Seven Sewists, One Fabric
Last month we invited our talented staff to use our Roma Linen/Rayon in Brick to make a garment from one of our indie patterns. Almost like a Project Runway challenge of our own, we wanted to see how each person would make the fabric their own and incorporate it into their handmade wardrobes. Read on to see their makes and gather inspiration to use this wonderful fabric.
Kim
Kim used the Roma to make Three’s a Charm Jacket from Decades of Style – Decades Everyday in a size 8. She pre-washed her fabric on cold and hung it to dry. Although she had a different pattern in mind initially, Kim got resourceful when she realized she had cut her pattern pieces incorrectly. She explains:
Easy to work with, it cut beautifully and was a breeze to sew on! I didn’t trace the pattern I wanted to use correctly so I needed to find another project that would fit the pieces already cut out. The Decades of Style pattern was a perfect fit!
We’ve all been there before! We love how Kim styled it with her True Bias Southport Dress in our Between The Lines Rayon.
Tina
Tina made a gorgeous Siren Sundress from Decades of Style. To pretreat the fabric she washed it in cold water and dried on high in the machine for maximum shrinkage. She plans to machine wash on cold and hang to dry when cleaning in the future. She started with a size 14 and went down to a 12 after completing a wearable muslin. She also lengthened the skirt with a coordinating cotton wax print and embellished the dress with a pocket and contrast waist tie. Tina talks about how she plans to wear her dress:
It is a good crisp medium weight that drapes well. I don’t have a particular style so of course it fits right in to my wardrobe. I’d wear this dress on any warm day for any reason, just because it’s pretty.
And we think it’s pretty, too!
Alice
Alice decided to make the Palisade Pants from Papercut with her piece of Roma. She says:
Elastic waist pants are new to me, I usually wear jeans, but this pattern has a flat front waist section that is lovely. I love the rich color and feel of the linen/rayon. They are amazingly comfortable, so, this pant style is going to have a major place in my wardrobe from now on. This beautiful color goes with many tops, so I’ll be wearing them year-round.
To pretreat the fabric, Alice hot ironed, then hot washed and dried it. She graded between size medium and large. As for modifications, Alice shortened the rise by 1 inch before adding the waistband to get the perfect, personalized fit. She paired them with the Basic Blouse from the Nani Iro Sewing Studio book made in our Electric Leopard Rayon.
Gerri
Gerri chose to make The Assembly Line Wrap Jacket. She made the jacket in size M and modified the inner tie by replacing it with a button closure. This jacket has clean design lines that include raglan sleeves with a shoulder dart and a side tie closure at the waist. Gerri says of the project:
This is not a fabric I would usually choose, but I make a lot of jackets in this style. I plan to wear it to work as my smock.
We love that Gerri got out of her comfort zone for this project. And we love how she styled it with sunglasses and some fun pants!
Ashlee
Ashlee chose the Merchant and Mills Eve Trousers for her pattern. She used topstitching and a fun button at the waist to personalize this pair. As you can see, this fabric lends itself well to trousers, offering a crisp yet comfortable look. Ashlee added slash pockets on each side and slimmed down the leg a little to get the perfect fit. Ashlee talks about how these will fit into her personal style:
I usually wear skinny jeans, so the legs are a lot looser than my normal pants. But this is a silhouette I’ve been wanting to try, and I’ve really enjoyed it! They fit into my wardrobe well, and can make a look a little classier than jeans, but still remain casual. The fabric is soft, washes well and is easy to work with.
We’re loving this classy addition to Ashlee’s style!
Edgar
Edgar went with a great wardrobe staple, the Kochi Jacket from Papercut. To pretreat the fabric he machine washed cold and tumbled dry. Then, he played around with tinting the fabric with dye, which resulted in a very subtle shibori effect. He also used a contrasting bias finish and a patch to embellish his jacket. He says,
It is my typical style. I always like wearing some sort of jacket over a cool shirt. Normally I go for darker tones but this was a good change. I really liked the drape of the fabric.
We love how Edgar incorporated design details to give this wardrobe staple a personal touch!
Bora
Bora dressed up her Roma with the Meridian Dress from Papercut. To pretreat her fabric she machine washed and dried it, both on gentle cycles. She made the XS and left out the back zipper. Bora says of the fabric,
The texture of this fabric is wonderful. It’s midweight but can still flutter. So the folds of the top of the dress were really visible and the long skirt swished! I am excited to wear this dress during the transition seasons. The color is also perfect for fall, but with some white sneakers and a straw hat, it will be totally spring ready too.
We can’t wait to see how Bora wears this throughout the year!
Seven Sewists, Seven Amazing Garments
We have such wonderful staff, all with diverse styles and interests. It was amazing to see how everyone made the Roma Linen/Rayon their own, tried something new and got out of their comfort zones. We hope this inspires you to find a place for this beautiful fabric in your handmade wardrobe!