Year Round Love of Double Brushed Polyester with Rachel of Handcrafted by RED

June 19, 2020

Hi RCF crew, it’s Rachel from Handcrafted by RED here again with some love for double brushed poly (DBP) and why I think it makes a great summer fabric. I’ve seen a lot of people comment that it’s too warm for summer and it’s a favorite in our house so I wanted to share a few thoughts about why we love it so much, even in hot weather. It’s true that polyester, a manufactured substrate, isn’t as inherently breathable as natural fibers like cotton or bamboo. For that reason, I don’t love using DBP (or its single brushed counterpart SBP) for fitted warm-weather garments. However, it has amazing drape and is beautifully flowy, and has more stability than other drapey fabrics like rayon spandex. Because of this, it doesn’t “grow” while you’re wearing it or stretch out of shape over time. As an added bonus, it doesn’t get wrinkled or pilly from washing or wearing, either - it’s a great fabric choice for traveling!

The DBP prints from RCF are always vivid and vibrant, since the polyester takes the dye really nicely and evenly.  Did you know that RCF releases several DBP collections throughout the year, with smaller drops of a few prints in between? They’re always in tune with the seasons and with current trends, and I find our DBP prints hold up well to frequent wearing and laundering. 

Miss P just finished 4th grade, and in our district that means the end of elementary school.. I was so worried about how she would handle the complex emotions that came with finishing school while in quarantine (not to mention the complex emotions that come with being a tween, ha!), and she surprised me by saying that she was most sad about not getting to dress up since all of her end-of-year celebrations and recitals have been virtual. I decided to use this gorgeous teal floral DBP for an elegant maxi and a “graduation” photoshoot to commemorate the occasion for her. I used the Made for Mermaids Kaia pattern for the bodice, and lined it in cotton lycra for comfort and also stability. I didn’t want the top to be too drapey to manage the weight of the skirt. I also used the skirt from the Made for Mermaids Aria pattern since it used less fabric and would keep the look and feel nice and light. I gathered the skirt per the Aria pattern instructions and then encased the elastic along the back waist per the Kaia pattern instructions - it worked really nicely and the dress fit as expected. I also decided to do a slit up the center back for about 10 inches to give Miss P a little more ease while walking in the ankle length maxi. She loved the finished look and I love how it’s age-appropriate yet still feels mature and grown-up for her. I know she’ll get a lot of wear out of this one, even if it’s only in our own backyard for dinner!

Until next time,

Rachel

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