One of the best things about being a Minerva Ambassador is getting the chance to try lots of different fabric designs. This dress is made with the gorgeous Zebra Collage fabric from Minerva’s new exclusive viscose challis range. As with all their other fabrics in this range it is super soft and feels lovely to wear. I love all the autumnal colours and the pops of different patterns which make it really unusual and eye catching.
As soon as I saw the fabric I just thought safari, so I had to choose Simplicity 8014 which seemed very safari dress inspired. I chose to make view C leaving off the sleeve tabs and added the collar from view D. The dress very usefully also has good sized pockets in the side seams which are at a good height to be accessed seated.
I’ll be honest I didn’t really follow the pattern instructions, I glanced over them initially at the start and then constructed the dress my way which seemed to work. I had to make my usual full bust and tummy adjustments and lowered the bust darts. I also had to change the cutting layout otherwise the zebras would have been on their side across the yoke and collar. I really struggled with pattern matching for this dress. In my initial excitement at looking through all the lovely fabrics available when my Ambassador email came through I stupidly only ordered what the pattern recommended and didn’t give a thought to pattern matching and so then when the fabric arrived I couldn’t get the pattern repeat where I wanted it due to the size of the dress pieces. If you are planning on working with this fabric I would definitely advise ordering more than you think you will need if pattern matching is important to you as there is a very large pattern repeat.
I was pleased with the match on the chest pockets but frustrated that I couldn’t get the sides to match. Good job I’m sat in a wheelchair so this isn’t that obvious.
Something to bear in mind is that it is tricky to match this pattern as the stripes vary in thickness so you ideally need to be at a precise point for the pattern to properly match. You will need to allow for that when calculating your fabric. (Something I wish I had done!)
The sewing pattern doesn’t have a facing on the inside at the yoke back it just leaves the seams exposed so I chose to cut two yokes and then use the burrito method to give a nicer finish on the inside. There are several videos on YouTube if you don’t know how to do this.
I think the inside looks much neater and I especially love my Minerva label which finishes it off perfectly.
I started by pre washing and line drying my fabric. Hubby then very kindly cut out the fabric with a rotary cutter and I used a microtex needle and a walking foot. I did go for the easy option of overlocked seams rather than French.
I managed to find some great buttons to go with the dress and was so grateful that my Brother sewing machine makes light work of button holes and actually sewing the buttons on as there are quite a few to do.
This is such a comfy dress to wear and can be worn with a cardigan or jacket when the weather gets cooler. It also looks great without the belt and as the belt is narrow it can also be used around the neck under the collar to create a pussybow effect and give the dress a different look.
Thank you so much Minerva for yet another wonderful fabric.
(Image description: There are four images taken from different angles showing Yvonne seated in her wheelchair in her garden surrounded by a wall of foliage plants. Yvonne has long salt and pepper grey hair and she is wearing a safari style dress that is made of a striped fabric in multiple autumnal colours with Zebras featured on it)
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