Episode #11 -  Hackable or Headache: Picking the Right Pattern to Modify

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Okay, you're halfway through tweaking a dog code pattern. Maybe you've reshaped the back, added a belly band, or made a few adjustments to the neckline and suddenly nothing's lining up. The seams are fighting you. The fit feels totally off and you are completely frustrated and you start wondering, was it a bad idea? But often the problem isn't your creativity or the idea that you had.

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It's the pattern that you started with. It's the pattern that you decided to hack. Hey, I'm Jill from Thank Dog We Made It where I help fashion loving makers turn their dog wear ideas into patterns they can actually make and sell. And today, we're talking about something people don't often consider when they start modifying a pattern. Did I pick the right one to hack?

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Not all patterns are hackable. Some are super flexible and easy to adapt. Others are packed with shaping seams and hidden structures or sleeve placements that make even small changes a major effort. So in this episode, I'm going to walk you through what to look for in a great base pattern, how to tell when one's not a good choice, especially if you're new to this, and how to give yourself the best shot at a successful hack.

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So what makes a pattern hackable? Well, let's start with what makes a good pattern to work from when you're planning a hack. The best hackable patterns have a simple shape. Not a lot of seams or internal structure. They have large, flat pieces that are easy to adjust. I look for things like a long straight back panel, easy to spot neckline and hem edges, and something that works with different types of fabrics.

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The Cozy Coat is one of my favorites for that reason. It's clean and simple. Just one main piece and a collar. No sleeves, no darts and it gives you a ton of freedom. Whether you want to add quilting, color block panels, or swap out the belly band - it's incredibly easy to modify. And one important note here: if you're going to hack someone else's pattern, you need to make sure you have permission to do so, especially if you're planning to sell the final result or make them as a business.

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Not every pattern allows for that, but with my Cozy Coat pattern, you do get full rights to modify, customize, and even sell your newly designed version. That makes it a great place to start. Whether you're just experimenting or turning your idea into a product line. Now let's talk about those patterns that push back. There's nothing wrong with a more structured pattern, but when you try to change one without knowing what you're getting into, well, that's where things can go a little sideways.

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Sleeves are a great example. They look simple, but changing sleeve placements affects movement and balance and how the whole garment sits. And if the pattern has shaping seams like darts or pleats, or it's designed to fit tightly around the body, your wiggle room gets pretty limited. So while those designs are really beautiful and they might really intrigue you and kind of draw you in because those are the ones that you want to try to hack, they're not the best place to start if you're just beginning to modify patterns.

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What you really want to do is match the pattern to the hack that you want to do. So you can hack a complex pattern, as I said, but only if you're working within the same basic shape. So let's say your pattern already has sleeves. You can easily turn short sleeves into long sleeves or make them puffy. But adding sleeves to a pattern that was never drafted for them?

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Well, that's a whole different story. Same thing goes for structure. If your base has a long, flat back, turning it into a ruffled skirt is pretty easy. But taking a flouncy or gathered back and trying to flatten it out, that's a much tougher process. So here's the rule that I follow. Pick a pattern that already gets you most of the way to your vision.

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The closer it is to what you want, the easier and more successful your hack will be. Now, let me tell you about a project that really stretched my hacking skills. The MuckyDog Waders. This was a full body coat that covered the belly, all four legs and even the paws. It also needed to be open at the top of the back so that it could be pulled off and on really easily.

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The client brought me a couple of off the rack examples that had some elements that she really liked, but there was no pattern to work from. In fact, this was brand new. It was a patent pending design, nothing like it is out there. So I created the entire pattern from scratch, and I even graded it into a full range of sizes for her and the final result turned out beautifully.

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I have to say she was really happy. I was really happy with the end product, and in fact it's a real product on the market right now. So go look up MuckyDog Waders - I'll put the link down below. But I'll be honest, the armholes on this were a serious challenge because the shape was really different and it wasn't form fitting, but it had to address a number of different dog sizes.

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Even within one size. So even though it was an extra small size, for example, it still had to address all types of different dogs that might fit into that extra small size. So it was really an interesting challenge. I loved the project. I loved working with the owner of the company. It was a great fun project to work on. But, as I said, now this is a bit different because I didn't actually have a pattern to hack, but I did have some examples to work from and hack from.

