Beware the ravenous pandas!
31 December 2007, 10:04If you have never felt or sewn bamboo fabric before, stop what you’re doing and go buy some right now. Seriously. I’ll wait.
Bamboo jersey is as soft as cashmere, as easy to work with as cotton, machine washes without much shrinkage (or loss of softness), is antibacterial (so if you make workout gear in it it doesn’t stink half as bad as even the techno wicking stuff!), and all the wrinkles steam out of it in the time it takes to have a shower. Honestly, this stuff is wonderful, and I can’t wait until more colours are available and I’m buying every single one.
This wrap dress pattern is originally from the May 2006 Burda WOF, but it’s proved so popular that Burda have released it as a 2 euro download pattern, too. It really is the perfect wrap dress – necklines that don’t move, secure fastenings (two snaps are concealed beneath the decorative belt), and best of all – a full frontal overlapping skirt panel so you don’t have any surprises on a windy walk to work! Coupled with the luxuriously soft bamboo, this really is like wearing pajamas…
It feels great to finally be working on my FW/07 Collection again after a hiatus for Christmas, and I’ve already cut out another pair of Burda trousers in red corduroy to see me through the next couple days, with an eye to making a suit from that blue Pendleton wool after that. It’s great timing that the Pattern Review Wool Contest starts tomorrow!
I’m waiting on some photos from family members before I show off this year’s sewing gift exchanges, but here’s a sneak preview of one present I received…
It looks gorgeous! Thanks for the bamboo fabric recommendation – I’ve seen it and have been tempted, but never did hear much about it. Does it shrink up much after washing?
— stacy Dec 31, 03:06 PM #
Anything that feels like pjs when worn has got to be good!! I am a sucker for softness!! I just need to figure out how to sew on jersey without the puckering.
— JenL Dec 31, 08:51 PM #
Hi Melissa, I’m a plant molecular biologist in the last year of my PhD in Melbourne, Australia. I sew my own clothes and spend a lot of time procrastinating on your blog. I had a favour to ask of you: please stop supporting the use of commercial bamboo fabric. The bamboo jersey your cherish so highly is composed mostly of viscose fibres. Viscose is created by dissolving cellulose (the woody part of trees and bamboo) in harmful chemicals (sodium hydroxide and carbon disulphide) which are not only really bad for the planet but truly hideous for the health of the people working in factories that make the stuff.
There are scientists in Melbourne working on alternate ways of preparing bamboo fabric (using enzymes to break down the cellulose instead of harsh chemicals) but these methods are still a ways off from industrial adoption. All claims of anti-uv and antibacterial properties associated with bamboo fabric are also complete fabrications (this has also been scientifically tested). Also, there are a lot of symbiotic, helpful bacteria naturally associated with your skin and hair. Research has shown that eliminating these (by using antibacterial soaps and scrubs) actually causes skin disorders and increases inflammation while decreasing your rate of healing from cuts/ scrapes and burns. So if you really want to be ‘green’ stick to fabrics like hemp and try to maximise your use of yardage (I know you do the latter anyway because you seem to make heaps of things by creatively using the same fabrics).
— TJ Jun 25, 03:51 AM #