introductory Tag

28 Jul

Posted at 15:05h in Pattern Making Instructions, Pattern Puzzles, Stretch Patterns, Womens Knit Block by
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It is the simplest of shapes and elegant to boot, the Triangle Drape Dress #PatternPuzzle was solved in an instant by our resident pattern champ Mioara.  You may remember her recent contribution to our weekly fun - a very clever #PatternPuzzle.  Our choice this week was inspired by Meegan Williams sending us a link to her favourite dress.  And she was right, it is not a complicated style.  Made in a lightweight silk/rayon jersey knit, the kimono style drapes beautifully through the side seam area as it collapses over the hip and hugs the thighs.

30 Jun

Posted at 15:52h in Pattern Making Instructions, Pattern Puzzles by
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The Double Turnback Drape is not especially new.  We have featured it twice in our #PatternPuzzles and although it's not the most challenging pattern to cut, it is so attractive in its simplicity.  The Twist and Turnback Top and the Twist Jumper.  This particular design detail is featured across many fashion ranges and is relatively easy for the enthusiast sewer to interpret, using patterns they already have in their stash.

09 Jun

Posted at 16:35h in Pattern Making Instructions, Pattern Puzzles, Stretch Patterns, Vintage Patterns, Womens Knit Block by
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So it's a weird one this week.  Over sixty years old and born of a time that valued efficiency in manufacture over effective use of resources.  Patent #2,454,208, invented by Ruth E Richman in 1946, was filed as:
'An object of the invention is to simplify the manufacture of blouses, coats and similar garments by constructing them from a blank consisting of a single piece of material.'

13 Jan

Posted at 15:00h in Pattern Making Instructions, Pattern Puzzles, Self-draft by
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Last weekend's #PatternPuzzle was a little different from our usual pattern shapes.  From the conversation you can see that some pattern pieces are obvious and some not so much.  The self-drafted image below is one of the most effective examples I have come across of zero-waste pattern making, typical of a lot of folk costume construction.

30 Dec

Posted at 16:19h in Pattern Making Instructions, Pattern Puzzles, Vintage Patterns by
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From the first moment I clapped my eyes on this little beauty, I've been deeply in love.  Never far from my mind, I had made several attempts to understand this self-drafted style.  Finally, I have something to start with.
My first ideas were based on a flat, geometric sketch as featured in the image below.  I could see how a slightly smaller hem circumference would catch on the high hip and create those beautiful drapes.

16 Dec

Posted at 16:46h in Pattern Making Instructions, Pattern Puzzles, Stretch Patterns, Womens Knit Block by
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Solved with lightening speed by Alison Calderwood, Julie Eilber and RedPointTailor, last Saturdays #PatternPuzzle turns out to be a fab summer shift.  The image below has the puzzle shape right way up with some notations to help make sense of the thing.   Some of you may remember the Cowl Tee with Drape and Draped Tee from way back that feature the same kind of drape seam as this weeks puzzle.

25 Nov

Posted at 17:34h in Pattern Making Instructions, Pattern Puzzles, Stretch Patterns, Womens Skirt Block by
1 Like
In developing the ideas for this puzzle it occurred to me that there are many ways to make a twist skirt pattern.  What came out of that process are the pattern images below that offer two ways to cut a twist skirt.
The sketches below give you an idea of the anticipated results of the different styles of twist.  If you'd like to learn my method for creating Twist Drape Patterns I have a detailed worksheet for making Jersey Twist Patterns.   The first sketch and pattern on the left is the single twist, and the sketch and pattern on the right are for the double twist.  In the first, we twist the lower skirt of the main pattern and in the other, we twist two tail shape pieces and join them back to the skirt.

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