14 Sep Drape Shift Rethink
The Drape Shift was one of my earlier #PatternPuzzle posts that popularised my blog in 2014. However the pattern making instructions proved to need much more work.
intermediate Tag
30 Aug Retro Wrap Sewing Instructions
Posted at 11:11h
in Garment Construction, Pattern Puzzle Sewing Patterns, Pattern Puzzles, Sewing patterns, Stretch Patterns, Vintage Patterns
2 Comments
The Retro Wrap was one of my earliest Pattern Puzzle patterns and easily one of the all-time favourites. I've made the original pattern and all the adjustments necessary to prepare it for conversion into a PDF Sewing Pattern. And I do admit that working out the grading plan for this style was a huge challenge. When the grade document is returned I'll let you know if it was successful.
07 Feb Wrap Layer Top #2
It's surprising what you find when you start digging around in old pattern puzzle files. This second version of the Wrap Layer Top has remained buried for over six years. The first version can be found here: Wrap Layer Top #1.
23 Sep Dinner Shirt Sewing Pattern Variations
It was over ten years ago that I designed and made this shirt for sale and I've had so many different versions of it in my wardrobe since. The fit of this shirt is tailored and body conscious with a back yoke, panel seams front and back, a two-piece collar and tab, and a dinner shirt style bib in the front. There is a short and long sleeve version with the option of cutting the sleeves on either the straight or bias grain. The Dinner Shirt Sewing Pattern is so versatile in design as to be both a conservative work shirt and fun party shirt in the one pattern.
15 Jan Three Colour Wrap Dress
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 instruction in line with more recent pattern puzzles.
18 Sep Drape Gather Skirt – Sewing Instructions
At last some sewing patterns are making it onto the website! The first in the 'Off-The-Rails' series is the Drape Gather Skirt. This is a design from many years ago that has been a favourite in my wardrobe ever since. It's also the first skirt my students cut in my Drape Skirt Patterns workshop. It has a straight grain centre front panel with a joined side front and back skirt panel that's cut on the bias. Included in the back seam is a fishtail flare and an invisible zip. The wait finish is a strap waistband and included in the zip opening is a zip guard for a quality skirt.
11 Sep Drape Gather Skirt – Laying Up and Cutting Out
I've put together some diagrams for cutting out the Drape Gather Skirt sewing pattern. I've considered fabric widths of 110cm, 130cm and 150cm for the shell of the skirt, across all the sizes 6-22. I'll deal with the cutting of the lining for this skirt in a separate post. I suggest that your first sample is an unlined skirt so you have the opportunity of finessing the fit before making a fully lined version. One constant feature of cutting these drape patterns is there is always what I would consider a lot of waste fabric. I tend to keep the larger pieces and use them in future projects. I've found that a pattern with a number of smaller pieces works really well. I use a paneled waistcoat design that has 5-6 pattern pieces that use the waste from the skirt design very well.
21 Aug Second Sample – Flare and Gather Dress
After so many pattern alterations to the first sample pattern, I'm excited to show you how the second sample turned out. Below you can see the pattern alterations (brown paper) I made to the first sample pattern. And I've selected a cotton/linen blend for the second sample. You will find all the first sample and pattern alteration detail in this post: Sampling the Flare and Gather Dress and Pattern Alterations - Flare and Gather Dress Pattern.
03 Aug Waterfall Jersey Skirt – First Sample
I'm beginning to love this skirt pattern - as long as I can find the right fabric to make it work. Sometime last year I made this first sample and learned a lot about construction issues with drape patterns. You'll find the original Pattern Puzzle post on the well-suited blog - Waterfall Jersey Skirt. In this post, I'll discuss construction and be looking for solutions to some of the issues.
12 Jul Pattern Alterations – Flare and Gather Dress Pattern
Now that the first sample has been made and fitted I'm able to bring you all the pattern alterations I have made to get this new design to work. I'm still fascinated with this design and hope the final pattern is something worthy of all this sampling effort. If you'd like to see the original pattern puzzle post you'll find it here: Flare & Gather Dress
