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I made a quick trip to NYC last week with my younger daughter. She is 10 and was so excited to get out of school for a couple of days to accompany me. But, school shut down for the 3 days we were away because of snow (only 3 inches!) so she didn't miss any school - and she was glad and bummed at the same time!
I went to NYC to attend the DG Expo, a trade show for fabric sourcing from wholesalers with small minimums. Mainly small fashion lines and some fabric stores source from this Expo. I hoped to be able to visit a couple of museums, but we really only had one day to do all that I needed to do (and provide Evva a little bit of NYC fun). We arrived on Tuesday at 7 pm, made it to our hotel, went out to dinner in Koreatown. Afterward, I shelled out for tickets to the top of the Empire State Building. This was totally worth it! Evva was so excited to see the city lit up from the top of the building. It was beautiful (and cold) but really fun!
The next day, we made it to the Expo and spent the morning visiting fabric vendors. Then, we went to the Garment District, where we spent a bit of time in B&J Fabrics, Virgin Fabrics, Hamed Fabrics, Mood, and AKN Fabrics. I linked to Liesl Gibson's Shopping in the Garment District blog post in our newsletter a couple of months ago, and this is a pretty comprehensive article. I had not been to B&J and while their selection was great, it was a little pricey. But, I loved the illustration on their checkout bag because it reminded me of Folkwear. Isn't it great?
A couple of stores not on Liesl's list are Virgin Fabrics, Hamed, and AKN. Virgin Fabrics (242 W 39th St) has a great selection of silks (they're not cheap) and Asian or Middle Eastern fabrics and trims. I got some trim there for some Folkwear pattern samples. Hamed Fabric (251 W 39th St) might be my favorite just because it is jam packed with great fabric at great prices, and I like the workers who don't really seem to care about much but do know their fabric (when you ask them about it). For some reason, their unlikeliness in a fabric store makes me happy. We were about to walk out with my purchases when Evva spied a mermaid sequin by the door and I had to buy a half yard of that (now what to do with it??).
I made the obligatory trip to Mood, where I can always find something good, and the staff is always very helpful.
I also love AKN Fabrics, a store with just African fabrics - jam packed, floor to ceiling, wall to wall. So many beautiful fabrics in a tiny space. The staff is very helpful and I could spend lots of time just browsing. I bought a lot here!
In the late afternoon, I had to take Evva to Dylan's Candy Bar, and it was a lot of fun. Totally made up for having to follow me along to look at fabric for most of the day.
It was a quick trip to NYC, but so fun! I would definitely recommend our hotel - Life Hotel on 31st street. It was close to everything, the rooms were beautiful and comfortable (though small), the bar was awesome, the restaurant looked great, and it has a speakeasy in the basement! The price was also very reasonable!
I'll definitely be back to NYC again soon. So, let me know your favorite things in the city!
The 271 Sunset Wrap is a quick-to-sew garment that will allow you to make a beautiful, useful garment in less than an hour! So, this sew-along (our first), will be pretty quick!
I like using a fabric with good drape for this pattern, and I've made it from wool, wool/silk blend (my favorite), rayon, silk, and cotton gauze (which will be used in this sew along). I have even made it from knit fabric. With knit fabric, seam allowances and even edges don't need to be finished, so precise cutting is key if you don't want to hem. With knit fabrics, seams should be serged or sewn with a zig-zag or stretch stitch.
First, cut out or trace your pattern pieces. The wrap is one size and should fit most people XS to 3XL, so there are not grade lines to worry about! Make sure to get the notches and dot marked if tracing your pattern.
Then, lay your pattern pieces on top of your fabric, which should be laid out with the right side up. If you lay the fabric with the wrong side up OR lay the pattern pieces down with the right sides down, you will create a left arm sleeve wrap (rather than a right arm sleeve wrap). Which is fine - do what you want to do! Again, transfer notches and dot.
Using weights or pins and sharp rotary cutter or scissors, cut out the pattern pieces.
A note on finishing seams: All seams are 1/2" for this pattern. You can finish seams a number of ways for this pattern. I like using a French seam for light weight fabrics (for a great tutorial, go here). I have also bound edges with bias tape on heavier fabrics (Hong Kong finish), and have turned under a scant 1/4" of the seam allowance and sewn down, and have serged the seam allowances. You can also zig-zag over the seam allowances (or overcast stitch) for a quick and easy finish.
