This is a simple sleeveless dress with bust darts to add a bit of shape. It looks rather like those old pinafores people used to wear hence the name.
It is easy to wear – either as a comfortable tunic when worn over a tee shirt and leggings or a cool dress for those hotter days. This Summer I hardly need say I have been wearing it as a tunic, over leggings, with a cardigan!
I bought this material locally from the Button Box in Huddersfield Market. . It is 100% cotton.
Notes On This Cotton – Craft Fabric
I would be very pleased with it if it wasn’t for the fabric…..
It is a silky fabric that creases easily. I mean really easily. I wear it for seconds and it looks like crumpled paper. I am not sure it is a dress making fabric. It was sold in small bales folded on a cardboard board. In a section of the shop called craft fabrics. I think they are mainly used for patchwork and quilting. Is this cotton somehow different? Rose & Hubble fabrics are sold the same way and the stuff I used for my loon pants worked out fie. I thought with washing it would soften it as has happened with my loon pants. These are made out of Rose & Hubble cotton. They are now so soft I don’t need to iron them. Actually I never ironed them and while they looked rumpled I could get away with it. Not a chance of that with this top! Still as stiff as a board, needs ironing before I can wear it. Even with my low sartorial standard I feel I have to do at least that. Once on, it creases immediately.
As time has passed it’s tendency to crease has annoyed me more and more. As has the constant ironing.
Pattern New Look 6558
- It was cut out with all metal scissors from the C. Booths Hardware Shop in Huddersfield,
- sewn together using organic cotton on a wooden reel and
- made using plastic free sewing supplies (you can find them here).
- Fixtures & Fittings Cotton bias binding round the neck and arms sold by the meter at the shop.
Sustainable Rating
- Natural fibres
- Fabric was bought plastic free – no packaging
- Supporting a local fabric shop
- Homemade by me
Weighs In At 149 grams
Why the weighing
As an experiment, in 2015, I pledged to use no more than my fair global share of fibres This is a self imposed rationing system. I use no more than my global share of fibres and they have to be sustainably sourced. What’s a global share? Share out all the fibres made by all the people on the planet and it works out, (very roughly), 11.74 kg per person of which 3.8 kg is natural fibres. As I don’t like synthetics I try to stick to 3.8 kg of natural fibres.
- Read more about the The Fair Share Fabric Project
- You can see a yearly break down of my fabric use here
- Whats counts as sustainable – read our clothing manifesto
Why Natural Fibres?
I prefer to use natural fibres because on consideration they are the greenest, biodegradable option and, even better, they don’t shed plastic microfibres when washed.
Just in case you need it, here is a quick intro to synthetic, regenerated, combination and natural fibres here. And more reasons why I prefer natural fabrics over the others can be found here.
How to Sew
Here is an introduction to why you might want to, and how you can, start sewing plastic free. Plus all my sewing projects to date. Read More
N.B.
lines changes, products get removed. For more information why not ask the Plastic Is Rubbish FB group for updates. They are a great source of tidbits, personal experience and the latest news. Why not join them and share the plastic free love x