Denim York
Pattern: York Pinafore by Helen’s Closet
Fabric: Lightweight denim from Stonemountain and Daughter
Sewn Up: Summer 2018
This pattern was released right before I left for a week at Book Camp* in California, and I had to resist the urge to stay up late sewing it the night before my flight. These giant pockets are perfect for storing all sorts of supplies, and I wanted so badly to have this to wear on my trip! (*Q: What is Book Camp? A: It’s what I call the week or two of summer I usually spend somewhere in the US taking a course with a book artist. Book arts were my #1 main art-form squeeze until I discovered sewing. They involve a lot of the same skills – precision cutting, testing things out, making many tiny creative decisions that yield a larger whole – so I think that’s part of what made sewing feel so natural to me right away.)
But it was a good thing I waited, because a) I didn’t go into my trip exhausted, and b) while I was in Berkeley I got a chance to visit the amazing Stonemountain and Daughter, where I found this lovely lightweight denim.
A problem I have had in my closet is that all my tops are prints, and all my skirts are too – so nothing matches each other. Historically this has meant that I wear all my printed tops with jeans, and never wear my skirts. Add to this equation that until I started sewing, I didn’t own any shorts, and the result was a lot of time spent walking around DC’s summer heat in skinny jeans!
Helen, the designer of this dress pattern, described the York once on the podcast as something along the lines of a “wardrobe unlocker,” and that is definitely my experience! This solid version layers well over all of my printed tops while still showing a lot of their surface area because of the low dip of the neckline and slimmer profile of the top half. This is 100x more comfortable than jeans, and has unlocked a much more weather-appropriate set of outfits to wear outside in the summer.
~ Photos by Lizzie Epstein - thanks sis! ~
Drawing process reel: Closet floor photo, conference room sketch, digital drawing.
