I am beyond excited to finally be releasing my newest pattern, the Colleen Cape Dress & Top. This one has been a long time coming and I’m so glad to be back in the pattern game.
I knew I needed something simple for my pattern release come-back, and this pattern has been on deck for quite a while. I liked that it was going to be in a knit (my first knit pattern!), and an incredibly quick sew. This design was inspired by a similar garment I found at a vintage shop, but I removed some seams to simplify the construction and changed up the fit a bit, and added multiple views. I’m in love with the simplicity of this pattern. It’s so easy to cut out & put together, and I love how that contrasts with the dramatic cape silhouette. This will be your new favorite palate cleanser!
about colleen:
The Colleen Cape Top & Dress is a fitted knit top or dress with a fun cape feature for extra drama. With unique construction, this pattern only has two pattern pieces and two seams! Darts help with bust shaping, and elastic in the back opening ensures a comfortable and secure fit. The pattern is drafted with three lengths: a crop, tee, and dress option.
her namesake:
Each Amy Nicole pattern is named after a woman who has been an inspiration in my life. This pattern is named after one of my oldest friends Colleen. Colleen has always had an eye for great vintage and pieces that have that special something.Her unique & effortless style has been a constant inspiration to me in the many years we have known each other.
the views:
The Colleen Cape Dress is structurally the same for all views, the only difference being the lengths. She comes in a crop that hits right at the natural waist, a tee that hits just above the hips, and a short dress version. (Though I won’t blame you if you try her out in a maxi!) I originally thought of this pattern as just a top, but it’s so hard for me to put out a pattern with just one view! I’m so glad I added the crop and dress because both are just so much fun.
the fabric:
The Colleen Cape Dress requires knit fabric with at least 70-80% 4-way stretch. I recommend rib knit, cotton spandex,double brushed poly, and stretch velvet. Fabrics with a higher amount of elastane, lycra, or spandex are preferable for good recovery.
resources for you:
As always, you can look forward to lots of resources for sewing the Colleen Cape Dress & Top in the sewalong (coming soon!) Even though it’s a simpler pattern, I recognize there are lots of new sewists out there that have never sewn with knits before and may find it quite intimidating. I was in your shoes once! You can look forward to helpful blog posts and how-to videos to help with making your Colleen top or dress every step of the way. You can find the sewalong here.
what are you waiting for?
get the pattern
Happy sewing!
[…] for the Colleen Cape Dress & Top sewalong we are attaching the knit neckband! This is arguably the trickiest part of constructing […]