Okay, so this post may be a little misleading because you can’t actually buy this exact fabric from Cali Fabrics. But you can make it yourself, just like I did!
This Willow tank started out life as this yummy double gauze that you can get from Cali Fabrics. And guys, I am not joking when I say this is yummy. It is soft and fluffy and everything double gauze should be.
I wanted to try my hand at indigo shibori dying this summer, and when I ran across this fabric, I knew it would be perfect for dying. It’s 100% cotton, and natural fibers are a must for indigo dye. The white color would take the dye very nicely, and I knew the fabric would be gorgeous to wear when I was done.
If you’re interested in my actual dying process, you can read about that here, but just know that I was right and this fabric was absolutely perfect for shibori dying! Of the 3 fabrics I dyed, this one was hands-down my favorite. The fabric took the color beautifully and I ended up with a really cool result. Before I cut it up to make this tank, the fabric looked like this:
And this tank is so comfy to wear! I went with a TNT pattern, the Grainline Willow Tank, because I wanted something versatile with simple lines. Double gauze actually works really well for a woven tank like this one. It has enough structure to hold the darts in pattern, but because it’s cotton gauze, it breathes really well and is comfortable to wear in both warm and cool weather.
One construction note related to this fabric: Multiple layers of double gauze can get kind of bulky. So rather than use bias binding as indicated in the pattern, I drafted a full facing to finish the neckline and armholes and did that facing in a simple cotton lawn. Using a thinner fabric for the facings kept my openings from getting bulky, but still gave me a nice, clean finish.
If you are interested in trying your hand at shibori dying, Cali Fabrics has lots of options for you! In addition to this double gauze, this white cotton muslin would be great for dying, as would this 100% linen or this white organic cotton knit.
In fact, as long as its 100% natural fibers, the sky is pretty much the limit!