Frankenpatterned Bruyerevilles… or Would it be Granyeres?

UrbanDictionary.com defines the term “Frankenpattern” as:

frankenpattern

To pattern using multiple styles and mis-matched pattern pieces. The end result is a combination of the garments that leaves the patternmaker horrified as to how it was put together, but usually no one else knows that from the end result. (phew!)
Also see – Nashion.

They asked me to Frankenpattern a spandex short with a woven attached fanny pack!

Although the spandex shorts with attached fanny pack sounds AWESOME, I went the more conventional route and Frankenpatterned two great shirt patterns to make the ULTIMATE shirt pattern!

Meet the Bruyereville… or… umm… the Granyere?

It’s the Deer and Doe Bruyere Shirt mixed with the Sewaholic Granville Shirt!

I go into more detail of the flannel shirt in my most recent Cali and Co. blog post, which you can find here! The plain black shirt will take center stage on this post. 🙂

The black fabric was free since my sewing guru, Dana, was cleaning out some of her stash. I think I have at least 4 yards of this left. It’s a lightweight cotton that I think would be great for lining, but it works well enough for this shirt!

I love, love, LOVE my Granvilles, but I find the shoulders a little binding. Probably because the pattern is made for a pear-shaped dame, but I am more of an hourglass shape. I also had some issues with the chest pulling, but I made a full bust adjustment on my last shirt that helped a little.

When I made the Bruyere, I found my once-bound arms were freer to move about! My bust buttons weren’t busting all over the place! But it’s not your typical button-down shirt pattern and that’s what I need for work. I loved the shirt-iness of the Granville but I love the fit of the top of the Bruyere.

I basically used the top half of the Bruyere and the bottom half of the Granville and smushed them together for my new traced pieces. I needed that bottom bust dart to stay since it helps with shaping, so I made it into a fish-eye dart. I did the same for the back darts and it’s like magic! It somehow all went together seamlessly.

In the photos below, you can see the new pattern pieces I made – you only need to modify 2 pieces! I traced the top part of the Bruyere front piece and the bottom part of the Granville front piece. The blue arrow shows the new part of the fish-eye dart I added in by hand. I basically mirrored the dart of the Bruyere since the Granville has no shaping… easy peasy!

For the back piece, I did the same thing. The Granville back piece(s) comes as a side back and center back piece. I put them together so I could trace that beautiful curved hem you see. 🙂

I then used the Bruyere pattern for the rest of the shirt (collar, placket, etc.). It worked out great!

It’s faster to sew since there are fewer pieces. If you want to make a long-sleeved version, the Bruyere sleeve plackets are easier to sew than the Granvilles. Not to mention there’s only a collar piece that attaches to the body and no collar stand! One less piece to worry about!

Check out my not worried face:

Well, I’m really just blinking from the crazy sun we have here in Tucson – DD has a talent for getting all the flattering pictures of me, lol!

Have you Frankenpatterned anything recently? Check out my Frankenpatterned pieces of the past here if you need some inspiration!

-RED