Tilly and the Buttons Billie Sweatshirt Dress

One of the first things people ask when they learn I make clothes is “do you sew for other people?”.  My answer is and remains a solid no, but I might make an exception if you’re the person who birthed me.  For her birthday this year, I gifted my mother her very own bespoke garment – a Tilly and the Buttons Billie Sweatshirt Dress made with Minerva French terry.  I only made one alteration to fit my mother’s style and she absolutely loves it!  It’s not really weather-appropriate at the moment, but that didn’t stop us from having a mini photoshoot.  I’m so happy that she’s happy with it, but I’m still not making any clothes for y’all!

Originally, this project was for one of Minerva’s kits – the all in one packages that have everything you need to complete a handmade garment.  However, I realized, a bit too late on my part, that I’d received the wrong size pattern.  It was the right size for my mother, who had been dropping not so subtle hints about wanting me to make her a dress.  Her measurements fell in between sizes, so I chose the size based on hip measurement.  I knew that she’d want a slightly looser fit, so this made the most sense.  I also knew that she wanted her knees covered, so I lengthened the dress by two inches.

Like all of Tilly and the Buttons patterns, this has wonderfully clear instructions and was a breeze to sew.  I had a little bit of trouble with the pockets, but that was due to me not paying enough attention to the instructions.  This is a great beginner-level pattern, especially for those looking for a highly-rewarding pattern without much fuss and stress.  Plus, it’s virtually impossible to beat a dress with pockets.

The fabric I used was the Minerva Exclusive Boudoir Bouquet Loop Back French Terry Stretch Knit fabric.  This medium-weight stable knit is soft on the skin and sews like a dream.  It has a 30% stretch across the width of the fabric and 50% down the length.  The pattern on the fabric is so cool – it looks like an optical illusion.  From afar, the fabric looks like burnout velvet with beautiful color shifts scattered about.  It’s not until you’re close to the fabric that you realize it’s perfectly smooth.  I sometimes have to run my hands across it to remind myself that it’s not velvet!