Christmas Killian

Well, here it is – my last make of 2021.  I’m in this weird part of the year, where I’m unsure which day or what time it is.  It also doesn’t help that we’ve had temperatures in the 70s for the past week or so.  I was seriously debating turning on my air conditioning on Christmas Day.  I really didn’t even decorate this year.  Other than making gifts for my friends, I think the only holiday-themed item I’ve made this season is this long-sleeved Killian.  I adore the festive print on the Dashwood Studio Cotton Poplin fabric that I received from Minerva.  It’s different from your typical snow-covered red and green themes, but still gives me a cozy, holiday feel.  Plus, the light/medium weight fabric is perfect for my unexpectedly balmy holiday season.

If you recall, I sewed up a short-sleeved version of Killian back in August.  This time, I used the bonus sleeves, which has a dramatic gathering at the sleeve cap and elastic casing at the hem.  The length of the bonus sleeves was a bit awkward for me (I got long limbs), so I added two inches in length.  It’s not quite ¾ sleeves and not quite long sleeves, but a fun compromise in the middle.  I also lengthened the dress by a few inches to really show off the beautiful print on the fabric.  The rest of the dress sewed up just like my previous Killian. I decreased the width of the waist darts by half and used 5/8-inch buttons from my stash.

Time to gush over this Minerva fabric!  When I first saw it online, I thought it was black.  In real life, however, it’s a beautifully rich midnight blue.  I liked the fabric when I thought it was black, but I LOVE it as blue.  The background color plays so well with the forest scene in the rest of the print.  This starry night fabric is filled with visual delights – hooting owls hanging out in the lush treetops, adorable rabbits hopping along the grounded border, delicate plant life swirling around to create hearts throughout the scene.  But the biggest visual element has got to be the deer.  I’m OBSESSED with these deer!  As much as I could, I gave the deer center stage.  So, I’ve got a deer in the center of my back bodice, a deer in the center of my back skirt, a deer on my right sleeve and two deer facing each other on my front skirt.  Some might think it’s too much, but I think it’s perfect!

The fabric is a cotton poplin, so it was easy to sew with and I had no snagging or fraying. It’s not wrinkle-resistant and irons really well.  Honestly though, there’s so much visual interest in this print, it would be hard to notice any errant wrinkles.  I mean, do you see the deer?!  This is the end of my first full year as a Minerva Ambassador and it’s been such an honor and a blessing to share these gorgeous fabrics with all of you.  Here’s to more beauty, creativity, and luscious fabrics in 2022!