Hisako Sato graduated from the Fashion Design

program at Bunka Fashion College, Japan, in

1986, leaving to work for a major apparel
manufacturer. In 1990, she was appointed head Hisako Sato

of garment design at Muji, before becoming an

independent designer in 1993. In 1994, Hisako
Available for the first time in English, Drape
Sato made her debut at Tokyo Collection (now
Drape is the latest cult Japanese book from
Japan Fashion Week) with the Beige shop brand.
Bunka Fashion College.
She is currently producing new collections as a
designer for the Raw+ brand: www.rawtus.com
Easy to follow step-by-step instructions and
diagrams guide you through the creation of
17 fashionable draped designs. From basic
measurements and materials to beautifully
photographed design details and highly practical
techniques, this book contains all you need to
Now
i
Engli n
explore the art of draping.

sh
With 120 color illustrations and two full-scale
folded patterns.
Hisako Sato

Hisako Sato
For more information, or to order, go to
www.laurenceking.com

For our current catalogue please email I S B N 978-1-85669-841-2

sales@laurenceking.com 02495

9 781856 698412

www.laurenceking.com US$24.95
 Contents

Hisako Sato page 4 introduction

Hisako Sato graduated from the Fashion Design program at Bunka
Fashion College, Japan, in 1986, leaving to work for a major apparel page 6 how to make the garments
manufacturer. In 1990, she was appointed head of garment design at
Muji, before becoming an independent designer in 1993. In 1994, pages 5, 15, 16, 17, 18 no.1 loose drape top + tuck drape pants
Hisako Sato made her debut at Tokyo Collection (now Japan Fashion
Week) with the Beige shop brand. She is currently producing new
pages 20, 22, 24 no.2 gather drape cape jacket + gather drape pants
collections as a designer for the Raw+ brand: www.rawtus.com

pages 21, 26 no.3 drop-waist gather drape dress

pages 28, 30 no.4 panel drape dress

pages 29, 34, 35, 36 no.5 v-neck drape drape dress

Published in 2012 by pages 40, 41, 42 no.6 low-back gather drape dress
Laurence King Publishing Ltd
361–373 City Road pages 44, 45, 46 no.7 gather drape blouse
London EC1V 1LR
United Kingdom
Tel: + 44 20 7841 6900 pages 48, 49, 50 no.8 drape drape all-in-one
Fax: + 44 20 7841 6910
e-mail: enquiries@laurenceking.com pages 52, 53, 54 no.9 loose drape blouse
www.laurenceking.com

Drape Drape by Hisako Sato

pages 56, 57, 58 no.10 tuck drape dress
Copyright © Hisako Sato 2009
Original Japanese edition published by EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION BUNKA GAKUEN, pages 60, 62 no.11 loose flare drape dress
BUNKA PUBLISHING BUREAU.

This English edition is published by arrangement with EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION

pages 61, 66 no.12 drawstring-detail drape top
BUNKA GAKUEN, BUNKA PUBLISHING BUREAU, Tokyo, in care of Tuttle-Mori Agency,
Inc., Tokyo. pages 68, 69, 70 no.13 loose drape tank-top
Hisako Sato has asserted her right under the Copyright, Designs, and Patent Act 1988,
to be identified as the Author of this Work.
pages 72, 74 no.14 tuck drape lace tunic

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in pages 73, 76 no.15 loose drape frilled tunic
any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording or
any information storage and retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from
the publisher.
pages 78, 80 no.16 drape dress with gathered sleeves

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. pages 79, 84 no.17 goddess drape dress
ISBN: 978-1-85669-841-2

Typeface: Sabon and Syntax
Printed in China
 Folding a tuck
5 Basic sewing method for stretch materials
See no.16 drape dress with gathered sleeves, area A

