Review: Pattern
The OTHER Max Tilke Trousers
I couldn’t help myself. From the moment I read PaperCrane’s comment two weeks ago, asking about the light blue trousers, I had to try them. For those just joining my trousers adventure, these are women’s trousers from South-Western China and illustrated in Max Tilke’s Costume Patterns and Designs. (The German edition can be viewed online,…
Read MoreFinishing Tilke’s Chinese Trousers
During the week I finished off the Chinese trousers in Max Tilke’s Costume Patterns and Designs. I like them very much, and so does my teen who looks very cool in them. Read about them in last week’s post. Last week after sewing them, I discovered that I needed a zip to get into them,…
Read MoreMaking Max Tilke’s Chinese Trousers
I’ve been thinking about the Chinese trousers in Max Tilke’s Costume Patterns and Designs since I was alerted to an Instagram reel demonstrating their construction. It was just the nudge I needed to try them. I have the book at home, and looked up the page. They’re women’s trousers from South Western China (date? not…
Read MoreMaking the Bias Shift Top
The Bias Shift top is a new pattern by Emily Klug of Goldfinch Textile Studio. It’s a minimal waste top with two options for the hem, round neckline and cap sleeves. View a selection of tops made by the pattern testers, made in a huge variety of fabrics including stripes, checks and prints. The pattern…
Read MoreMaking SKFK’s Zero Waste Habene Dress
SkunkFunk (SKFK) is an ethical clothing label in Basque country, Spain, and were early on the scene with using zero waste patterncutting for some of their garments. Their zero waste garments come with the pattern printed on the label as proof of authenticity. All of their zero waste patterns have been compiled into a booklet…
Read MoreFinished! The Shirt from Couture Zéro Chute
Continued from last week… The shirt I’ve been sewing, from the French book Couture Zéro Chute (translated: Sewing Zero Waste), is now finished. It turned out great and I’m very happy with it. After last week’s start, there was “only” the collar, hem and buttons to sew. The collar is interesting; it’s a conventional shape…
Read MoreMaking the Shirt from Couture Zéro Chute
Late last year I reviewed the book Couture Zéro Chute by Charline Durpoix and Mylène L’Orguilloux. The title translates as Sewing Zero Waste, and it’s a collection of six base patterns with many options for combining or modifying them. As part of the review, I sewed the elastic waist trousers. They were really great, and…
Read MoreThe fabric made me do it
Just before Christmas, I broke my five-year zero waste sewing streak with a Burda pattern. I wanted to make my older teen a Christmas dress, as a surprise, using a spectacular wax print fabric that I already had. However, the print had a huge repeat of 80cm and really needed to be positioned symmetrically on…
Read MoreMaking Cris Wood’s Cinch Belt
Cris Wood is an American pattern designer known for her beginner-friendly, paperless, low-waste patterns. Her most well-known pattern is the Envelope Dress – on Instagram, seemingly everyone in the USA was making one in the hot summer of 2020 lockdowns. I’ve never made one of her patterns (until now!) but have corresponded with her as…
Read MoreLove a Cardi! Making the Eccles Cardigan
The Eccles Cardigan is a free zero waste pattern by Emily Handler of Empty Hanger patterns. It’s a “wardrobe staple” style, with a classic crew neckline, and long or 3/4 sleeves. Eccles comes as part of a collection of other free zw patterns, with an option to pay for them (recommended). It comes in 17…
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