The joys of print on demand, I’ve been able to mix and match 3 different spot fabrics but printed at the same time so effectively the same dye lot, which means although the spots are different the colour match of the base is a perfect match.
I didn’t want a perfectly structured spot so my choice was the spot Minerva are calling Flittering Flurry. These spots are uneven and scattered across the fabrics so no defined placement of each spot. Minerva do have a traditional spot in different sizes if that’s what you want.
I chose a 10mm a 20mm and a 40mm spot on a Modal Challis base cloth in a Chartreuse colour, which I call acid green, a colour perfect for a hot sunny day.
So yep mine is for an up coming winter sun holiday.
There are 44 colours to choose from, each colour comes in 4 different spot sizes 5, 10, 20 and 40 mm and there are 4 different spot styles, Pristine polka, Delicate Dots, scattered Spots and the one I’ve used Flittering Flurry. So there really is a spit style for everyone.
As I say I chose a Modal Challis base cloth, but this print is also available in all of the various base cloths which means you can also mix and match based cloths in one garment, so could match a crepe fabric for a dress or blouse body and then a sheer fabric, chiffon/georgette, for the sleeves. The combinations are endless.
I chose to make another simplicity 9702 a style I’ve made so many times in 2025, it’s an easy to wear dress, the only thing is the bodice is cut very low, so I always make sure there is enough ease around the bust so that I can cross over the front and sew up by a couple of inches.
Minerva kindly gifted me 1.5 metres of each of these prints so that I could play around with the different spot sizes. It was difficult to know how much of each spot I would need given the pattern suggested a total fabric required was 3.7 metres. So I had 4.5 metres in total and I have about 20cm of each one left to play with probably to make a little something for my granddaughter.
The question was where to place each size spot. I went with the obvious, large at the bottom to small at the top, however I did decide to use the middle size for the sleeves.
While I was making it I wasn’t convinced it was working, but now that it’s finished I’m really really pleased with the result
I love challis for summer dresses, it is fabulously drapey and hangs perfectly for gathered styles, needed for this dress that has metres and metres to gather.
The only thing to say is that it does fray so I find it’s better to neaten the edges before sewing the gathering stitches as otherwise you end up with lots of frayed threads when you are pulling the gathers together.
I used a Sharpe needle so as to avoid scagging the threads but I did find with this colourway that unlike some of the print on demand fabrics although it’s printed onto a white base, being a fine lightweight fabric, the reverse isn’t a plain solid white.
It was a bit cold taking the photos today, but I can’t wait to pack this in my suitcase heading for warmer days
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