French seam with hem (above)
Seam allowance turned under - here I am starting to fold under and press a scant 1/4" of the seam allowance.
Here is the finished seam allowance - both sides pressed under and stitched to the garment.
And, serged seam allowance, as well as the turned under and sewed seam allowance (above).
Shoulder seam: Starting with right sides together and matching notches, sew the front to the back at shoulder seam, easing front into back at neckline. This means you will have to stretch the front piece at the neck line, and sew slowly, to "ease" the the two pieces together while you sew. Sometimes it can be helpful to hand baste this seam (or this part of the seam) before sewing so you don't have to ease while sewing on a machine. Easing this neckline will create a shaped neck which will fit the neck better. Press the seam open and finish as desired.
Side Seam: Next, with right sides together and matching notches, sew side seam from hem to diamond, and backstitch at diamond.
Clip the front and back pieces at diamond a scant 1/2" in seam allowance, making sure not to cut through the stitches or past seam allowance. Press seam open and finish as desired.
Miter Corners and Hem: Turn hem under 1/2" along border of front and back pieces and press, but do not turn under and press the diagonal corners.
You will sew miter corners on front and back pieces by first folding diagonal corners so that the right side is in.
Sew the folded corner with 1/2" seam allowance. Press to set. Trim the point close to stitching to reduce fabric bulk in the corner.
Turn right side out and push out corner with a corner turner or knitting needle.
Turn hem up 1 1/2" along border and press.
Edge stitch hem 1/8", easing around shoulder/neckline seam (again, stretching and sewing slowly to "ease" in the stitches so you have a shaped neckline). You may want to increase your stitch length to 3 – 4 (or higher) for a smoother finish.
Pinning and easing the hem at the neckline (above). Note unfinished seams (you should finish your seams before sewing the hem!)
Sleeve: With right sides together, sew underarm seam of sleeve, matching notches. Press seam open, and finish as desired.
Turn under hem edge 1/2" and again 1 1/2" and press. Edgestitch 1/8" (again, you can increase your stitch length for a smoother finish).
Right sides together, match sleeve armhole notch to body shoulder seam, and match sleeve underarm seam to body side seam. Stitch, making sure to catch both the sleeve and body pieces in your stitching at the underarm seam. Press seam toward sleeve, and finish seam as desired.
Sleeve inserted and stitched. This (above) shows what the underarm looks like after stitching and before seam is finished.
Finished seam of arm (and shoulder).
And, that's it! Such a quick and fun project! Which means you can decide you need one in the afternoon to go out with that night - and have it! Or, you can sew up a gift (or two) for a friend at the last minute!
This month, we are releasing a new Vintage Pattern to add to our line of high quality sewing patterns!. The pattern, 271 Sunset Wrap, is a classic one-arm wrap shawl inspired by elegant 1940s fashion. The relatively simple construction makes it a great beginner’s project as well as a quick sew for more experienced sewers. This garment can be sewn up in about an hour!
The 271 Sunset Wrap is a one-size-fits-all garment that can be made for any season with fabrics with a variety of textures and weights. It can be a great cover for summer evenings or a beautiful and warm layer in the cold months. This pattern also lends itself well to embellishments from embroidery to applique to edgings. It is also perfect with a vintage (or otherwise) brooch.
Folkwear is also selling kits with fabulous fabrics that are perfect to make this fun wrap. We've got an exquisite heavy cashmere (in two colors - paprika and a blush pink), a gorgeous grey poly crepe, and a wool blend boucle in a fire engine red.
Folkwear’s 271 Sunset Wrap is available as a traditional paper pattern and as a downloadable PDF pattern. And, it is on SALE for the next two weeks!
I was stuck at home last weekend because of the 13(!) inches of snow we got on Friday and Saturday. I enjoyed being out in the snow with my kids, but I am also not a cold weather person. So, I also enjoyed being inside and warm and dry. And, with the electricity flickering (and eventually going out), I looked for a sewing project I could work on without needing my machines. I picked up the Little Folks Turkish Tunic embroidery pattern, my hoop, some waste canvas, and some organic silk Eri embroidery thread and set to work.
