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

Stretch Skirt Block and Design Options

Tuesday, April 04, 2017

Following on from the Skirt Block and Design Options post I've separated skirt designs that use a stretch skirt block to start your pattern development. You can use my skirt block to make a stretch skirt block to use with all these pattern puzzle posts. Some of them have been sampled and those sample posts are also included here. Keep Reading...

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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. If you're fortunate enough to live in Sydney my next Draped Skirt Patterns Workshop will be running on Saturday the 17th June at my studio in Marrickville. Keep Reading...

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Pattern Puzzle - Rectangle Drape Skirt

Saturday, April 23, 2016

For this #PatternPuzzle post you have an elegant Drape Skirt that can be cut from a basic skirt block or any pencil skirt pattern. My Skirt Block is now available here as a PDF download. I've included some interesting seaming that works well with the drape feature that's included in the front left skirt.

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First Sample - Pinstripe Panel Skirt

Saturday, March 12, 2016

Do you remember the Pinstripe Panel Skirt? Blogged in May 2014, and first sampled by Capital Chic, this very creative piece of corporate wear is stylish, wearable and very popular. :)

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First Sample - Drape Tube Skirt

Saturday, November 21, 2015

The Drape Tube Skirt has turned out to be such a favourite in my wardrobe that I think it'll be the first #PatternPuzzle to be turned into a pdf pattern for the website. Although my first impressions were of a failed sample, it turns out not to be the case. :) ADDENDUM MAY 2017: At last The Drape Tube Skirt available as a PDF sewing pattern here.

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Pattern Fundamentals - Drape Skirt II

Friday, September 25, 2015

There have been a few of this variety of skirt gracing the catwalk for the past couple of years. I have also cut similar for local clients and the beauty of this design is it's simplicity for a first attempt at cutting drape patterns. The drape shape is in fact separate to the front and back patterns and acts as a decorative overlay for the front skirt. Start with my Skirt Block and follow the pattern making instructions in this post. Suggested fabrics: Crepe weaves with a transparent overlay for the front drape or a satin backed crepe where you are able to reveal the satin back in the cowl of the drape. If you are interested in Drape Skirt Patterns you can click through to our dedicated workshop and check out the detail.

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Fittings First - An Integrated Approach to Pattern Making

Wednesday, September 02, 2015

I have made an info-graphic to show you all what I've been up to with the workshop line-up here at the studio. Now I hear you say 'What's that to me? I live on the other side of the world! :( So to elaborate; the teaching materials I intend for the website (e-learning) are derived from the workbooks I make for each of the workshops I run here at the studio. The content and integration of that content becomes even more important when considering its use as online teaching materials. As a first step I've added my garment blocks to the website as PDF downloads.

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Pattern Puzzle - Drape Skirt

Monday, March 23, 2015

This week's #PatternPuzzle is the simplest addition to a classic pencil skirt. With the introduction of a front left side panel you are able to include the drape shape easily around the waist and into the panel seam.

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Pattern Fundamentals - Stretch Skirt Block

Monday, August 25, 2014

This is the very first of our #PatternFundamentals that will occasionally interrupt the regular #PatternPuzzles. We are hoping to give you all the opportunity to prepare the necessary blocks to make better use of our Pattern Making instructions on the blog. Keep Reading...

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Pattern Puzzle - Pinstripe Panel Skirt

Monday, May 19, 2014

With some very clever spatial reasoning our fans we able to solve all the detail in Saturdays #PatternPuzzle. They were cutting up bits of paper and making impossibly small skirts into the wee hours to reveal all the answers. They make our Saturdays so much fun. :) This weeks #PatternPuzzle was inspired by one of those pins without a link to the source but I'm pretty sure it's a Donna Karan. I did leave off a bit of the frippery (small drape near the waist) as I prefer a cleaner style and there is already so much going on in this skirt. Pinstripe fabric is the driving force in this design, with the directional use making so much of the intricate panels. The Colour Map below will help make sense of all the pattern pieces and where they belong in the skirt.