Pattern Review: Papercut Ravine Dress in Hemp/Silk
Heckin' fancy! We don't do a lot of 'fancy' here at The Drapery. But sometimes, occasion calls. And fabric and patterns answer.
I sing in a choir and as with many similar musical groups, black is the main requirement for performance wear. It's not a colour I wear otherwise, and I needed a new option for our concerts in the Adelaide Fringe.
Bias cut and backless, in slinky black... who even am I? It was quite out of my comfort zone but it somehow seemed promising.
On the roll this fabric has a slight pleated texture. A close look reveals intermittent shiny stripes, which we assume is the silk portion, and the matte part the hemp. I gave it a prewash and the pleating became more pronounced, and the width of the fabric therefore reduced. So much so, my pattern pieces wouldn't fit! What to do? It was almost like a knit in its ability to stretch and spring back.
I decided to give the fabric a very light, steamy press (not letting the full weight of the iron rest on the fabric) to stretch it back out, at least enough to fit my pattern pieces. Then I crossed my fingers and cut. My only deviation from the pattern was to cut two longer tie strips to go across the shoulders at the back, so I could tie a bow, instead of the single, optional narrow cross-piece. The bodice is the most unusual shaped pattern piece I've ever used, and this is the most unusual fabric I've ever worked with. Where would this adventure end?
Not fully considering the properties of bias cut, I was expecting that some pieces might end up with the pleats running different ways, highlighting the panel lines of the pattern. However the fabric layout ensures that the grain runs the same way all over. This means that the pleats wrap in a spiral around the dress, and the panel lines become a bit lost. I guess they're just a subtle feature in my Ravine Dress.
The assembly of the dress happens quite quickly. I opted for a simple zigzag seam finish. This fabric doesn't seem to fray much and I wanted to keep the seams as flexible and bulk-free as possible to allow the fabric pleats to do their springy, pleaty thing.
When I first tried the dress on, it was very long because the fabric had stretched out further. I didn't want to hem it shorter because this would mess with the panel lines. So I threw it in the wash to see if the pleats would work their shrinky magic again. They did! I also raised the underarm a bit with some simple taking in at the seams: about 3cm at the underarm pivot point, tapering to nothing either side, into the sleeve and bodice.
The neckline and back V are finished with self-bias, turned to the inside and topstitched. One side stretched out a bit more in the sewing and I had to unpick and adjust at the back until it sat evenly. Thankfully the same flexibility of the fabric that made it stretch out also made it easy to muck around in the back seams without distorting anywhere else.
Have a look below at the bias ties, which look a bit like macaroni!
I wouldn't normally choose a low V back pattern for myself, because of the implications for underwear (or lack thereof). However for my choir performances, the back view would rarely be seen, and I wore a fitted black singlet top underneath. I would like something a bit fancier but I was running very short on time. Initially I thought I'd need a full slip underneath in case the fabric was a bit sheer, but in its washed, pleated form it's really decently opaque, even under stage lights.
And here it is being worn.
Ultimately, whilst this dress is quite a style departure for me, I'm really pleased with it. It's cool and comfortable but also feels 'dressed up'. As a bonus, now the dress is finished it's definitely zero-iron. It can be gently folded or rolled in a bag and carried to a gig, then pulled out and it's ready to wear. I've washed it on a wool cycle using soap nuts (wool wash would also be good) and draped it horizontally over an indoor drying rack to prevent stretching.
This is a clever pattern and special fabric that's actually easy-care, and now I'm very tempted to make something - maybe more casual-fancy - with the white version, too.
The Ravine Dress would also be gorgeous in a drapey fabric like our Tencels and Cupros, or take on a more casual elegance in washed linen or a double gauze.
Maybe you've been tempted by a 'style departure' project, too. It's worth a try now and then!
- Jane & Fiona xx
I sing in a choir and as with many similar musical groups, black is the main requirement for performance wear. It's not a colour I wear otherwise, and I needed a new option for our concerts in the Adelaide Fringe.
We recently received these very special Hemp/Silk fabrics (leftovers from a local designer/maker). I teamed the black one with the Ravine Dress pattern from Papercut Patterns' latest 'Geo' collection.
Bias cut and backless, in slinky black... who even am I? It was quite out of my comfort zone but it somehow seemed promising.
On the roll this fabric has a slight pleated texture. A close look reveals intermittent shiny stripes, which we assume is the silk portion, and the matte part the hemp. I gave it a prewash and the pleating became more pronounced, and the width of the fabric therefore reduced. So much so, my pattern pieces wouldn't fit! What to do? It was almost like a knit in its ability to stretch and spring back.
I decided to give the fabric a very light, steamy press (not letting the full weight of the iron rest on the fabric) to stretch it back out, at least enough to fit my pattern pieces. Then I crossed my fingers and cut. My only deviation from the pattern was to cut two longer tie strips to go across the shoulders at the back, so I could tie a bow, instead of the single, optional narrow cross-piece. The bodice is the most unusual shaped pattern piece I've ever used, and this is the most unusual fabric I've ever worked with. Where would this adventure end?
Not fully considering the properties of bias cut, I was expecting that some pieces might end up with the pleats running different ways, highlighting the panel lines of the pattern. However the fabric layout ensures that the grain runs the same way all over. This means that the pleats wrap in a spiral around the dress, and the panel lines become a bit lost. I guess they're just a subtle feature in my Ravine Dress.
The assembly of the dress happens quite quickly. I opted for a simple zigzag seam finish. This fabric doesn't seem to fray much and I wanted to keep the seams as flexible and bulk-free as possible to allow the fabric pleats to do their springy, pleaty thing.
When I first tried the dress on, it was very long because the fabric had stretched out further. I didn't want to hem it shorter because this would mess with the panel lines. So I threw it in the wash to see if the pleats would work their shrinky magic again. They did! I also raised the underarm a bit with some simple taking in at the seams: about 3cm at the underarm pivot point, tapering to nothing either side, into the sleeve and bodice.
The neckline and back V are finished with self-bias, turned to the inside and topstitched. One side stretched out a bit more in the sewing and I had to unpick and adjust at the back until it sat evenly. Thankfully the same flexibility of the fabric that made it stretch out also made it easy to muck around in the back seams without distorting anywhere else.
Have a look below at the bias ties, which look a bit like macaroni!
I wouldn't normally choose a low V back pattern for myself, because of the implications for underwear (or lack thereof). However for my choir performances, the back view would rarely be seen, and I wore a fitted black singlet top underneath. I would like something a bit fancier but I was running very short on time. Initially I thought I'd need a full slip underneath in case the fabric was a bit sheer, but in its washed, pleated form it's really decently opaque, even under stage lights.
And here it is being worn.
Ultimately, whilst this dress is quite a style departure for me, I'm really pleased with it. It's cool and comfortable but also feels 'dressed up'. As a bonus, now the dress is finished it's definitely zero-iron. It can be gently folded or rolled in a bag and carried to a gig, then pulled out and it's ready to wear. I've washed it on a wool cycle using soap nuts (wool wash would also be good) and draped it horizontally over an indoor drying rack to prevent stretching.
This is a clever pattern and special fabric that's actually easy-care, and now I'm very tempted to make something - maybe more casual-fancy - with the white version, too.
The Ravine Dress would also be gorgeous in a drapey fabric like our Tencels and Cupros, or take on a more casual elegance in washed linen or a double gauze.
Maybe you've been tempted by a 'style departure' project, too. It's worth a try now and then!
- Jane & Fiona xx
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