I decided to try and practice the Tunic embroidery suggestions for around the placket and hems, which use cross stitch and Holbein stitch. I put down a narrow section of waste canvas or scrim and was able to quickly embroider a long row with the madder red and mid-indigo silk thread. I only used 4 of the eight strands of thread to do this embroidery and I thought that was adequate. The thread was beautiful and I enjoy sewing with it. You can find the thread, now in 4 colors, in our store.
Instructions for these embroidery stitches are in the Handwork section of the 109 Little Folks pattern, which you can also get as a PDF file. I hope to get a video up soon with a demonstration of how to do these stitches, so stay tuned for that.
My favorite part of this kind of embroidery is taking apart the canvas to reveal what I've done. I admit that I need to keep practicing - my stitches are not perfect. But, I was satisfied with it and love the contract and colors.
Who else is out there embroidering anything?
Downloadable PDF (digitized) sewing patterns have been around for a few years. And, Folkwear is now starting to produce some of our own digital patterns. We have plans to digitize some of our out of print patterns as well as some patterns that are smaller (such as children's clothing patterns, accessory patterns, etc.).
PDF patterns have the benefits of often being cheaper than paper patterns, they don't require shipping (no shipping cost), and there is the instant gratification of being able to start working on your sewing project minutes after purchasing. However, digital patterns take a little bit more work up front to prepare.
When you buy a PDF pattern from us, you will receive a downloadable zip file at check out as well as in your email once the purchase is complete. This zip file will contain everything for the sewing pattern, including a print-at-home version, a print shop version (or two), and sewing instructions. You will need Adobe Reader to be able to open the files. Most computers come with this program, but you can also download it.
When you get the link to the file, you can download it to your computer. We don't suggest downloading to a tablet or phone because these files are often too large for these devices and can be tricky to use from them. I usually download the zip file to a folder I have specifically for sewing patterns on my computer.
You can then open the zip file and see what documents are there.
To print your PDF pattern at home, you will open the file that says "tiled" or "print at home". This document contains the tiled version of the pattern - which means it is like a large pattern tissue that has been cut up into rectangles (tiles) that can be printed from your computer and stuck back together to create the large "tissue".
Some of our print-at-home versions will have the patterns separated in the document so that certain parts of the pattern can be printed on their own. For example, 109 Little Folks has each of the garment patterns separated into their own set of tiles in this document so that you can print the papers needed for each individual pattern (rather than for all 9 garments at once). You would just click on the garment you wanted in the margin of the document and print only those pages.
Usually, the first page or two of these documents contain the layouts or pattern information, as well as a measurement scale.
It is very important when printing at home to choose "Actual Size" or "100%" when printing so that the pattern prints in the correct size. If your computer uses the setting "Scale to Fit", the pattern will not come out in the correct size. You may need to go to Print Properties to make sure your settings are correct.
While in Print Properties, I usually set my printer to print as a draft since I don't need high quality printing and it will save ink (and therefore money).
You can also choose the page numbers you want printed to save paper, printing only the pages that have the pattern pieces you want on them.
Print the first page of your pattern before printing any other pages, just so you can measure the test square to make sure you are printing in the correct scale.
The first page(s) will also show how the tiles (or paper) should be put together.
Most pages of the pattern will need to be trimmed so that the edges will easily and accurately line up. Trim off the left and top margin of each page as you go. If you like, you don't need to trim the top margin of the top row nor the left margin of the first page on each row since they don't overlap with any other pages.
I trim as I assemble, going row by row. The pages are numbered and have triangles that will align when placed together. The first page or pages of the pattern will also show how the pages, or tiles, should line up. Line up the pages on a flat surface next to each other as straight and flat as possible, trimming and taping as you go.
I use clear tape, but medical tape also works well. Tape on cut lines that go across page edges and where the four page corners meet. Otherwise, place small pieces of tape every few inches or so.
I have sometimes used glue sticks to assemble pdf patterns, but you may need to wait for glue to dry before using the pattern (or, as in my case, you may find that the glue doesn't stick as well as tape).
Once your pattern is assembled, you can cut it out like you would for a paper pattern. Or, trace the size you need and cut from the tracing paper.
Printing at a print or copy shop means that you don't have to print out and tape together all those rectangles. If a pattern is very large and I don't want spend the time taping it together, I will often send it to a print shop since it saves a lot of hassle and time for me. We include two files in the zip folder for printing on large scale printers. One is for 36" wide paper and the other is for A0 sized paper (metric units).
