6 September 2019

Inspiration and Fabrics For Making Your Indigo Smock

Inspiration for making the Indigo smock by Tilly and the Buttons

Do you suffer from wardrobe woes, with a closet full of clothes and nothing to wear? We think we have solved this conundrum with a wear-it-all-week piece that you can throw on and go! You won't give your outfit another thought (apart from, 'I look great!'), and can get on with your busy day in handmade style.

If you haven't already been introduced to our latest pattern, the Indigo smock top or dress, then make sure you read all the juicy deets in our previous post.

It's Louise here from team Buttons, a smock lover who is happiest when floating around in me-made style. I am going to take you through a little inspo for making your Indigo along with some dreamy fabric suggestions. One of my favourite things about Indigo is how it transforms with the choice of fabric. You can sew up an everyday top to chuck on with jeans, a smart dress that is office-appropriate or go for a swishy, party dress. Indigo just does it all!

I've broken things down by fabric type so you can think about what is best going to suit the vibe you want to go for. I guarantee you won't stop at one and will tick these off your list in no time and have an Indigo for every occasion!

Inspiration for making the Indigo smock by Tilly and the Buttons
Clockwise L-R: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9

First up, we have cotton lawn which something most of us probably already have sitting in our stash waiting to be made. Enter Indigo! Cotton lawn has just enough drape and feels silky soft to the touch down to its fine and high thread count. It's perfect for creating a smock with little more fullness to it as the cotton lawn will hold the shape beautifully.

Inspiration for making the Indigo smock by Tilly and the Buttons
Top: Fabric - Lamazi Fabrics / Dress  / Bottom: Dress / Fabric - Minerva Crafts

Recreate these floral beauties that would work as well with tights and a cosy cardigan in the autumn as they would with a pair of tan sandals in the summer.

Inspiration for making the Indigo smock by Tilly and the Buttons
Top Row: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 Middle Row: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 Bottom Row: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4

Here's a selection of cotton lawn fabrics that I am drooling over. Whatever your style, there is a print for you. Go with a ditsy floral or large scale print to make a statement. I really love the abstract prints that are on trend at the mo, like the paint splodge in the middle row or the 80's paint splash in the top row. You could recreate that Zara dress with the super cool white dotty print, or go for the abstract faces print, both in the middle row.

Inspiration for making the Indigo smock by Tilly and the Buttons
Clockwise L-R: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9

You cannot go wrong with choosing chambray for your Indigo as it never goes out of style! Chambray fabric is woven with a coloured yarn in the warp and white yarn in the weft which gives it a textured look. Chambray will also hold the shape really nicely and will go with absolutely anything all year-round. A total wardrobe winner.


Inspiration for making the Indigo smock by Tilly and the Buttons
Top: Fabric - Sew Me Sunshine / Dress / Bottom: Dress / Fabric - Fabric Godmother

Isn't this just the dream blue chambray dress? I found the perfect blue cotton chambray fabric to recreate this throw-it-on and go dress that is a great blank canvas for styling with your fave accessories. Or, if you have visions of sipping a pina colada at the beach bar, you could whip up this dress with chambray striped cotton complete with pom pom trim!

Inspiration for making the Indigo smock by Tilly and the Buttons
Top Row: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 Bottom Row: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4

This autumn/winter friendly selection of chambray fabrics will make you fall in love with Indigo more every time you reach for it in the morning. I particularly love the daisy print in the bottom row and the gingham chambray fabrics make for a smock that will always be your fave. The pink shot cotton chambray in the top row shows the best feature of this wonderful fabric, with the contrasting colour highlighting the clever weave.

Inspiration for making the Indigo smock by Tilly and the Buttons
Clockwise L-R: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9

Next up is my most loved fabric at the moment... viscose (rayon). This delightful fabric will make you swish, swish, swish wherever you go. Viscose (rayon) is made with regenerated cellulose from plants that feels similar to cotton, but with drape that gives it a flowy feel. You can find it in any print you can imagine as well as wardrobe staple plains and it is pretty purse-friendly.

Inspiration for making the Indigo smock by Tilly and the Buttons
Top: Fabric - Minerva Crafts / Dress / Bottom: Dress / Fabric - Sew Me Sunshine

Viscose fabric is perfect for ruffling, so why not go all out and choose the flounce sleeves and exposed frill seam if you are working with this dream fabric? I couldn't love the top red dress anymore if I tried... I must recreate it with this perfectly matched fabric. For the mustard fans out there, the Mildred viscose is perfect for the autumn - chuck on a chunky cardigan, and you are good to go!

Inspiration for making the Indigo smock by Tilly and the Buttons
Top Row: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 Middle Row: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 Bottom Row: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4

Look at all these floaty pretties! The polka dot viscose or windowpane grid in the top row would make a modern classic that would work nicely if you wanted something that feels a little smarter. There are soooo many florals out there in this flowy fabric, like the first one in the top row and the watercolour floral on the bottom left. I also had to include this cat print viscose - how fun is it?!

