Here's my version of the latest from Cashmerette, the Pembroke dress, in a delightful organic cotton pique from Organic Cotton Plus!
Organic Cotton Plus sent me this lovely organic cotton pique fabric in the pesto colorway to play with. I used it to make myself a dress and a polo shirt for Tim. Twinsies! More on his polo shirt soon.
I had a hard time choosing a color for my pique because there were so many good choices. All the colors are really rich... the pesto was calling my name, though, in the end.
I haven't had much experience with pique, but I really enjoyed working with it! It's pretty stable, but it's got just enough stretch. I also found it to have great recovery considering it's 100% cotton with no lycra! It doesn't curl too much on the edges and has a cool texture on the exterior. I always think of pique for polo shirts, but it paired perfectly with the Pembroke pattern.
Bonus: this organic, GOTS-certified cotton pique is 80 inches wide, which means you get a big bang for your buck. I had 4 yards to play with, and I got a midi-dress, Tim's polo, and still have enough for at least another top!
Double bonus: Organic Cotton Plus is having a massive Black Friday sale, so this pique could be an even better deal. Mark your calendars, because on Black Friday, get 15% off the entire Organic Cotton Plus site with the promo code "Friday15".
It gets even better, though, because on Cyber Monday, Organic Cotton Plus will be having sitewide savings of up to 60% with additional flash sales every couple of hours starting at 10 am EST. To follow the flash sales, you must like Organic Cotton Plus on Facebook and/or follow them on Instagram.
OK, back to my Pembroke dress: I went for my typical Cashmerette size, a 16 C/D, which was perfect. I chose the jewel neckline, the ties and the midi length. The only change I made to the pattern is that I hemmed the elbow length sleeves by 1/2 inch instead of adding the bands. Personal preference.
One thing I noticed is that the Pembroke is a bit of an opposite-mullet. Party in the front. The back needs a little something-something. I wonder if I continued the ties around the back if I would like the back view better. Maybe it's just because I'm coming off my Rivermont dress, which had me all heart-eyes for the backside.
Pembroke is a really great dress pattern! My pique version probably won't really be appropriate until late spring here in Vermont, but in a heavier fabric, it could be a super cozy winter dress. I like the waist tie for a bit of definition. I also love the simplicity of the Pembroke pattern. Talk about a quick and satisfying sew...
Thank you to Organic Cotton Plus for the lovely fabric!