You can often email a print shop the file and ask for a quote. Or, you can download the print shop version to a jump drive and take it into a print shop. I can get our local print shop to print patterns for me for $4 to $9 a pattern, depending on the size. Ask for the print shop to print black and white on their cheapest paper, and scale to 100%. I've heard that big box print shops often charge a lot more (up to $25), so get a quote before having them print.
When picking up your print, measure the test square to make sure the print was scaled correctly.
That's it! Not too hard. When I am finished with my PDF pattern, I store the paper paper, folded up and labeled, in a box or rolled up a stored in a corner basket in my office. Some people store them on hangers or in physical files.
Sewing pattern instructions can be left on your computer and referred to as you sew (that's what I do), or they can be printed in part or in full and used while you are sewing. Folkwear patterns also often come with instructions for handwork like embroidery, crochet, cord-making, etc. Those instructions are usually found in their own document in the pattern zip file and can also be referred to on your computer, or printed.
I hope this helps you use and enjoy your Folkwear PDF sewing patterns!
We now have our first PDF pattern!
109 Little Folks is an international collection of children's clothing patterns, featuring eight patterns from five countries on four continents! Each pattern includes sewing instructions for optional handwork techniques. Dress your sweeties up in a Japanese Kintaro, Mexican Dress and Baby Shirt, Korean Booties, Nepali Chupa, Moroccan Djellaba, or Turkish Tunic and Bloomers.
This pattern includes a print-at-home version and a print shop (large format) version. The print-at-home file is tiled so that you can print each individual garment pattern on its own. There is also a welcome letter to help you figure out the pattern files, as well as embroidery templates. You will receive a zip file (that includes all the pattern files) at checkout and a link in an email to receive the files. Save the file to your computer, and get started!
This is instant sewing gratification! You can get started on your sewing project minutes after purchasing your pattern. And, these patterns make great gifts for the little ones in your life.
Get this pattern on sale for the rest of the month!
We suggest using light to medium weight cottons (like broadcloth, batiste, muslin, voile, corduroy, and flannel) for this pattern. And, here is the yardage chart.
From the mid 17th century, and to this day, the well-dressed gentleman has never considered his costume complete without some form of neckwear. In 1636 the cravat became fashionable – after the custom of the Croats or Cravates serving in the French army, who wore a length of cloth around their necks to protect the throat.
The first cravats were wound around the neck and usually tied in a bow or with a black ribbon. In 1692, the Battle of Steinkirk (in Belgium) introduced a new fashion. The French cavalry, surprised by the enemy, rushed to the attack with the ends of their cravats flying or carelessly twisted and drawn through a buttonhole. The casual style popularized by their victory was taken up by women as well as men.
For several decades following, the cravat gave way to a neck cloth that was pre-folded and fastened in back – the stock. In the 1770s, a vogue for pastoral English tastes brought back the unconstructed cravat in the form of a large triangle or square of the finest linen or muslin.
After 1830 the collar began to turn down over the cravat, which evolved into the bow tie, the ascot, and the four-in-hand.
Today, the cravat is fashionable for men and women. It can compliment your outfit, provide a splash of color, and keep your neck warm. My British father-in-law wore one nearly everyday of the winter – under his dress shirts or denim work shirts. It gave him an air of gentility, and is a fun and useful accessory. The instructions provided below create a cravat similar to what he wears, or you can download them here. Simple to make and simple to wear, this pattern is a fun and quick make - a great holiday gift for anyone in your life.
Construction
The size and shape of cravats have varied over the centuries. In their earliest manifestation (c. 1680), they consisted of a rectangular strip of very fine lawn, the ends often trimmed with lace. By the end of the 18th century, a folded square or triangle had been adopted, folded into a band, with endless varieties and subtleties of knots. Early in the 19th century, cravats were pre-knotted and mounted on a fixed collar that fastened in the back by a button or a pin, although free-tying cravats were still used. Folkwear also offers the triangular cravat pattern in our 217 Poet's Shirt pattern, which is a versatile and adaptable for modern fabrics and fashions.
Choose fabrics that are fine, soft, and have a good drape. Often, modern cravats are made with paisley print silk or other printed patterned silk, with a soft and plain colored cotton lawn as backing.
