Fabric Ideas for the Greenbrier Dress

I will tell you a secret. My first Greenbrier Dress was an accident! Early in our pattern making process, after a pattern is graded but before testing, I sew up a sample to check fit, instructions, etc, to try to get small things worked out early and be better able to help support our testers. I generally like to use stash fabric for this wearable muslin, to be economical and careful. 

But for the Greenbrier Dress, I didn’t have quite enough of any one woven! So I pulled out two similar weight Fableism fabrics that I’d been holding on to for a long time and decided to give it a go, figuring if it didn’t work out or fit, it would be a unique dress to gift or repurpose. 

Lo and behold, this test version became one of my favorite dresses I’ve ever sewn! The coordinating fabrics give it a faux pinafore look, and the textures and colors just look and feel so special. It turned out to be a truly one of a kind piece born out of necessity. And it taught me some great lessons about fabric for the Greenbrier Dress along the way. 

Adjusting yardage for two fabrics

If you also want to use two fabrics you are probably wondering about the yardage. I use 2 ½ yards of 45” wide fabric for the skirts, pockets, and front anf back yokes. And I used 2 yards for the sleeves and yoke facings. I made a size 2. This ratio of ⅓ to ⅔ should work across sizes. If using a directions print, or something with a knap make sure to get at least ¼ yard extra. For more color-blocking ideas and a detailed fabric usage chart, check out this post from Judith.

Fabric Weights

The two fabelism fabrics I used are from an early collection and both are about 3.9 oz per sq inch. I think this is the heaviest that should be used for Greenbrier. They worked well for me, but it was a bit thick for gathering the skirt and turning the button placket. Aiming for no heavier than 3.5oz is probably your best bet for ease of gathering. If you want a similar look to mine most of fabelism’s current collection falls in that range. 

Fabric Ideas 

Okay, enough about that one Greenbrier Dress! Let’s talk about more options! Ashley’s Greenbrier is made with a charcoal linen blend. This is a great option for either view. A solid color really shows off the style lines, is super versatile, and lends a chic silhouette to Greenbrier, making it appropriate for the office or a night out. 

Another great choice to fancy up Greenbrier is rayon. Meg wore her rayon print Greenbrier to a wedding! Rayon is a versatile choice that emphasizes the drape of Greenbrier’s sleeves and skirt. It makes for a versatile dress that can be styled for everyday or for a special occasion. 

My second Greenbrier Dress is made with a merchant and mills cotton. This is a directional print, so I needed a little extra to make sure everything lined up. This cotton is really lightweight and lovely for spring. It softened quite a bit when I washed it and held the gathers very easily. A printed cotton is a great choice if you plan to wear your Greenbrier on a day to day basis. 

Find your Fabric

EWE Fine Fibers has some great choices! Here are a few of my favorites: 

And here are a couple of fun combos if you want to try two fabrics: 

Whatever fabric you choose for your Greenbrier Dress, I hope you will have a dress you love to sew and to wear, that expresses who you are. 

Need fitting help? Judith can get you started and has some tips on how to do a FBA on this style of bodice. Or try our hack for adding inset lace!