THE DRAPERY BLOG

Summer is certainly here and like us you may be looking for clothing that is loose and cool. Allow us to introduce (if you haven't already met), the Roberts Collection by UK designer Marilla Walker . It's only available as a pdf downloadable pattern at the moment (follow link above to her Etsy shop), which means a lot of printing and stickytaping together. But I'm here to tell you it's well worth it! What's more you get four distinctly different versions, and one not-so-different which is just a longer version of the dress. I want to make them all! But first up was View A. Yes, a jumpsuit... gasp. This is actually my wearable muslin. Since the pattern takes 2.5m of 150cm wide fabric, it was a lot to risk on something that may not fit or even suit me. So I made up a straight size 4, which best met my measurements, in ordinary calico. And then since it fit so well I went ahead with the second part of my plan which was to dye it into something wearable. I lov...

I've never made a coat before. Not only does it seem a dauntingly large undertaking, I think the Grainline Cascade is the first coat pattern that's really jumped at me as a ' must make! '. And it seems the perfect project to try out some of our beautiful new Japanese wool . I'm opting for View A, but with the hood instead of collar. I am hoping this will be a jacket I'll have and love for some years, so although the fit is simple and boxy enough, I thought it was definitely worth making a quick muslin of the critical parts. The first thing you'll notice is a LOT of pattern pieces. Straight up I decided to do the usually-unthinkable (for me) and cut right into the pattern tissue rather than trace. I think I'd rather pay for a brand new pattern than ever have to trace this! According to my measurements, I graded out from a size 12 at the upper to 14 at the hips. The pattern sizes have been deliberately 'nested' to make this easy. I chos...