Well Suited

23 Feb

Posted at 16:07h in Fitted Dress Block, Pattern Making Instructions, Pattern Puzzles by
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As a general rule, capes and ponchos are not at the top of my shopping list.  I know they are currently on-trend but I find so many of them to be either unattractive or impractical.  We don't have cold enough weather here to benefit from the traditional wool cape with cozy hood or wrap.  However, the more recent lightweight, knit designs in shrugs and capes are probably a lot easier to wear and may even have a functional place in our trans-seasonal wardrobes.  If you'd like to learn my method for creating Twist Drape Patterns I have a detailed worksheet for making Jersey Twist Patterns.  For just a few dollars you'll get the same training you'd get if you came to the workshop in my studio.

16 Feb

Posted at 16:20h in Pattern Making Instructions, Pattern Puzzles, Self-draft, Vintage Patterns by
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Gil Brandao's patterns have a seductive quality in their simplicity and clarity.  Often with pattern making instructions, simplicity is no more than an absence of information that can be finally very frustrating.  Not so for Gil.  His diagrams have all the required information.  So much so that my inability to read Portuguese does not present a problem.

09 Feb

Posted at 16:29h in Pattern Making Instructions, Pattern Puzzles, Self-draft, Sewing patterns by
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The simplest of shapes have a tendency to be the most difficult to solve in the pattern puzzle.  When there are no recognisable pattern parts (armholes, necklines, etc.), a huge amount of creativity is needed to make sense of the pattern shape.  Each week our fans excel in their ability to work their way through the information, ask the best questions and eventually win the day.  :)   They are the best!  If you don't fancy making your own pattern this design is now available as a PDF sewing pattern to download and sew for your self at home.  Click through to see my very first PDF patterns online!

02 Feb

Posted at 16:43h in Pattern Making Instructions, Pattern Puzzles, Self-draft by
1 Like
At last the detail for the Saturday #PatternPuzzle is here!  My apologies for the delay to our usual posting but I had a little trouble with my graphics.  It was a wonderful round of creative answers and clever solutions that finally solved this puzzle.  Our Handkerchief Fold Dress is so named because it struck me that the construction of this dress is much like a handkerchief with the corners folded into the centre.

26 Jan

Posted at 16:55h in Pattern Making Instructions, Pattern Puzzles by
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A huge thanks to all the fans that turned up on Saturday to play and watch the #PatternPuzzle.  This weeks puzzle was less complex than most but a favourite for the wardrobe.  Our post this week has two versions of the Tucked Drape Top, the first with two large tucks facing each other on the front neckline and the second with one large tuck only in the front neckline.

19 Jan

Posted at 17:06h in Fitted Dress Block, Pattern Making Instructions, Pattern Puzzles, Vintage Patterns by
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It was a demanding Pattern Puzzle this week that ran live across all time zones and gave everyone a chance to join in.  You can see by the pattern shapes below that the final move of adding the front side panel to the backside panel was just enough to make it a very challenging game.  Huge thanks to all fans and friends for dropping by and making it a great day.

12 Jan

Posted at 17:16h in Pattern Making, Pattern Making Instructions, Pattern Puzzles, Self-draft, Vintage Patterns by
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I finally had a chance to use some of the wonderful work in the Gil Brandao book.  In particular, this pattern hooked me from the beginning as it doesn't seem to make any sense.  To start with, the thing that looks like a dart is really an armhole?  And that thing that looks like a sleeve is in fact, a waist tie. As you can imagine I was looking forward to an interesting fitting.

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.
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