/ Amber
Blogpost

Summer Uniform: Amber + Onyx

Although my handmade summer wardrobe already contains many handmade items at this point, that doesn’t mean I should stop making, right? And one thing I definitely don’t have enough of, is summer trousers. So I made myself a new pair, and I’ve already been living in them these past weeks. I also modified my cropped Onyx Top, by just adding panels at the hem. I haven’t been wearing crop tops a whole lot, and I just hate to see this bright pink linen go to waste. I used the pattern pieces I still had from my colour-blocked Onyx Top, so it was a simple modification. You can find the tutorial for that here.

Tutorials

How to Sew Fabric Covered Elastic Cuffs

Spring has finally arrived! I was going through my summer wardrobe last week and although I have a large handmade collection, another pair of summer trousers was lacking. I had just the right fabric in my stash for another pair of Amber Trousers, and I thought it would be fun to try something else this time, so I added fabric covered elastic cuffs. I loved this look on some RTW trousers I saw, and also a pair by Baste + Gather. You need to hack the pattern just a little and take some measurements, but other than that it’s a pretty simple addition and it gives the Amber quite a different look. I thought you might like to do this yourself, so I made a tutorial.

Blogpost

What You Made: Spring Edition

As you’ve probably heard from every pattern designer, seeing what people make with your patterns is just the best. Which is why Me Made May is even more exciting for us, because everyone is posting outfit posts daily, and there are always so many new makes to discover. I’ve gathered my favourites here, I hope you find some inspiration for your next projects! You can find more on our Pinterest board, and if you’d like to be featured here just tag us @paprikapatterns on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram.

Tutorials

How to Fit Amber & Ruby

Fitting trousers is different from other garments mainly because of the crotch area – there’s just a lot going on there: four seams intersecting, one cilinder becoming two, a back that needs more room than a front. All kinds of fit issues are possible: different butt shapes, different thigh circumferences, a long or short rise, even different pubis bone shapes. Fortunately, with the Amber Trousers the only two areas you need to pay attention to are the fit of the yokes and the crotch. The legs are not close fitting so it’s not likely you’ll have to do much fitting there. In this post I’ll give you some tips on how to go about fitting the Amber Trousers and I’ll list some good resources too.

Blogpost

Amber Outfit Inspiration

Today I’ve gathered some Amber Trousers inspiration for you guys. A nice collection of styles to emulate but without the endless Pinterest scrolling! What I love about these trousers is that they are so versatile when it comes to styling. You could go any which way, from super casual to super chique. First by choosing the right fabric, from a printed rayon to a plain linen, the by pairing it the right way, from an oversized sweater to a dressy blouse. I hope this will give you some ideas on how to incorporate the Amber into your wardrobe.

Also: don’t forget they’re on sale, 20% off for just a few more days!

Tutorials

How to Sew an Invisible Zip (With Lining)

I remember my first attempt at an invisible zip: I didn’t know you needed a special foot, and as a result it turned out quite visible. If you’ve never sewn one either, I hope this tutorial will make your first try more successful! We’ll walk through the process step by step, and I’ve included a method to attach a lining as well. I’ll demonstrate it with the Amber Trousers, and we’ll follow those instructions. You can use it for any pattern that requires an invisible zip though. It is not a very complicated process but this tutorial is a bit long nonetheless, since I wanted to include a lot of photos. If you have any questions, leave a comment!

Blogpost

Amber: Recommended Fabric

If you’re about to make the Amber Trousers, you probably have an idea in mind of what style you’re going for. Should they be casual or formal, easy summer pants or chique evening wear, do you want them to hold their shape or drape around your legs? Whichever it will be, the outcome will be determined by which view you choose and which fabric. In this post I’ll give you some good resources to find the right fabric and discuss which fabrics are most suitable for which looks.