I made myself a purple double-gauze duster last spring. As soon as I finished it and wore it to family functions (Mother's Day brunch, family graduations, etc) my mother decided she wanted to make one, too! I have shared my duster on Instagram a few times, but now that there are two of them in the family, I thought it was worth a full blog post to go over all of the details. It's amazing that even with the same fabric and pattern we put these dusters together so differently. With a simple pattern like this, it's a great opportunity to practice new techniques.


Pattern: New Look 6514 In lieu of a full review, I'll just say that this is a well-drafted pattern with plenty of ways to customize. Sizing is consistent for Big4 (I made a Small). The dartless design is great for a beginner, but the long stretches of narrow hemming could be a struggle for those without topstitching practice or if working with a lightweight material.

Fabric: We both started with a baby pink 100% cotton double-gauze. From Walmart, of all places! None of our local sewing shops were selling solid double gauze at the time (only nursery prints), and Walmart's color selection was limited to pink and blue. Neither of us are pink people. Mine was overdyed with a combination of RIT Aquamarine and Rose Quartz, and hers was a combo of Tangerine and Rose Quartz. I'm glad to have tested the dye process on swatches first, because getting the right color saturation was a challenge. FYI: I was just at Joann's this week and they have a lavender double-gauze on the shelf that is very similar to mine. If you haven't sewn with gauze, single or double, I highly recommend it for a cozy but breathable summer wardrobe staple. Just watch out for anything that's too sheer.


Cutting: I cut my back on the fold, she has a seam up the back. I re-drafted the hemline to be square across the front with a curved hem at the back. She cut the hem as drafted.
Assembly: We used different seaming methods, but because of the loose weave of the double-gauze all seams needed to be enclosed. Mom used French seams for the sleeve/side/back/shoulder seams and used bias tape to enclose the armsceye seam allowance. I used flat-felled seams for the side/shoulder seams and French seams for the sleeve/armsceye. They are both holding up well in the wash, while the raw yardage frayed horribly in the wash after dying.


Finishing: I cut 2" wide strips to finish the hem and front of my duster, and I cut my own one-piece neckline facing. These were stitched to the inside, turned, folded under, and topstitched to the outside. She put her neckline facing on the inside and used a narrow hem to finish the front and hem. As directed in the pattern. The narrow-hem is more lightweight so her duster is drapier.  The facings give mine more structure, particularly at the neckline.