I Want Spring!! Upcoming Project List

If you live on the east coast or know someone who does, you may hear a lot of complaining about something that starts with the letter "S"...SNOW! It is nice to look at for a little while but when you have to go places, it is not as fun! We have been bombarded with snow lately and more is on the way! The only nice thing is when it snows, I can lock myself up in my sewing room! I'm honestly not all that interested in making winter items at the moment, but have three projects in mind to make for early spring.

1) A basic blazer made from black ponte knit.
I need a basic blazer and I've been seeing knit blazers in the stores for at least the past two seasons. I made one last year, only to find out I never washed the fabric before I used it and the entire blazer shrunk! (That's a lesson for those of you who do not pre-wash fabric!)

Here are some of my inspiration pieces:

All images courtesy of Pinterest.

I am using Simplicity pattern #4698 (out-of-print) that I've had for a number of years. I already pre-washed the good fabric, made a muslin and cut the pattern from the good fabric. I'm hoping to make the jacket this weekend.

2) The Macaron Dress by Colette Patterns, made from a floral print cotton pique and lace.

This fabric was originally in Julie's Picks a few months back. I snatched up a piece for myself before it sold out. Then on a recent fabric buying trip I found another roll of it. I have known what I would like to make from it since the day I brought it home. I also knew that I would blog about the finished product in the near future, so I decided I should buy the other roll. This fabric will be available online soon! I will be pairing this print with a lace from my stash. I have a few laces to choose from, but am unsure which one I will use in the end.

Photo from Pinterest, a Lilly Pulitzer design.

Photo from Pinterest, an Anna Sui design.

The bright colors and floral print of the fabric and the retro feel of the pattern reminded me of Lilly Pulitzer designs. So this will be my "Lilly Pulitzer-inspired dress."

3) Printed cotton sateen slim leg trousers.
Another project inspired by Lilly Pulitzer. This fabric is sophisticated, but still fun when used in trousers. Printed pants have become popular again and I embraced this trend with a few pairs of printed shorts last summer. I never blogged about them, but it was a fun way to jazz up my summer wardrobe. So I'm going to give it a try in a pant.

It has been a long time since I made pants for myself. I find them intimidating and would rather buy RTW because they are "good enough." I know there is a difference between a good fitting pant and a great fitting pant, but I have not gotten up the courage to do it. So I'm going to plunge into the pants world again and make some slim leg trousers. I haven't selected a pattern yet and thought I would get the viewers opinion on a good pants pattern. I'd love to be able to make more pants because I lack in that dept.

So...what is your favorite pants pattern? I'm especially looking for a slim leg pattern, but if you have a TNT (tried and true) pants pattern that you would like to share, please do!

Made By A Fabricista: Basics vs Fun Clothes

Every summer I make flowy, pretty dresses because they are so fun for me to make, wear, and they keep me cool as temperatures rise. But when the days get shorter and autumn rolls around, I’m not always confident on how best to transition my summery dresses into garments that will allow for the seasonal changes. In an effort to be more intentional about maximizing the use of my clothing, I thought long and hard about what I wanted to make for August. It’s been a hot summer in New Jersey. From what I can see, it’s been a hot summer across the US. Looking for clothing that will keep me cool, perhaps hide some sweat stains, and allow me to transition between seasons, I decided to make separates that would pair well with each other and allow me to mix and match with the rest of my wardrobe. For the top, I wanted a basic tank top, something I could layer later on. For the bottoms, I wanted flowy, summery pants that can last into brisker weather or become phenomenally cozy in front of my wint...

Made By A Fabricista: Sewing Summery ITY

Hi sewing friends! I’m dropping in to share a few makes sewn with ITY fabrics and inspire you to try out this slinky, cool-to-the-touch fabric for hot weather if you haven’t yet, or to recommend some patterns that work fabulously if you already love it. This is by far my favorite knit to wear in summer. Since it moves easily there’s lots of airflow, and it just skims the body. More often than not, it has a four-way stretch that doesn’t grow when worn, so it works great for loads of styles. ITY stands for Interlock Twist Yarn and the knit gives it some wonderful drape and stretch. There are lots of different weights and even some differing textures. Because it’s so fluid, the fabric really resists most wrinkling. I’ve sewn three different weights and prints here to show off just what ITY can do! This white floral is a lighter weight and features a slightly crepe-textured finish, and I think that combined with the large and spread-out floral makes it quite elegant and eye-cat...

Made By A Fabricista: From Paris with Love!

Bonjour! I am still in bliss from my recent trip to Paris!! It was much more than I expected and I absolutely fell in love with the city. I can honestly see myself living there one day. I knew before leaving I wanted to make something to fit into the Parisian landscape because I knew it would be a special opportunity. I was inspired by one of my favorite fashion creators Juliette Foxx. Her checked gingham corset and wide leg pants were on my list to remake. For fabric I used this red and white pin stripe denim twill and deep red sateen for the pants. The pattern I used for the corset was McCall’s #M8182 with a few modifications. The fit was a little large so I took it in along the sides and shoulder seam. I then lowered the neckline since the shoulders were taken in. I used the sateen as my lining which gave a great contrast. My pants are my unreleased pattern which happens to be exact from the inspiration. I drafted these last year and have been wo...

Fabric Mart Fabricistas

Search This Blog