In photograph 1, I have added precise cutting marks to

a piece of fabric that I am folding, using the pattern to Needle and thread
check the direction of the tucks. Align the raw edges of Make sure you have a needle and thread that are
the seam allowance carefully when making these folds designed specifically for use on stretch materials, as this
(photographs 2 and 3). Insert marking pins and tack will allow you to sew most stretch materials more
immediately along the seam allowance (photograph 4), easily. The sewing needle should be a ball-point needle
then fold area B in the same way (photographs 5 to 7). specially designed for knitted fabrics, which is long
Continue by folding C and D, paying careful attention from eye to tip (photograph 1). It will exert only a
to the variations in the direction of the tucks in each 6 light pressure on the material, making it easy to sew
case (photographs 8 and 9). and preventing the foundation yarn from breaking.
For the sewing thread, use Resilon or Leona 66, which
1 2
1 2 are specially designed for knitted textiles and, being
b made from nylon, will stretch ever so slightly to fit with
the movements of the fabric (photograph 2). Thread
a designed for non-knit fabrics will fail to stretch with
the material and result in broken yarn, so be sure to use
thread that is intended for use with knit fabric.
3
7
Upside
Standard, zigzag, and overlock-stitch
sewing machines
3
Although the designs can be sewn with just a standard
b
straight-line or zigzag sewing machine, soft, thin knit
a fabrics may contract when you run a zigzag machine
on them (photograph 3), so always do a test run
4 before you begin. In situations like this, finishing raw
edges by running a zigzag machine on a single layer of 4
fabric is probably best avoided. To finish raw edges, I
recommend an overlock-stitch machine (photographs 4
and 5), which will allow you to sew neatly and rapidly.
8 9
A coverstitch machine or specialist interlock sewing
machine (photograph 6) that allows you to over-edge
and lap-seam the raw edges in one go, such as when
taking the hem up on a T-shirt, will also be useful.
Tacking
A
This section describes the basic sewing method for each
type of sewing machine, so that you can choose the
5
one that suits the machine you have available to you.
D
B C

Gathering in 6
Sew large gathered stitches along the seam-allowance 10 11
side of the finishing line, and pull on either the needle
thread or the bobbin thread to gather the fabric.
Placing the fabric on an ironing mat and fixing the
other end of the thread with a marking pin will make it
easier to gather (photograph 10). Arrange the folds in
the gather, running an iron over the seam allowance to
Upside
flatten it down as you work (photograph 11).

10 11
 no.4 panel drape dress
Front Left side (for back see p. 32)

4 9
6
5
Required patterns (side B): 7
Front
1-1
front (align the panel, neck, hem, and hem sides),
(panel)
back (align the panel, neck, and hem),
panel loop, front facing, back facing, front lining, back lining.
12
Panel 3 1-1
Sewing instructions 4-1
* Attach fusible interlining to the
front and back facing.
1 Finish the perimeter of the front 7 6
and back panels with a threefold
Shoulder 4-1
edge-stitched seam (see figure 1
on p. 32). 7 8-1
2 Fold the tucks on the back bodice
Center Front
neckline (see figure 2 on p. 32). 1-2 front
3·9 (neckline)
3 Fold the tucks on the front bodice
neckline (see figure 3 on p. 32).
10
4 Sew up the shoulders on the
8
bodice and facing (see figure 4 on Back Front
(panel)
p. 33). (hem) 1-1
5 Make a loop for the panel and 8 1-2
tack onto the left shoulder (see
figure 5 on p. 33).
6 Edge-stitch (lap-seam) the
neckline with the facing (see
figure 6 on p. 33).
7 Edge-stitch (lap-seam) the Panel
armholes with the facing.
8 Sew the sides of the bodice and
a'
facing so they are adjoining, 4-1 11
11
adding a lapped seam to the seam Front
allowance on the armholes.
5 (hem side)
7 Panel loop
9 Arrange the tucks on the front
bodice neckline and sew in place 4-1 a Cutting layout
behind the panel loop (see 6 2-2
figure 9 on p. 33). 6 4-2
10 Sew the sides of the lining. Shoulder 4-2
Attachment Back
11 Fold the tucks in the bodice position for (neck)
Center Back
panel 7 Front
neck (on the upside) and
Center
back, 12 facing facing
sew onto the hem of the 7 2-1 cut on 6
back
fold 7
lining. 8 12 8
12 Fold the upper edge seam 8 12 Front Panel Front facing Back facing
allowance on the bodice lining, Center
and blindstitch to the facing.
12 front,
Back cut on
(hem) fold W
Back lining Front lining 150
cm
Widths and lengths used

Material: matte jersey (plain knit)

