Fabric for a...

...summer dress for me, but I’m not quite sure yet exactly how I’ll sew it. I have three designs in mind, but I want to make a sketch first to see if it suits me. The fabric is viscose jersey, wonderfully light and flowing, just the way I like it.

Best regards, Inge

Dear Inge, those are such great colors, and the rosewood goes so well with the roses on the fabric. You’ve put that together beautifully. Is viscose jersey the best material for a summer dress for you? And is it breathable? I’m guessing so—otherwise you wouldn’t have chosen it for a dress.

Is there anything to look out for when buying viscose jersey, or is all viscose jersey the same? Are there any “pitfalls” you might fall into when buying it? There are always so many varieties of everything, and as a layperson, it’s hard to know what you’re looking at. In any case, all the colors and patterns always look much clearer and more vibrant on viscose jersey.

Oh, sorry for all my questions. I haven’t actually worked with this fabric yet, which is why I’m so curious—and as an expert, you surely know your stuff.

I’m really excited to see which of the three dress designs you’ll choose. It’s so exciting. Will you show us your three sketched designs before you decide? Because when I see the finished dress later, I might find myself wondering what the other two designs would have looked like :-)

Thank you so much, dear Inge, for letting us be part of your dress project.

Warm regards, Ina

Ina, feel free to ask questions—as long as I can answer them, it’s fine. If there’s something I don’t know, I’ll just say so.
Viscose is a fabric made—to put it simply—from rags or old clothes, etc., and it usually has a very high cotton content. That’s why viscose is breathable, and what I really like about it is that the fabric literally flows through your hands. As I mentioned, I’ve picked out three patterns. The first one might be similar to the blue and red sweatshirt dresses I sewed last winter—that is, a simple, straight cut. The second design looks like this—I just drew the sketch—but what bothers me is that I feel like it might be a bit bulky around the hips. The top part, up to just below the bust, should be made of viscose; then, about 5 cm below the bust, a 3-cm-wide solid-color bandeau should be inserted, and the gathered skirt sewn onto that, reaching roughly to calf length. The third design is a two-piece set—a top (shirt), possibly with a cowl neck in the front or a simple round neckline, paired with a slightly flared, calf-length skirt.

Best regards, Inge
There’s plenty of fabric—I brought back 4 meters of that viscose.
 

Dear Inge, thank you so much for taking the time and effort to answer my questions. This might also be of interest to the quiet readers following this thread.

When I get the chance, I’ll go to a fabric store and feel some viscose fabric and try to imagine it on my skin. It certainly has its advantages, but I need to touch it. If it feels too synthetic, then it won’t work. These days everything is always blended together so fabrics are cheaper to produce. As an expert, you can spot that at first glance; I still have to gain my own experience.

Your dress
Model 1
I think a summer dress can definitely have a bit of swing to its cut. The straight sweatshirt dresses are better suited to winter. Sweatshirt fabric is heavier and not as light and swingy as the viscose with the flowers. It can definitely have a little movement in it.

Model 2
In your draft pattern, you can see that the bodice is kept rather short, then comes the 3 cm wide bandeau, and the rest down to the calf is one large area of flowers. It’s clear that the lower part is dominant, just from the proportions alone. I could imagine making the strip between the bodice and lower part wider toward the bottom. Then both parts would be visually better separated and would be perceived more individually.
Or you could lengthen the bodice and keep the 3 cm bandeau band. That also changes the proportions.

Model 3
Yes, I can also well imagine a top with a cowl neck. That always looks elegant and frames the neckline quite nicely. A collar like that is a decorative element because it frames the neck. With a solid-colored skirt, that should harmonize well. But actually you wanted to sew yourself a summer dress ;-)

Dear Inge, I know absolutely nothing about patterns or pattern drafting. You’re the expert on that. I’m just letting my imagination run away with me. I’m sure you’ll find the right pattern for your summer dress. We’re all still excited to see what happens.

Best regards, Ina.