Calvin Crop and self-drafted skirt made with FS Susan Majolica Blue Cotton Poplin

I think often cotton poplin invokes the image of dress shirts and preppy clothes. When I was asked if I wanted to review this fabric, I was excited. I love to try think outside the box to what might be thought to do with fabric. I have used a lightweight cotton poplin before and its so perfect for gathering.

When I got the fabric in the mail, I knew that it was going to be a dream to work with. It felt so luxe, and I immediately wanted to make something that had lots of gathers. Initially I was thinking about making a dress, but I couldn’t land on a pattern that was perfect.  Although I did keep getting a targeted add on Instagram for this dress and the proportions of the dress are fun. I knew that I wanted more of a drop waist look for the final product.

Calvin Crop and self-drafted skirt made with FS Susan Majolica Blue Cotton Poplin

I have talked about it a lot on Instagram that after I have started my sewing journey, I don’t wear a ton of dresses. Separates are something that I am drawn to more due to the versatility. Especially if I love a fabric, I will try to squeeze as many separates out of the cut. So, I decided to make a two piece and wanted it to look romantic and almost like a dress. The stars aligned. The Calvin Crop testing just opened up. A delightfully modern two-piece set came to mind.

Calvin Crop and self-drafted skirt made with FS Susan Majolica Blue Cotton Poplin

Starting with the skirt, it is self-drafted with a straight waist band and a lapped zipper. I think that the idea of a lapped zipper could be really overwhelming but it gives such a professional finish. I haven’t sewn that many lapped zippers but this tutorial has been so helpful. For the skirt, I started with an approximate 8-inch tier, gathered 1.75 times the width of my waist measurement. Then I added 2x the width of a tier for the bottom layer. I started with the skirt full length and then pinned it up until I liked the length.  It hits a sweet spot between a midi and a maxi.  I plan to layer it up for cooler months.

For a unique twist on the simple skirt, I used a decorative stitch to top stitch the top gather, the waistband, and the hem. The floral pattern is busy, so it is not very easy to notice. However, I think that the detail makes the skirt special.  As I thought, the cotton gathered with ease and has the perfect drape for this type of project. I used the light weight denim for the straight waistband on the skirt and then bias binding on the Calvin Crop. It lends just a touch of casual.

Calvin Crop and self-drafted skirt made with FS Susan Majolica Blue Cotton Poplin

All that to say, I am in love with this cotton poplin from Fabrics-Store.  The hand on the fabric is smooth and the material was so easy to work with. I have a just enough leftover that I think that I will try to make a short sleeve Noa shirt.  My love for that pattern probably deserves its own blog post. What would you make with this cotton poplin?

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