The dress hit me out of nowhere. Well, maybe a little less than nowhere; I knew I wanted to make more Little Black Bra + Mix It Up mashup dresses because they’re the perfect little summer dress—comfy, dress it up or dress it down, built-in bra, flattering silhouette. Yep, it’s got all the things. I was letting my mind wander around to conjure up my second version and it landed on this Hearts, Stars and Swirls on Light Grey/White Double Knit Jersey I bought in February 2020 from Made of Love. I’ve noticed it too many times to count in my closet and every time I didn’t know what it wanted to be. And then BAM! This happened.
About the Fabric
Skirt Outer: Hearts, Stars and Swirls on Light Grey/White Double Knit Jersey
Being I got one yard of this over two years ago before I started saving fabric deets, I can’t tell you much in the way of content/stretch, etc. It’s called a double knit, which suggests a heavier knit with more structure, but that’s not what this is at all. It’s more like a burn-out jersey. The gray areas are pretty sheer. The white areas are like another layer “glued” on top of the gray that seem like they want to shed without actually shedding. It’s all very weird—but fun.
Bodice bra: Dark Gray Heather Performance Knit from Nike/Under Armour
- Polyester
- light/midweight
- 4-way 50% Horizontal, 10% Vertical
Cali Fabrics strikes again with the cool finds.
This gorgeous performance knit is part of a group we brought in from athletic wear giants Nike and Under Armour, and are the absolute perfect fabrics for an athletic tee or tank! The moisture wicking properties help keep sweat away from your skin, so that you can stay dry while exercising.
I should have considered the lower stretch percentage on this fabric; it makes for a slightly snug bra, but it still works. It’s also lighter than you’d expect for performance knit and a little sheer. It’s a good thing the bra pattern calls for lining. For athletic wear, I would err on the side of something with positive ease with this fabric.
Underskirt: Ivory Pylos Liknit
- Fabric Content: 55% Rayon/45% Nylon
- Fabric Weight: 9oz/linear yard
- Stretch Percentages: 50% horizontal/0 vertical
This is the ivory version of the stretch linen I used on my linen Cozy Pants. I had earmarked this for another pair of linen pants, but when I ran up against a lack of yardage with the leftover crinkle gauze I was originally going to use for the underskirt, I had to pivot. PIVOT!
It’s probably a good thing I did; the crinkle gauze is a woven and I would have had to create gathers where it meets the waistband and hope it fit the way I wanted. Using this stretchy linen worked out really well in the end. (I wonder if they have more in stock; I still want my white linen pants. Oh yah! They have a slew of colors in stock.)
Waistband: Offwhite Double Brushed Poly Spandex Knit from Cali Fabrics
- FABRIC CONTENT: 96% Polyester/4% Lycra
- STRETCH: 4-way 150%
- WEIGHT: 5.5oz (Light Midweight)
About the Make
Top: George and Ginger Little Black Bra (Free pattern with code from YouTube video)
- size 10
- slim band (-3″ circumference)
- strap placement 3″ from side seams
- straps cut at 1.5″ wide
- final strap length 10″
- +1/4″ knit elastic to straps
Outer Skirt: George and Ginger Mix It Up Dress
- size 4
- half circle skirt
Underskirt: George and Ginger Mix It Up Dress
- size 4
- frankensteined half circle handkerchief skirt (see figure below): I took the half circle skirt, drew two straight lines at right angles from the edges, and used the resulting shallow point as the new hemline. It’s less dramatic than the handkerchief skirt included in the Mix It Up Dress, and similar to what I did on my Starstruck dress.
Notes for Next Time
- PAY ATTENTION TO STRETCH PERCENTAGES. This is my Achilles Heel. I dive right into making the things as if stretch will have no factor in final fit. Learn your lesson, Deb. 50/10 doesn’t allow for a lot of stretchiness; it would be good to size up at those percentages, particularly on the back of the bra; that’s where the discomfort is. I think adding an inch into the backband would resolve that.
- I’d still like some modest bra cups to sew in.
Project Settings
Sewing Machine vs. Serger
| Sewing Machine | Serger |
|---|---|
|
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Sewing Machine Settings
| Presser Foot | Stitch# | Stitch Width | Stitch Length | Needle | Top Thread Tension | Application |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| standard zig-zag (A) | 5 | 1.0 | 4 | blue tip | 4 | seams |
| standard zig-zag (A) | 2 | 3.5 | 3.5 | blue tip | 4 | darts |
| adjustable edge (SE#5) | 5 | 1.0 | 4 | blue tip | 4 | topstitch |
| standard zig-zag (A) | 1 | 3.5 | 3.5 | blue tip | 4 | hem |
Serger Settings
| Stitch Name | 4-thread overlock |
|---|---|
| Needles | R, L |
| Finger | B |
| Threads | 4 |
| Tension Left Needle | 2.5 |
| Tension Right Needle | 2.5 |
| Tension Upper Looper | 3 |
| Tension Lower Looper | 3 |
| Cut Width | 6 |
| Stitch Length | 2.5 |
| Differential | 1.0 |
| Application | seams |
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