I picked up the phrase Frankenpatterning from The Slapdash Sewist. I think it’s a wonderfully descriptive term for the process of combining two patterns. I’m currently trying to graft the skirt of Vogue 8633 onto the bodice of Vogue 8413 and it certainly feels like a bolt of lightning is going to be required to make them combine successfully.

The problem I’ve got is that the finished waist measurements of the two patterns are very different. I’ve put the tissue away now so I haven’t got the exact measurements handy, but I’ve had to combine a size 8/10 skirt from 8633 with a 12/14 bodice from 8413 in order to make the waist seamline come out the same length on both skirt and bodice.

I appreciate that ease varies between styles, but I’ve made Vogue 8633 (the one with the large amount of ease) twice and don’t remember there being lots of ease before. But I might have just removed it and not worried about it at the time. Not for the first time I wish I’d kept better notes!