Skip to main content

Made by a Fabricista: Hawaiian lawn print sundress + silk taffeta dress!



Marfy 6193 sundress made in a Hawaiian designer lawn print

Hi everybody, it's Virginie from Jazz Couture and I'm back this month with 2 new dresses!

The first one, Marfy 6193, had been on my bucket list since the release of their Summer 2018 collection. I had envisioned many fabrics to make it, but when FM listed some Hawaiian designer fabrics not long ago I jumped on this beautiful print; I knew it would be perfect for the sundress I had in mind!


The pattern:

Marfy 6193 is another great dress pattern with details you don't see elsewhere. It features a gathered neckline which is bound with bias self fabric strips, the armholes are bound too, the bodice has front darts, an inserted belt, an overskirt with front pleats which continues to form the back skirt (no side seams) and a rounded low back neckline. The dress closes with a back zip.

Marfy 6193

The fabric:

The cotton I used for my dress is made in Japan, as are many of the fabrics in the Hawaiian designer collection. I don't know for you, but 'Imported from Japan' is a strong incentive for me to buy, as Japanese fabrics are of high quality (and so are 'Imported from Italy' and 'Imported from Switzerland' fabrics, ha ha!). The quality was just as I expected when I received my fabric - it's a fine lawn, lightweight and silky, similar to Liberty if you have ever worked with the stuff. This particular print is now sold out, but there are still many more beautiful lawn prints to choose from in the collection.

I'm glad I took 3 yards of that fabric to make my dress. Marfy yardage recommendations always seem pretty conservative to me, and just the overskirt is wide and consumes a lot of fabric. Don't forget you have to cut bias fabric strips too to bind the neckline and the armholes!




There are no side seams on the skirt

Check out below how the print is matched in all the different sections!

Close-up showing bodice seaming details (darts, inserted belt) and inside of front pleats where the overskirt attaches to front skirt


Close-up showing bias bound finish of neckline and armholes, inserted belt and back skirt which is on the bias


Close-up of shoulder and neckline: I always like a bias binding finish 'cause it looks pretty and clean both outside and inside

Construction and alterations:

I made a size 42 (italian sizing), which is the smallest in Marfy's size range. This is the second Marfy dress I've made this year - like I mentioned in my previous post, Marfy patterns don't have seam allowances (which I appreciate 'cause you can add the allowances you prefer) and no instructions. I like to sew those patterns because the italian cut is just so well thought and wonderful, and as a plus it's fun to figure out the construction and it's a good exercise for the brain!

I strongly recommend making a muslin for this dress, 'cause there are not many places to alter once the dress is made up. Even after testing the pattern with a muslin, the dress came out slightly roomy for me and I wanted the bodice to be fitted, so I took in .5 cms from the bodice side seam (tapering to nothing since the skirt has no side seams), and I took in at CB seam too. No other alterations except than adjusting the hem for my height.





I spent a whole afternoon cutting the dress and carefully matching the print in all the different sections. I'm over the moon in how well the print is matched, but the counterpart is that with such a busy print the design details kinda disappear! Next time I want to make this pattern in a solid to make the seaming stand out.




Finally, If you are afraid to tackle a Marfy pattern, I'd say get your hands on by making a muslin, then you realize (if you have been sewing for a while of course) that a dress is a dress, a shirt is a shirt, a skirt is a skirt in terms of construction, and it's really freeing to not have to stick to instructions while you sew!

Silk taffeta dress:

My second make this month is a silk taffeta dress. The pattern I used is a vintage dress pattern, namely Style 1528 (a long gone pattern company); I made this dress multiple times in the past and I could almost sew it in my sleep!


Dress pattern Style 1528 in raspberry silk taffeta



Dress pattern Style 1528


The fabric:

When we think of silk taffeta we tend to think of formal garments, but did you know you can alter the hand and texture of silk taffeta to use it in a more casual way?

FM currently has a great selection of silk seersucker taffetas; I used the raspberry colourway to make my dress. Untreated, this fabric has a crisp, stiff hand and quite a smooth surface. If you want to preserve it, sew your garment and take it to the dry cleaner to clean it. 

I wanted a casual chic dress, the kind I can wear for a night out on the town, so I hand washed my fabric in cold water and put it in the dryer. The colour stays beautiful, but the texture comes out much more supple and it has a slightly crinkled texture that is permanent - I like it a lot that way!


Close-up showing taffeta texture after it has been washed and dried in the dryer!



Back view showing seaming details

When your dress matches your shoes perfectly!

