06 Jul, 2021 · By Drisana Rosales· DAWN makealong , Making No. 11 / DAWN , Sewing · Comments

Cascada Dress / Making No. 11 / DAWN

06 Jul, 2021 · By Drisana Rosales· DAWN makealong , Making No. 11 / DAWN , Sewing · Comments

Fresh flowing layers of lightweight cloth in the summer heat—loose fitting, with side slits for ease of movement. The Cascada Dress by Emily Clark featured in No. 11 / DAWN is simple summer sewing at its finest with its satisfyingly clean construction and all-day comfort. Cascada is a practice of intermediate sewing techniques with clear, approachable instructions for even the most newly-budded sewists.

Cascada, Spanish for waterfall, captures the beauty of the Southwestern terrain. The peaks and canyons of the place Emily calls home, and the home of her Nana who taught her how to sew. Emily’s Cascada Dress design sends a message of love and appreciation for the act of sewing, for her heritage, and for her surrounding natural landscape.

Without stark dividing lines, Cascada is a fully-lined tiered dress constructed with minimal visible seams, a seamless neckline, and a raw hem; leaving the fabric to do all of the storytelling. While borders and divisions have come and gone, the elements of this land have remained. Ebbing and flowing, constant yet shifting.

Cascada Dress

Size Range / Fit Notes

The Cascada Dress size chart ranges from 0-34 to accommodate bust sizes 32” (81.3 cm) through 61” (154.9 cm) with 4⅝” (11.4 cm) of ease. Choosing a size closest to your bust measurement is recommended as this is most fitted portion of the dress followed by the hips. Depending on the amount of ease you prefer, you may choose to size down for a slimmer fit.

If your measurements fall between sizes, choose the size with finished measurements closest to your bust, waist, and hip measurements. Sewing a muslin is also recommended to make note of any fit adjustments needed for your final garment, such as changes to bust dart placement or a full-bust adjustment.

Grading between sizes is also an option if your bust and hip measurements fall between two different sizes. When grading, begin at the bust and grade out to your closest hip measurement. Additionally, due to the seamless design of the dress, any adjustments to the shoulders will need to be completed before sewing the Main Layer and Lining Layer together.

Fabric

The brilliance of the Cascada Dress pattern is in the extended lining layer for flowing fabric tiers. Lightweight fabrics such as linen, silk habotai, tencel or lyocell are recommended. When choosing fabric, keep in mind that the lining layer will be visible from the outside of the garment so a fabric with no apparent wrong side is the best choice. You can also choose to use different fabrics for the two layers to emphasize Cascada’s tiered design.

For my version of the Cascada Dress, I used Robert Kaufman Chambray Union (3.2 oz, cotton) in a cool indigo wash with white dotted detail and Purl Soho organic cotton sewing thread to match.

Sewing Notes

With just a bit more attention to ensure the right sides were properly facing out, I was able to sew my perfect polka dot Cascada Dress. As this fabric has a noticeable wrong side, there were a few steps where extra attention was needed to ensure the right sides were showing on the outside of the garment.

For fabrics with a wrong side, here are a few key notes to ensure your Cascada Dress is as breezy to sew as it is to wear.

Sewing the Shoulders:

To neatly tuck the shoulder seam allowance of the lining layer inside of the dress, in Step 6, sew the shoulders of the Front Lining and Back Lining with wrong sides together.

Attaching the Main and Lining Layers:

For fabric with a wrong side, when attaching the Main Layer and Lining Layer together at the neck, place the Lining Layer right side down, then place the Main Layer right side down and facing the wrong side of the Lining Layer. Proceed with pinning and sewing the neckline as instructed. Right and wrong sides will be clear for the remaining steps in the pattern.

The Cascada Dress is designed in connection with Emily’s practice, her roots, and nature. Whichever size or fabric combination you choose, the process of sewing Cascada is grounding in its simple, subtle beauty.

Read more in our Contributor Spotlight with Emily Clark of Endearing Everyday and find her Cascada Dress pattern featured on pages 64-77 of No. 11 / DAWN. For more of Emily’s writing on soulful and creative living, follow her blog and Instagram: endearingeveryday.