Made by a Fabricista: My Ditsy Daisy Button Up

I wasn't sure if I should have entitled this post "My J. Crew Knock-off" since I drew heavily from the idea of this adorable J. Crew button up in a daisy Liberty of London print. When I spotted this very similar shirting fabric from Fabric Mart I knew I needed a daisy button up of my own!

Classic button ups are one of my favorite go-to-work items since I can roll the sleeves down if the A/C is frigid indoors and roll them up when I am out in the field. For the pattern I used McCalls 6436 which is a classic button up with almost every imaginable pattern piece for a traditional button up with the exception of the sleeve placket and back yoke. That is to say, there is a lot of cutting out of pattern pieces in this process. The pattern also includes bust darts and back darts which give it a bit more shaping than other button up's I've sewn.

This is my "I push my sleeves up like a J. Crew model" pose!

I knew I would want to roll up the sleeves of this top and wanted the seam finishes to look decent so I used this method. This finish encapsulates the raw edges in each respective seam allowance. I've used this method before and am partial to it. I know how to do hong kong seams, flat felled, serged and french seams but I just prefer this method- mostly because there is less fiddly cutting away of tiny strips of fabric which clutters my floor and is tedious.

When making this shirt I wasn't entirely sure what work clothes it would coordinate with so when it was complete I had fun pairing it up with this skirt. This has been an orphan skirt in my closet for a while so I am glad its finally found its mate! It also pairs well with a pair of persimmon slacks. The little centers of each flower have a shade of pink that is somewhere between pink and red.....persimmon!

If you are interested in making your own button up I recommend the sew-along tutorials from Grainline Studio for the Archer button up. Most of the techniques you need are covered there and can help you when you are trying to decipher the process.

As far as patterns there are so many button up patterns that it can be hard to choose. So here are a few suggestions:
Grainline Archer- a looser fitting button up
Butterick 5526- I've made this one previously and had a good outcome
McCall 6124- nice princess seams on this one
Simplicity 1538- I like the contrasting fabric suggestions on this one
Sewaholic Granville- this was a "Best Pattern of the Year" at Pattern Review

I draw a measure of satisfaction from making a knock off item with my own two hands. The creative process of making a garment has almost completely eclipsed the satisfaction I once felt when buying a similar item at a store. Its this feeling that brings me back to my cutting and sewing tables again and again.

Thanks for reading, and happy sewing!

Elizabeth

I Sew, You Sew

Made by a Fabricista: Preparing for the Holidays

Hard to believe the holidays are fast approaching and in six weeks we will welcome a new year! I am determined to celebrate in a big way!!! I picked Vogue V1722 by Designer Nicola Finetti for its statement bodice and statement sleeves. Yes, indeed, I am loving its close-fitting bodice, plunging neckline, balloon sleeves, and flared skirt. I dared to make this special dress in Fabric Mart’s embroidered silk dupioni, a fabric I had not sewn before. I did not prewash the silk dupioni as dry cleaning will be my method of care for the finished garment. I underlined the bodice with prewashed black cotton batiste from my stash instead of the suggested interfacing. Though not called for by the pattern, I also underlined the skirt the same way to minimize wrinkling when I wear it. I prewashed black silk charmeuse (from Fabric Mart) to use as lining. Then I lined the balloon sleeves with champagne colored organza from my stash to give it more body. For the hem band, I used French fuse as int

Made By A Fabricista: A Holiday Mini-Capsule

Hello everyone and Happy Holidays!! This month for my Fabricista makes, I wanted to sew something like a capsule wardrobe but just for the holidays. I took two yards of ruby red heathered sweater knit and three yards of plaid rayon shirting and turned them into the holiday mix-and-match outfit of my dreams. I started with a sweater made with Simplicity 8982. I made view B, but added a cuff to the sleeve. This is a lovely simple sweater pattern that is great on it's own but loose enough to layer. This sweater knit is the softest, coziest fabric and I cannot recommend it highly enough. It's light weight but plenty warm enough for winter. From the rayon shirting I made a plaid blouse from a 1968 Simplicity pattern (no. 8399). This seems to have been a fairly popular pattern at the time as it is widely available. It's a pretty basic top with a one piece collar. I like the clean lines and the easy construction of it. Also, the envelope illustrations are just delightful. Finally

Made By A Fabricista: Winter Poncho

Hello Everyone, Today’s post is all about my new fall/winter layering piece: a poncho with tasseled hem. The Fabric. I selected a heavy weight wool/polyester chunky knit sweater. The fabric is a plaid print with colors perfect for the winter season. It has a one way stretch and nappy textured. The Pattern. I used McCalls 8241 for this project. It is a knit poncho with wide sleeve bands and options for turtleneck, crewneck, cropped, shaped or tassle hems. I made view C without the turtleneck detail. I modified it by skipping the sleeves, it would have been too thick trying to sewing multiple layers. The Sewing Process. This poncho sewing process was relatively easy and straightforward. I decided to omit the sleeves portion as it would have been too bulky to sew with the weight of the fabric. I made tassels using knitting yarns and attached it to the hem of the poncho. Since I had extra fabric left after cutting the poncho, I used the rest to cut a long chunky scarf. The Styling. For th

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