Usually when I sew, I have a pattern in mind, and I’ll get fabric to match it. This time, however, I fell head over heels for this gorgeous striped denim from Minerva. I knew that I didn’t want to make any jeans (as Mistress Isabelle Brooks would say, I’m in my dress era) and this fabric was too heavy for a dress. Then I remembered all the hacks I’d seen where people turned the Closet Core Blanca boilersuit into shorts. I knew that would be perfect for the denim and I was right! The end result is a cute playsuit perfect for the mild temperatures ahead.
I don’t want to call the fabric the star of the show, but it is certainly the inspiration and driving force behind the garment. The Minerva Core Range Stretch Woven Yarn Dyed Stripe Denim Fabric comes in nine beautiful colors. I used Blue Jade, which is a rich navy striped denim. I know some people see “stretch denim” and immediately become concerned for the hardiness of the fabric, but I have zero complaints. The fabric laundered perfectly and the 10% stretch gives this fabric the kiss of softness that takes denim from scratchy and stiff to comfy and wearable. The fabric is medium/heavyweight and would be great for apparel and bags. When making my Blanca, I played around with the direction of the striping, turning the vertical stripes horizontal for my pocket and belt pieces. I love this fabric so much! I’m even thinking about making headbands out of the scraps.
I’ve made and reviewed the Closet Core Blanca before, so I knew I wanted to tweak a few things this time. First, I sized it down. Blanca is meant to have a semi-fitted look, but when I made my first Blanca, it was definitely a relaxed fit. I knew that I wanted something slightly more form-fitting, so I sewed up a size smaller than I normally would. Also, I skipped the chest pockets. Blanca has options for pockets and sleeves and snaps galore, but as a G-cup baddie, I knew that the less stuff on my chest, the better.
This is an advanced pattern, but the instructions are very detailed so sewing Blanca was complicated, but enjoyable. To make the short Blanca, I assembled most of the suit (the bodice, legs, collar, belt and sleeves) and then tried it on. I ended up cutting my legs five inches below the bottom of the hip pockets. This gave me the length I was looking for after playing around with the belt placement and tightness. I love the finished result and I can’t wait to bop around town in it.