This cravat
This cravat pattern is based on cravats my father-in-law wore all winter. They are made of silk paisley print and cotton fabric. They are pleated in the center for ease of wear and are very stylish. You can see the way he ties and wears his cravat at the end of this post.
Seam allowance for this pattern is 1/4".
MATERIALS
CUTTING AND MARKING
Wash and press fabric before beginning.
Cut one rectangle each from the silk and cotton measuring 42" long by 6" wide, each. To see pattern drawings, you can view or download this article as a PDF here.
Note: Most markings can be made just on the cotton piece (which can be a plain color and therefore easier to see markings). Use tailor's chalk, or your favorite marking pen/chalk/pencil/etc.
Mark a line across the center of the fabric (across your fabric at 21"). Line is perpendicular to the long sides.
Make two more lines, one 6 3/4" on each side of this center line. These will be your stitching lines when sewing down the pleats.
Mark a line, perpendicular to the long edge, 3 1/2" from each end of the long rectangle.
Mark the center of each short end of the rectangle and draw a line from the center to 1/4" inside the above line, on each side, to form a triangle. Transfer these diagonal lines to the other side of the fabric also. You will be stitching along these lines in the next step.
SEWING THE CRAVAT
Use 1/4" seam allowance.
Place right sides of fabrics together (I would consider the chalk marked side of the cotton to be the "right side"). Pin and sew 1/4" seam allowance on the long sides of the cravat. At the short ends, sew along 3 of the 4 diagonal lines formed in the previous step.
Turn right sides out. Press so that the ends form a nice flat triangle. You will be hand stitching one side end closed later.
Now it is time to form the pleats.
Draw, with chalk, horizontal lines every 1/2" from the top edge, going perpendicular to the 3 center lines. These marking lines should only go from the left-hand vertical line, crossing the center, to the right-hand vertical line. They do not need to go further.
Start folding from the top, place each horizontal line on the second one below it, so that you have 3 horizontal pleats. Press pleats.
Stitch across pleats along the 3 vertical stitching lines, backstitching at beginning and end to secure thread.
Whipstitch diagonal end closed.
How to wear:
This is how my father-in-law ties and wears his cravats.
First, hang this cravat around the back of your neck with one end shorter than the other.
Then, wrap the longer end around the shorter end two times.
Then, tuck the long end behind the wrap and bring it to the front and tuck it into the font of your shirt.
Looking for some small gifts for your sewing friends (or yourself)? We have some suggestions for fun and unique things in our store that make perfect stocking stuffers and sewing-friend presents. And, did I mention these are all less than $20 . . . ?
Pattern Tracing Fabric (Swedish Tracing Paper) and Removable Tape. These two are wonderful for any sewist (or sewer?), making pattern tracing and drafting so much easier! I use these for nearly all of my sewing projects.
Asian Knot Templates: button, tear-drop, flower. With these three templates, anyone can make buttons, embellishments, zipper pulls, tassels, and other fun finishes for sewing projects.
Bias Tape Makers: Make your own 1/4", 1/2", or 3/4" bias tape from your own fabric with these nifty little bias tape makers. I love my bias tape maker and use it all the time to make beautiful edge finishes or ribbons with my favorite fabrics.
Organic Eri Silk Embroidery Thread: A beautiful embroidery thread that is perfect for
handwork on any garments (especially Folkwear!). And feel good about using organic silk that has been naturally dyed! Comes in madder red and indigo blue - from Botanica Tinctoria.
Fun patterns to give as gifts:
109 Little Folks - for anyone expecting a baby (or grandbaby or niece or nephew) in the next year. Give this with a yard of special fabric and sweet trim = perfect (and really fun) gift!
129A Japanese Tabi - a fun and unusual pattern. Great for men or women! Again, include some interesting fabric (less that 1 yard is needed) for a fun present.
269 Metropolitan Hat - hat patterns are always a good bet, especially for a friend who loves them. Include a fun hat embellishment (one that you made, perhaps) to complete this gift.
Winter is full of holidays and holiday events that call for slightly more formal or festive attire than what we normally don. Below, we have some suggestions that may help with the age-old question of, "What should I wear?". These suggestions range from more formal ensembles to separates that can add a pick me up to the classic staple pieces in your wardrobe. And, we are including fabric suggestions and sources for each pattern. We hope you feel fabulous at the many events from the office party to parade, or from a ceremony to celebration. Whatever tradition you follow, we wish you warmth and joy!
