I am so excited to be partnering up with Longan Craft this January! I was immediately smitten with this whimsical brocade, with such a sweet flora and fauna design on a mushroom background. I was very kindly gifted 2 yards — the perfect amount to work with a pinafore dress pattern that had been on my radar for a while.
As a general rule, I tend to prefer natural fibres over polyester, but I do make an exception for jacquards and brocades that catch my eye. This Vintage Mushroom brocade is on the lighter side of a midweight jacquard; it was quite spongy to press but was workable with lots of steam and a lower temperature. This brocade was very stable when it came to cutting and sewing, but frayed very quickly. I found overlocking the raw edges of several of my pattern pieces before sewing them together was the best way forward. I also found that none of my usual marking tools, like Frixion pens or chalk pens, showed up very clearly, so I instead used thread to mark any notches and darts. I used some scraps of cotton lawn leftover from my Valentine’s Dress I made a few years ago as a lining for the bodice, pockets and waistband.
As this fabric has quite a retro look to it, I wanted to minimise the slight ‘1970s curtains’ vibes and not go for anything too flouncy or with too much gathering. I instead landed on the Jennifer Lauren Handmade Pippa Pinafore, which is a classic overall dress with some nice touches: a darted and fitted bib, pleats in the front skirt for shaping, side button fastening, cross back straps and lined patch pockets. One thing I particularly love about this pattern is the inclusion of multiple cup sizes, so you can nail the fit at the bust. Plenty of light- to midweight wovens are recommended for this pattern, so it is very versatile; I could imagine pairing this pattern with a Rifle Paper Co floral canvas for spring, or with a warm cinnamon brown denim for autumn.
This was my first time using a Jennifer Lauren Handmade sewing pattern and I was really impressed with it. There were plenty of labelled notches to help you align the pieces correctly and the instructions were clear and easy to follow. You do have to be careful to cut the button band and button facing the right way up; I managed to interface and line one of them before I realised my mistake (whoops)! The size guide measurements put me in a straight size 12 with a D cup and I didn’t make any fitting adjustments — I am delighted with how it fits and how comfortable it is to wear. As well as being an enjoyable sew, it was also a very speedy sew; I think the longest part of the process was waiting for my delivery of the gunmetal buttons and dungaree buckles 😅 I also made a little video of the process of sewing up this pinafore dress.
I am also wearing a Charm Patterns Barbie Top under this pinafore dress; I made it up in an afternoon out of some rayon/nylon/spandex blend ponte and it goes with several bottoms in my wardrobe. I was worried the mock turtleneck wouldn’t really suit me, but I actually really like it. Hooray for trying new things!
I would highly recommend this pattern for an adventurous beginner and I am already planning my next version. There would be a few tweaks I would make the next time I make this pattern — for starters, I would trim down the lining pieces by ⅛″, as this would help them roll under, and maybe increase the depth of the waistband a little. In the meantime, this brocade pinafore dress is getting plenty of outings!
Jennifer Lauren Handmade Pippa Pinafore Dress
Size 6 – 34
Full Bust: 29½″- 61⅝″
Waist: 24¼″- 51¾″
Hips: 35¼″- 62¾″
