Made by a Fabricista: You're Gonna Hear Me Roar!!

Helloooo!! I'm back and I'm still sewing with knits! Recently I made it my mission to find more TNT- tried and true patterns, those that I've mastered the fit on and I can come back to again and again for easy no fuss makes. One of the patterns I chose to master was a basic knit dress. What's not to love about knits I ask?? I'm quickly becoming obsessed! Knits are so comfy to wear...soft, breathable, stretchy and easy to launder, wash-dry-no iron involved!

I picked up this fun animal print jersey knit from Fabric Mart. (Exact fabric not available yet, but check out the other knits available!) It's lightweight and super comfy. For the pattern I used Kitschy Coo's Lady Skater pattern. This pattern is very functional, dress it up for work or play it down with some sneakers for shopping. It features a fitted bodice that ends at the natural waistline and flows into an easy breezy skirt. It's flattering on any body type.

I started with a tissue fitting of the pattern on my handmade dress form, then moved to a muslin. Very quickly (because I know fitting can be a real snooze to read about) my alterations were (I cut a size 3):

1. Shortened front and back bodice 2 1/2 inches

2. Shortened upper back bodice 3 inches, this really helped my swayback problem

3. Pinned out excess on front bodice, armpit to apex

4. Shortened the sleeves 5 inches.

5. Shortened hem line 1 inch

Once my muslin confirmed a good fit I moved on to the real deal. Using my serger allowed me to make this in a little over an hour. I always breathe a little easier after the neckline band is attached. I'm so paranoid I'm either going to stretch it too much resulting in a puckered neckline or stretch it not enough for a floppy neckline. This neck band was drafted to perfection, no holding my breath necessary!

The only time I used my sewing machine was when using the twin needle to finish the neckline and hem line.

I'm really pleased and excited to have one tried and true pattern to add to my stash. I've also made this up in a red ponte knit and think this striped print would be super cute.

Because the knit is lighter weight it will be perfect for spring or summer. But that's not gonna stop me from wearing it now with boots and a cardigan!

What's your TNT knit pattern?

~Shannon

Made By A Fabricista: A Tipsy Martini Transitional Three Piece Look

Hello Sewing Friends! It’s Sharon with Sharon Sews with my latest Fabricista make – a three-piece set I can wear as the weather transitions to fall here in Texas. It may look like a summer outfit but there will days filled with sunshine and high temps well into November. At first glance it looks like a nice, lightweight jacket, top and pants. But look closer – it’s sewn from the designer Tipsy Martini cotton sateen that was originally used by the designer for a pajama set. Now I could have sewn myself a pair of pajamas using the Closet Core Carolyn Pajama pattern (available at Fabric Mart) and replicated the designer pajamas. But if I had gone that route the only ones who would have seen this adorable kitschy fabric would be my family. This print is much too cute to hide out at home. This Tipsy Martini cotton sateen fabric was lovely to sew. I used black thread, an 80/12 universal needle, and Palmer/Pletsch Perfect Fuse Medium interfacing (link here). Note that this is a rayon fu

Made By A Fabricista: Hooray for Cozy Fall Sews!

Greetings, all! I am in such high spirits with the best-of-all-seasons just beginning and change is finally in the air. I always rejoice when the sweatiest time of the year passes and we can all take a deep breath and gear up for cozier times. Neighborhood Patterns is a new-to-me designer, and I came across them on Instagram in late summer and fell in love with the Plain Jane Skirt. This is such a simple A-line skirt, but with nice details like large inseam pockets and an optional drawstring, and though I’m sure I could draft this style myself, the appeal of having it all done for me was too tempting to pass up. A sew such as this is a lovely palate-cleanser and this was the first project I sewed after returning from a cross-country trip. Perfect! The gorgeous plaid flannel is exactly what I want to be wearing in the fall. The fabric is SO soft and a pleasure to snuggle up in. Because flannel does not have much body and is prone to stretching or shifting with all its mechanical give,

Made By A Fabricista: Quilted Jacket Chronicle

What do you get when mixing the best things about apparel sewing and machine quilting? A quilted jacket! It's funny that I elected to sew myself a quilted jacket for this Fabricista blog because I don't consider myself much of a quilter. I can count on my hands the number of quilted projects I've made over the last few years. While I fully appreciate the end product of quilting, I don't normally gravitate toward starting quilting projects. That's why making a quilted jacket is a new and exciting project for me! It gives me the fun of making a quilt on a much smaller scale. If you are an avid apparel sewist and are new to quilting, this is the perfect project to take for a quilting test drive! For my quilted jacket, I used the Seamwork Easton Jacket pattern. I decided to stick with a solid-colored fabric for the jacket's exterior and ordered 4 yards of Dark Umber Brown Lycra Stretch Canvas Suiting from the Fabric Mart website. I wanted a contrasting color for the

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