The French-Fold Shrug

 

Short pieces of round elastic are zig-zagged onto the silk as surface design and a simple tie closure

 

New Pattern Release: The French-Fold Shrug, is an elegant shape based on a double fold and 2 easy cuts. Used in bookbinding, my version of the french-fold offers 2 length options. The hemlines and the angle of the second folds create unique silhouette shapes. 

 

 

FABRICS for Shrugs- 

 

Double-sided fabrics, ponte knits, ethnic fabrics like Kantha Cloth or pieced vintage fabrics with  embroidered pieces would make a great French-Fold Shrug. Wear it with a scarf, or a cozy collar band can be added as an accent on a soft wool shrug. Your fabrics can suggest the direction you take your first shrug design. Gayle Ortiz created this long version above, in a textured brown woven. A single layer using the raw edges are a playful, casual finish. The front edges create a lapel as they fold back.  

 

Japanese Fabrics are perfect for this summer, cotton version-

 

 

This long version of the French-Fold Shrug was 'constructed' primarily with fusible tricot.

 

New Construction with fusibles- This knit version was an easy quick sew using a black tricot fusible doing double-duty as a stablizer, 2 seams and facings. As a facing, the fusible tricot gives a clean flat finish to this knit. 

 

The fusible was used on the inside to finish the sleeve ends, the fronts edges and hold the lower flaps in place.

 

Adding a fusible facing is easy: #1 Sew right sides together along the edge. #2 Turn to inside and press to hold in place.

 

At the neck edge, the fusible can be used to re-enforce the corners.

Interesting selvedges on some fabrics can be the perfect accent. For this shrug design, the selvedges are used along the hem edges and the outside edges on a band added to the neck edge. 

 

Sleeve Ends- This garment can be a 3/4 length sleeve, or a longer wrist finish- Your fabric width can determine the sleeve length, or bands or cuffs can be added. On this shrug, The shaped cuff shown was added to finish the sleeve end and give a fold-back detail. 

 

This shaped cuff was added to the sleeve end-

Folding  flaps back in the same direction creates a slit on the side- This Indigo & White piece was detailed with ties, subtle stamped images and handstitching-

 

 

The back detail can be an unexpected accent- a treat for the eye as you exit

 

Adding pleats, tucks or folds to shrug back- The weight and drape of the fabric may determine whether the back needs to be drawn in. Let the fabric suggest the direction for finishing the shape of back: Soft pleats? Angled stitched asymmetrical folds? Inverted tucks? 

Sharing the garments from this new French-Fold Shrug pattern remind me that an inviting silhouette is an ever expanding canvas for more ways to design and wear beautiful fabric! Enjoy Creating, Diane

 

Intrigued by the concept of folding in your sewing? 

These are my other patterns designed around folding: The Creative Companion- (A studio vest with multiple folded pockets) The Nuevo Shirt (with a folded, asymmetrical front) and The River Tunic.