Team Lyrical loves the Cotton Babywale Corduroy prints as much as you do! This year we carried ditsy florals, playful stripes, Autumnal plaids, polka dots of all sizes, and even an animal print in this fun fabric category. In this blog, we highlight five projects our team has made over the last few months since the fabric drop. There’s a dress, a jacket, a skirt, a set, and even a sweatshirt. Unfortunately, we all completed our projects at different times, so some of the fabrics are sold out.
A bit about the fabric: Unlike the more common bottomweight corduroy, this 21 wale, 4.5 oz topweight variety is meant for gathered dresses, skirts, elastic pants, and blouses. It’s similar to cotton poplins and cotton flannels in both weight and the way it works up. With that insulating and velvety texture, it’s also one of the easiest fabrics to sew!
What, a Corduroy Sweatshirt?
- Pattern: Sweet Pea Sweatshirt by Sarah Kirsten
- Fabric: Cream Multi Ditsy - Cotton Babywale Corduroy
- Favorite Detail: the creative idea!
- Tip: Size up at least one size when using a woven for a knit.
The newest project you haven’t seen yet is Emily’s. She had the most original idea for her babywale corduroy: a sweatshirt using the corduroy for the bodice and knit ribbing for the neckband, cuffs, and hem. We especially love the pairing she came up with: the Marine rib looks so classy with the cute ditsy floral print. For this sweatshirt, she used the Sweat Pea Sweatshirt pattern by Sarah Kirsten in the solid back view, made in her true size. Most sweatshirt patterns call for a knit fabric so we do recommend making at least one size bigger so the garment feels adequately roomy, as the woven fabric is a lot more structured than a knit.
The Midweight Frankie Jacket
- Pattern: The Frankie Jacket by Small Museum
- Fabric: Emerald Orange Stripe - Cotton Babywale Corduroy (sold out)
- Favorite Detail: the pretty lining
Yes, a jacket is a classic corduroy style, but it actually isn’t our top recommendation for this fabric. Our babywale corduroy is about half the weight of a bottomweight corduroy, so to sew a jacket that feels like a jacket in weight and thickness, you would need to line it with something heavier. That’s exactly what Kelsey cleverly did for her Frankie Jacket by Small Museum. Our Thick Stitched Cotton Gauze is not only a heavier gauze variety, but it’s also quite thick, adding plush to the overall garment. While the Pine gauze color Kelsey used is sold out, we still have this fabric in Buttermilk, Terracotta, Persimmon, and Saffron. The Frankie Jacket has a boxy cut, a sharp collar, and a zipper for the perfect everyday jacket.
Fall Plaid Dress
- Pattern: Ines Dress by Just Patterns
- Pattern Mod: Added 1.5" outward on the top strap width and curve down to connect with the strap length
- Fabric: Oregon Glen Plaid - Cotton Babywale Corduroy (sold out). Black Cotton Sateen Lawn for lining.
- Favorite Detail: the corset bodice
When someone asks about project ideas for our Babywale Corduroy, the first thing that comes to mind is a dress or skirt – we especially imagine one with gathers, pleats, or any volume. In early October, Shale snagged our Oregon Glen Plaid (sold out) to sew the perfect Fall dress. The casual plaid pattern paired with the dressy corset styleline of the Ines dress adds a major cool factor to the garment. It’s plaid, but it’s dramatic and unexpected. Added bonus: Saying no to plaid matching is also quite liberating. We’re a big fan of stress-free sewing.
Red Striped Skirt Set
- Pattern Top: Rose Raglan Button Up by Paradise Patterns
- Pattern Bottom: Fausta Skirt by Fibre Mood
- Fabric: Crimson Tan Stripe - Cotton Babywale Corduroy
- Favorite Detail: casual but put-together
When Tina had the chance to preview Paradise Patterns’ Rose Raglan Button Up in November, she knew she’d found the babywale corduroy project she was looking for. She sewed the shirt one size bigger for a more exaggerated oversized look, and made a matching pleated skirt for a complete set. The pleated skirt is a shortened Fausta Skirt by Fibre Mood and we love how it complements the volume of the top. The two pieces worn together have a dressed-up look, but each can also easily be worn separately. Throw the top over jeans or wear the bottom with a long sleeve tee for a more casual look.
Tomato Skirt
- Pattern: Howerdel Skirt by Elbe Textile
- Fabric: Heirloom Garden - Cotton Babywale Corduroy
- Favorite Detail: the tomato pincushions duh!
This was a FOMO make: Summer was ending and Tina really wanted a tomato skirt to wear everyday before it became too Fall. Our Babywale Corduroys just started trickling into the shop, and one of the first ones to arrive was actually our bespoke Heirloom Garden. The result is this Howerdel Skirt which she still wears into the Winter with tights and boots. She omitted the third panel and kept the hem straight. We love the asymmetric styleline and lace hem, spicing up the gathered skirt look. In the photo, the skirt is worn with Honeygirl Tee using our Emily pointelle.