THE DRAPERY BLOG

Personally I love the style of patterns by Jennifer Lauren Handmade of New Zealand. They combine a little vintage flair with everyday wearability. I had great success with the Laneway Dress last year and her latest release, the Pippi Pinafore , was impossible for me to resist. Pinafores, jumpsuits and overalls are my favourites! I bought the pattern immediately, and by the time Jennifer put out a call for pattern reviewers I had it sewn up and happily volunteered. ( Just for transparency: reviewers can be sent a free copy of the pattern but I had already purchased it for myself, and in any case Jennifer encourages entirely honest reviews. ) From the pattern:   With a fitted bib, deep patch pockets and fun side button fastening, Pippi is a fresh take on the classic overall dress, combining comfort with a sleek and playful silhouette. The Pippi Pinafore is your new favourite weekend dress — darts and gently curved sides shape the bib, creating a flattering silhouette for mu...

I've had the Jedediah pattern for a while now, but we've recently begun stocking the Thread Theory pattern range at The Drapery, so it was time for a review. I have made several pairs of the shorts for my teenage sons, with great success. This was my first time making full-length trousers from the pattern, but really the sewing is no more complicated because all the detail is above the knee! The 'brief' The 17y.o. wanted corduroy trousers and was very taken by our wide wale cord. I asked him to find some reference pictures for his 'vision' of the ideal shape, to help me pick the pattern. In the end, after some research, I went back to the good old Jedediahs because I knew they fit him well, and I thought a couple of minor adjustments would achieve the style he wanted: a bit baggy, yet fitted in the waist, and tapered to the ankle. What did I change? I changed the front pockets to a higher, curved jeans-style opening. If you would like to do this, ...

That's quite a mouthful of a blog post title, isn't it? But when it comes to pattern reviews, very descriptive probably beats snappy headline any day. **NB: post edited to add - pattern errata alert from designer: front panel of dress is 3cm too long... we advise cutting as-is then trimming before hemming** We were eager to try out the brand new Calendar Dress by Australian designer-maker Jo Dunsmuir of Frankie & Ray . Jo's other releases the Box Top , Anna Knickers and West Coast Skirt have really hit the mark as wardrobe basics, and are excellent for beginners onwards.   (Apologies, it's my rubbish photos, not the printing, or your eyes.) The Calendar Dress is a classic 'smock dress' style which can be made sleeveless or with a mid-length sleeve, designed for easy rolling up. It has magnificently large, lined patch pockets and a gentle gather under the front bodice, and falls straight at the back. Neckline is bias-bound and the dress pull...

Spending time in the shop talking to sewing people most days, it’s always interesting to us to hear which sewing related tasks entice some people and send others running. We all have our favourites and the things we dread, whether it’s inserting collars, installing an invisible zip or sewing buttonholes. On my personal Top Ten List of Enjoyable Things To Sew, plackets would have to bring up the rear around 10. Perhaps minus 10. Give me a collar or a buttonhole over a placket any day! Love the look of them, I’m just not a fan of sewing them. So when Emily from In The Folds released the (free download!) Pleated Summer Dress for Peppermint magazine's Sewing School  last year, I was excited, yet also not excited to get cracking. I did suspect though, that if anyone was going to help me join team placket it would be Emily.  The Pleated Summer Dress is a midi length dress featuring in seam pockets, waist pleats and of course that good looking yet pesky concealed...

I posted about my first version of the Jumpsuit pattern designed by Emily of In The Folds for Peppermint Magazine, back last spring. I've had a tremendous amount of wear from it, both on its own and layered over t-shirts. (As an aside the Outback Wife barkcloth is holding up extremely well.) The idea of a denim version has been building in my mind's eye for a while. And you know how we like to selflessly test out our new fabrics for you, don't you? The new Japanese 'Nep' Selvedge Denim wasn't going to test itself. So a denim jumpsuit came to be. A few minor changes make this version more kind of overalls/workwear style: Zip changed from centre back seam to centre front (I used a shorter zip which ends at about my navel, as the roominess of the jumpsuit still makes it easy to get on and off).  Snap tab added at top of zip. More patch pockets, five in total. Topstitching on leg inseam, neckline and armholes. Small triangles of leather reinforce stre...

This post is to celebrate the fact we now stock Closet Case patterns at The Drapery, including the Ginger and Morgan Jeans , and also beautiful 11oz Japanese 'Nep' Selvedge Denim . Mmmm... look: Of course we love to trial new sewing patterns for you so here's my experience with the Morgan Jeans. I'm not even much of a jeans wearer so how did it happen? I think it was probably  The Refashioners 2016  (a sewing challenge to refashion old jeans) that sent me down a one-way path to denim fascination. I mean, I'd always liked denim, but the beauty of aged and repurposed denim and the construction of jeans was quite beguiling. From there I delved into visible mending of denim in the Japanese 'boro' style (check out this inspiring Instagram account ), and repaired and altered a pair of my husband's old jeans for my own casual wear. And I happened upon Heddels , a website devoted to the beauty of high quality denim and related gear. Loads of great informat...