well-suited blog - fashion design, illustration, pattern making.

Pattern Puzzle - Three Colour Wrap Dress

Tuesday, January 15, 2019

Originally posted in June 2013, it was quite a challenge for my Facebook fans to solve this Pattern Puzzle. This is the original puzzle, the sketch and pattern plan are pasted below with all the pattern making detail. I have updated the graphics and the instructions in line with more recent pattern puzzles.

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Pattern Puzzle - Transparent Tuck Dress

Monday, April 30, 2018

Congrats to Mioara and Gemma solving the Pattern Puzzle in just one comment! I think I am going to have to up my game to give you all a bit more of a challenge. This creative design is just the kind of pattern we make in my Draped Dresses workshop at Studio Faro. Below is recent design development I have decided to use for the Pattern Puzzle this week. The inspiration comes from Comme de Garcon frock I saw in the late nineties. The image has always stayed with me. I so love their work. This post was originally published 17 June 2013 and is one of my earliest Pattern Puzzle posts. In this post I have updated the graphics and improved the pattern making instructions for this release.

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My Drape Pattern Making Method

Tuesday, February 06, 2018

The origins of my passion for creative pattern making start way back in 1980 when I first went to fashion college. It was at this time that I was introduced to an amazing pattern making book that just lit up my brain. Natalie Bray's technical diagrams leapt off the page and made immediate sense to me. I could hardly contain my excitement at the potential of pattern making. To this end I believe I was quite the pesky student in our pattern making classes. The student with 20 questions every session, that drove the pattern making teacher crazy. You'll find Natalie's books on all the usual book selling sites and the prices vary dramatically, so do your research. Keep Reading...

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Vintage Patterns with My Fitted Dress Block

Tuesday, June 13, 2017

This is a short but dedicated post for all those lovers of Vintage Style. The focus is on using my fitted dress block to design and cut your own vintage dress sewing patterns. To work your way through the fitting process you can go to DOWNLOADS on the menu bar and checkout My Blocks PDF (downloads). The Fitted Dress block has to be one of my favourites and the best place to start for fabulous dress designs. You can also checkout some of my Members Blog posts that cover the fitting alterations for this block. To Become a Member all that's required is a password to access even more pattern making magic.

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Drape Skirt Patterns using my Skirt Block

Monday, February 27, 2017

Moving beyond your first skirt patterns to drape skirt patterns: To work with these more complex skirt patterns you would need to have confidence in your skirt block. By that I mean you know if fits because you've used it to make number of skirt patterns. A small fitting or shape error in your basic skirt block will have some impact on outcome of these skirts. Try my graded set of skirt blocks for any of these delicious drape skirt patterns. Or you can try this pattern for yourself. You'll find my Drape Gather Skirt Sizes 6-22 on the website as a PDF download.