Made by A Fabricista: Polyester Plaids

Spring is just around the corner, and I am still obsessed with plaids! I wanted to officially end my journey with the color combination that originally lit the fire of plaids in my life this season. The fabric used for these pants is a poly novelty weave suiting found (HERE). I actually used the wrong side of this fabric because the lines seemed more in line with my taste (grainy and broken vs the other side)

Right Side

Wrong Side

I used Simplicity 8056/S0652 to create these pants. It is part of the Amazing Fit series and had alternate back pieces for different body types. I used the curvy option. Unlike many of my other projects, I created this garment as per the manufacturer instructions with one minor adjustment, which was added 3 inches to the length. The construction took a tad bit longer vs some of my go to slopers. The level of detail is not that far off from constructing jeans. I plan on converting this into a sloper as well for future jumpsuits/rompers and pants suits. The pattern also contained some great tips on interfacing and the waistband which also has facing.

I used my inseam as the dominant stripe for these pants.

My top is a basic peplum in painted leather (originally green) and was created using Vogue 8815 with an additional breast dart.

The polyester was just light enough to wear today! I hope each and every one of you have an awesome week. Until next time......

Happy Sewing!!

- Jenese

Needles and Fashion

Made By A Fabricista: A Wooly Wearable Blanket.

Twirling in a me-made outfit! I live in a small town where the nearest fabric shop is a road trip away, so I almost exclusively shop for fabric online. Having access to an online shop like Fabric Mart with a solid search engine is incredibly helpful. But by far my favorite aspect of Fabric Mart is what I call the “Drape Picture” included in each listing! This picture gives me all the information I need and I find it more helpful than the exact weight per yard/square meter. Seeing how the fabric falls close or away from the body gives me a clear idea of how it will behave and inspires me to make it into something that will highlight the fabric’s nature. When I saw the drape of this “Baked Plum” wool suiting , I immediately wanted to immortalize those beautiful folds into a skirt! I opted for a simple self-drafted pleated skirt with a deep hem. I wear my dresses year-round and rely on wool skirts that I layer under or over my dresses for warmth. I cut two panels for the front ...

Made By A Fabricista: Which comes first – the fabric or the pattern?

Ah, the age old question garment sewers are often asked – do you choose the pattern first and then look for fabric, or do you buy fabric and then later decide what it will be when it grows up? If you are a sewist with a large fabric stash (like myself), then perhaps you are on Team Fabric. I would say I definitely lean that way, but there are also times when I land somewhere in the middle – I see a fabric and I think, I’ve just seen a pattern and these two would be perfect together! And that’s how gorgeous dusty rose stretch velvet and a recently released cardigan pattern came together to create the newest addition to my wardrobe. And had me improvising a few things along the way. First. I have to admit - I have a stretch velvet problem. I see it pop up on the website and I almost always grab it, especially if I see a sale. It’s not the easiest fabric to sew (it’s slippery as heck!), but I love it so much and I especially love using it in non-traditional ways. In my last blog post, I...

Made By A Fabricista: Back In The Saddle

If you don’t know in October my beloved Bernina sewing machine blew a fuse and started smoking while I was using it. She went to the shop for repairs, and then I moved. So it’s been a bit since I’ve sewed last and I’ve had trouble getting back into it. I knew I needed a simpler project to get me going again. Julie sewed up a Jarrah sweater recently ( restock coming soon! ) and gushed about how simple and rewarding a project it was. Then we got in this beautiful wool/cashmere sweater knit from England. I was seeing lighthouse keeper, sheep herder in the highlands. I knew it had to be my Jarrah sweater. I did lengthen the bodice by 3 inches. I actually sewed up a mock up with the curved hemline, but decided that wasn’t for me and went with the straight hem. Of course I took zero photos of said mock up. Oops. Otherwise I sewed it up in a size 6 as is. Using the serger this really does sew up quickly. The dropped shoulder creates clean, simple lines that make it easy to sew u...

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