THE DRAPERY BLOG

Some patterns sneak up on you. This project started out as a practical shop sample which took me a couple of weeks to slowly cut out and put together, as a job - a not unpleasant one, granted - rather than a passion project. The moment I tried it on however, I wanted one for myself. In a cosy wool. NOW! Adelaide has been so cold lately (by Adelaide standards) and I lacked the mid-length jacket or cardigan this weather demands. The Assembly Line Wrap Jacket combines unlined, raglan-sleeve softness with long, clean lines for a mix of comfort and put-togetherness. This pattern was formerly known as the Kimono Jacket but, as with a number of similarly-named patterns by other designers, has changed name to respect the cultural importance of the traditional Japanese garment. The shop sample shown above is made in 'This Way Up' Japanese Textured Indigo Cloth , a white print on yarn-dyed indigo-coloured cotton. This fabric is 110cm wide, while the pattern only states fabric re...

We're revisiting the Grainline Tamarack Jacket pattern on the blog today, because after trying on Jane's excellent version  I knew I wanted some warm, quilty goodness of my own. I also had a very specific hole in my wardrobe to fill. I needed something in the form of a jacket or cardigan, hip length and (somewhat predictably) black. Something I could get away with wearing both inside and out. I'd been admiring the gorgeous Bernadette Jackets made by Kate and Klarissa at Bombazine , and thought I could crop the Tamarack to a similar length. Three cheers for sewing, hey? After choosing the outer fabric (a basic black top-dyed Japanese cotton, not online), and inner (100% Australian wool batting, also in store) I kept returning to this gloriously pretty and slinky Rifle Paper Co. for Cotton and Steel rayon for the lining.  I’ve done a bit of quilting before but I was worried if I was up to quilting with rayon - I was worried it's slinkiness might...