Fashion Focus: Patterns for Voile, Lawn and Batiste Fabrics

Voile, lawn and batiste cottons are all super light fabrics.  They can float and have some drape, especially if they are soft.  They are usually somewhat sheer, so may need a lining unless you are going for the "I see London, I see France" look.  Here are a few of the patterns and ideas that I've ogled recently.

The first is a lovely Joel Dewberry design (remember him?  I wrote about his fabric in one of my first blog posts).  Check out the contrasting fabric in the skirt:

Joel Dewberry Vintage Flutter Dress

Nice, huh?  And of course it looks wonderful with Joel Dewberry's fabrics (he now has a voile line as well).

This one is for sale at Etsy shop MyFairLabel (very cool shop - handmade, fair trade and organic fashion from Africa):

I love this simple design.  The off-the-shoulder neckline can also be worn as a cowl neck.

And doesn't this Vogue pattern .  . .

Vogue 8632

 . . . . look almost exactly like these dresses at Garnet Hill? 

Add a band at the waistline and you'll get this look!
I found this pattern in the Etsy shop ScientificSeamstress, and after I pinned it on Pinterest it was frantically repinned all over the place:

Jamie Dress Pattern from Etsy shop ScientificSeamstress

I love the neckline, straps, and waist detail.  I bet this dress is super comfortable as well as super stylish.


And finally, how about something sweet for dessert from Colette Patterns?

Colette's Jasmine Pattern

It isn't my usual style, but there's something very fetching about it!

If you want more ideas, check out my board on Pinterest.  I'll keep adding to it as I find more. 

Happy Friday!

Fabric Focus: Cotton Lawn, Voile and Batiste

It was 65 degrees F in Berwyn, IL yesterday and it felt like the first real day of Spring.  Even though the winter was pretty mild here in the Midwest this year, it still feels wonderful to open the windows and fill the house with the smell of spring: mud, plants, warmth.  I definitely have summer fabrics on my mind now that I can feel it coming (nevermind that tomorrow's high will only be 39 degrees F).

I am excited to sew with lightweight cottons this spring and summer.  Quilting weight cotton is fine, and it can make a lovely A-line skirt, but the lighter weight cottons have more flow and drape.  I've been ogling dozens and dozens of these lighter weight prints and I'll showcase some of my favorites in this post.  If you want to see everything I've found, hop over to the Pinterest board I created here.

Anna Maria Horner, orginally one of the quilting cotton queens, has been branching out into apparel fabrics.  She has a velveteen collection and now her prints are available on cotton voile.  I love the simplicity of this one, and the contrast of the colors:

Anna Maria Horner's Pastry Line Voile in Olive Green/Aqua from Etsy shop GreysFabric

Liberty Tana Lawn art print fabrics are gorgeous, but super expensive (generally $35-45/yard) so I try not to "see" them when I'm ogling.  But I couldn't help seeing this one!  My friend Candice will love it because of the bookish design:

Liberty Art Fabrics: 'Dr. Tulloch' Tana lawn A from emmaonesock.com

While I've been drawn to more graphic/abstract prints lately, I couldn't help falling for this floral, especially in combination with the matching polka dot print.  I think it the mix of sour lime with the cheery flowers - a nice mix/clash!

Cotton Lawn Fabric Lime Darling Floral from hartsfabric.com

Cotton Lawn Fabric Lime Darling Dots from hartsfabric.com

Happy Spring!