Fall is in the air and we're getting ready to release our new collection of patterns. It has been a while, I know, but a break was needed! My brain needed a serious rest and recharge. It feels good to have a new collection to share with you. I enjoyed the challenge that new designs always present and the fun of choosing fabrics and sewing up the samples. I want to thank all of you for sticking with me during my hiatus!
I ventured into several substrates this time and you will see that as the collection is revealed over the next several days. Growing up sewing for myself, I never shied away from whatever fabric I loved, no matter what the fiber content was. Once I started actually designing patterns, I stuck to quilting cotton for its high quality and availability. Now that so many fabric manufacturers we know and love are branching out, I am sewing with a variety of fabrics again. I had forgotten how much I love the drape of rayon! It truly is a lovely fabric and one I encourage you to try. There are some great tricks to working with it and I'll be sharing those in the next several blog posts as applicable.
Now without further ado, here's the first design for the fall collection: The Erin Shirtdress!
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| Below Knee Length version with shoulder ruffles and contrasting belt & hem; snap closure Fabric: Shell Rummel for Free Spirit Fabrics |
I initially worked up this design over the summer and worked through some different detailing ideas. I really wanted to make a dress with simple design lines with details that could be added. Erin has princess seaming down the length of the dress with a simple button or snap closure down the front in the classic shirtdress fashion. The center front and back skirts have a subtle amount of gathering to add ease through the hips down through the hemline. This dress can be made as knee or below knee length. You could even shorten it and make an adorable tunic length style that would be fantastic with leggings and boots! Add a sweet little cardigan, and you would have a lovely fall outfit!
Design details include a shoulder ruffle that is added to the side front/back seams, which ever so slightly extend past the armhole opening. Another detail is the stand-up collar. I like having a little detail like this at the neckline. You can choose to make it out of the main dress fabric or a contrasting fabric so it stands out away from the rest of the dress. The last design detail is the back belt loop and tie belt. Again, this design element can be made to blend with the dress or as a contrast. What makes these design details so great is that they can be added or omitted at will and the end result is a completely different looking dress.
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| Below knee length version in washed linen with collar and belt design details; snap closure |
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| Knee length dress with shoulder ruffles, contrasting collar, belt, and hem; snap closure |
Because this design has long uninterrupted pieces, it is a great candidate for border prints. As you already know, I am a huge fan of the border print, whether that be the actual pattern in the print, as an embroidered edge, or some other design element in the fabric. They make a statement without being too much and I love to let fabric speak for itself!
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| Knee length dress with contrasting collar and hem; button closure Fabric: Andover |
We are currently working on the web pages for the new designs and expecting the pattern stock to arrive next week and we'll begin shipping then. In the meantime, I will be working on the pdf versions of each pattern and hope to have those out shortly.
Happy Sewing!
