Papercut Patterns: Circle Top

I just received my Circle Top Pattern from Papercut Patterns today! Designer Katie Brown of Papercut Pattern is based in New Zealand and stresses not only creativity + imagination but handmade + eco-friendly too. Most all the things that got me into sewing in the first place. Heart it!

My pattern came in a box! Or a paperboard envelope instead of the traditional paper envelope to be exact. The packaging has other lovely little details like the cutout logo with little hook! to the lovely printed instruction booklet. I especially like how everything from the packaging to the pattern draft is not only thoughtfully crafted but is made entirely of recycled materials.

Another nice little detail is how simple yet sophisticated the pattern looks. I cracked open the pattern draft, which is on a nice heavy paper rather than the customary tissue paper, and noticed large holes were punched out, a nifty way of lining up pattern pieces I suspect! I remember reading about a similar nifty little trick in Built By Wendy’s Sew U book. (I also have a bunch of Built By Wendy patterns waiting in the wings!) The only minor drawback I see so far is each pattern is only good for one size. This greatly simplifies the pattern pieces for the home sewer but it also means I might have to buy a different size for the same pattern.

Katie even helped me pick out a suitable pattern to start with. There were so many I wanted to try. I needed a relatively beginner one and never worked with knit fabrics or armhole, sleeves, and cuffs before, so this one turned out to be a nice entry-level pattern for me. The Circle Top is like a sweater/shrug that is great for almost any season given the right choice of fabric! It makes a nice winter appropriate piece suitable for layering too, so I also liked that it was something I could make and wear right away. I can’t wait to try it out.

Update: Here’s my completed Circle Top! I love the way it came out.

One last note on the eco-friendly tip… I’d never really considered this as part of my reasons for loving crafty things like sewing but after noticing how Papercut Patterns stressed sustainable materials in all that they do, it sparked an interest in learning more myself. So I did some digging and here’s what I found !

Pattern Price: $25.00 NZD