Review: Pattern
Making Danielle Elsener’s zero waste scrub top
The free scrub pattern I did last week led me to Danielle Elsener of DECODECODECODE’s zero waste scrubs, and I thought I’d give them a go. I’m fascinated that two patternmakers living on opposite sides of the Earth both endeavoured to make zero waste scrubs, took very different approaches, and produced such different-looking patterns which…
Read MoreStyle 2685: fitted, finished and just fine
The yellow dress I started for my favourite 10 year old last weekend is now officially finished. She likes it. The pattern is from 1979, which she considers “olden days”. I thought when I was sewing it, the gathering didn’t seem very full. Although my fabric is a bit crisper than the dress is designed…
Read MoreStyle 2685 or The Case of the Missing Collar
High on the euphoria of actually completing a project on the same day as I started it (swimming trunks for Ken doll), I decided to make something else quick and easy. Or so I thought. In my fabric collection, I came across this pretty dress pattern stored with some fabric my favourite 10 year old…
Read MorePattern recommendation: fabric boxes
Stitched Sewing Organizers is everything a craft book should be: beautiful, thoughtfully designed projects, gorgeous photography and easy-to-understand instructions. I wanted to make everything in it, whether I needed it or not. The book is a collection of things to make to hold sewing supplies, either for at home or traveling. On the weekend I…
Read MoreVogue 2507, 30 years on
Not many people can say they still have something in their wardrobe they sewed 30 years ago and still wear. I realised that I do! I sewed Vogue 2507 when I was 16 years old in the late 1980’s. It’s designed by Claude Montana, whose runway collections didn’t appeal to me at the time. (I…
Read MoreTHAT blue dress: Vogue 2787
Regular readers of this blog may remember the blue dress, Vogue 2787, I started making as a possible “author talk outfit”. Read about when I started it here. The fabric was 50 year old cotton and came from a collection given to me. I did finish the dress but I never wore it…
Read MorePattern review: Vogue 2859 top
Last with the latest. Vogue 2859 was released at least a decade ago (and I suspect it’s now out of print) but I found an unused copy at the op shop. There are quite a few reviews for this top on Pattern Review. Some people made it for 1930’s dress-ups and others just wanted to…
Read MoreResewn: Shape Shape’s Reversible circle vest
Shape Shape’s Reversible circle vest left me disappointed last week, but even though I was still undecided whether it’s “me” or not, I just had to have another go at it. I really do like the concept of this pattern -a reversible collared vest made from a circle. So simple to sew and wear. I…
Read MoreShape Shape: Reversible circle vest
The Reversible circle vest from Shape Shape by Natsuno Hiraiwa (2007 Interweave) is an unusual pattern but easy and fast to make; I cut and sewed mine in an evening. It features on the front cover of Shape Shape. Am I happy with it? Well, I was kind…
Read MorePattern Magic 2: wearing a square
Pattern Magic 2 by Tomoko Nakamichi has been in our bookshelf for some time, but I’ve just made my first garment from it. Wearing a square is a top made from, not a square, but a rectangle of fabric, with some clever cutting. If you like sculptural clothes, and quirky, interesting patternmaking, you’ll…
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