It's safe to say I'm a fan of Papercut Patterns. They were one of the first independent pattern companies I discovered when I ventured beyond the big commercial brands and I've now made seven of their patterns. And extra kudos to Papercut because they're re-releasing their patterns in size-inclusive Curve versions!
I like a versatile pattern and the Sequence pattern can be made as either a top or a dress. But what really drew me to trying it out is the fact that it's designed so you can wear the wrap in the front or the back. I tried on a dress at Gorman a couple of years ago with the same feature and loved it but didn't buy it (figuring I could just make my own) so when I came across the Sequence I knew I had to give it a try.
I started off by making a wearable toile in December in a sheer black striped polyester (and with custom long, gathered sleeves) to wear for an orchestra concert. I happily wore it for the performance, but it did give me a couple of notes for changes when it came to making the "real deal".
To start, the arm scyes are cut a little too sharply-angled for my body and I really needed a little more room around the backs of my shoulders. Thankfully, because the Sequence can be worn either way around, I could wear it with the wrap in the back without pulling across my shoulder blades (unfortunately it does mean I can't wear this iteration of the garment with the wrap in the front - although having it in the back looks very elegant so I'm certainly not mad). This was easily fixed the second time around - I just cut out a couple of extra cm around the curve of the arm holes.
The other conundrum I had was the wraps themselves. The pattern is designed so that you cross over the top and then knot the ties without actually wrapping them around your body. While this creates a really nice drape, I found that it was a little too loose for me while the ties stayed too long to be practical for a performance outfit. I also found that by tying them in this way the top layer would ride up exposing the under layer in an odd way.
Since my personal preference is to have ties wrapped around my waist, I decided to simply change where the second tie (the one not attached to a wrap) is connected. The written instructions have it coming from the left side seam, but by switching it across to the right I can get my secure wrap, smooth lines, and it also solves my issue of the top layer riding up.
Now? It's gorgeous, it's floaty and comfortable, and I'm wondering why I waited so long to add a wrap top to my wardrobe. I'll definitely be making the full dress version soon; I already have the fabric and everything!
Oh, did I mention this is make 2/9 for my 2022 #makenine? It's still only January and I've already crossed two off my list!
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