6 years ago
Hello Friends!
Time is a funny thing. It seems like I blinked and my daughter grew up overnight. I don’t know if it’s because she finished elementary school in the spring (sixth grade) or if it was all the sleeping and eating once the pandemic hit and everything shut down or if it’s just what happens after turning 11. It’s likely a combination of all of the above and she is delighted to be on the cusp of the size chart for many women’s patterns!
I tested the Fleetwood Dress by French Navy Patterns over the summer and Ansley fell in love with it. She kept asking me when I was going to sew one for her. The timing was just right when this gorgeous chambray arrived from Minerva!
This chambray is the chambray of my dreams! In my early sewing days- back when apparel fabric was quite difficult to find- I stumbled upon some chambray in a local fabric shop that has been out of business for a few years now. The chambray had a nice sheen and was fairly soft even before prewashing it. Over the years the chambray softened and I was super jealous of my husband’s pajama pants and that I didn’t have enough scraps left to sew something for me. I picked up several different chambrays over the years from various retailers but none have rivalled the softness of the first chambray I found until this fabric from Minerva! This is the best stuff!!!
This beautiful fabric is the Robert Kaufman Royal Oxford Cotton in Grey. It has a light sheen and simultaneously feels smooth and soft. The fabric is 100% cotton so it breathes nicely. It feels light and I wasn’t sure if it was too sheer for a skirt or the bottom portion of a dress but it’s just right for a gathered/tiered skirt! I also was not expecting the fabric to hang as nicely (since the Fleetwood Dress I sewed was also in a chambray; albeit a crunchier, coarser chambray) so I was pleasantly surprised and delighted! I want this fabric in all the colors! The fabric was easy to cut and sew and holds a press and I found myself petting it throughout the sewing process. This chambray is perfect for button down shirts, non fitted dresses (unless you have a slip, depending on color), pajama pants, pillowcases, pullover woven blouses, pocket linings, and so many other items! I’m hoping I have enough scraps left over for a contrast facing on a jacket and hood lining.
The Fleetwood Dress has two different views with the main differences being the waistline and the proportions of the skirt. I chose the higher waistline cut line (view A) and used the view B skirt for the top tier and the view A bottom tier. @stummel on Instagram posted a picture of her Fleetwood Dress with a lengthened sleeve finished with elastic at the wrist. I asked Ansley if she wanted the ¾ sleeve with the placket like the pattern was designed or if she wanted longer sleeves with elastic at the bottom. She picked longer sleeves. I added the tiniest bit of width from the armscye down and added four inches from the bottom cut line of the original sleeve. When she tried the dress on we both decided the sleeves were fine without the elastic at the hems so I simply turned the hem under twice before hemming. I arbitrarily added four inches and I’m lucky it worked out!
Ansley has declared this is the perfect length dress for her and I agree! After taking these pictures I think the sleeves could be a touch longer but I can always unpick them and add length if it bothers me that much. I finished the dress with pearl snaps and love the little bit of sparkle.
Seeing how happy she is with this dress is one of the best things about sewing! I was going to hold off and surprise her with this dress as a Christmas present but I couldn’t wait. The long sleeves will keep her a bit warmer in the winter but she’ll also be able to wear her new dress in the summer because of the breezy silhouette and the breathability of the cotton chambray.
Thanks for reading! Have a wonderful day!
#sewingisthebest #minerva #minervadotcom #minervamakers #robertkaufman #robertkaufmanroyaloxfordcotton #royaloxfordcotton #chambrayfabric #chambraydress #ineedallthechambray #thefleetwooddress #fleetwooddress #frenchnavy #frenchnavypatterns #replicatethendeviate
Time is a funny thing. It seems like I blinked and my daughter grew up overnight. I don’t know if it’s because she finished elementary school in the spring (sixth grade) or if it was all the sleeping and eating once the pandemic hit and everything shut down or if it’s just what happens after turning 11. It’s likely a combination of all of the above and she is delighted to be on the cusp of the size chart for many women’s patterns!
I tested the Fleetwood Dress by French Navy Patterns over the summer and Ansley fell in love with it. She kept asking me when I was going to sew one for her. The timing was just right when this gorgeous chambray arrived from Minerva!
This chambray is the chambray of my dreams! In my early sewing days- back when apparel fabric was quite difficult to find- I stumbled upon some chambray in a local fabric shop that has been out of business for a few years now. The chambray had a nice sheen and was fairly soft even before prewashing it. Over the years the chambray softened and I was super jealous of my husband’s pajama pants and that I didn’t have enough scraps left to sew something for me. I picked up several different chambrays over the years from various retailers but none have rivalled the softness of the first chambray I found until this fabric from Minerva! This is the best stuff!!!
This beautiful fabric is the Robert Kaufman Royal Oxford Cotton in Grey. It has a light sheen and simultaneously feels smooth and soft. The fabric is 100% cotton so it breathes nicely. It feels light and I wasn’t sure if it was too sheer for a skirt or the bottom portion of a dress but it’s just right for a gathered/tiered skirt! I also was not expecting the fabric to hang as nicely (since the Fleetwood Dress I sewed was also in a chambray; albeit a crunchier, coarser chambray) so I was pleasantly surprised and delighted! I want this fabric in all the colors! The fabric was easy to cut and sew and holds a press and I found myself petting it throughout the sewing process. This chambray is perfect for button down shirts, non fitted dresses (unless you have a slip, depending on color), pajama pants, pillowcases, pullover woven blouses, pocket linings, and so many other items! I’m hoping I have enough scraps left over for a contrast facing on a jacket and hood lining.
The Fleetwood Dress has two different views with the main differences being the waistline and the proportions of the skirt. I chose the higher waistline cut line (view A) and used the view B skirt for the top tier and the view A bottom tier. @stummel on Instagram posted a picture of her Fleetwood Dress with a lengthened sleeve finished with elastic at the wrist. I asked Ansley if she wanted the ¾ sleeve with the placket like the pattern was designed or if she wanted longer sleeves with elastic at the bottom. She picked longer sleeves. I added the tiniest bit of width from the armscye down and added four inches from the bottom cut line of the original sleeve. When she tried the dress on we both decided the sleeves were fine without the elastic at the hems so I simply turned the hem under twice before hemming. I arbitrarily added four inches and I’m lucky it worked out!
Ansley has declared this is the perfect length dress for her and I agree! After taking these pictures I think the sleeves could be a touch longer but I can always unpick them and add length if it bothers me that much. I finished the dress with pearl snaps and love the little bit of sparkle.
Seeing how happy she is with this dress is one of the best things about sewing! I was going to hold off and surprise her with this dress as a Christmas present but I couldn’t wait. The long sleeves will keep her a bit warmer in the winter but she’ll also be able to wear her new dress in the summer because of the breezy silhouette and the breathability of the cotton chambray.
Thanks for reading! Have a wonderful day!
#sewingisthebest #minerva #minervadotcom #minervamakers #robertkaufman #robertkaufmanroyaloxfordcotton #royaloxfordcotton #chambrayfabric #chambraydress #ineedallthechambray #thefleetwooddress #fleetwooddress #frenchnavy #frenchnavypatterns #replicatethendeviate