Hello!
To celebrate the re-release of the Stephanie Skirt with an improved size range and illustrated instructions, I am hosting Just Patterns’ very first sew-along! I hope that it can help beginner sewists to feel more confident and encourage more experienced makers to try new techniques. Don’t forget to grab your pattern in the shop and let’s start look at some inspiration to help you choose your fabric. I’m very happy to be collaborating with my friends Dibs, who just launched her online fabric store Selvedge and Bolts, and she is generously offering 20% a selection of fabric that would be amazing to sew Stephanie, check out the code at the bottom of this post!
Stephanie is really a super versatile pattern that is flattering and easy to fit. It will look completely different based on the fabric that you decide to use and your styling! In terms of weight, the pattern recommends with both body and drape so you can look into cotton poplin, cotton sateen, twill, light weight denim, mid to heavy weight linen, wool or rayon crepe, tweed, lightweight coating. For special occasions you can also find embroidered fabrics and guipure lace (which will require an underlining if it is see through). Have fun!
Classic Stephanie
Stephanie in a solid cotton, blend or rayon crepe is the perfect skirt for every day. For the styling, you can get your inspiration from Carolina Herrera’s signature look with heels and a button down which will be a perfect outfit for work. But it also work very well on a casual day with a t-shirt and sneakers.
Woolen Stephanie
Because the pattern looks best in fabrics that have both body and drape, you can also shop the wool and light coating sections of your favorite fabric store. The midi length will make it a practical option for fall and winter if you add tights and the right footwear.
Floral Stephanie
The floral print is such a natural match for Stephanie that I separated the inspiration looks from other prints. Floral prints of all sizes will work equally well and will create a elegant and feminine look. A solid top is perfect to keep things from looking too busy. You can usually find great selections of florals in cotton sateen and Dibs has some amazing options to offer!
Printed Stephanie
Choosing a bold print and finding the right styling is really where you can unleash your creativity. Polka dots, plaid, animal prints, Toile de Jouy or African cotton wax prints will look all look great. The possibilities are truly endless!
Stephanie for Special Occasions
The easiest way to take a simple design like Stephanie and make it party ready is to chose a fabric that has a high visual impact. Anything with a sheen like taffeta, silk faille, heavy weight sateen, metallics will make a special look. You can also considered embellished fabric with lace, beads or sequins. One thing that I personally would like to try is a version in a lighter weight material like a chiffon. I’ll add it to the to-sew list and we will see if I ever get around making it!
And now for the generous discount offered by Dibs of Selvedge and Bolts, you can any of the 3 fabrics below, or all of them ;-) at 20% with the code JUSTPATTERNS20 until Tuesday 2nd July. Thank you Dibs!
If you want to see more inspiration, don’t forget to check out the tester versions of the pattern and the Pinterest board where I am constantly adding new pictures! I hope that you are inspired to sew the Stephanie Skirt or that you maybe found a new way to style the one that is already in your handmade wardrobe. Let me know in the comment section which one is your favorite look and don’t forget to tag #stephanieskirt on social media so that we can all be inspired by you!