Inspiration for making the Indigo smock by Tilly and the Buttons
Top: Fabric - Fabric - Lamazi Fabrics / Top / Bottom: Dress / Fabric - Sister Mintaka

Tencel (lyocell) might be a substrate you have never heard of, but once you discover it you won't remember your sewing life without it! Tencel is an eco fabric made from sustainable wood pulp (cellulose, has a similar feel to viscose (rayon) and is often blended with other fibres. Tencel is so silky soft and has amazing drape for twirling. Tilly made her first sample in Tencel and it is drool-worthy. These fabrics are both perfect for making an effortlessly stylish Indigo, and Jenny from team Buttons as already snapped up the denim Tencel for her Indigo.

Inspiration for making the Indigo smock by Tilly and the Buttons
Top Row: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 Bottom Row: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4

As you can see from this lil' lot, you can find stunning Tencel fabrics in prints and plains to make a super flouncy Indigo. I really love the pinstripe ones as they are work-appropriate, but cool enough for cocktails after work. The rich red is going to be one of my go-to colours this A/W and it works on lots of different skin tones so is definitely a winning shade. And I can't not mention the sketched faces in this gorgeous coral colour - eeeee! A winning choice.

Inspiration for making the Indigo smock by Tilly and the Buttons
Clockwise L-R: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9

Indigo likes to party, so why not make her in a fabric that will make you feel a little extra fancy?

 Crepe fabric's most notable characteristic is a crisp, crimped look (you can get flat crepe fabrics too!). They vary in weight, and have a flowy drape that works perfectly for Indigo and the to-die-for exposed frill seams detail. 

Georgette is lightweight and semi-sheer with a grainy feel to it. Depending on how much you can see through it, you might want to replace the neckline facing with a binding or narrow hem, and finish the edges with French seams. Georgette would make a gorgeous ethereal party top or dress.

Inspiration for making the Indigo smock by Tilly and the Buttons
Top: Fabric - Lamazi Fabrics / Dress / Bottom: Dress / Fabric - Minerva Crafts

How pretty would these dresses be at a party? I would definitely be choosing the flounce sleeve option with these gorgeous georgette fabrics to float around any shindig in style!

Inspiration for making the Indigo smock by Tilly and the Buttons
Top Row: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 Middle Row: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 Bottom Row: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4

Stripe, spots, gingham and florals - this selection of crepe and georgette fabrics has it all! I am lusting over the floral silk crepe de chine first in the middle row, it perfectly merges vintage and modern in one print. You cannot go wrong with the super cool windowpane grid on the bottom row that would take you from office to date night with ease.

Inspiration for making the Indigo smock by Tilly and the Buttons
Top: Fabric - Fabric Godmother / TopBottom: Dress / Fabric - Lamazi Fabrics

Double gauze is one of the dreamiest fabrics known to sewists. It is made up of two fine layers of woven cotton that are attached together with tiny stitches throughout. It is super soft and has a natural fall to it that is perfect for the Indigo smock, and for keeping you cool in summer or layered up in winter. I think that the above top and dress would be something you would reach for year after year.

Inspiration for making the Indigo smock by Tilly and the Buttons
Top Row: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 Middle Row: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 Bottom Row: 1/ 2 / 3 / 4

I have scoured our favourite shops to find these exquisite double gauze fabrics that would make swoon-worthy Indigo smocks. The gold dot fabrics would catch the light every time you went in for a spin, and oh the splodge print on the bottom row. I want, no, need that fabric! 

Inspiration for making the Indigo smock by Tilly and the Buttons


Want to recreate Indigo in the fabrics we selected? We were soooo lucky to be gifted fabrics from the wonderful Ruby Star Society for two of our samples, and we cannot tell you how soft and lovely these fabrics are. The gorgeous Clementine Ivory Rayon was designed by Melody Miller and became the most incredible Indigo smock dress. You can preorder this fabric from Sister Mintaka.

We were all in love with the Aterisks Rayon from Rashida Coleman-Hale's collection. It is the perfect alternative to a floral and the colour pop beautifully. We haven't spotted this one for preorder yet, but it should be available in Nov/Dec so keep your eyes peeled!

Inspiration for making the Indigo smock by Tilly and the Buttons

As you can see, these two fabrics highlighted the pretty exposed frill seams so well. If you want to create these dream garments, you can get the lilac viscose marocaine we used from the Fabric Room, and the John Kaldor floral print crepe from Minerva Crafts.

I hope this roundup has given you lots of inspiration for making your Indigo smock top or dress. "When in doubt, wear Indigo" is our motto! 

We would love to see what you make, so be sure to tag use #SewingIndigo on Instagram and tag @TillyButtons so we can get our Indigo fix!