Get ready for Sapphire!
Hello, it’s Friday! If you’re subscribed to my newsletter you already got a Sneak Peek* at the new spring pattern I’ve been working on at the end of last month (did you miss it? You can see it here). But now it’s time to introduce Baby to the World, and give some details on how you can get ready for this awesome dress and top pattern that you’re going to want to make a million of…because of course I am talking about Sapphire, my new sewing pattern that is coming soon!!
*if you’re a paying member on my Substack, you got an even earlier look - please consider supporting me there — it’s hard for small creative businesses right now!!
{I will talk a little more about this blue linen version in an upcoming post}
Personally I think Sapphire is the perfect dress for any season, but I’m especially excited that we’re releasing it this spring because I think you are going to love making this for spring and then wearing it on into the summer.
Sapphire is a button-front top and dress with gathered sleeves and skirt designed for woven fabrics. The dress view features a maxi-length skirt that includes inseam pockets and side vents at the hem. You can choose a shorter sleeve or a longer sleeve with elasticated cuff. As with my other patterns, two front bodice pattern pieces are provided - for fuller and smaller chests - to provide fit flexibility for different busts.
Sapphire can also be made as a top, with either short or longer sleeves. For this top I used a lightweight cotton lawn to create a fun top with longer sleeves that I wear with jeans and white pants:
And the facings can optionally be attached on the outside of the garment for a fun pop of contrast. Here's a pink version I made out of Merchant and Mills striped linen with short sleeves and the facings on the outside:
And by the way, the blue striped version I made is also a soft washed linen. I’ve made so many versions of this pattern, so if you want to see all of the versions I’ve made so far, take a look at this fun little reel that Clementine made for my Instagram.
Get Ready!
If you want to get ready to sew your own Sapphire, you can find the yardage and size charts below (more detailed charts are also available on the Sapphire Page). Sapphire will come in our extended size range with fourteen sizes, A-N, designed to fit chest measurements 30-66" [76-168 cm] and hip measurements 35-70" [89-178 cm] .
I suggest that you select your base size from the sizing chart using your upper chest measurement, then select “full chest - smaller” or “full chest - larger” depending on which full chest measurement is closest to yours; this will determine which of the two FRONT BODICE pattern pieces you should use for your size. Note that if you fall into more than one size, you may get the best fit by blending two or more sizes.
RECOMMENDED FABRICS
Woven light to medium weight fabrics such as linen, cotton lawn, voile, double gauze, poplin, shirting, shot cotton, rayon challis and other rayon/viscose blends, silk noil.
ALWAYS PREWASH AND DRY YOUR FABRIC PRIOR TO CUTTING INTO IT!
In addition to fabric, you’ll also need:
1/2 yard [1/2 m] of lightweight fusible interfacing
1/2 inch [13 mm] wide elastic
buttons - 1/2 - 9/16 inch [12-14 mm] wide (10 buttons for dress, 6 buttons for top)
hook and eye closure (optionally you can use a small metal snap)
coordinating thread
After choosing your size, I recommend that you compare your measurements to the finished measurement chart below to see how much extra room you will have (“ease”) through the chest and hip for the size(s) you selected; at least 2 inches [5 cm] for chest and 4 inches [10 cm] for hip is recommended:
One other piece of information that may be helpful to you is that the pattern was drafted for a height of about 5’6 - if you are more than a couple of inches taller or shorter, you may wish to add or subtract height. If adding, remember that you may need extra fabric.
Skill Level : ADVANCED
So…I don’t want scare anyone away, so let me first say that ALL of my patterns are designed with the confident beginner in mind, and compared to other pattern companies out there, I would say that my patterns tend to be very manageable for a confident beginner.
The skills you need to make Sapphire are fairly straight forward; things like gathering, creating elastic casings, adding a facing, and the most difficult step — besides the buttonholes** — is when you attach the bodice to the skirt (both are gathered to different degrees) and then add an elastic casing to that waist seam. It’s maybe a bit tricky? But not hard if you read carefully and don’t wing it (strong sideeye here at those of you who always think “I’ll just do it this way instead”).
But there are a LOT of steps in this pattern, and I would say that it takes longer to sew Sapphire than most of my other patterns. Because of that, I decided not to include as many of the hand-holding steps, tips, and micro-instructions that you might be used to in some of my other patterns, like Beatrix for example. I’m assuming when you make Sapphire that you will either have sewn one of my intermediate patterns before or have some other experiences with similar patterns. Hence I have labeled it “advanced” (I have three skill level designations: beginner, intermediate, advanced).
Of course - for anyone who needs a bit more assistance, I’ll put a list of helpful posts to check out on the Sapphire page, and my plan is to host a Sapphire sewalong here on the blog after the launch!!
Finally, for those of you who are not huge fans of sewing buttonholes, I did include a little alternative method in the pattern for a “faux” button placket (See also: My Tips for Sewing Buttonholes), so you can make Sapphire without having to sew a single buttonhole!!
OK! I hope you can tell I am sooo excited about this pattern and I hope you are too. The initial response has been so encouraging, and don’t worry — the pattern is coming soon, my current plan is to release it by the end of this month.
PS. Sign up for my newsletter or substack if you want to be the first to know when it drops!