NEW WASHI PATTERN, coming soon!

Please note: The pattern previously known as “Washi” has been renamed “Trillium.” Read about the name change here. It’s the same lovely pattern, just with a new name!

For the last few years I've been working to update the Washi dress pattern -- my first, oldest, and most popular women's pattern -- with a new size range and additional bodice pieces for fuller busts.You can find out more about it on the Trillium (previously Washi) page. Since 2016, we've been releasing both new and old women's patterns in an expanded size range to include more sizes to allow even more folks to fit into my patterns. We've effectively more than doubled the original size range of the patterns with the new size chart, and I'm especially excited that we're doing that for this pattern.

I wanted to answer some of the questions I've gotten about the update as we've been working on it so you know what to expect. I also want to be as transparent as possible about the logistics of this particular update. Because…it’s complicated.

What is the new size range for this pattern?

The original pattern was sized for bust measurements 32-44" and hip measurements 35-46". The new version of the pattern will be sized to fit bust measurements 32-59" [83-145 cm] and hip measurements 34-59" [88-150 cm], effectively more than doubling the original range of the pattern. Waist is not a significant size chart measurement for this pattern as it is an empire-waisted style and is extra roomy through the waist.

What is different about this version?

The pattern pieces have changed as follows:
• two front bodice pattern pieces (A/B and C/D) and corresponding facings
• new size range, from six sizes to eleven sizes, roughly doubling the prior size range.
• the pocket piece is no longer attached to the skirt pieces (though you could easily attach it to the pattern pieces before cutting) due to fabric width issues.
• the bust dart now has a 1/2" seam allowance rather than the original 1/4" seam allowance
• the A/B bodice bust apex location has changed slightly from the original

The instructions have changed as follows:
• entire style and format of instructions have been updated to match our latest women's pattern format; including but not limited to the following changes:
• addition of metric system throughout pattern, including yardage
• new "Choose your size" section including finished measurements
• new “Adjust your pattern” section
• new cutting layouts (now includes 54" wide fabric)
• improved sewing instructions (reordered steps, more hints/alternative options)
• additional seam finishes appendix

Will it include a FBA?

Yes. The new bodice pattern piece (labeled "C/D" PLEASE NOTE THIS IS SEWING CUP NOT BRA CUP SIZE — more on this, soon, as I’ve noticed this is a common misconception among sewists) is adjusted from the original bodice piece for a fuller bust and will come in all of the included sizes. We've included a second set of bust measurements to the size chart to help you select the correct bodice piece. The C/D bodice has a second dart at the waist to add shaping. We also drafted a lower neckline and corresponding facing to complement the proportion of the new bodice piece (but if you prefer a higher neckline it's super easy to trace off of the other bodice piece and substitute that facing instead).

With that said, it will come as no surprise that (as with any fitted bodice) the addition of a new cup size does not guarantee that it will fit everyone. Those with bust measurements outside of the new bust range will still need to adjust the bodice piece accordingly; and of course as busts come in all sorts of shapes and heights many folks will still need to move the darts up, down, in or out to help reposition them. However, it is my sincere hope that the second bodice will get more folks within range or close.

Will there be a new Washi pattern in print?

Eventually yes, but at this point we do not have a new print version ready to go to press (or even close, to be honest), though we hope to offer this option in the future. For now there’s still a handful of the original print version left here at the studio, but we expect those to be sold out soon.

What about the Expansion Pack?

In 2013, I released a Washi “expansion pack” (a term I borrowed from the video gaming industry; this was the first “expansion pack” ever released for a sewing pattern to my knowledge, though now it’s become fairly common to release add-ons for sewing pattern across the indie sewing pattern industry). The XP included sleeve, collar, and bow pattern pieces, along with detailed instructions for lining, elastic casing, and gathering instead of pleats (you can see details on what it included in this blog post). We have not begun to redraft these pieces, so I do not know when the expansion pack will be relaunched in the new size range, or if we will find a different way to offer those options (like a workshop, blog post series, etc). Some of the pieces in the XP can still be used with the new pieces, but things like the collar for instance would need to be redrafted for the C/D bodice neckline.

Who will get the update?

This is a tough question to answer. While I would absolutely love to be able to provide a free version to every single person who has purchased this pattern (in any form, from any shop) in the past, one of the things that has been most difficult for me has been the realization that I might not actually have the capacity to do that, which comes down to logistics and our current limitations.

The reason for this is fairly simple: the Washi pattern has been around longer than just about any other women's PDF pattern out there. This is hard to remember, but in 2012 just selling it digitally online was an experiment. In the successive years since it launched, I tried at least 3 different digital delivery systems before landing on the one we now use to deliver patterns, it's been sold through multiple third-party sellers (many of which are now out of business), and it was our first pattern to go into print (since 2013 we've had at least 3 different print editions). The other women's patterns that we have updated (Luna, Ruby) were only ever sold through our current digital system, which made them far easier to resend as updates.

Thankfully, our download system allows us to automatically update and resend patterns, so rather than sell the pattern as an entirely new product, we will be able to -- if all goes as planned -- replace the older digital product so that as many folks as possible who purchased through my shop can get a free update.

This new version is a PDF update. Anyone who has purchased the PDF through my shop since around August 2014 will automatically receive an email update. If you purchased the pattern from my shop before that (2012-2014), we were using a different download system and you'll need to request an update using a the request form HERE.

If you purchased the pattern through a 3rd-party seller (such as Pattern Review or Backstitch), you'll need to contact the company you purchased it from to see if they are providing the update for free (which they may or may not) or if you will need to repurchase it.

If you purchased the print pattern and want the new PDF update, please consider purchasing it through my shop so that you have access to it and all future updates. If that’s not possible for you (those of you in a financial crunch, those who bought the print pattern but never fit into it - I see you), you can put in a request through our request form, but we cannot guarantee digital updates to print pattern owners. The print and PDF patterns are entirely separate products (free digital versions of the pattern are not included when you buy the print pattern), and we have no way to verify print purchases unless they were done through our shop, so it remains to be seen how or if we can offer this option somehow. We will continue to work on this but the best answer I have is that I don’t know yet.

Why is it taking so long?

Kidding, no one has asked this question, hee. But for pete’s sake it’s what I would be wondering, so I'm answering it, just in case you were thinking it but were too polite to ask.

As our oldest women's pattern, Washi is a bit of a pattern dinosaur and as such has presented a number of obstacles that have made this size update more complex, which is just one reason why it seems like it's taking ages to update. Washi was originally hand-graded and then digitized (so it's had to be entirely redigitized and regraded in CAD), and did not include metric or yardage for 54" fabric, just to name a couple of examples. Another reason is that adding another new bodice piece is quite a lot more involved than simply expanding a size range (though I hesitate to use "simply" as there is nothing "simple" about updating a size range). Another reason unrelated to the pattern is that COVID has severely decreased the time and mental space that Karen, Elli, and I (all mothers with school-aged children) and Jess (a grad student and soon-to-be professional therapist) have available to work on it. So all that to say: thank you for your patience with this project. I'm sorry it's taken so long.

Finally, if you’re interested in learning more about the pattern and its related tutorials, you can visit the Washi page.

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PS. The dress in this post is my most recent version of Washi - I chose the simple scoop neck option (rather than the cutout neckline) and cap sleeves, and is sewn in a double gauze fabric. It is finished with facings, not lined.