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So there was a little bit of help there, but it was really an interesting challenge. And the reason it was a challenge around these arms is that I had to shape both the front and the back leg openings, and even with the flexible design elements like the elastic, and we actually added some drawstring into the legs to help adjust the fit, it was still a lot of work, and it was a lot of thinking and trials and prototypes and Scout tried on a lot of different muslin versions of this before we got it right. But if the base pattern had been super structured and form fitting, it would have been way more challenging to pull

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off. And the real message here is that this is definitely not the place to start if you're new to hacking patterns. It's really important to start with something that's really simple if this is your first time around. So yes, complex patterns are totally doable, but only when you're ready and only when you understand the structure you're working with and really start to understand dog's anatomy and how they move and how clothing fits them

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when they're moving. So let me give you a few examples of some designs that I've come up with from this simple single Cozy Coat pattern. The Marly Davidson. Now I do talk about this in a different podcast. I'll put the link down below because it's kind of a fun story, but I took the Cozy Coat and I split the back into bold color blocks and added a D-Ring into the top on the back and added some extra structure into the back so that I could use that as a leash hook up.

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It was cool, and it was kind of this moto motorcycle inspired vibe. I loved that coat and it's so different. If you look at that compared to the basic Cozy Coat , you wouldn't really recognize it as the same coat. Same thing goes for my other coat called the Cottage Comforts. Now, this version was very similar in some ways to the Cozy Coat pattern, but I used a fleece lined, coat with a faux sheepskin collar, so the collar was quite different, and I had to really rethink about how that was going to work.

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Also, I put a zipper along the back instead of using Velcro on the belly. And I also replaced the Velcro at the neck with some elastic to make that a little bit more flexible without actually having to do it up with Velcro. So that makes it easier to slip on and off. And the zipper really made it much easier for taking on and off as well.

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And it was a really fun kind of challenge. But it came again from this basic Cozy Coat pattern. The Thunder Jacket hack was another another really interesting kind of fun and very simple hack on the Cozy Coat. I used a totally different fabric, I used a much more stretchy fabric than I normally work with and I shortened the overall shape.

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The whole idea behind a Thunder Jacket is to give your dog a real hug, a real tight hug, and it really is basically hugging them around those internal organs and it helps to calm them. So I shortened the overall shape.. and I added a much wider and longer a belly wrap so that that's going to add added a whole lot more

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kind of tight wrap around that belly area where all those organs are and created this really gentle kind of compression, which really does help calm, anxious dogs. And I don't know if I've ever mentioned it before, but Scout is an anxious dog, so we use this a lot. And lastly, I just want to tell you about the Cooling Jacket that I did.

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So I have a cooling jacket again, I used this, base Cozy Coat pattern to work from. But this one was changed up in the fabric that I worked with. I actually created into three layers instead of two. So the inside and outside layer, the lining and the outside layer are both mesh. But then I put a third layer in between which is 100% cotton.

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So it's super absorbent. And the idea behind this coat is that you soak the coat in cold water, then put it on your dog, and it has this amazing ability to cool the dog down. I'm so impressed with it. I've put it on Scout and other dogs and literally within a minute they go from panting and super anxious to calm.

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It is a really cool jacket and so to speak. And, and another play on the Cozy Coat. All of these started with that really basic coat pattern. And the reason that they were all successful is because it's such a simple pattern to work with. And that really is the key, is just having something that's simple to work with and you're not fighting it

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the whole way along. But as I said, you don't have to work with the Cozy Coat pattern. You can work with any pattern, so long as it's close to what you are ultimately trying to design. So let's just wrap this up with a checklist. If you're choosing a pattern to hack, look for the following: Large flat pieces that are easy to reshape.

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Minimal internal construction or shaping seams. A structure that leaves room to experiment without affecting fit. A design that isn't too tight or overly complex. And of course, a pattern you have the rights to modify. If a hack hasn't worked for you in the past, don't be too hard on yourself. It probably wasn't your idea. It might have been just the pattern you started with.

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The best hacks begin with the right base. Choosing something, forgiving something that gives you space to play. That's the idea. Start with what's close to your vision, and the whole process just gets so much easier. If you're ready to go from small tweaks to full on creative pattern design, my upcoming course called Hack Your Pattern is probably a good fit for you.

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It opens this summer, and it's built to help you confidently explore and modify and develop your own custom designs without starting from scratch. You can join the waitlist right now to get early access and early bird pricing, so check out the link down below. Thanks so much for spending part of your day with me. I know how busy life gets, and it truly means a lot that you chose to listen in.

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If today's episode helped you think differently about your next hack, or if it gave you a little nudge to start designing your own patterns, I'd love for you to save this episode and share it with someone else who might need that extra same encouragement. You'll find all the links I mentioned, including the waitlist for the Hack Your Pattern course and the Cozy Coat pattern in the show notes below, so be sure to check those out.

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And just a reminder. I believe in you. Whether you're modifying your first pattern or dreaming up your own collection, you can become the pet wear designer you've always imagined. One small step, or one clever hack at a time. Talk Soon!