Dressmaking and Quilting Magic

Some makers love quilts. Others love fashion. But for Rachel Andrew, the real magic happens when those two worlds collide. A lifelong seamstress with a creative streak a mile wide, Rachel has mastered the art of blending quilting techniques into beautifully wearable garments.

“I took home ec in seventh grade, almost 30 years ago, and was immediately hooked on sewing,” she recalls. “I asked for a sewing machine that Christmas and started by repurposing old clothes into Barbie outfits.” From there, her creativity snowballed. By her early twenties, she was making her own clothes and later, her daughter’s entire handmade wardrobe.

For years, friends encouraged her to try quilting but Rachel wasn’t interested. “The only quilting I was familiar with were more traditional designs that weren’t exactly my taste, so I’d laugh and say I’d never quilt,” she says. That all changed thanks to her daughter’s second-grade teacher, who happened to be a quilter. Curious, Rachel checked out a few quilting books from the library and stumbled upon a design for a “Crazy Nine Patch.” Her first thought? That would make a great dress.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

And just like that, a new creative obsession was born: figuring out how to integrate quilting into clothing patterns. Over the years, Rachel has made skirts, dresses, tops, and even pants featuring quilted panels or pieced designs some fully quilted, others with just a hint of patchwork flair.

Making quilting work for fashion isn’t as simple as cutting a dress pattern from a quilt top. It takes careful consideration of design, proportion, and structure. “Adapting quilting designs for dressmaking really depends on what I’m making,” Rachel explains. “With a skirt, it’s easier. You can make a large panel and cut the center out for a waistband without disrupting the quilt design. But for bodices, proportions matter. Using 5-inch half-square triangles on a 12-inch bodice doesn’t look right, so I scale things down to keep the same feel.”

Rachel’s innovation has paid off in a big way. She was recently accepted into Omaha Fashion Week, a recognition that left her both thrilled and exhausted. “I thought I’d have three months to finish my designs but I actually had three weeks less than expected! I’ve been sewing almost nonstop, but it’s so exciting. I’ll remember this experience forever.”

While most of her creations are garments, Rachel has also dabbled in traditional quilts mainly to better understand patchwork construction. Still, she admits that by the time she finishes a 40-hour quilted dress, she’s ready for something entirely new.

These days, Rachel is building her own sewing business, sharing tutorials and tips on her blog and social media. Her passion lies in helping others explore the overlap between quilting and dressmaking. “I love teaching people how to adapt patterns with quilting details,” she says. Beyond just showing techniques, Rachel focuses on encouraging creativity without rules reminding her followers that perfection isn’t the goal, expression is. She believes that every stitch tells a story, and that confidence comes from trying, failing, and creating anyway. Through her tutorials, she’s building a vibrant community of sewists who aren’t afraid to mix textures, colours, and ideas. “It would be a dream come true to see my clothing exhibited at QuiltCon someday,” she adds. And with her growing community and unstoppable passion, that dream feels closer every day. After all, Rachel’s work proves that when you blend skill, creativity, and a bit of courage, the results can be truly extraordinary.

You can follow Rachel’s creative journey and learn how to add quilting elements to your own wardrobe on her blog: https://alexiarees.com/

This is an edited excerpt from Jane Kelly’s original piece Quilted Clothing. Read the full article in Make Modern Issue #30.

New to Make Modern and want to know more about us?

For over a decade, Make Modern has inspired quilters in 70+ countries around the globe. Independently published by a team of dedicated Australian women, each issue of our magazine is a treasure trove of patterns with step-by-step instructions, tips and techniques to improve your skills, interviews with the most inspiring quilters, and more! With over 600 quilt patterns in our database, you’re sure to find the perfect project for you. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced quilter, we have something for every skill level, covering every technique. Accessible digitally, read on-the-go, on holidays, and reference patterns while fabric shopping! With no physical storage needed, we won’t take up any precious fabric storage space, you’ll be able to easily find patterns and articles, and we’re environmentally friendly. Win-win-win! Subscribe today and make quilts you and your family will love!