Minerva Fabrics Stretch Velvet Beauty

I used McCall’s 7186 to make this Minerva Fabrics stretch velvet beauty. Not to toot my own horn, but this dress is gorgeous! I attribute that not so much to my own skill, but to the fantastic fabric.

The Fabric

Minerva gifted me this fabric. I am a Minerva Brand Ambassador. This project featured a new exclusive fabric for them. It’s called a Crush Velvet Stretch Knit. It washes and dries beautifully (in the washer and dryer-cold water, low heat).

The Pattern

The drape of the dress is why I chose this. I made View D. There are gathers at the shoulder that create the drape in the front of the dress. This is the second time I’ve made it and this view. Although the pattern is OOP (out of print) it’s available on Etsy or Ebay.

This is a pattern designed for knit fabrics.

Alterations Made

Because I made this pattern some time ago, I needed a bit more room in this one. I am still able to wear the dress I previously made, but it was a little tight and I just want more breathing room. 1″ was added to the center back seam and 5/8″ added to the side seams.

Once I got the sizing the way I wanted, this was a very quick make. I love making things that look like I spent a lot of time on them. The reality is, the majority of the sewing was done on the serger, so this only took a few hours to make!

Helpful Hints

A walking foot is a terrific help in sewing stretch (or any) velvet. It will keep the layers of fabric feeding into the machine at the same rate so that your seams will line up properly.

Be sure to use a press cloth and/or an iron shoe. Velvet can easily “scorch” and you could end up leaving a mark on your garment.

Conclusion

This is a fantastic dress pattern that is perfect for a stunning fabric like this.

Brother walking foot

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Here’s my YouTube video I made about this dress and the sewing process:

Plaid Matching Using Butterick 4463

I decided to try plaid matching using Butterick 4463.

The Pattern

Butterick 4463 is an older pattern that’s out of print (OOP). It’s from 2005 but I think that these days, it would be called a shacket. I have made this multiple times before and it is one of my favorites. I believe it’s available on Ebay and Etsy.

The jacket is unlined. It features two inseam pockets, front and back yokes and collar. There are a couple of lengths and a belt pattern included.

My Jacket: Plaid Matching Using Butterick 4463

I used this fabric I was gifted from Minerva for this project. It is the perfect weight fabric for something like this. It’s medium to heavy weight suiting and is terrific for an unlined jacket.

Since this jacket doesn’t have a center back seam or gathers in the back, it was a bit easier to figure out how to match this plaid. I laid out the back piece first with the fabric folded and pinned so it wouldn’t shift or move around. Then I matched up the back yoke with fabric right-side up. After that, I used the notches in the pattern pieces to do the best I could to match up everything else. Luckily, that worked out.

It’s always nice when all the effort works out and things match the way you want. But I have also learned not to stress too much about it. Nothing is going to be perfect. I would proudly wear this jacket regardless.

Because I wanted the buttons to blend in, I made covered buttons using the dark part of the plaid fabric.

Doing the buttons this way also meant that I didn’t have to worry about matching the plaid on the covered buttons.

Conclusion

Overall, this is an easy pattern and fairly quick to put together. Of course, if you choose to use a plaid fabric, the layout and cutting phase will take a bit more time and patience.

As far as this Minerva polyester viscose suiting is concerned, it is fantastic to sew. As I stated, it is the perfect weight for an unlined Fall season jacket. Here is the post I wrote for Minerva featuring this project.

Corduroy Closet Core Morgan Jeans

For my latest project, I decided to sew a pair of corduroy Closet Core Morgan jeans.

*The following post contains affiliate links.

The Fabric

For the corduroy fabric , I purchased mine online at MelanatedFabrics. Unfortunately, they are completely sold out at this time. This is some of the nicest and drapiest corduroy I have ever used. It’s super soft and a mid-wale corduroy.

Brown corduroy pants incomplete — *Work in process*

The Morgan Boyfriend Jeans

One of the reasons that I chose to use this pattern is that it is designed for non-stretch fabrics. There is no stretch in the corduroy. The fit of the jeans is more of a straight fit and not too loose or baggy.

woman wearing leaf print shirt and brown corduroy pants

And this isn’t the first time I’ve made them. Although the instructions only mention using denim, I think you can use any jean appropriate fabric. Because I had made this before, I didn’t have to worry about fitting.

woman wearing leaf print shirt and brown corduroy jeans back view

Some Sewing Tips

For these corduroy Closet Core Morgan jeans I did take into consideration some sewing tips and techniques that made things a bit easier.

Wash the fabric in cold water and dry on low heat.
Gently iron the fabric. I like the iron shoe and press cloth.
Use a walking foot. This attachment will keep the fabric from sliding.
Use a pattern layout for napped fabrics, if possible.

Since the fabric is medium weight, a size 14 universal needle works great. I also suggest lots of pins (or clips) to keep things together.

woman wearing brown corduroy Closet Core Morgan jeans front view

If you are familiar with jeans making, this will be a relatively quick project for you. Beginners will probably want to make a muslin and get the fit right before cutting into the fashion fabric.

woman smiling wearing brown corduroy jeans and black t-shirt — *My fit check during the process*

Conclusion

These jeans are soft and comfortable. Corduroy is “in” this season, so I can be stylish without even trying😂. The most difficult part was the topstitching. Because there’s a nap in the fabric, it was very hard to see. But, overall, I’m happy with the results!