Once again I find myself in need of your expertise! I’m hoping you can help me decide on my next sewing project with your votes. And yes, by having your vote, I’ll be sewing up the winning combination.
In 2 week’s time, I need to have a creation made for the Sew Weekly Challenge of Stash Busting. But not just any old fabric can be used; we are to pick one of our favorite fabrics from our stash to make into something wonderful. We are to take one of our most cherished pieces of fabric, that one fabric that’s intended for something grand, and actually use it.
I do count myself lucky that I have a few different options. I rarely buy fabric without an intended project in mind which always prevents me from over-buying (or under-buying) on yardage. In this instance it’s quite helpful since I already have a paired a fabric with a pattern to make my task a bit easier.
Here’s what I’m thinking….
Option #1: Embroidered Silk Organza paired with the Butterick 3935 pattern:
Pattern in detail:
I’ll most likely be either underlining this organza with a white fabric (tbd) or will wear it with a white slip. I’m not 100% certain which it will be, but I know I plan on showing off the floral pattern and will keep the under-dress white.
I’ll have to make the dress would love to make the dress to go underneath also, but it will depend on how much time it takes me to sew up the redingote along with researching how to sew the silk organza (ie seam finishes, stabilization, etc).
Option #2: A Taupe-ish polka dot cotton sateen for this Quaker Oats dress pattern:
I bought this fabric a year ago specifically to make this dress. This one isn’t all about the fabric neccessarilty, but also about the dress. This is one of the most expensive patterns I’ve ever bought. I can’t bring myself to tell you the price, but I can safely say it was under $100. I just fell head over heels for this pattern and had to have it. A year ago I wasn’t very adept at sewing up dresses, so it’s been sitting in my stash till I gained enough confidence to sew it up. I feel like I can now take it on, so this is my second option.
The fabric is cotton and has a lovely sheen to it, and it has a soft hand, almost as if it is a blend of cotton and silk.
Option #3: An off-black silk organza with embroidered sherbet-colored puffs with the Butterick 6048 redingote pattern:
I bought this fabric around the same time I bought the white-embroidered silk organza in option #1. I was at the fabric store and bought one of them. I couldn’t justify buying both of the organza’s without having a project attached to it. A week later I found that I had a pattern that would be lovely with it and went back to the store and snagged up the second organza.
For this Butterick 6048 pattern, I would love to make the coordinating underdress to compliment the redingote, but I can’t promise that my time will allow me to make both, but I’ll try…
I first blogged about these organza fabrics last March, and there are more images of the fabric here if you’d like to see more.
I also blogged about the Quaker Oats pattern and Taupey-grey polka dot fabric here last January, if you also want to see more.
I have other vintage fabrics that I’ve been holding on to, but these three have been in my stash for too long. The deserve to be made up in one of these pretty patterns. I should also mention, I have absolutely no place to wear these. heh But I’m not going to let that stop me since I already own the fabric. :)
Please, help a girl out and vote for your favorite option. I find myself unable to pick which to use for the challenge.
I’ll be taking votes until Wednesday at 7pm. I know that’s not a lot of time, but I need to get started on making muslins and whatnot.
Thanks so much & happy voting!
In: Sewing
Oh Liz, you have a stash worthy of envy! I chose option #2 because I think the the fabric goes most perfectly with this pattern – and it is a gorgeous pattern. While your other two pattern and fabric choices are both lovely, I think option #2 is the best pair – and I want to see this one made up the most. Happy sewing :)
Thanks Annabelle! So far I’m pretty surprised that my option #2 is winning. I do love the pattern the best, but I wish I could have found a b&w polkadot just like the original… Perhaps I’ll just have to make 2. :)
All 3 choices are lovely, but if time was a constraint then option 2 is my choice. It is so elegant and will suit you. Sew 1 and 3 at leisure, because they are going to turn into gorgeous dresses too.
I voted for #2, but I love all of them. I have been doing some stash busting myself. I am trying not to buy any new fabric until my birthday in August.
I voted for 2 as well :) I have a real weakness for polka dots and bows, I think they are so lovely! That pattern has something special going for it I think!
Thanks Jo. I’ll be making a muslin first since I’m not sure how the curved, open pockets will look on me. Hopefully I can start cutting into my fabric this weekend.
That third option is so adorable. I’m quite curious as to how the fabric would look made up into a dress. It’s just darling.
I love the pattern on #1. May I suggest auditioning a “flesh” colored lining instead of white? Something I saw on a tv sewing show a while back (an old Susan Kalje maybe?) where the topic was “flesh” colored linings rather than linings to “match” the fashion fabric. Really made a difference. Just depends on the look you are going for.
Hmmm… Sounds interesting. Since this pattern/fabric wasn’t the winnning combination, I won’t be making it up in the next few weeks. But I’ll definitely try out the white vs. nude underlining/lining to see which I like best. Excellent idea to keep in mind, thanks!
I love the polka dot for spring!
Ive voted for no 2. Although I have to admit its because of the pattern rather than the fabric, but hey, it’s something precious in your stash, so it counts, right?!
I chose #2 as well because I’m a sucker for dots. :) Good luck!!
[…] dress based on the theme of VIP fabrics. Back in mid-March, I had three fab fabrics to use and you all voted to help me decide which to make; the majority (or 47%) of you picked the Quaker Oats A-2 Pattern […]