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Puff & Pencil Patterns

Puff & Pencil Patterns

Puff & Pencil is a Copenhagen pattern label built around a mix-and-match system: bodices, sleeves and collars are drafted to work across the range, so one blouse pattern becomes several garments depending on which sleeve you choose. The aim is a professional finish without a stressful process, and the patterns are written with that in mind throughout, right down to how the sleeve heads and collars are drafted to interchange.
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The mix-and-match idea is what sets this brand apart. Rather than each envelope giving you one fixed garment, the pieces are drafted so that a sleeve from one pattern will fit the armhole of another, and collars can be swapped in the same way. Once you own two or three patterns the number of combinations rises quickly, which makes the library more useful over time than the sum of what you bought.

The house style is Scandinavian and quietly considered: clean lines, a strong interest in sleeve shapes, and finishes that read as ready-to-wear rather than homemade. Instructions concentrate on the details that give a garment a polished look, which is where most home sewing falls down. The sleeve variations, cone, trumpet, lantern and box, are named in the pattern titles so you can see at a glance what a given envelope includes.

What we're stocking at the moment

The current range covers blouses in several sleeve variations, dresses, a skirt, trousers, a halter top and vests. Because the label works in small runs and the mix-and-match pieces are bought individually, availability moves around more than it does with the bigger pattern houses, so the grid above is the definitive list of what's in stock today rather than a fixed catalogue.

Fabric and sizing

Each pattern lists its recommended fabrics, and with this brand the sleeve shapes are the thing to think about: a lantern or cone sleeve needs enough body in the cloth to hold its form, whilst a soft viscose will let it collapse. If you're unsure, Order Sample and drape it over your hand before buying the length.

Sizing follows the brand's own chart, which is European rather than UK, so measure your bust, waist and hip and read the chart on the individual pattern page. All patterns sold here are printed paper patterns, posted out to you. For the rest of the range, see our sewing patterns.

What is the Puff & Pencil mix-and-match system?

The bodices, sleeves and collars across the range are drafted to fit one another, so you can combine a sleeve from one pattern with a bodice from another. It means each pattern you own increases the number of garments you can make from the ones you already have.

Where are Puff & Pencil patterns from?

Puff & Pencil is based in Copenhagen, Denmark. The patterns come with English instructions and use a European size chart rather than a UK one.

Are Puff & Pencil patterns suitable for beginners?

They're pitched at someone who wants a polished finish rather than the quickest possible make, so there's a little more detail than a first-project pattern. A confident beginner will manage the simpler blouses and the skirt; the more structured sleeve variations are better once you've a few garments behind you.

What fabric should I use for Puff & Pencil blouses?

It depends on the sleeve. Structured shapes such as cone and lantern sleeves need a cloth with enough body to hold them out, so cotton poplin, taffeta and crisp blends work well. Softer viscose and crepe suit the flatter sleeve variations. Each pattern page lists its own suggestions.

Are Puff & Pencil patterns printed paper patterns?

Yes. Everything sold here is a printed paper pattern posted out to you, with English instructions.

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