Zero waste cutting has surged in popularity as consumers increasingly prioritise sustainability. Not only are fashion designers incorporating low or zero waste practices into their garment creation, but hobby sewists are also embracing this eco-friendly approach.
Zero waste carries profound cultural and communal significance. It's not just about the historical efficiency of home production in creating zero waste garments, but also about the intention for these clothes to be passed down through generations or shared with others, irrespective of size or shape. This echoes a tradition of sustainability and community in fashion.
Similar to playing Tetris or solving puzzles, figuring out the most efficient way to wrap the body with a limited piece of cloth, zero waste adds a fun twist to the sewing game. And here's the kicker – no need to stress about the fit because most zero waste or low waste cutting is one size fits all (or almost all).
However, zero waste isn't all about boxy clothes made from basic shapes. Fashion experts like Holly McQuillan and Timo Rissanen are turning zero waste into a blend of art and science. Whether you're into sustainability, want to use up every bit of your favourite fabric, or just need a quick project without worrying about fit, zero waste can be the perfect solution.
If you're curious, let me introduce you to the Kolachky Kaftan – a project I'm thrilled to share along with its sewing instructions.
I developed this pattern as part of a Fashion Technology curriculum for a university course. The idea was to show students how simple yet effective engineering solutions around us can inspire zero waste designs.
Now, why "Kolachky Kaftan"? Well, imagine the various shapes of pastries – how they're folded, fused, and tucked to secure the filling during cooking. That's where I drew my inspiration. I observed these pastry techniques, compared them to the shapes of the human body, and that became my starting point.
One standout folding technique involves bringing square corners to the centre.This square shape not only efficiently envelops the body (picture a cuboid at the shoulder smoothly transitioning into a cylinder under the ribcage) but also elegantly drapes on the body, all thanks to utilising the bias on all sides of the square.
The outcome? Beautifully draped shoulders, cascading sleeves, and a graceful fluidity of movement – all achieved by leveraging the bias, one of my favourite techniques in apparel pattern engineering! 🌈👚✨
FABRIC. Fluid and drapey wovens without elastane work best for this style. The exact usage depends on whether you will add the gathered tier and how you decide to finish the neckline (bias binding or facing). With a 35cm gathered skirt and neckline facing, my total usage was 245cm (Body 140cm + Gathered tier 37cm x 2, Neckline facing approximately 30cm in length, but plenty of fabric will be left from the width).
BODY. Make sure to trim off the selvedge and level any irregularities on the fabric cut, ensuring that you have a precise 140x140 cm (approximately 55x55 inches) measurement for your Kolachky Kaftan main body.
Find and mark the centre of the square. You can achieve this by folding the opposite edges from left to right and then from top to bottom. The right corner of the resulting folded square, now 1/4 of the original size, becomes the centre of your piece. Mark it by pressing with your fingers to create a crease or use tailor's chalk.
Lay the fabric wrong side up. Fold all corners to the marked centre, ensuring the resulting square is straight at the sides. If your fabric is drapey, the sides may tend to shift and become irregular, so take your time to ensure they are straight.
The resulting square defines your garment shape, with the top layer having seams going in X directions as your front. If your fabric has a directional or placement print instead of an all-over 4-way print, you can decide at this point how you want your print to be placed on the kaftan. One of the sides of the square should be cut along the fold. This will become the hem.
The opposite fold of the hem is your shoulder side. Mark this fold line with chalk. Mark the centre line as well. As later you will use these lines to align your neckline.
MARKING THE ARMHOLES. Next, mark the two remaining corners where the folds meet. These will serve as the points for the back armholes. From these points, offset 20cm towards each side; these marks determine the armhole size. I estimate this measurement will cover the sizes up to XXL. However, you can baste the front seams and try on the kaftan after you finish the neckline, to see if the armhole opening is sufficient for your comfort.
NECKLINE. Here is the neckline marking diagram to follow. You can cut this shape and bias-bind the neckline, especially if your fabric is less drapey and stable, such as linen or cotton. Alternatively, you can make a bias facing which offers a low-waste version of the kaftan. It also gives support and padding to the neckline area, which is important on drapey fabrics cut on the bias.
If you are making the faced neckline (recommended), mark the neckline (either wrong or right side of the fabric), but don't cut.
Facing rectangle is 30cm x 35cm and it also needs to be cut on the bias, to match with the neckline. Trace the same neckline shape on the wrong side of the facing, in the middle.
To prepare the edge finishes of the facing, fold all sides in towards the wrong side by 1cm, baste, and then press. Place the facing right sides together with the body, aligning both neckline tracings. Pin and baste in place. Machine stitch the neckline following the tracing line on the facing side.
Cut a T shape inside the neckline. Also, make snips toward the curved sides of the side necklines to ensure the seam allowances spread out when you turn the neckline right side out.
After turning the neckline, press. Lay the fabric flat, basting the facing in place with multiple rows, similar to pad stitching.
Because bias fabric moves and shifts, it's crucial not to skip this step for a clean and even finish. Finally, topstitch with multiple rows or even decorative quilt stitches to secure the facing tightly to the main body.
Fold the collar outwards from the V base to the neckline sides. Press firmly at the base, but hover over with the steam function near the top section. This will give the collar a beautiful form.
Finish the armhole section (marked by the notches) by double turning and stitching at 5mm.
Join both armhole ends together (fabric right sides in) on one side and stitch one part of the front X seam.
Attach the hem triangle on the opposite side. After this, complete the remaining front X seam in one go, from the armhole to the hem.
Finish the hem with a similar double-turn finish as used on the armhole. Alternatively, add a gathered tier for a longer kaftan. I cut two 37cm panels for the front and back, each taking the entire width of the fabric (140cm), slightly gathered to fit the circumference of the kaftan.
I hope you have fun creating this kaftan! #kolachkykaftan @capsule.patterns