you use to sew? Were the foundations built successful? If you are ready to share your experience, write to us
Cutting and assembly
The development of sportswear is carried out according to the following algorithm:
- All details of the suit pattern are transferred to the fabric, taking into account all the necessary allowances;
- Each part must be connected to each other in the following order: darts, folds, cuts, crotches;
- Sewing pockets;
- It folds up, leaving small holes for later inserting an elastic band.
Women's velvet suit
Materials and tools
A loose tracksuit is best made from knitted fabrics that have excellent stretch, do not restrict movement and do not require complex adjustments to a specific size. Other materials are also used for sewing summer and winter clothes:
- Double thread. Durable, slightly rough fabric with a cotton base. It is resistant to deformation and is suitable for making summer items.
- Three-thread. Thick fabric with thick pile on the reverse side. It is characterized by softness and pleasant tactile sensations during use. Used to create insulated clothing.
- Jersey. Consists of intertwined loops connected in columns and rows. It has flexibility, extensibility, and softness. Suitable for summer suits.
- Viscose. The fabric is elastic, fits nicely to the body, but tears easily, wrinkles heavily, and quickly absorbs moisture. Clothes made from this material are worn in warm weather.
- Fukra. It is soft and attractive in appearance. Used for sewing warm clothes.
- Fleece. Artificial knitted fiber, warms in cold weather, does not absorb moisture, dries quickly. Optimal for wearing in winter.
- Velours. Fleecy fabric with a velvety surface retains heat and does not wrinkle. Suitable for use in cold weather.
Double thread
Three-thread
Jersey
Viscose
Fuqra
Fleece
Velours
To create the costume you will also need:
- sewing machine;
- needles;
- household overlock;
- marking tools.
Measurements are made using a centimeter tape. The fabric is cut with tailor's scissors; consumables will require threads and decorative elements.
To calculate the amount of material, you need to measure the circumference of the chest, hips, sleeve length and the entire product. So, to sew trousers of size 52 with a material width of 140–150 cm, you will need 1.5–2 lengths and an allowance for the hem of the lower part.
If the model is supplemented with folds, finishing elements, patch pockets, the amount of fabric used increases.
Fabric for business suit
The choice of fabric for an office suit depends on the seasonal factor. For the cold season, mixed materials containing wool and cotton or synthetic fibers are suitable - wool crepe, suit tweed, wool blend cheviot, Boston, suit and dress cashmere. Blouses made of natural and artificial silk, knitted socks and thin sweaters go well with such suits.
For summer suits, stretch gabardine, thick fabrics based on linen and cotton are suitable. Blouses made of breathable cotton fabrics, poplin, and thin chiffon are suitable for a light business suit.
The nuances of sewing knitwear
If the fabric consists of natural fibers, before cutting it must be washed in warm water, then dried flat. Cotton jersey is washed several times because it can shrink repeatedly. When sewing parts, needles affect the quality of the stitching. Using a multi-tool may result in skipping or damage to the blade.
Experts recommend sewing knitted fabrics with needles with a rounded tip. They pass between the fibers, creating optimal conditions for the formation of loops. When choosing, you should pay attention to the packaging and focus on the jersey or ball point inscriptions.
Before work, you need to adjust the stitching for elastic seams so that there is no tearing. Modern sewing machines are complemented by this function. The parts are stitched using a zigzag stitch with a small stitch width. If gaps occur, the edges of the fabric are starched or covered with a sheet of paper. The elastic material needs to be pulled slightly towards itself.
Before cutting, viscose is washed at a temperature not exceeding 40 degrees. The fabric is easy to process, but some varieties have severe fraying at the edges. To fix the problem, it is necessary to increase the allowances by a few millimeters.
Before cutting, wash fabric made from natural fibers in warm water and lay it out to dry.
Experts recommend sewing knitted fabrics with needles with a rounded tip.
Before work, you need to adjust the stitching for elastic seams so that there is no tearing
boys
We make a costume for a boy with our own hands. For obvious reasons, the boy's outfit is different. Therefore, let’s look at what the young defender’s suit consists of.
This is a wide white shirt, decorated with an ornament on the front, black or blue trousers, high boots or bast shoes and a cap - a headdress made of velvet or cloth with a straight or semicircular visor. The shirt is worn over trousers.
In the old days, all village men wore such attire, and their class could be determined only by the fabric from which the outfit was made.
