drape drape vol. 2, no.6, drape dress

Now, this dress was a nightmare to sew!

There are only three pattern-pieces, and it looks simple enough, but I actually had to wear it to be able to figure out how to sew the draped cowl-collar. Loads of pinning, not easy when you're wearing a half finished, interestingly constructed garment in a material with loads of drape.

I then took it off, put it on my (almost finished) dressform and was lost again! Wore it once more, pinned a bit more, put it back on the dressform and eventually got it right, phew!

The front piece is one long piece that is wider in the bottom front (with two seams there, the side-seams), wraps around the neck (with one seam all around the neck and center front) to make the collar and is tucked underneath itself and attached to the side seam again in the front, to form the front cowl. Comprehensible?

It's actually a bit difficult to even put the dress on now that it's finished, it looks like nothing when not worn, and totally comes to life when you wear it. I like that about draped clothes, they need a body in them to look good, it's a bit like everyday magic!

The only change I did to the pattern is that I took it in at the side-seams, quite a bit, to make it more fitted. For anyone planning to make it, I recommend comparing the back piece to a jersey dress or a pattern that you like before sewing, to get an idea if it's fitted enough for you. It did look a bit sack-like before I took it in.

Here's the original version in the book. The material I used is a viscose/lycra jersey with a bit of drape, the version in the book is made of silk.

I do wish it would be easier to buy silk-jersey here, I love silk and would be prepared to pay for it once in a while. I guess I'll have to start buying fabric online!

Something I've forgotten to mention about the drape drape-patterns is that you're supposed to mark the material on the right side. I don't like to, so I've marked it on the wrong side so far, which makes following the instructions in the book quite difficult.

I think from now on I'll make all the marks on both sides of my traced patterns (ie transfer them to the back side) so that my projects don't become mirrored compared to the pictures in the books, and I don't have to go through brain-exercise every time I sew drape drape-clothes...

Update: Here's a link to an excellent list of Japanese sewing-terms. I'm going to use it myself!

drape drape vol.2, no.14, gather drape skirt

First, a word of warning: if you decide to make this skirt, do check the size very carefully. It's very fitted, which it should be, but if your hips are 92cm's (like mine) and you decide to make it a size right in between M (88 cm hips) and M/L  (92cm hips) because that size has worked well for you with other patterns from the same book, then think again. Make a M/L.

I actually really like that the sizing of the patterns correspond exactily to the measurements in the size chart. Even though it meant I had to do quite a bit of extra work on it.

Correct size-tables are such a rare thing in the world of sewing (a fact I find incomprehensible).

I had to cut a new - quite big - backpiece because I simply didn't fit into it at first, and I didn't have enough material to make an entirely new skirt. Fortunately it worked quite well! I don't think anyone can tell.

Now that I've overcome that little problem, I love this skirt! It looks almost identical to the skirt in the book, it's really flattering to wear (believe me, I look really bad in some pencil skirts) and despite being narrow it's actually comfortable.

 Here's the original skirt in the book. The only real difference I can see is that it looks a bit more gathered at the hips. I did measure, it said gather to 20cm's, and I did, so it might be due to different weights of material.

And finally, the Acne Lanvin that it totally resembles. Fun. I live in the Acne capital of the world, people will believe I've copied them, but oh, no...

drape drape vol. 2, no.7, tuck drape dress

I can't decide on my feelings about this dress. I really like the drapes on the skirt-bit, but it feels a bit like a pajama with the very wide top-part. That might very well have to do with my choice of material though, which was quite unvoluntary as I had failed to see that it requires a 165 cm's wide fabric. The one I bought for it (a viscose jersey with thin stripes in two shades of red) was only 140cm's wide.

This was the only material in big enough a piece I had at home. I plan to dye it a dark grey or deep blue shade.

The sewing was rather straight forward, not too difficult, but I had to sew the side-seams twice for two reasons: it was way too wide for me at first, and I made the top fold the wrong way at first and ended up with a bit of a bag in the back of it. It was a bit lucky that I had to take it in, that meant I didn't have to unpick any seams to correct the back fold (I just cut it all off)!

There are only two pattern pieces, the sleeves, upper back an front piece are one piece, and the lower back is another.

I do plan to copy the draping on the skirt-bit. I've tried on fabulous Vivienne Westwood-dresses with a very similar drape all over them, I want one! I even bought one on sale that I returned, it wasn't perfect for me (a bit too wide, a bit too short and a nice but not very discreet = wearable pink colour) and still quite expensive, so I was sensible, cried a tear and parted with it...