We all have our favorite go-to basics. Here are some ideas to refresh your style!
The Nepali Blouse is traditionally made of velvet. Need I say more? This wrap and tie blouse drapes nicely and is a great pick me up for any closet. This could be dressed up or down to suit your needs.
Stone Mountain and Daughter Fabrics has some beautiful silk/rayon velvets that would be perfect!
126 Vests form Greece and Poland
The mid-calf Greek vest stands out to me the most. It would be great in various fabrics ranging from lighter weight to a sturdy wool or blend. I've been noticing a lot of longer jackets and dusters this fall, so this is very on-trend!
Vogue Fabrics has beautiful wool boucle coating, designer wool fabric, and wool flannel.
This pattern has so much potential for expressing your creativity and style. Try this pattern to create a one of a kind wearable art piece with function and style that is perfect for the holidays!
Let you imagination run wild with this one! Hand-woven pieces are great in this; holiday themed are fun; or make from some classic, dark wool solids.
The Chinese Jacket pattern is a versatile design. The pattern features three lengths. It that could be constructed in a vibrant, rich colored silk to wear as a top or even a lightweight wool as outerwear.
This beautiful pattern can be crafted to a more formal garment if desired. The tunic has the flow of a dress and the pants drape nicely underneath. Gorgeous in a silk brocade, and certainly a showstopper at your holiday gathering.
Marcy Tilton has some gorgeous brocades that would be fabulous for this pattern (or for the 114 Chinese Jacket above). Fabric for this pattern should be more flowing, or have more drape, than fabric for 114 Chinese Jacket.
I can't stop envisioning this dress in a silk velvet. The option of hemming to "street-length" would modernize the look as well.
Michael Levine has a huge selection of silk velvets (at a reasonable price).
This pattern would be lovely in a lightweight wool or corduroy. The pattern can be made as a dress or shirt. It also has great potential for handwork and decorative stitching - perfect to add winter or holiday themed embroidery. If you have any mother-child pairs,the 110 Little Kittel pattern is just a child-sized version of this.
Beautiful wale corduroys at Harts Fabric, here.
This elegant dress is a stunning option. It can be made as knee length, mid-calf, or ankle length. This would be a lovely vintage look to ring in the New Year with style.
Perfect in a rayon crepe, like these from Harts Fabric.
Who's ready for some fun? This pattern already has the instructions for an alpine applique! Or make your own holiday applique for this skirt (ornaments, tree, snowflakes, etc.). Perfect for any event where festive clothes are needed! The sweater will keep you warm on cool days (also come with a winter scene!).
Fun holiday themed fabrics here from Fabric Depot would work for making the skirt, or shirt, or for making a cute applique.
Here in Western North Carolina we are feeling the season change. The days are are shortening, the evenings are cool, and the leaves have turned and are dropping. So, naturally we start looking ahead to the cozy months, months of sewing and creativity . . . and of course the Holidays! Below, we have a list of wonderful gift ideas that you can make from Folkwear patterns so you can get a jump start on your handmade holiday gifts.
Quick for Children:
109 Little Folks PDF Pattern
An international collection, featuring eight(!) patterns and a variety of optional handwork techniques. This pattern is no longer available as a paper pattern, but we have an easy to use PDF available! Dress your sweeties up in a Japanese Kintaro, Mexican Dress or Baby Shirt, Korean Booties, Nepali Chupa, Moroccan Djellaba, or Turkish Tunic and Bloomers. These are easy and quick patterns, and you can make them more personalized with embroidery, homemade tassels, or other handwork which are included in the instructions (or adorable monograms).
225 Childhood Dreams (image above)
Although, this pattern cam be made for day dresses of even special occasions, it also has all the makings for a really nice nightgown. The choice of fabric and trim can change the look and use of this garment. It was always a Christmas Eve tradition in my family to open a gift of new sleepwear. This has carried on from my parents to my children. This would be a perfect pattern for that tradition.
What traditions do you have for family's Holiday?
Wearable and Quick with Little-to-No Sizing or Fitting Required
I'm a sucker for a great hat! It's always fun to find one that is both interesting and practical. This patterns shows options for decorative fabric rosettes that can be fashioned out of the hat fabric, contrasting materials such as lace, tulle, or glittering silk, or entirely replaced by a vintage brooch or dramatic button. This pattern can be made in 3 sizes, and there are just three pattern pieces: Brim, Band, and Crown. Constructing this in a wool or felt will certainly help keep your loved one warm!
