Fineline Cotton Twill is the lightest of the three at 4.9oz per square yard / 166 GSM. This finely-woven twill is mostly opaque with a nice sheen. It’s a great choice for tops, dresses, and lightweight pants—because it’s similar to a shirting weight, Fineline Cotton Twill is our go-to for a classic button-up shirt.

 

 

 

Rebecca made The Assembly Line Almost Long Trousers in Kobe – Cotton Twill – Grass

“I made the Almost Long Trousers. I had some trouble with their elastic waistband method—I ended up going a different route by making a casing and feeding the elastic through. I also had to shorten the legs a bit. I actually made a test pair before cutting into my project fabric and I’m so glad I did! I ended up needing to size down. I usually have the worst luck with sewing pants that actually fit, and making a muslin really helped. The Kobe was easy to work with—it wasn’t too light or too heavy for the pants I made, It’s a nice in-between. This garment is not my usual style—I’ve never worn green pants before, but I really like them and I think I can probably wear them with anything!”

Ruby made Merchant & Mills The September Coat in Kobe – Cotton Twill – Charcoal

“The Kobe Twill sewed up easily and beautifully—it had a very buttery way of handling with the needle. It has the perfect amount of structure for what I made, while not being stiff at all. I used the Merchant & Mills September coat pattern pretty heavily modified. As per instructions on the M&M blog for a shortened version, I cut down the length to hit at my upper hip for a cropped look. I used different pocket pieces (from a Pauline Alice jacket pattern) to give me more functionality and hit the mark of the look I was after. I straightened the collar corners (they are drafted rounded). I eliminated the button band and installed a full length zipper instead. And, for maximum Coach’s Jacket impact, I included thin bungee cording in the bottom hem with cinching toggles at the side seams. The back half of the sleeve hems also have bungee cording to keep them from gaping open. I sewed the lining with silk charmeuse which was fun and feels incredible to wear. I sewed the front closure with a separating zipper, and used thin bungee cording and toggles that I already had. The cording is fed through eyelet grommets. The front pocket closes with a small black plastic zipper I already had.

 

 

I designed this piece to fill a void in my wardrobe and I’ve worn it every day since finishing. It’s exactly my style down to all the notions I used. The subtle greenish tint of the charcoal color goes perfectly with what I usually wear, and the utility of the front pockets is everything I wanted. My phone fits perfectly in the zippered pocket—no more phone slipping out of my pocket while I work! Essential. I’ll wear it with literally everything I own.”

Sab made the button-down shirt from Zero Waste Patterns in Kobe – Cotton Twill – Ruby

“The Kobe Twill is the perfect medium weight fabric! I love that it holds its structure while still having good drape and isn’t too stiff. I made modifications to the button-down block from the Zero Waste Pattern book. I added details like an open back, patch pockets, and decorative top stitching. I used my chainstitch embroidery machine to add a monogram above the left pocket of my shirt! The garment isn’t my typical style, but I made it my own by cropping it and adding pink top stitching and embroidery for more of a feminine touch. This was my first time using a zero waste pattern and it was a challenge, but I trusted the process and was so happy with the final result! All of the details brought it together and I can’t wait to wear it as part of my everyday wardrobe.”

Vicki made the Sew Liberated Studio Tunic with Kobe – Cotton Twill – Plum

“I made the Studio Tunic, with fitting adjustments for short stature and highly asymmetric shoulders. In most of the places calling for topstitching, I hand stitched with a contrasting cotton perle size 8 in a pick stitch. It’s a little bit of a departure from my usual style, a little cuter than what I usually go for. It’s pretty versatile in that the tunic is like a work apron and can be worn over pants, skirts, a top, or a dress (I have a dress in the works using the Style Arc Trinnie Dress and Extension Pack). I think I can wear this pretty much anywhere depending on how it is styled, except for something formal. I loved that the pattern called for French seams throughout. The inside is as lovely as the outside, a definite plus in my book! And for anyone scared of French seams, the pattern includes clear instructions. The Kobe twill was the perfect weight for French seams. The colors are vibrant, it is very easy to sew with and manipulate, and this weight can be either relatively structured or relatively unstructured.”

“I didn’t make any modifications except for choosing a vintage belt buckle instead of D-rings. My measurements put me at a 1X, but when I made my muslin it was too large, so I sized down for my Ventana version. I made bar tacks for the belt loops in a contrast thread color, which was fun! I used my Jean-a-ma-jig hump jumper a lot when making the bag because there were some really thick areas—I think the bag could have been made out of a lighter weight fabric. Also I used my invisible zipper foot for the side seam zipper. I love skirts and I used to wear long, pleated skirts all the time! I was excited about this pattern when it came out, and wanted to try the short version before going long. This gave me a chance to find my size and do something a little more fun! I got a little lost in the sauce for one of the bag-sewing steps, so I watched Friday Pattern Company’s sew-along tutorial. It was really helpful!”