Update: This is the dress as it looks in the book. I forgot to mention that I omitted the slits in the sleeves. I thought it might be a bit too flirtatious for me to be able to wear it at work, and cold in winter.

Odd. When I look at the pictures of my dress, I quite like that it's black and white and not darker. I may have to wait a bit and actually wear it a few times before dying it.

I'll keep you posted on that one!

drape drape vol. 2, no 4, drape top

This has to be one of my favourite t-shirts! It's SO comfortable, SO easy to sew, and SO not your standard t-shirt! It's the first project I made from my recent purchase, Japanese pattern-book  "drape drape 2".

Other reasons why it's fabulous: there is only one pattern piece, only three seams and you can fold it perfectly flat to store it, despite the drape on one side when worn.

I made one to try the pattern out (the solid grey one), wore it for two days in a stretch (which I normally wouldn't, but it's loose enough to stay fresh for quite a bit longer than normal t-shirts) and made a second one on the third day. Then I stopped myself for a while. Overdoing things is not good!

I can't promise I won't make more of it though! It takes about an hour and a half to make one, perfect.

The first version is made of a rather ordinary cotton jersey, a remnant that I like better and better the more I use it. I only have enough left for one more project now, I wish I had more of it. 

I made the second version in a striped Viscose/Lycra jersey that I bought specifically for this top (auch a rare occasion for me to buy a fabric for a specific garment and actually make it! I must do that more often), I wanted to see how the stripes would end up to get a better idea of how the pattern is constructed. And I thought id would look good (of course...). I made the neckline a bit less deep than in the original version since there's quite a high risk of my bra showing with the first one I made... I still love it. Comfy.

Both tops are made in a size in between M and M/L, which is where I am according the size-table in the book. Actually I'm a M up top and M/L at the bottom, and I'm a bit scared of too baggy clothes so I figured I'd make it a in-between size. It worked for jersey, more about that in a later post!

I'm really glad I bought this book, I've already made a few things from it so: more to follow! And I got a card-reader for the SDHD-card in my new camera that my computer refuses to read, so posting pictures is suddenly a whole lot easier!

I also had the ambition to photograph my clothes in the daylight, it failed, I might just have to accept the fact that I am a nocturnal creature...

Update: Here's what it looks like in the book. This original version is in silk.I think both cotton and viscose worked really well comparatively (especially regarding the fact that the's almost no silk jersey in the shops here, though I do love it).

drape drape no.12, loose drape tank top

I've been busy! Loads of sewing done, and more on its way (but not quite done yet).

The first project is my first project from drape drape (Hisako Sato). No 12, loose drape tank top. Selected largely because of its simplicity (I felt like making something faaast!).

Here's the back of it, modelled on my not yet finished balcony, the rail is not in the right position, not yet attached, and we're still wrapped in a huge white tent. Fortunately for me I find the tent rather cosy!

I'm not entirely pleased with the fit of this top. I'm not comfortable with things that are too loose around my middle, they make me feel like I look pregnant.

As shown by my face and pose in this picture, hehe.Like I said, not comfortable.

But it's suuuper comfortable to wear! I've been wearing it around the house all weekend. I made it in a very light weight jersey that I bought at Stoff & Stil in Bergen.

The plan is to wear it as a cover up on and around the beach (f.ex. when I want to buy icecream and don't feel like queing half nude). Should work.

I did change the pattern a bit, it's a lot more loose, and quite a bit longer in the original version.

I think I shortened it about 15cm's, and I must have made it 10 cm's more narrow, removed in the middle of the pattern, ie underneath the arm-opening. I've put the removed slice on top of the new pattern in the picture to give an idea of how much I removed. I think I should have made the slice I removed more narrow at the top, to not remove the drape in the side of the top.

The material is very soft, drapes well and is striped in two shades of white. I like it, it's a shame there is no Stoff & Stil in Stockholm, so I can't get more of it (but I do have some left).

On friday I went to the suburbs to look at an exhibition with work, and did some shopping from a vegetable stall, and aaaaah I should do it more often! It's even on my subwayline...

Happiness! The smell of strawberries and coriander made me all dizzy when I arranged them to be photographed, it smelled that beautiful, and I've had the nicest salads all weekend... now it's hard to get vegetables of that quality in the city, and impossible at that price. Such a treasure...

Credits: the photo "filter" used in the first two pictures is a free download from Dubtastic. I'm addicted to using them! Instant nostalgia...