The Brynn sewalong starts next week. Before it starts we wanted to dive into fabric and notion suggestions so you can gather supplies.
FABRIC
The Brynn calls for light to medium weight knit fabrics with at least 60% stretch. During testing we found that heavier weight fabrics seemed to make the sleeves to tight and the armholes bulky.
Fabric widths can be 45" or 54" for the cropped and hip length views. For the dress view, 54" or wider fabric is required. The reason is that the neckband (which goes from the back of the neck and down to the hem) is cut widthwise on the fabric. If you want to cut the dress view on a smaller width than 54" you will need to choose a fabric with at least 60% lengthwise stretch so you can cut the Neckbands lengthwise instead. This is also important to consider if you are tall and will be adding length to your dress. You will need to double check that your Neckband will fit widthwise on the fabric first (fabric that is 60" wide etc...). Or, like mentioned above, choose a fabric with enough lengthwise stretch so you can cut the Neckbands lengthwise instead to accomodate the extra length added.
Keep in mind that you can always use a different fabric for your bands if needed too.
RIB KNITS
I love a rib knit for this pattern. It has lots stretch and recovery and generally gives a bit more coverage due to the ribs in the fabric which is especially nice on a dress.
All of the samples for the Brynn were sewn up in rib knits from Yardblox fabrics. The fabrics on the left are all their Rayon Cotton flat back Rib. They are Burgundy, Beige, Olive Green and Bronze. It's a stable, medium weight knit that worked great for this pattern. One added bonus is that the back of the fabric is flat so I used that for the bands to differentiate them.
The striped fabric is not on Yardblox site yet, but should be later this month (October 2024). They have lots of other colors in this striped ribknit and I think it's such a fun fabric for the pattern and creates quite the statement.
Yardblox has kindly offered us a coupon code for 10% of your order through 11/1/24 using the code TRUEBIASFW10 (one use per customer).
SWEATER KNITS
Another great option for this pattern is sweater knits. I love a sweater knit this time of year. It can really give that ready to wear feel to a make - like it was knitted or crocheted. Above are a few sweater knits I've tried on the Brynn. Sometimes sweater knits can have an open weave or not a lot of recovery (especially if they don't contain spandex), so be careful when choosing sweater knits that they don't have a tendency to grown when sewing them.
100% COTTON KNITS
100% cotton knits like these
pontielles from Lyrical fabrics are super popular right now and really lean into that 90s vibe. I made a couple early samples in these fabrics and love them. Just be aware that without the spandex content to snap them back in place, they generally wear in a bit larger.
COTTON SPANDEX JERSEY
I love a basic cotton spandex jersey. I always have a few yards in my stash, they come in so many colors and prints (I'm a sucker for a stripe), most fabric stores carry them, and they are that perfect blend of good stretch, but easy to sew. I'm a big fan of the
Valencia jersey from Lyrical Fabrics because it comes in lots of my favorite colors to sew with and has 65% stretch.
NOTIONS
You are also going to need a few basic notions for your Brynn.
THREAD / NEEDLE
No matter what view or length of the Brynn you are sewing, you are going to need some all purpose, matching thread.
You also need to source some sewing machine needles that are specifically made for stretch fabrics. These needles have rounded points that part fabric threads instead of piercing them when using your sewing machine which prevents damaging your knit fabric.
INTERFACING
The Neckband of the Brynn is interfaced below the chest (where the buttons and buttonholes are). This makes a huge difference in the success of sewing the buttonholes on knit fabric and in keeping the band from growing while sewing it. Choose a light or medium weight fusible that matches the weight of your fabric.
One product I love and use often is interfacing on a roll. The band is 2 inches wide and these rolls are 2" wide as well. If you can get your hands on some they are pretty great.
Here is where I get mine.
BUTTONS
For the cropped view you will need 4 buttons, for the hip length top you need 6, and for the dress you need 12. It was drafted for 18L (7/16" / 11.5mm) size buttons, but anything between 3/8"and 1/2" would look great. Personally I love these natural shell buttons as I feel like they go with just about everything.
OPTIONAL
CLEAR ELASTIC
If your fabric has a loose weave or has a tendency to grow when sewing it, you may want to add some clear elastic to the shoulder seams. You have probably seen this in ready-to-wear garments, and essentially it helps it keep it's shoulder width while sewing it, as well as when living on a hanger. It's completely optional,and honestly I rarely use it, but it's nice to know it is an option with tricker fabrics. You could use 1/4" or 3/8" clear elastic for this.
FUSIBLE KNIT HEM TAPE
I've sung the praises of this stuff before, but I honestly rarely sew a stretch garment without using it. We sell it in
our shop, but you can also find it on Amazon or in big box stores. It gives some stability to your hem to keep it from stretching out and getting wavy when sewn.
GLUE STICK
You all know how I love my glue stick for sewing. I will use mine when attaching buttons and also for little tricky bits like getting the hems of the garment and neckband to line up before sewing.
WALKING FOOT
I don't have a picture of this because I actually don't own one, but a walking foot is always a good idea for stretchy knits.
OK, I think that is it. I can't wait to start making the Brynn with you next week. If you still need to purchase Brynn you can do so
here.
