Please welcome the Twig + Tale Fable Dress! For adults and children, we set out to design a truly versatile dress - one that feels casual enough for every day wear, but can be dressed up with gorgeous fabric and special little details. The result is a simply elegant, relaxed style that we absolutely love to wear.
With pattern options for all seasons and a simple silhouette that accommodates a variety of fabrics, the Fable is a year-round wardrobe staple.
We're also pleased to announce that this is our first women’s pattern drafted using our new sizing system, which features sizes 0-32, as well as cup sizes to help you get a great fit.
The Fable Dress is a relaxed-fit, knee-length dress with a button-front bodice, gently-gathered skirt, and gloriously-deep inseam pockets. For maximum versatility, we've included a variety of other options so that you can design your perfect Fable.
With three options for sleeve length - short, 3/4, or long - the Fable adapts for all seasons. For an airy summer dress, sew a short sleeve version from a light, breathable fabric, or sew long sleeves to protect arms from the summer sun. Substitute a warm fabric like wool or flannel, and the Fable makes a cosy winter dress with enough ease to layer over thermals.
We've included two options to create a beautiful bodice finish - bound facings, or a full lining. Facings create a beautiful, lightweight option, while the full lining is useful for adding some extra warmth, or for providing an extra layer when working with sheer fabric. For a lighter option, we also love the idea of finishing the neckline with contrast bias binding for a beautiful feature finish.
In order to get the best possible fit, there are some differences between the adult and child versions of the pattern. The Women's Fable features a princess seam bodice with curved seams for a lovely fit. For additional shaping, we've included options for adding ties, or for an elastic casing in the back bodice to cinch the waist in a wee bit.
While the button front is entirely functional (and so convenient for nursing), the dress will also slip on over the head with no fasteners at all. We've created a tutorial for making a Simple-front Fable, which is a lovely option for those who find that buttons tend to gape, or would like to avoid fasteners altogether.
The basic bodice for the Children's Fable does not include princess seams - they aren't necessary for shaping, so this simplifies the sewing process. We have, however included a panelled-front option for adding piping or ruffles to the bodice, or to play with colour blocking. The Children's Fable also includes an option for a back elastic casing for a more fitted bodice.
The Fable Dress is available as a digital PDF pattern in the Twig + Tale shop and includes the following file types: A4/US letter (to print at home), A0 (to take to the copy shop), as well as a projector file. It includes a clear, thorough tutorial with photos, videos, and helpful tips to guide you through the entire project step by step.
A well-drafted pattern with clean, simple lines serves as a wonderful starting point for exploration, and our Fable Dress testing team had such fun playing with unique details and pattern hacks. We've prepared a number of instructional blog posts describing ways to modify your Fable Dress (links are in the list below).
We'd love to see you over at the Twig + Tale Facebook group where you can ask questions, look for inspiration, and of course share photos of your creations. You can also find us on Instagram - be sure to tag your projects #twigandtale so that we can find you too!
Read more about the Fable Dress here:
- How to do a Broad Shoulder Adjustment for the Fable Dress
- How to do a Forward Sloping Shoulder Adjustment for the Fable Dress
- How to Make a Simple Front Fable Dress
- How to do a FBA or SBA for the Fable Dress
- How to Make a Maxi Length Fable Dress
- How to Add Ruffles to the Fable Dress
- How to Sew a Patch Pocket
- How to Add Piping to a Princess Seam
~ Image credits Maria Ogahara, Tehani Sharpe, Kelly Nash, Hillary Stock, Harkiran Grewal, Aliyah Johnson, Katelyn Lambson, and Vero Et ~