For the person who has everything! This unique gift provides warmth and protection for the toes with flip flops or by themselves as comfortable at-home slippers to protect your floors. Traditional to Japan . . . . A quick, easy, and inexpensive gift!
You can make three garments from this pattern - all of them easy to fit (with lots of ease built into the patterns). The Hapi is a shorter, unlined cardigan-type jacket that is easy to sew. The Haori is slightly longer, lined, and similar to a kimono. This pattern also comes with the Japanese Tabi sock pattern. These are great garments to make for women or men (sized for both), and are perfect lounge-wear, though I made a Hapi for myself that I use as a light jacket to wear out and about.
This classic pattern is for an unlined kimono (yukata) and is a great gift for anyone (sized for women and men). Our pattern includes instructions for shibori dyeing, sashiko embroidery (image above), and for making an obi or sash. So, you can make this a unique gift.
A unique gift, this cape is dramatic when worn un-traditionally over modern clothing. On trend right now too! Our pattern details different ways of wearing and draping the finished garment. No fitting required - just a vision and some great fabric.
For the Home:
This pattern has 7 parts to choose from. The piece that really stands out for me (sweet and simple) is the Potpourri Sachet! This would be a fun thing to make and have for quick gifts for friends and family - and you can use up your awesome fabric scraps. There is a recipe for the potpourri blend or you can get creative with your own blend.
This pattern has 5 parts to choose from. The Teddy Bear would be so sweet with many fabric choices. The Pillow Sham has great potential for customization with fabric choice, added embroidery, or applique. Kids love gifts with their name or favorite things featured on them. The size of the Quilt would make a nice throw for anywhere in the home (not limited to cribs)!
This popular pattern has 8 parts to choose from. The pattern includes tips for handwork and dyeing techniques. The Decorative Curtains (Noren) would be a great way to show off some of your handwork skills! There are 3 different shapes of pillows to choose from as well. An adaptation for these could be to make them heat friendly (filling with buckwheat or rice and dried herbs), and use them to warm up on a chilly day! Or, do your own indigo dying and make the pillow covers or quilt. Oh, did I mention Quilted Sleeping Kimono adaptation instructions using 113 Japanese Kimono?
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We hope this helps you with some great ideas for gifts to make your friends and family this holiday season. To make it easier for you, all of these patterns will be on sale through November! And, keep a look out for our Black Friday/Cyber Monday sales at the end of the month.
And, we would love to see what you make! Tag us on social media (#folkwearpatterns) or send an email!
Happy sewing!!
I was inspired by Etro's 2017 fall ready-to-wear collection, especially this dress that looked so much like our Afghan Nomad Dress.
So, I thought I would try to make my own! When I was in NYC in August I found some beautiful Liberty fabric at a great price at Mood. I also found a few yards of beautiful, wide embroidered silk trim at Virgin Fabrics in the Garment District. Then, Rachel at Botanica Tinctoria sent me indigo-dyed organic cotton crocheted lace. A vision was starting to come together.
I use our 107 Afghan Nomad Dress pattern and made a few alterations. First, I shortened the skirt to my knees and took out a lot of the skirt bulk. I used maybe half to 2/3 the amount of a traditional Afghan nomad dress. I just did not need or want that much bulk for a shorter skirt (also the fabric was expensive enough that I thought I could do with using less!). And, I think I probably could have used even less width in the skirt, especially since it is a little bit of a heavier fabric than the lightweight, translucent lawn I used for sleeve and bodice, and doesn't drape as close to the body. I also flipped the back to be the front (and front to be the back) because I like the neckline of the slit in the front.
I started by sewing the embroidered trim onto the bodice (by machine). Then, I hand-stitched the crocheted lace between the trims and at the bottom. The bodice already had the center slash cut into it, so I was just stitching on top as if it was not there.
I then I cut the slash at the top of the bodice for the neckline through the trim, and tacked the back, or lining, of the bodice to the front bodice piece. From there, I just followed the pattern instructions. I did a blind hem stitch on the bottom edge.
I love how it turned out - love the colors - and it is very comfortable.
Anyone else inspired to make their own Afghan Nomad Dress?
