Tilly and the Buttons: Erin Dungarees Sewalong: Gather Your Supplies & Sewing Inspiration

In need of some inspiration for sewing your Erin dungarees or overalls? You've come to the right place! Welcome to the first part of our Erin dungarees sewalong, supported by Janome. This blog post is jam-packed with fabric possibilities and inspo for your Erin makes.

In this part of the Erin sewalong we'll cover:

What supplies you'll need for your dungarees
What fabrics are suitable (stretch and woven options)
Sewing inspiration from the high street
The fabrics we've used for our Erin samples

Follow the Erin sewalong!

Tilly and the Buttons Erin dungarees or overalls sewing pattern in sizes UK 6-34

Tilly and the Buttons Erin dungarees or overalls sewing pattern in sizes UK 6-34 technical drawing

FABRIC & SUPPLIES

One of our favourite things about Erin is that the dungarees can be made in both woven and knit fabrics - the sewing pattern dream! We bet you have something in your fabric stash right now, perfect for a pair of Erin dungas.

It works well with a wide range of fabrics, from medium-weight soft woven fabrics such as needlecord, linen and soft cotton twill, through lighter-weight drapey wovens such as viscose (rayon) or Tencel (lyocell), to low stretch knit fabrics such as French terry and ponte roma. The range of fabrics makes it great for year-round wear!

Your choice of fabric will affect how the dungas look and feel when you wear them - see how the linen shorts sample we made holds its shape, while the leopard viscose blend gives a softer silhouette, the pink terry gives a snuggly vibe, and the mustard cord is cosy and strokeable! I would avoid anything that feels too stiff, as it could make the dungas a bit uncomfy to wear.

If your fabric is on the thicker side, like needlecord, use something lighter weight like a cotton lawn for the bib lining. You can also use this for the pockets if you like - just bear in mind this fabric will peep out a little at the pocket openings, so it's up to you whether you want it to show or not.

If you're using the same fabric for the outer and lining, add the lengths together on the fabric requirements chart to get the total length.

You'll also need to get your hands on some interfacing. We like woven as opposed to the papery kind. If you're making Erin in a terry or ponte knit, ideally you would use a knit interfacing but it's not the end of the world if you don’t have any - regular interfacing should work fine as the fabric isn’t very stretchy.

Now let's get onto the fun stuff, some design inspiration for your Erin dungarees...

KNIT

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For the comfiest possible dungarees in existence, you're going to want to make a pair (or five) of Erin dungas in knit fabric. Opt for low stretch knit fabrics such as French terry and ponte roma so your dungas keep their shape for many wears to come!

Model wearing long dungarees or overalls handmade using the Erin sewing pattern in stretch knit fabric

Get the look from our Erin photoshoot with this fabric!

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NEEDLECORD

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Super chic and rich in colour and texture, needlecord makes for a luscious pair of Erin dungas. As needlecord is a relatively thick fabric, use a light- to medium-weight cotton for the bib lining (and pockets if you like) – otherwise, you can use your main fabric for the lining too.

Get the look from our Erin photoshoot with this fabric!

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LINEN

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The range of fabrics you can use for Erin makes it great for year-round wear! Linen is a lovely option for summer dungarees, perfect for layering or lounging in the sun.

Model wearing short dungarees or overalls handmade using the Erin sewing pattern in light linen fabric

Get the look from our Erin photoshoot with this fabric!

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PRINTS & PATTERNS

Erin dungarees sewing inspiration - prints and patterns

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One of the best things about sewing is that you can stamp your individuality on your makes and the sky is the limit when it comes to what prints you can choose (hurrah for so many gorgeous fabric shops!). With woven and knit possibilities for Erin, there's double the fabric fun!

Get the look from our Erin photoshoot with this fabric!

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DENIM-LOOK

Erin dungarees sewing inspiration - denim

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You can never go wrong with a pair of classic denim dungarees or overalls. While jeans-weight denim will look stiff and feel uncomfortable on these dungas, you could opt for a denim-look chambray, Tencel or similar.

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SHORTS

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Thinking ahead to your summer hols? You need short dungas! Any of the above fabric options would be great picks! We're particularly fond of linen for the shorts for the perfect summer outfit, or you could layer them with tights and long sleeves for chilly days.