When I saw this beautiful Cotton Poplin Fabric covered in poppies it was the print which had me straight away! So I ordered 3 metres knowing exactly which dress pattern I was going to use to showcase the fabulous print. The Nina Lee Kew Dress of course! I have had the pattern for a while (well, since last summer if I am honest) but I have never got around to making one.

I hadn’t really considered what cotton poplin was but I recently watched a YouTube video by Athina Kakou who talked about its versatility and crispness for summer dresses. She is right, the fabric is soft but holds its shape really well and being cotton, feels fresh and lovely next to the skin. This poppy print is on a black background which I chose because I knew I would get more wear out of it but it also comes on a cream background which would be equally as gorgeous!

I sewed a straight size 12 in the Kew Dress – I went with the dipped hem as I love the slight vintage look that it gives. The fabric paired really well with the dress even though I have seen a lot more drapey fabric versions than those sewn in cotton. I think it gives it more of a day dress look being cotton poplin but I wore it for the first time to an evening party and got lots of compliments. I felt nice and cool even on a crowded dance floor!

I used some simple black wooden buttons for the front closure which I bought on eBay. I probably do need to lower the bust dart by an inch or so but it won’t stop me wearing this dress. I will adjust the pattern for the next one that I make as it comes with some variations which I would like to try. It came together really easily and the fabric was a delight to sew, pressed really easily as you would expect and all in all it was a pleasurable make.

The weather has been terrible and so it was hard to take good photos of this fabric and dress. I have done my best to show it off and I really recommend it as a fabric for a pretty summer dress. It would also suit a nice pleated skirt as it would hold the pleats really well due to its crispness. I’m tempted to buy some in the cream colourway for a skirt and I think it would also make a gorgeous shirt dress.

I hope you have enjoyed this review – I can highly recommend this fabric if you want something summery but with a bit of crisp structure. Happy Sewing and Cheers!

Sarah
Favourite Dress

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