Pattern Puzzles

05 Jan

Posted at 17:27h in Pattern Making Instructions, Pattern Puzzles, Stretch Patterns, Womens Knit Block by
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This is the first of a new series of pattern making posts called #PatternInsights, that's me sharing the lightbulb moments of my pattern making career. Not quite as 101 as my #PatternFundamentals and nowhere near as complex as some of#PatternPuzzles, it's another opportunity to share. :)  Now available as a PDF download, detailed worksheet for making Jersey Twist Patterns using My Knit Block. For just a few dollars you'll get the same training you'd get if you came to the workshop in my studio.

29 Dec

Posted at 17:34h in Pattern Making Instructions, Pattern Puzzles, Vintage Patterns by
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Once again I have been seduced by a Vintage Fashion Illustration promising so much in fit and style.  Add to that the fact that this bodice promised to be one of those fascinating one-piece patterns.  They were so thoroughly investigated in the first half of the 20th century when manufacturers were looking for a  reduction of machine processes for the mass manufacture of fashion.  This blog now has a great number (5) of these style of blog posts which I plan to develop into a more detailed post in the future.

22 Dec

Posted at 17:42h in Fashion Design, Pattern Making Instructions, Pattern Puzzles, Stretch Patterns, Vintage Patterns by
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This weeks #PatternPuzzle was about targeting another of my favourite Erté designs and bringing this inspiration up-to-date.  As it turns out this is a truly challenging style.  I know I made at least two mistakes in putting these pattern making instructions together.  So please forgive any other errors you may find.  And because of its complexity, I imagine I would have to produce at least 2-3 toiles/muslins to really get the design and fit to work well before attempting in final cloth.

15 Dec

Posted at 17:55h in Pattern Making Instructions, Pattern Puzzles by
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We have had a good run lately with Cowl Drape styles and this week is no exception with the Cowl Back Tee.  Last week was the Vivienne Drape Dress featuring a Cowl Drape on the neckline and in the skirt.  And two weeks ago, a reworking of The Drape Shift, in a woven fabric, for The Drape Shift - Woven.  You might say we are coming at the #CowlDrape thing from all directions.

01 Dec

Posted at 09:48h in Fitted Dress Block, Pattern Making Instructions, Pattern Puzzles, Vintage Patterns by
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Green Velvet Drape - A homage to Ceil Chapman 1950

Over a year ago I found the image of this amazing vintage dress on Pinterest, compliments of Mill Street Vintage.  Unfortunately (for us) it has been sold and is no longer in their shop.  So I made up the back view to hopefully balance with the wonderful design detail on the front.

24 Nov

Posted at 10:00h in Fitted Dress Block, Pattern Making Instructions, Pattern Puzzles by
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The original Drape Shift #PatternPuzzle post has turned out to be the best performing of all our blog posts over the past two years. It has pattern making instructions for the knit version of this design which is admittedly far more straight forward than the woven fabric version featured in this post. So in response to many requests I have detailed here the pattern making instructions to make this design for woven fabrics.

10 Nov

Posted at 10:17h in Pattern Making Instructions, Pattern Puzzles, Self-draft, Vintage Patterns by
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It's a mean thing to present the fans with a rectangle as a #PatternPuzzle and expect them to describe the garment.  In my defence, I did include a couple of very small notches as a clue.  In the end, Mioara was able to produce an almost exact image of the idea in knit fabric. I think we may have been reading the same pattern making books.  :) I found this image on Pinterest, but have had no luck finding the original source material.  If anyone knows the origin of this piece I would love to be able to include the correct information here.
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