I am back with my seventh #MinervaMake and honestly, I am basically living in this dress at the moment -- it is just that comfy! I was very generously gifted 2.3m of this gorgeous, silky Lady McElroy ITY knit fabric and used this to test the new release from the Cashmerette Patterns extended size range.

I had previously made a wrap dress out of a Lady McElroy ITY knit fabric last summer and I am so happy to have made up another version for my wardrobe 😊 This print is eye-catching, with vibrant shades of rose-quartz pink, lavender and icy pale blue splashed onto a deep navy background; you should make sure that any pattern you use with this fabric doesn't show the wrong side though, as this fabric is digitally printed on the right side only. This ITY jersey has four-way stretch (35% widthwise and 15% lengthwise) and is quite a stable knit; it is almost closer to a scuba weight, so make sure you pick a fairly structured garment! The benefit of sewing with a structured knit is that it tends to handle similarly to stable woven fabrics and isn't prone to shifting about when cutting or sewing, but I made sure to use a ballpoint needle and pins, and my walking foot to keep everything in check! This ITY jersey is a blend of 94% poly/6% spandex, and it feels really comfortable against the skin, as well as it gives a subtle lustre in the light.

The lovely people at Cashmerette Patterns reached out and sent me a PDF copy of the newly released Appleton Wrap Dress pattern for free; Cashmerette recently announced an expansion of their size range to 0-32, with bust cup sizes C-H. As a très busty gal, this is great news -- I don't have to work out a full bust adjustment myself AND I get to make a beautiful garment that fits straight out the packet? Sign me right up! The Appleton Dress was the first ever pattern Cashmerette launched and it is super popular; wrap dresses balance both looking 'put together' with feeling super comfy, and the Appleton Dress ticks these boxes with aplomb. There is deep v-neckline that crosses over into the built-in waist tie, and there are three different sleeve lengths to pick from. I opted for elbow length sleeves and cut a size 8 E-Cup, which I then blended to a size 6 at the waist. The fit is fantastic; it hugs your curves but there's no gaping -- hooray!

The instructions for the Appleton Dress were simple to follow, with ample illustrations and tips on tricky points. One element I loved was the inclusion of a croquis in the instruction manual, so you can sketch fabric ideas or design hacks. I made this dress up entirely on my overlocker (which is without a doubt my best investment of 2020), and used a stretch twin needle in my sewing machine for the top-stitching. It came together fairly quickly and I am already planning my next version of the Appleton dress; time to browse Minerva again for some more beautiful knit fabrics...!

Thanks for reading and happy sewing until next time!
Rose
Gold & Silver Stitches

#MinervaBrandAmbassador #LadyMcElroy #LadyMcElroyFabrics #CashmerettePatterns #AppletonDress #CashmeretteAppleton #MinervaMakes #MinervaMakers #ISew #MeMade #MeMades #Sewing #Sewist #Sewists #SewingInspo #SewingInspiration #Sew #Sewcialist #SewingProject #SewingProjects #SewingIdeas #SewingProjectIdeas #SewingPatternInspo #LoveSewing #ILoveSewing #SewSewSew #SewersGonnaSew #MakersGonnaMake #ShareYourSewing #SewingLove #HandmadeWardrobe #HandmadeClothes #ISewMyClothes #DIYClothes #Dressmaking #FabricInspo #Seamstress #MeMadeEveryday #IMakeMyClothes #IMakeMyOwnClothes #Fashion #FashionInspo #MeMadeWardrobe #MeMadeFashion #DIYFashion #DIYWardrobe #FashionSewing #SewingWrapDresses #SewingJersey #SewingWithKnitFabrics #ITYSewingProjects