8
Panel Back
= W 150 cm
(S) 3 m 10 cm, (M) 3 m 10 cm 10 10
(L) 3 m 10 cm, (XL) 3 m 10 cm
Reverse (for knits)
= W 90 cm
11 Panel loop
(S) 1 m 50 cm, (M) 1 m 60 cm
(L) 1 m 70 cm, (XL) 1 m 80 cm 11 11
Fusible interlining (for knits)
= W 90 cm x L 30 cm

30 31
 no.9 loose drape blouse
52 see page 54 for instructions 53
 no.9 loose drape blouse
Front
Lace

Required patterns (side C):

front, back (align the front and back), neck, center back fabric (align the front and back), Fold in three
cuffs. 1·2
1.5 cm overlap

Sewing instructions Widths and lengths used

1 Finish the seam allowance in the Materials: cotton and cupra rayon 7·8
areas of the bodice where the lace chiffon
will go with a threefold edge- = W 145 cm x L 2 m 60 cm
stitched seam. Lace
6-2
2 Attach the lace to the bodice. = W 9 cm x L 3 m 80 cm
3 Sew the hem from the seam end, 1 cm-wide elastic tape, to fit
overlapping with the center back
6-1
of the lace. Back
4 French-seam the front and back
side seams to the sleeve seams 4
(see figure 4).
5 Finish the hem with a threefold
edge-stitched seam. Hem
Center Center front, cut on fold
6 For the cuffs, connect two pieces
front, Front
of overlapping, 9 cm-wide lace cut on 5
and French-seam the side seams fold 5
together.
1 cm wide
7 Gather the cuffs and attach them.
Elastic tape
8 Apply elastic tape to the inside of 1 (ensure that the tape is 3 cm
the fabric where the cuffs will be shorter than the cuffs, stretch, Top stitch
and sew in place) end
attached. Ensuring that the elastic 4
tape is 3 cm shorter than the 1-cm overlap
measurement of the cuffs, stretch 2
and sew in place.

Gather end

Neck
(lace)
Cutting layout Shoulder

Cuff
Front Cut on fold Gather 4 French-seaming
Seam
end Wrong side
Right side out (reverse) out

7·8 5 mm
(wrong side/reverse)
(upside)
seam
1 cm seam Finishing 1·2 3
Lace attached here Gather end line
allowance
Trim
1–2 mm
Center back fabric

6-2

Back 3 Cuffs
4 (lace)

Back 7·8 6-1

Center
back

5 5 Hem
6-2
W 145 cm

54 55
 no.12 drawstring-
no.11 loose flare drape dress detail drape top
see page 62 for instructions see page 66 for instructions 61
 no.11 loose flare drape dress continued

1 Finishing around the panel 5 Sewing the upside and lining of the bodice 6 Tacking the panel at the side

Panel (wrong side/reverse)

Front
facing
(wrong
2 –3 cm Leave 1.5 cm unsewn side/
Back reverse)
Bodice stitch end (upside)
Back facing
Slit Front Baste (tack) onto the seam allowance
5 mm triple (upside)
(upside) on the front (upside) only
fold
Front
(upside)
Back lining Front lining
Side
(wrong side/reverse) (wrong side/reverse)
Front panel
Front panel
(upside)
(wrong side/reverse)

Panel (wrong side/reverse)

Back facing

2 mm 2 mm Elastic tape
Sew the edge of
Stitching the tape in place onto
the facing only
Front facing
(upside) Pass the tape
between the facings
Back
(wrong
1.5 cm
side/reverse)
Secure the 7 Finishing the left armhole 9 Finishing the left side
edge of the tape Back lining (upside)
with a topstitched
seam * Make the tape 3 to 5 cm
shorter than the measurement Panel
of the fabric Armhole fabric (wrong
3 Sewing together the facings and lining (wrong side/reverse)
Fold seam
Stitch from
side/
allowance reverse)
Slit the upside
Front
Back facing (upside) (upside) Attach
Panel
(upside) invisible
Front lining zipper Front lining
Front facing (wrong side/reverse) Back facing Fold seam (upside)
(wrong side/reverse) (upside)
allowance Armhole fabric
(upside) Fix the edge of the armhole fabric to the
facing and upside front, away from the panel
Blindstitch

Front lining Back lining

(upside) (upside)

64 65