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Scroop Patterns + Virgil’s Fine Goods Call for Testers

UPDATE: Applications are now closed.

Amber  and I have a fabulous new 18th century pattern almost finished, so we need testers to help us make it as fabulous as possible!  

We’ve already asked a number of testers with specialised skills, so we’re only looking for a few extra testers. If you’d like to be one of them, keep reading to learn more, and how to apply…

The Pattern:

A fashionable jacket suitable for 1775-1795, with two skirt options, two sleeve options, and two front options, all of which can be mixed and matched!

Testers:

This is an advanced pattern, and we’re looking for testers with prior historical sewing experience. 

Testers MUST have the correct undergarments already. As part of the application you’ll need to have a photo of yourself in 1775-1795 suitable stays that you can send us a link to.

To be a tester you will need to:

  • Be able to print patterns in A4, A0, US Letter or US full sized Copyshop paper sizes
  • Have the time to sew up the item. You’ll have one week to sew a toile and check the initial fit, and a further three weeks to make a finished jacket, photograph it, and provide feedback (for reference, Leimomi was able to sew View A by hand in 16 hours)
  • Be able to photograph your make being worn, and be willing for us to share your photos on this blog and instagram.
  • Provide clear feedback
  • Agree to a confidentially agreement regarding the pattern

We would hugely appreciate it if testers would share their finished make once the pattern launches, but this is not mandatory.  We’re asking for TESTERS, not marketers.  

As always we’re looking for a range of testers. We need a spread of geographical location, body type, sewing experience, and personal style.

The Timeline:

Materials:

If you’re selected to test we’ll let you know and send you the materials requirements, line drawings, and the full pattern description by 12 noon NZ time on Friday the 16th of October.  This is Thur the 15th for most of the rest of the world.

Patterns:

We will send out a digital copy of the pattern to testers before 10pm NZ time on Monday the 26th of October.

Testing & Reviewing:

As this is a pretty time intensive pattern, testing will go for a month. We will ask for a toile check in one week in.

Testers will have until 10pm NZ time on Mon the 2nd of November to do an initial toile of the jacket and respond to the initial set of testing questions.

We’ll need testers to be finished with their jacket and provide photos and feedback by 10pm on Mon the 23rd of November

What you get:

Pattern testers will get a digital copy of the final pattern, lots of thanks, and features on my blog and our IGs.

Hope to hear from you!

A Chintz Robe for Lynne

Hurrah! Comments are back! Thanks to some awesome work by my brilliant webmaster, who figured out what the error was and did the way-beyond-my-capabilities fix that was needed, you can now see comments, and have conversations, and do all that stuff that makes blogging good.

To celebrate, a blog post about someone who I met because they are an awesome commenter & community member.

Lynne’s been following my blog and commenting and supporting since the very early days of my blogging. She joined back when the blogging world was tiny, and you felt like you knew everyone. It was so long ago going to meet an internet person in person was totally normal and not scary and potentially dangerous!

So when Lynne asked me to come visit her, I went – and she’s been my costuming fairy godmother ever since. I had two lovely long visits amidst her beautiful gardens in Ashburton. I’ve since made lots of things from the gorgeous fabrics she’s gifted me (like this fur muff, and the wool for the fantail skirt I’m wearing in these photos, and the wool for my Waiting for Bluebells dress).

She moved up to Christchurch and I’ve been wanting to go visit. At the end of August a work trip and minimal Covid restrictions in Wellington & Christchurch came together to allow me to spend four fabulous days with her.

In addition to lots of talking about books, enjoying her new garden, and sharing recipes and film recommendations, I made her a robe.

Making Lynne wrappers is what I do when I visit her. I like a good tradition!

A chintz robe thedreamstress.com

She’s been tinkering with a robe pattern for years, getting it just right. I used her pattern as a base, and made some further adjustments she’s been thinking of. The fabric is a lush Indian block printed chintz.

A chintz robe thedreamstress.com

It’s heavily based on traditional Japanese kimono patterning, but with more of an overlap, alterations to the sleeves, and all machine sewn.

A chintz robe thedreamstress.com

I’m an active relaxer, and I prefer hanging out with people and doing things. It was perfect to be sitting in her lounge cutting or stitching along on her lovely Bernina while chatting.

We taught Jack, her cat, how to be a sewing cat.

