The Ora Pinafore by Soften Studio's (and ex-TFS team member!) Melody, is having a moment over on insta! We're loving this refined pinafore-style dress with it's deep v neckline and oversized patch pockets. Shapes like this lend so well to firmer fabrics, and we knew this pattern would pair splendidly with our charming new upcycled cotton range from The New Denim Project. Contrast topstitching gives our Ora a modern pop and balances the raw natural look of the denim we chose. Read on for more, kindly modelled by Ella from our HQ team!
Ella pairs the Ora Pinafore with a bunch of different layering options... here it is over a blouse she made using Liberty Tana Lawn!
Pattern Review
The Ora Pinafore by Soften Studio is an A-line pinafore dress PDF pattern featuring a deep front and back v neckline, generous hem facing detail and optional patch pockets. We made ours up in a size 8 for Ella in our HQ team, using 3.2m of our brand new 11oz Upcycled Cotton Denim - Natural, plus 0.45m of Upcycled Cotton Twill - Ivory, for the facings. Because our denim is fairly heavy, we opted for a lighter-weight facing fabric to avoid the seams getting too bulky! Other than that, we followed the instructions to a tee and found the project to be a straightforward, enjoyable sew.
Our choice of contrast topstitching required heavy-duty threads, a very careful and steady hand, as well as a little bit of tension testing before we began. If you use a heavyweight fabric like us and want to try this finishing method, we'd recommend using a special denim or heavy-duty needle to help get through those layers cleanly. Overall we thought the sewing level was accurate at Intermediate level.
A quick note on length - Ella is 172cm tall, and Ora turned out a little longer than we expected. If you want to shorten your version, check out this super handy video from Soften Studio over on YouTube. Melody also has a video on youtube here, showing handy tips on the burrito method used when sewing the bodice facing. The "burrito method" is a clever way of finishing all in one facings and fully lined sleeveless bodices and also things like shirt yokes. By rolling your fabric out of the way with this method you can create a clean finish very easily.
The Ora Pinafore can be purchased from the Soften Studio website here.
Ora is paired here with our Make by TFS Ivy Top pattern in Olive Vintage Finish Linen, so cute!
Fabric Recommendations
Upcycled Cotton Denim — Natural (main) + Upcycled Cotton Twill — Ivory (facing)
Soften Studio suggest using midweight to heavyweight fabrics such as cotton drill, denims, heavyweight linens and midweight woven woollens.
We are so proud to be stockists for The New Denim Project - a range of 100% cotton fabrics produced within a completely circular model, created by a third-generation family-owned textile mill in Guatemala. A circular system is restorative and regenerative by design, aiming to keep materials and components at their highest form of use and value at all times. These denim, twill and chambray fabrics are biodegradable and are entirely created from upcycled post-industrial textile waste. Amazing!
Available in our current range are five heavyweight denims in an array of tonal shades (we used Natural for the Ora Pinafore) as well as four ultra-classic striped chambrays, one plain chambray and two cotton twills. These easy-care, non-stretch, machine washable fabrics are a dream choice for any denim lover, covering off outer and pocketing fabric options for jeans, jackets, workwear styles, coats, accessories and more - ideal for everyday wear! Upcycled Cotton Denim colours shown below are Natural, Pumice Speckle, Blue Fade, Wave and Lake. Have some fun and experiment with colourful contrast topstitching - we used a subtle grey/green Gütermann Top Stitching Thread colour for our Ora!
ZQ Premium Merino gives a minimal layered look - this is Ora paired with our hacked Megan Nielsen Rowan Bodysuit in Olive (above).
Ora is a fantastic PDF sewing pattern and we'd highly recommend any sewist who wants to add a modern pinafore dress to their #MeMade wardrobe to try Ora out! Share your makes with us over on Instagram and TikTok using #TheFabricStore