Making Butterick 6685

This is one of my latest Minerva Fabrics projects. As a Minerva brand ambassador, I’m able to choose from a variety of fabrics. This time, I chose a supima cotton lawn for making Butterick 6685.

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The Fabric

This is a Minerva exclusive supima cotton lawn called Sylvan Secrets. It is a lightweight, breezy fabric that I thought would be perfect for the hot summer weather we’ve been having. And this was my first time using this type of fabric. There’s no stretch in the Minerva fabric. The fabric is POD which means print on demand, so as it’s ordered, that’s when the design is put onto the material.

The Result

Originally, I had other plans for this fabric. I wanted to make a flowy dress that would be nice to wear during the summer. Unfortunately, a tree fell on our house which caused some damage and a low electrical power situation in the home. As a result, the only way I could get a project done in a reasonable amount of time was to make something very fast and easy. So making Butterick 6685 was the perfect solution.

I do have enough left over for a skirt or some palazzo style pants. View C is the view I made this time. I had previously made View A. One of the differences with this make is I opted not to make the sash.

If you are interested in purchasing this fabric, here is a link so you can check it out for yourself. There are many other prints available for the cotton lawn POD fabric that Minerva offers.

*You can use my code MSS251DT to get 10% off your order.

I didn’t make any alterations to the pattern. But I did try to use one of the rolled hem feet that I have for my Bernina sewing machine for the sleeve hems. This being the first time I’ve really tried it, it came out a bit wonky, but the foot works great. It is something that requires practice and patience. Honestly, I’m not convinced that it is really easier or faster than how I’ve done narrow hems before. But sometimes I believe in trying new things, especially since I had already purchased the foot.

If you’d like to check out the video I made about this project, you can check that out here.

Simplicity 8014 Shirtdress

Sometimes when you love a fabric, you want to make “just the right thing” with it. I chose Simplicity 8014 shirtdress as the perfect pattern to match with this blue and white floral fabric.

Why This Pattern

One of the main reasons I chose this particular pattern is because I like that it has a waist seam. I think that gives more definition to my waist (which I don’t really have). The belt that’s included with the pattern will also cinch in the waist a bit.

woman wearing Simplicity 8014 front view

I made View B with some elements of View A. A full bust adjustment was made and there’s a YouTube video about that process. I use “The Complete Photo Guide To Perfect Fitting” by Sarah Veblen as my go to book for this.

At this point I checked the fit, just to make sure things were going as planned. Something that I did not do that this pattern calls for is the pocket flaps on the chest pockets. With the print of the fabric, they wouldn’t be needed or missed since they are purely decorative.

woman wearing floral dress making Simplicity 8014 shirtdress — *Checking the fit of the bodice on Simplicity 8014*

Making The Dress

Previous shirtdresses I’ve made have had a slightly different process. Those patterns did not have a defined waist seam as this one does. So for Simplicity 8014, first the bodice is constructed, then the skirt. Because the skirt panels are a bit wide, I found having extra fabric essential to being able to cut them out as the pattern instructs. My fabric was only 44″ wide, so I would use 50″ wide or above if possible. I think that will make things much easier.

Other than that, the process for sewing the dress was pretty straightforward.

Back view of woman wearing blue floral dress

Conclusion

This is a terrific, versatile pattern. I think it could be made for wearing during most seasons of the year. Luckily, this pattern is still available. I always love a classically styled dress and sewing pattern. If you haven’t made this one yet, I highly recommend it!

I Made Another Shirt With McCall’s 6613

We all have those patterns (or garments) that we’re just really comfortable with. Sometimes they may be practical, sometimes not, but that’s why I made another shirt with McCall’s 6613. It’s a relatively easy pattern to make and straightforward.

The Fabric

I went on my last JoAnn Fabrics trip a couple of weeks ago. I figured I should go before they closed for good. I bought this floral print quilting cotton for making a shirt. If you’ve never used quilting fabric for projects like this, I highly recommend. I have done this for years and these turn out to be some of my favorite garments.

The buttons are little flowers that I thought would be cute with the floral fabric.

This is an easy care cotton blend that washes and dries great. And so far at least, there is no fading of the color. For those looking for online resources for fabric, I have often purchased from Fabric Wholesale Direct and really enjoy the quality fabrics they have.

The Process

One thing I always like to do is a “fit check” before I complete whatever I’m making.

Woman wearing shirt with one sleeve McCall's 6613 — *Me doing a fit check before completion*

Doing this helps me to see if I’ve messed up anywhere along the way. I can also tell if any last minute adjustments need to be made. Taking pictures during this process is also helpful, even if they are only for me. It’s much easier to see those angles that aren’t as visible when you’re just looking in a mirror. Checking to make sure that both left and right sides are even is also often easier in a photo. Yes, I do have a dress form that helps tremendously, but there is something different about actually seeing the garment on an actual person.

The Shirt

woman wearing McCall's 6613 short sleeve shirt

Now you can see why I made another shirt with McCall’s 6613. It’s hard to believe that I’ve never used this pattern to make a spring/summer shirt.

Woman wearing McCall's 6613 short sleeve shirt back view

The pattern is a unisex pattern, so sometimes, these types of patterns run a bit larger than those designed specifically for women.

Woman seated wearing M6613 shirt pattern

I believe there’s a version with a straight hem rather than the shirttail hem in this view. But that is it! Another finished garment that I can add to my wardrobe. As I’ve stated before, I’m really focused on being more intentional with the things I make. I want garments that can go with other garments in my wardrobe.

Here is a link for Seamwork, an online sewing magazine/forum that has Design Your Wardrobe classes usually twice a year. There is a lot of helpful information that you may be interested in as well.

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