A chintz robe thedreamstress.com

He had no experience in that area, and wasn’t sure about this new role, but he caught on quickly He mastering the basics of lying on fabric right when your person wants to cut it, rucking up the neatly spread out fabric, trying to eat the sewing scissors, and chasing extra fabric strips.

A chintz robe thedreamstress.com

Clever boy!

A chintz robe thedreamstress.com

I hope Lynne enjoys the robe in Christchurch’s hot summers.

A chintz robe thedreamstress.com
@Mieh1973 Scroop Te Aro

The Te Aro Dress & Top Tester Makes!

Pssst, don’t forget that the Te Aro Dress & Top is 25% off for another 2 days only! 

Te Aro Dress & Top ScroopPatterns.com

A big shout out to the fabulous group of testers who helped with the Te Aro pattern. I had a lot of ideas with this pattern (there were so many view options!), and a fantastic testing group really helped me to refine it down, to polish off the rough bits, and to get it just right as a pattern.

Testers help ensure that a pattern fits just right on a wide range of bodies. They follow the instructions and let me know if they are clear, and will make sense to the average sewist across the world. They point out all the bits I could make better — and the patterns are better for all their input. 

And they provide lots of inspiration of fabrics and notions! (so dangerous — I go away wanting a half dozen more versions to use all their ideas!)

Here are the tester makes!

Mie of @mieh1973

Mie mixed it up her Te Aro, combining the View A length, the View B sleeves, and the View C neckline, for a completely custom look.

@Mieh1973 Scroop Te Aro
@Mieh1973 Scroop Te Aro
@Mieh1973 Scroop Te Aro

Her thoughts on the pattern? All in all: I love it. I love the different shapes, the different possibilities to “play around” with the pattern. And it is a very quick and fun project.

Denise of @Dismara

Denise did the absolute cutest thing I have ever had a tester do. She made a Te Aro…and then she made a matching one for her adorable dog, Marshmallow!

@dismara Te Aro Dress & Top

She made View A. And Marshmallow’s is, of course, the very special View D for doggie!

@dismara Te Aro Dress & Top

Denise’s comments on the pattern were “super comfortable and super customizable.  I am so very pleased with the sizing  I love it and will definitely make more.

Becky of @allhandsatelier

Becky is another one who customised her Te Aro test, combining the View B length, with the View A sleeves – and then making it even more unique by adding the pockets from Views A & C!

@allhandsatelier Scroop Te Aro Top

Can we talk about how amazing the orange bindings and hem facings are?

@allhandsatelier Scroop Te Aro Top

I love her versions, and she was happy too, saying: “I really enjoyed this pattern and will probably live in it all winter!  I will likely need to make several more too.”

Janet @sew_sister

Janet made her View A version of the Te Aro in record time, in the most deliciously comfy looking sweatershirting. Her fuchsia lining definitely influenced the black & white striped sample I made!

Janet Scroop Te Aro Dress
Janet Scroop Te Aro Dress

She reports that the Te Aro fits better than her similar RTW dress.

Big Happy Beautiful Sewing

As soon as I sew this testers blog I knew I wanted her as part of the group: such a fun, enthusiastic approach to sewing!

BigHappyBeautifulSewing Scroop Te Aro Dress

She chose View C with the View B sleeves.

BigHappyBeautifulSewing Scroop Te Aro Dress

She says: “Loved sewing it. It was a quick sew. An easy sew too. Loved the way the pocket was constructed. The only thing I don’t like about this dress is the fabric I choose. I used very soft and thin cotton jersey. I bought it online specifically for this make and it turned out thinner than I had in mind.” Although the fabric is thinner than she wanted, it’s still a beautiful make!

Adele of @adelebagalini

Adele made View C with View A sleeves in a lovely dark red jersey with a beautiful drape

@adelebagalini Scroop Te Aro

She also had all sorts of fabulous ideas on what to do with the pattern: I really like it! It’s really versatile! You can wear it alone and it is a perfect dress to lounge around in, or you can fancy it up with some accessories and go to a nice dinner out. You can even put a belt or cincher on top… I also like the quickness! It is really a dress that you can see in one day.

Rachelle of @sewsable

Rachelle made up View C, pairing a beautiful wool jersey with a striking floral for her sleeves.

@sewsable Scroop Te Aro Dress
@sewsable Scroop Te Aro Dress

A huge thank you to all the testers for their incredible work! I so appreciate it 🦋