In preparation for a long hot summer (fingers crossed!) I have started my summer wardrobe.  The same friend who recommended the Pia dress also suggested the Eva dress, both from the online store, Tessuti in Australia.

Here is the description for the Eva dress.

“This loose dress features a bodice that sits at high waist and a panelled, lantern-shaped skirt with side pockets. It can be made up in either a short-sleeved (A) or sleeveless (B) version. The Eva Dress is designed to be simple and stylish garment and makes for a comfortable and cool addition to your summer wardrobe. It’s best made up in medium weight crinkle and plain linens, textured cottons and cotton blends. For layering in the cooler months, Eva can also be made up in a wool crepe. ”

Talk about great timing!  The shop also received some new colours in the crinkle linen.  But what size should I make?  Given that the XL size for the Pia dress JUST fit (measured for 101cm bust), I picked the size L since that was the suggested size for 101cm bust.  So the required yardage of Vintage was cut and taken home to be cold water machine washed and dried.  I chose a damp dry setting so the fabric would be easier to press should it be required.

Given the crinkle texture of the fabric, do you press and how much?  The answer is probably best as “depends on what you want from the fabric in the end”.  If you wish to have less texture in your garment, then press the fabric as much as you want realizing that the garment will require that much pressing after each wash.  If you are in the “more texture is better” camp, then press as little as possible before cutting out your pattern pieces.    The light pressing I did was because the fabric seemed to crinkle tighter near the selvedges so I tried to even the texture out.

The cutting and sewing instructions were clear with lots of pictures to help you along.  (Make sure you mark your skirt pieces as they can be easily mixed up.)  The only small hiccup was with sewing the pockets.  Maybe it was just me, but I had a little head scratching with what to do with the side seam allowances when joining the front and back pocket pieces together.  But all worked out in the end.  There is a lot of pressing of seams which will flatten out the texture but remember the texture will reappear once washed again.

Here is my garment after having just finished all the sewing.  With all the pressing I did, I found the dress to have even grown a size!  Note how flat the seams are where pressed and top stitched.

Here is the garment again after being washed and damp dried.  Note how the fabric crinkled up, shrinking in size?  Personally I will try this pattern again, but in a size smaller (M) as I find it too loose fit for my taste.  And I will consider shortening it a bit too.

Now, if only Victoria could get some hot summer weather. I’m waiting (as I look up to the sky)!!