Blog Team Make : Maz's Ivy Pinafore

I absolutely love the fabrics I used in this blog.  What’s not to love about a good quality denim and anything that has been blessed with Liberty magic?!  I wanted to use these fabrics to make something classic that would not go in or out of fashion and would have a place in my wardrobe most of the year.

I have made the Ivy pinafore by Jennifer Lauren Handmade patterns.  The Ivy is described as transforming the everyday overall into a feminine and comfy garment with an option to suit everyone.  There are two options - an A-line tent style dress and a slimmer fit version.  I chose to make the slimmer silhouette and omit the pockets (I can sense the disapproving looks but I’m just not a fan of pockets!).  I chose this pattern as it seems to have a really big fan base and I love the idea of a denim pinafore that can be easily changed up to get a lot of wear.  I have made a fair few Tilly and the Buttons pinafores and they all get worn to death, but the Ivy Pinafore looked to have a bit more shaping and a less casual feel so I thought it was time to try something new. It was going to have a tough job to get anywhere near the amount of love I have for my Cleos though.

Before starting I wanted to make sure that I had prepped and washed my fabrics to prolong the life of these gorgeous fabrics.  I tend to overlock the cut edges of my fabrics before washing as I think this helps them to retain their shape, and obviously they fray a lot less in the wash.  I was worried about the dye leaching form the indigo denim, so I washed it separately with a cup of salt to help ‘fix’ the dye. It softened up beautifully and despite losing a bit of dye, it looked just as perfect after washing as it did before.  The cotton poplin washed very well too, and neither fabric was particularly creased or time consuming to get ready for the next stage of cutting. 

I used an older version of the pattern that does not include the cup sizes like the more recent edition.  I would suggest checking the measurements before cutting as the sizing is taken from a block quite different to the majority of patterns I’ve been using recently.  As my pattern did not come with cup sizes, I needed to make a Full Bust Adjustment, and I also took a bit in from the sides/waist and shortened it slightly.  These adjustments were all fairly straightforward, and I imagine even more so if you had the newer version and could forgo the need for a bust adjustment. 

I used the indigo denim for the main part of this dress and completed the flat felled seam as per the instructions.  I have chosen to use a light blue topstitching thread to make my seams and topstitching stand out against the darker blue denim.  The back of the dress also has a centre seam, but this is a shaped seam fir which a flat felled seam isn’t advised. As I wanted to mimic the front of the dress, I chose to make a faux flat felled seam to continue that look you often see on denim jeans and jackets. To do this I simply sewed the fabric right sides together and then topstitching the seam down with two rows of topstitching.  I think this gives it a very similar look as the flat felled seam from the right side of the fabric, but it does not fully enclose all the seams as beautifully on the inside.  I also believe (although don’t hold me to this) that it isn’t quite a strong as a flat-felled seam, but luckily, I don’t have plans to do any manual or remotely strenuous work in my new dress!  I also decided to completely remove the centre seam from the lining of the pattern. This is an easy step that just requires the 5/8” seam allowance to be omitted and the pattern piece to be cut on the fold. 

I really love this pattern and I’m really pleased to have it made up in a denim that I will get to wear frequently.  It’s definitely a close competitor of my Cleo pinafore if not a joint winner! The lining in the Liberty deadstock poplin is gorgeous and part of me wishes it was prominent, but I know how beautiful my dress looks inside (and now so do you!). I wanted to take the time to get a good finish on the dress so that it can stand the test of time and be something I reach for constantly.  I think it has hit the brief as I’m sat typing this in my Ivy right now!

Inspired to make your own version? Here's what you'll need:

Pattern: Ivy Pinafore by Jennifer Lauren printed using my A0 pattern printing service

Fabric: Maz used my 7.5oz denim, which is currently out of stock, however the 8oz denim is very similar in weight and colour - should you like to make a version similar. Other fabric recommendations for the Ivy Pinafore include corduroy (I'd suggest 8 wale) or wools.

[Disclosure: Maz was provided with the materials for her project free of charge and received a gift voucher in recognition of the time spent on her project.]