“This pattern can be worn two ways and is typically a longer tunic with sleeves. The suggested fabric types for this pattern were light and airy fabrics that would provide a nice drape. Of course this meant that I would have to experiment and do it in something heavier. LOL. To be honest, the modifications made were because I was not liking how the garment was coming out. We’ve all been there.

 

“I loved the weight of the fabric, it’s perfect for pants. I used the Free Range Slacks pattern and cropped them about 5 inches. I also painted most of the pants using textile paint—I wanted to create a monochromatic wardrobe for myself. I love these pants! Ivory is a color I’ve never wanted to wear but I think I’m going to start including it in my wardrobe. My inspiration for this project was transition, changing from one state to another—metamorphosis.”

“Ventana Twill has a nice, substantial denim-like weight, and is easy to cut out and sew! I made The Assembly Line Apron Dress, and used a Japanese cotton print for the big apron pockets. At the last minute I decided to use it to make a matching Cashmerette Montrose Top. I didn’t use any special techniques on this project, but I kind of regret not using contrasting topstitching thread on the apron. It’s not my usual style, but it suits the domestic goddess aspect of my persona. I’ll definitely wear it to work, and will wear the top everywhere with jeans. One bit of advice: make sure the straps fit snugly so they won’t fall off your shoulders. There’s no turning back once those bad boys are topstitched into place!”

Kristen made the Noodlehead Pepin Tote with Ventana – Cotton Twill – Ice Blue, Ventana – Cotton Twill – Smoky Brown, and Kobe – Cotton Twill – Celery.
“I used Ventana Twill for the outside, and Kobe Twill for the lining. I like how sturdy the ventana is—it’s great for a structured bag, but still soft. I used a walking foot on my machine for the quilting and a specialty ruler called The HuRTy—it was created by Latifah Saafir to help make precise triangle patchwork easy. This is totally my style and I will wear this bag everywhere and anytime! I find this to be a practical size tote, not too big, and the zip top was a must-have for me. I discovered the patchwork to be a little bit fussy and seams bulky when working with the heavier Ventana Twill. If I was to do this again, I would probably use the Kobe or even Fineline to achieve more precise points with a little less bulk. That said, it can be done with the thicker fabric and for anyone considering quilting with the twills, I highly recommend pressing all seams open—it helped a lot!”

Olivia made Merchant & Mills The September Coat in Ventana – Cotton Twill – Carmine
“I made The September Coat! The only mod was adding a hang loop. After finishing my coat, I realized this was needed since it is a long heavy jacket that can’t easily hang on a loop without one. To anyone interested in making this coat, I highly suggest you add this! I referred to my Readers Digest Complete Guide to Sewing a good amount for this project. Merchant & Mills’ instructions were lacking in some parts, so I was very grateful to be able to reference certain techniques. For the lining there was a bit of hand sewing that needed to be done, and I referred to the book to refresh my memory on those techniques. Even though hand sewing can take a long time, this project reminded me how neat it can look in the end product! I don’t have any long, oversized coats in my wardrobe, so yes I’d say it’s a departure from my usual style! It’s a great jacket for the weather here in the Bay Area where the cold temperatures don’t usually get below 60 or 50 degrees. It’s also a great layering piece since it’s so oversized! I like the color because I think it will coordinate well with other items in my wardrobe. I can see myself wearing it all year round.”

Sicilia made Merchant & Mills The Eve Trousers in Ventana – Cotton Twill – Brown
“I think Ventana Twill is a great fabric! I like that it doesn’t seem to wrinkle much, and is a really nice midweight. I like things to feel comfy and lived in without being too drapey, and I think this fabric really hits the mark for a comfortable amount of structure. I used the Merchant and Mills Eve trousers pattern. I shortened the rise by about 1.5 inches before cutting out the fabric and then shortened the leg by about 3 inches after I finished sewing. These pants are totally my normal style! I basically live in slightly baggy, straight leg, high waisted pants—so these fit right in. I plan on wearing them a lot, to work and anywhere else, and imagine they would go with most t-shirts or with a button up if I wanted a more formal look. I don’t feel like I’m the most creative when it comes to styling, but I’m happy to have another solid pair of pants! I’m pretty happy with how these came out, but if I made them again I would definitely go slower when inserting the zipper. This was the first time I made pants that weren’t elastic waist, and given that I think they came out great, but I wish the zipper was a bit neater. I honestly found the pattern instructions to be pretty confusing, and was glad I found a sew along on Youtube.”