I’ve got another gorgeous Minerva exclusive print to share! This time, it’s a Shingle Path Viscose Challis fabric that I turned into the Taylor wrap dress by Seamwork. This flowy, light to medium weight fabric has a lovely neutral color scheme on a white base. Since it has a lighter color base, I wore a slip under the dress to make sure my bits were fully covered. I thought I’d be soaked in sweat since the dress has long sleeves, but the fabric is so breathable! I wore this dress to work and despite the fact that it was 82˚F (28˚C) with 72% humidity, I stayed cool and dry during my walk to the office. I was so pleasantly surprised!
This shingle path challis is such a great design. It reminds me of an animal print, but without grossing me out like most animal prints do. The fabric feels soft against my skin and there was no fading or pilling when I washed the fabric. This is so important with light colored clothing as any bit of makeup or random stain will show up. I usually stay away from most white or beige fabrics because they aren’t stain-friendly and I’m a clumsy girl. The different colored shingles can help hide some stains. But overall, light fabric has got to be sturdy enough for frequent washing and I think this challis fits the bill! The fabric is easy to sew with and had minimal fraying, but you definitely need to fully finish the seams. Otherwise, your beautifully bespoke garment may snag and fray away.
Taylor is a classic wrap silhouette with princess seams, gathered sleeves, and a waist-cinching fabric tie. There’s also bonus cap sleeves if just the thought of long sleeves right now makes you sweat. The princess seams on the bodice are clutch because I experienced no gaping at the bust, which is something you always have to watch for when making wrap dresses. Because I prefer a looser fit, I added an inch in width to the back pieces and waist ties. This extra bit of fabric gives me the right fit without unfavorably shifting the rest of the garment to the front. This was a pretty easy pattern, and I completed the dress over two days with casual sewing. If I really focused, I could probably sew it up in a day.
Overall, this was an enjoyable project, but I really shouldn’t be surprised by that. When you combine Minerva’s great fabrics with Seamwork’s proven pattern designs, it’s hard to go wrong. I’m so excited about the exclusive prints that Minerva has been releasing. The variety is outstanding and all the fabrics I’ve used have been high quality. I’ve got more exclusive fabrics headed my way and I think these will be my go-to fabric brand for a while!
