Skip to main content

Made by a Fabricista: Plaid Summer Shirtdresses



It's summertime here in Illinois!  Even though I love to be outside and spend time in my garden, I also am quite concerned about preventing sun damage to my skin and covering up as much as is reasonably comfortable.  For that reason, I decided to make some shirtdresses that would be lightweight, breezy, yet, tightly woven fabric that would offer some degree of SPF protection, and cover at least my upper arms and shoulders.  In the photo on the left, it looks like I'm wearing a camisole- I'm not, that's just the line where the sun protection from my hat ends-guess I need to button up a little further!  The two fabrics that I used just sold out, so maybe you even bought some! But if not, Fabric Mart has a great selection of other shirtings in stock.




For my first dress, I used a 100% cotton plaid shirting  in a strawberry red, off white and blue.  When I originally got it, I thought it looked like a tablecloth and wasn't too excited.  But after playing around with the plaid placement, I love it!  It is so comfortable. For the pattern, I used a woven shirt pattern- Butterick 6635 and lengthened it 6 inches.   


I can wear this one as an overshirt as well.   I think that working with plaids can be really fun.  You do need to make sure that you order extra fabric, because the larger the plaid, the more likely it is that you will have to move your pattern pieces away from each other so that you can match the side seams, sleeve seams, or whatever else you would like to match!  For a small plaid, I would order at least 1/2 yard extra.  For a plaid like this, I would order a full yard more.  Let me tell you about my plaid placement. So, there were thick horizontal red stripes, and they were 18 inches apart.  I decided to place one thick horizontal red stripe at the bust line, and the next thick red stripe would fall near the hem.  Then, on the back, I matched the horizontal stripes, and used the vertical thick red stripe down the center.  I turned the yoke piece to lay crosswise so that I could get one more large red stripe on the back.


I chose this pattern because I wanted a straight dress with no waist seam, and I was also curious about the hidden placket.  For some reason, I've never been able to wrap my head around the concept of a hidden placket.  After making two of these, I think I've got it!  Here's what the hidden placket looks like when it is pulled back.



I also added a couple of pockets, cut on the bias, and made a sash, using the thick red stripe.  I'll probably wear the dress without the sash at home, but if I go out, it will be a nice option to have.  I think this will be a great farmer's market dress.  The tote that I'm holding is one that my daughter brought back from Madagascar!  It's great for shopping.


For my second dress, I used a cotton/lycra shirting in blue and white.  I thought that I would like having the added lycra, but honestly, I preferred working with the 100% cotton.  The lycra adds quite a bit of weight, and this one doesn't drape as nicely as the first dress.  The fabric would probably have been better made into a fitted shirtdress.  If I make this pattern again, I'll stick with 100% cotton shirtings.  But, I do love the colors on this one, and I'm sure that I will wear it- it is just when comparing the two fabrics, this style works better with the 100% cotton.


For this dress, I put the yoke on the bias, and tried to center one of the dark stripes down the center front and back.  Here is the hidden placket on this one:




Over to you- have you worked with plaids before?  Do you enjoy the challenge of matching them?  Do you have any tips on sewing clothing for sun protection?

Happy Sewing!

Ann

Comments

  1. Wow. I found your blog from a side post on another. Returning to sewing after decades. Love the idea of a loose shirt dress. Think I will try one to have for our trip to Illinois this summer. Such cute dresses. Looking forward to reading more of your postings.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Janine! We have very humid summers, so loose fitting is the way to go!

      Delete
  2. those are so cute - perfect for a summer day of any thing...

    ReplyDelete
  3. I love these Ann! So cool and comfortable looking!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Great looks. I love cottons as well but the blue dress is my favorite and the most flattering.

    ReplyDelete
  5. oh what wonderful dresses! You included lots of great tips, too.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you! I try to pass on any info that I think might be useful- especially when it comes to plaids!

      Delete
  6. Your dresses are awesome! And I love your shoes!!!!!

    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: Summery Chambray Linen Mini Capsule

Hello all! With summer on the horizon, I'm gearing up for the heat with some fabrics and styles to carry me through weekend trips and general running around in hot weather. No matter the temperature, I still aim to appear stylish and put together, at least, you know, most of the time. Fabric Mart's exclusive linen chambray is superb for this exact use! I requested two colors of the glorious lightweight yarn-dyed linen chambray. Putty is a cool-toned light gray that leans toward purple and taupe tones and the Medium Sky Blue is perhaps a little more self-explanatory. I have sewn with this base before, and I was just as delighted and impressed with these two colors as I have been in the past. I can't recommend them more, these are quite lightweight and very finely woven. They are sturdy with a very smooth face and have some body, but still maintain nice drape for linen. Despite being lightweight, they have enough structure to support the rounded curves of the pant seams an

Made By A Fabricista: Rayon Challis Separates for Me!

This month I decided to take a minute to sew something for myself! Knowing that I was about to move house (I'm excited to be getting a nice big sewing room!), I opted to use some tried-and-true patterns that I knew would be quick and easy to sew: Jalie Michelle and Jalie Geneviève . I've really loved seeing garments made in crinkle challis lately, so I selected a solid mustard yellow crinkle challis with a plan for either pants or a skirt ( Geneviève is a skirt, but there's also a culotte option available for it), and two sateen challis prints for a top (Michelle can be made either as a top or a dress). I considered making a reversible top with both fabric prints, but upon playing with them in real life, opted for two separate tops with a facing. Given that challis tends to be a bit shifty, it's best to starch it before you begin cutting out your project. It's also best to cut it out on a large surface with a rotary cutter so the fabric doesn't get distorted.

Made By A Fabricista: A Mother’s Day Gift - Making my Daughter’s Prom Dress

Happy Friday All! As a mother and sewist, I am always planning months in advance for any special occasion dress. Due to the pandemic, my daughter missed all the activities at the end of her elementary journey and I was truly heart broken. She did not have any promotional ceremony, field trips or activities for the last few months of elementary school. I made a vow to myself that in Middle School, no matter what life throws us, I would make the perfect Junior Prom dinner dance dress even if she had to twirl in it at home. When I came across this beautiful blue lycra sequins fabric, I was thrilled. My daughter Arielle and I spoke a few months ago about the perfect Grade 8 Junior Prom dinner dance dress. She found an inspirational photo on Pinterest back in December which was a one shoulder maxi dress that sparkles and she was excited about me making her special dress. At the time she wasn’t quite sure of the shade of blue she wanted but after our trip to Jamaica during Spring break, she