Erica Bunker | DIY Style! The Art of Cultivating a Stylish Wardrobe: SheIn

Oh My Gauze!

12:00 PM

Gauze is one of those fabrics that is definitively summer, especially in bright white. It's lightweight, airy, and slightly crinkly -- it screams relaxed, casual and it's wonderfully cool.

I found this rayon gauze at my local Hancock Fabrics. It was $12.99 and on sale for 55%. I happily grabbed my 2 yards. This fabric is gorgeous! It's so much more polished looking than a basic cotton gauze that you can get for about 2 bucks a yard. When I prewashed it, it did shrink some. That's why this is an important to step to never omit! I know we get excited from a new fabric purchase, but I learned early on in my sewing that if I skip preshrinking, I'll be sorry as soon as I throw it in the wash. Also, gauze tends to grow! So you need to press it first with a cool iron to smooth out the crinkles so you can cut it out.

I mentioned before that as soon as summer months roll around, I never have enough cute tops. So I've been filling in that wardrobe gap. I reached for McCall's 7155 again.

I cut the size medium again. This time I elimated the facings. I wish I had done that the first time.

Since the top is cut in two layers of fabric, I just treated the bottom layer as I would a facing, but it's more like a self-lining. I trimmed and serged the seam allowance so there wouldn't be any fraying.

Also, with the shrinking of my fabric I ran short. I had to cut the bottom layer of fabric in two pieces instead of on the fold. I just added a seam allowance when cutting.

Those things happen in sewing and it's hardly noticeable. And who would know that it's not meant to be that way. I've learn to not sweat the little things and minor details. Call it a design detail and move on!

I need at least one more version of this pattern, a black top. And then maybe I'll be ready to move on.

Styling tip: I paired my new white gauze top with the perfect kimono style topper c/o Shein.com. Added a statement necklace (last seen here), boyfriend jeans and strappy heels. And a pair of great sunnies that I picked up at a 2/$15 sale at Charming Charlie.