THE DRAPERY BLOG

Hi, Jane here! The Papercut Sierra Jumpsuit has been on my to-make wishlist ever since its release last year. Jumpsuits in general are tricky to test for fit until they're almost entirely sewn. So instead of a muslin, I made a properly finished garment that could be a shop sample if it didn't fit me well enough. Having a bit of Papercut experience under my belt, I was pretty confident in cutting the size M with a little bit of extra room added in the backside. (Ah, the things you end up casually writing in the name of sewing.) Here's how I added a little extra room in the 'seat': That was good for size, with some expected bodice adjustments required for my final take-home version. Here's that first version, ain't she pretty? You can see this sample in the shop and even try it on if you like! I used our Hemp/Organic Cotton Chambray . It's such a well-behaved and pleasing fabric to work with, a mid-to-light weight that softens but doesn...

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. 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. ...

This is our second blogged garment from the new Papercut Patterns collection called 'Geo'. It's full of things we want to sew! (If you missed Fiona's writeup of the Pinnacle Top you can find it here .) As the weather has warmed up I've started to wonder whether I need some 'pants that are not jeans' in my life. Something a bit lighter, a bit looser. What tipped me over the edge with the Papercut Palisade Pants pattern was of course those pockets! The pattern description: "A staple pant to have in your wardrobe for every season. The centre front and back seams on the leg replace the side seam for a streamline look. Detail cross-over pockets span the side panel. Elasticated waistband with a flat piece at front and a faux fly. Comfort is key with these pants. Two length options, pants or shorts.  Fabrics:  Mid weight woven fabric. Could be made out of pretty much anything. Cotton, linen, silk, chambray, rayon. Your creativity is the limit!" ...

We are feeling the love for all things Papercut lately. Their last pattern release was a cracker (the Kochi Kimono has become a firm favourite in these parts), and now their new collection Geo has made its way into our hot little hands. There is much to love in Geo (check our online shop under Papercut for others, plus Jane is in the middle of sewing up another of the Geo patterns, so watch this space)… but for me, the Pinnacle Top immediately called my name. Pinnacle is a boxy top that can be made in a few different ways: either as a knit sweater or from woven fabric, each variation featuring those fantastic geometric seam lines down centre front. I’ve been on the look out for a loose, long sleeved woven top to wear with jeans for a while now, so Variation 2 with the higher neckline and pretty tie-back elbowed its way right to the top of my sewing queue. Fabric choice  This Pinnacle Top is made from “11pm”, a 100% washed linen in deepest navy and one of o...

The kimono-inspired jacket trend has been around a few years, and we're the first to admit we are not always first aboard the trend-train. Bt slowly, slowly, these things can sneak up and then lo and behold, there's a kimono-shaped hole in our wardrobes we never noticed before. Papercut Kochi Jacket pattern line drawings Fiona first tried the Kochi Jacket by Papercut Patterns (released June 2017) in a 'wearable muslin' made from a variety of linen and light denim scraps. She decided the shape wasn't working for her and put it aside. (But she's currently working with another kimono-inspired pattern so stay tuned!) Then recently I needed to dress for a Japanese-themed dinner and borrowed Fiona's Kochi. What do you know, I loved it, and immediately wanted one of my own. There are several variations in the Kochi pattern: with or without neck band, lining, patch pockets and tie closure. I made the simplest, most pared-down version which has just four patt...

I have to say this project fought me somewhat along the way. However I was so in love with the fabric, a beautiful blue/green crossweave washed linen from our late 2016 delivery, that I was determined to make it work. And I'm pretty happy that I got there in the end. (End-of-the-day crumpled photos because we like to keep it real.) The Skipper Tunic was released by NZ designers Papercut Patterns last year as part of their nautically-inspired 'Ahoy' collection. I loved the simple shape, square neckline and lace-up placket. Papercut offers free worldwide shipping ( how? ) so I bought this from their shop and in fact added another pattern because, to tell the truth, I wondered how they could make any profit on single pattern purchases with free postage. I can't help thinking of other small businesses. Initially I made a basic muslin to test the sizing and fit. As I expected, I felt it worth sizing down and adding a full bust adjustment, a very common alteration for...