I will confess that I chose this fabric in this colourway 'cause I wanted a dress to go with those sandals! Isn't it great that we sewists can do that sort of things?

I will leave it there for now. I wish you lots of great sewing, and don't forget to check FM's blog twice a week. I think the Fabricistas are on fire these days and you'll find lots of inspiration by reading the blog! Me, back 2nd Wednesday of September - see ya!

Virginie
from

Comments

  1. Both of these dresses are darling and I am really amazed by the silk taffeta. After putting it through a dryer and getting the texturing it seems to me that this would pack and travel well. Or am I wrong and it wrinkles?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I hadn't thought of that, but yes once washed and dried it would be a good candidate for packing and traveling!

      Delete
  2. Beautiful dresses, especially the first one.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks! Like I said in the post the seaming details disappear with that busy print, but that is definitely one beautiful dress pattern and the cut is superb.

      Delete
  3. OMG I wish I had known that about the taffeta! They had a really great sale not too long ago. Drats.

    Both of your dresses are beautiful! I have never taken the plunge on a Marfy; one day. The color on the pink one is just luscious. Very nicely done.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Thanks! The taffeta is still on sale today - me, I'm grabbing some more! The texture changes completely once washed and dried, it becomes softer and more supple, well suited for less formal garments.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I love your dress especially the color! You look fabulous as always. Too bad the pattern is no longer available. The simplicity of the dress and fabric is very chic and high end looking.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Thanks for the kind comments! :-)

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Thanks for leaving a comment! All comments are reviewed before posting to help us eliminate spam. Your comment will be posted within 24 hours.

Popular Posts You Might Like

Made By A Fabricista: Why I Love Sewing Woven Fabrics Over Knits

Sewing is a creative hobby that allows me to express my unique style while adding a personal touch to my wardrobe. When it comes to choosing between wovens and knits I will mostly always choose woven. There are a lot of reasons I choose wovens as my go-to choice. The project I chose for this Fabric Mart make is from Friday Pattern Company’s Patina Blouse .  I used a gorgeous lightweight rayon .  It’s delicate hand is the perfect blouse weight and it drapes beautifully with this pattern. In this blog post, l'll explore the advantages of sewing woven blouses over knit shirts, highlighting the creativity, versatility, and satisfaction that come with this choice.  The Joy of Creativity Sewing a woven blouse offers a chance for my creativity to flourish. Woven fabrics come in a wide array of colors, patterns, and textures, allowing me to unleash my artistic potential. With knits, the stretch and drape of the fabric often limit my design options. In contrast, woven fabrics give me the fr

Fabricista Guest Post: Perfectly Imperfect

Hey Sewing Friends!! I’m super excited to be a guest Fabricista. I’ve been a fan of Fabric Mart since I began sewing again in 2020. Let me begin with an introduction. I’m Eras, and my Instagram account is sewing_andmore. During the day, I work as a Nurse Practitioner, and I  first learned to sew in my local 4-H club when I was in middle school.  At that time, I had an amazing sewing instructor, Mrs. McKinney, who was extremely patient and was by my side for every step. However, in 2020, the stress of being a Nurse Practitioner during the pandemic made me turn to sewing for my mental health. I started out sewing and creating masks, and I immediately saw a change in my mood. I’m so glad I dusted off my old sewing machine, and I haven’t stopped! After seeing the rush of adrenaline and satisfaction sewing provided, I started making clothes. When I no longer needed fat-quarters, I started looking for online fabric stores. It was during this time that I discovered Fabric Mart and their great

Made By A Fabricista: Skipping Winter - Tailored Outfits in Twill & Shirting for Spring

Hi Fabric Mart fans! I hope everyone had a fabulous Thanksgiving! This month, while perusing the Fabric Mart collection, I was drawn to cotton twill fabrics. My son, who's growing like a weed, is always in need of new pants! I could easily have made him multiple pairs of pants, however I was also drawn to a bright blue stretch twill for me. I just can't resist a bold color on a jacket, and this blue was calling my name! I hope you love these outfits as much as I do! Since I planned to make pants for my son, I knew I'd need to make a button-down shirt as well. Fabric Mart had a range of fabulous cotton shirtings and it was hard to land on just one, but I eventually picked this royal blue gingham which pairs perfectly with the tan twill pants. When it comes to woven patterns for boys, I can never go past Oliver+S. I've made their dress shirts so many times now - the finishes are always lovely, and always so worth the time and effort. I used the Buttoned-Up Button-Down Shi