An Asymmetrical Drape – A Return to Season 3

For this next project in my Great British Sewing Bee challenge, I’ve gone right back to the beginning — Season 3, the final episode, and the Pattern Challenge. In that episode, the contestants were given an asymmetrical Japanese pattern with no instructions and asked to simply figure it out. Brave stuff.

Drape Drape 2 by Hisako Sato

Luckily for me, I had a little help. I tracked down the Drape Drape 2 book at the library, which meant I had both the pattern and instructions. A definite luxury compared to the Sewing Bee setup.

Pattern piece and layout

Side seams sewn

Neck binding

Choosing Who to Sew For

As soon as I started looking at the sizing, it became clear that this pattern wasn’t going to work for my body straight out of the book. Like many Japanese pattern books, the sizing is very much drafted for Japanese proportions, and it doesn’t come anywhere near my bust size.

Rather than forcing it, I decided to make this one for my daughter who sits in that slightly awkward in-between stage of kids’ and adult sizing. A perfect test subject.

First Attempt: So Close, But Not Quite

The first trial run came together beautifully from a construction point of view. It’s actually a very approachable sew — just a couple of seams, some hems, and a neck band. Nothing scary at all.

Fit-wise, though, things got interesting.

The neckline was extremely wide. Left sitting naturally, it dropped very low. If Kayleigh pulled it up onto her shoulders, it still felt too open. The sleeve was another surprise — despite her measurements fitting comfortably into a size small, the sleeve opening was way too tight.

I’m not entirely sure whether that’s a quirk of the pattern drafting, or just the reality of sewing for a body that’s still changing shape.

First fit, no changes to base pattern

You can see how low the back neckline hangs when the front is sitting where she likes it

Second Time Around: A Much Better Fit

So we went back to the drawing board and tried again.

This time, I borrowed the neckline shape from Kayleigh’s favourite t-shirt, instantly making the top feel more familiar and wearable. I also opened up the folded sleeve edge to give her more room and ease of movement.

The result? Absolutely gorgeous.

The top now sits beautifully on her body. It’s relaxed without feeling sloppy, and genuinely comfortable. She can wear it casually with a skirt, bike shorts, or pants — exactly the kind of everyday piece that actually gets worn.

Shape & Style Notes

One of the things I really love about this design is the way it creates shape without being restrictive. The asymmetrical drape forms a soft batwing effect, before hugging back in gently at the waist. It’s incredibly flattering, and I can absolutely see why this challenge made it into a Sewing Bee final.

We’re already planning to make a few more versions for Kayleigh, and I’m hopeful that with some experimenting and grading, I might be able to adapt it to fit me as well.

Thoughts on the Drape Drape 2 Book

Looking through Drape Drape 2, there are some truly beautiful designs in there — but I’ll be honest, many of them feel very much drafted for a slim figure. There’s a lot of bulk and volume around the waist in some patterns, which I personally don’t need or want.

That said, I wouldn’t rule the book out entirely. I can definitely see myself revisiting it for skirts or other garments for Kayleigh in the future.

As with most sewing books, it’s about knowing what will work for you, and not feeling obliged to sew everything cover to cover.

This project was a lovely reminder that even simple-looking patterns can teach you a lot — about proportion, drape, and how different bodies interact with the same design. A very fitting challenge to revisit from the Sewing Bee archives.