Inspired by the abundance of sheer, organza, and lace overlay dresses seen on recent runways, I knew I could turn a pair of IKEA curtains from my stash into something amazing! The sheer, gridded pattern was perfect, but the white? Not so much. That’s where fabric dye came to the rescue! Using a bit of colour theory, I mixed magenta with blue to create a deep, dreamy cobalt blue.
Since the curtains were synthetic, I couldn’t use my usual washing machine method for dyeing. Instead, I turned to the RIT Dye website, which suggested boiling the fabric on the stovetop. (Pro tip: the site has great colour charts and information on how to dye different materials—worth checking out!) The cobalt colour came out just as rich as I had hoped, and with minimal mess—win-win!
For the pattern, I wanted something flowy and relaxed. The Hubbading Freya Dress caught my eye with its interesting yet simple bust shaping. This New Zealand-based pattern company was new to me, but with such a cute collection of patterns, I’ll definitely be making more. In fact, I can’t wait to create a blouse version of the Faye Dress—the throw-over style is perfect for the upcoming Australian summer.
Because the material was originally designed for curtains, it frayed like crazy when cut, especially with its sheer texture. French seams were the perfect solution to keep everything neat. I had to carefully piece together the right sides of each seam (a little head-scratching involved!), and yes, I had to sew each seam twice, but the finished effect was completely worth it. Having my Magnetic Pin Dish/Pin Holder - Terrazzo Resin by my side really helped keep my pins close at hand during those critical moments—an absolute lifesaver! Now, I did toy with the idea of wearing the dress over my fanciest pants (or grundies, as my dad would say!) but eventually decided to go with a more fitted underdress. The easiest and fastest choice would’ve been a simple slip, like Tessuti’s Sadie or Friday Pattern Company’s Saltwater Slip, but in true form, I went for something more elaborate!
You can read all about it on our next blog post, where I’ll share all the details of making the Just Patterns Ines Dress—the most intricate slip dress ever!
For more behind-the-scenes insights into Zoe’s look and other sewing projects, visit our other Sewing Room blog posts, and follow Sew Your Way on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok to stay updated on our latest creations.