Skip to main content

Made by a Fabricista: Scuba Dooba Do- Venturing into Scuba fabric


Have you noticed that just when you think you've tried it all, someone invents a new fabric?  That's one thing that I absolutely love about sewing- there is always something new to try.  Scuba knits have been around for a couple of years, but they hadn't made it into my sewing room yet.  But, as I have seen them more and more in ready to wear, I decided that they were worth a look!


I ordered two different types of scuba for this experiment- one with a sueded finish and one with a smooth finish.  Then I compared them both to an ITY knit.  Both of the scuba knits were considerably loftier than the ITY.  You can see here in this photo- the thickness of the same size piece of the solid brown ITY knit is much less.  The sueded scuba is the loftiest- it's thick but not heavy at all. The printed scuba is extremely lightweight- even lighter than the ITY knit next to it.



One of the things that attracted me to scuba was that I've heard that they do well in garments without hemming.  Being hemming-adverse, that was a real advantage in my opinion! Here's a curved cut edge up close of all three fabrics- you can see that there is no curling of the edges.

For the sueded scuba skirt, I used Vogue 9154.  Because the scuba is so stretchy, I left out the zipper and lining, and made an elastic waistband. The suede finish is really luxurious.  Everyone that has felt it has gone "OOOHHHHhhhh!"  Unfortunately, this color- Butterscotch, is sold out, but hopefully Fabric Mart will get more!


Here's a close-up of the non-hem.  I think it looks nice, and I just dabbed a bit of fray-check on the threads at the bottom of the seams to make sure that they didn't come undone.


My top is a rayon challis that was in a mystery bundle.  I used McCalls 7431 for it, cutting at top length instead of dress length, and omitting the ruffle on the sleeves for View C.

For the dress, I used a Kwik Sew pattern from 1997- Pattern 2672.  I have a lot of older Kwik Sew patterns and find that they are some of my favorites to sew.  I thought that the diamond pattern in the scuba knit would echo the diamond pattern in the bodice.  Alas, this fabric has sold out also.




At first, I used a black ponte knit as the insert, but it looked very heavy and prominent, so I switched it out with the cocoa ITY knit, and was very happy with the change.   I was careful to match the stripe of the print at the sides, and again, left it unhemmed.


The fabric is really comfortable, and completely wrinkle resistant, which is great for just pulling on and heading out for the day.  So, I am completely sold on scuba!  More of it will definitely be making it's way to my house.

I'll leave you with a photo of a black cat for Halloween.  I think he sees a mouse in the field and is very excited.

Have you tried sewing with scuba knit yet?  What do you think of it?


Happy October and Happy Sewing!

Ann 

Comments

  1. I use Scuba knit all the time for pants skirts etc, but find that I like a simple hem on it. I press it up with the 1/2" steam-a-seam, then overlock it, or twin needle stitch it, using a hand-wound bobbin of wooly nylon. This is a technique that I am glad that I learned from Sandra Betzina, as I am hemming-adverse as well! Great job on all the garments shown. I bet you are a scuba-convert now!

    ReplyDelete
  2. As a scuba knit lover, I've made many things and love them all, I was interested to see your garments. Just lovely, all of them. I just discovered the suede back scuba at my local fabric store and will get some for sure after seeing your great skirt. Great pattern for the dress.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I'm just waiting for my first bit to arrive by post. Your skirt is great, what a fab colour and the panels on the dress are lovely and so flattering where they point inwards.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Ann all of your pieces turned out great and I love the information about the suede back scuba.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Love your pieces! I am wondering about mixing the ITY with the Scuba? I have considered doing that on a sleeve of a tunic but was worried the ITY would be too light. What do you think? The weight/loft of the Scuba in your dress would hold it "down" ( not sure what word to use here) but would a partial sleeve look funny?

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Thanks for leaving a comment! All comments are reviewed before posting to help us eliminate spam. Your comment will be posted within 24 hours.

Popular Posts You Might Like

Made By A Fabricista: Why I Love Sewing Woven Fabrics Over Knits

Sewing is a creative hobby that allows me to express my unique style while adding a personal touch to my wardrobe. When it comes to choosing between wovens and knits I will mostly always choose woven. There are a lot of reasons I choose wovens as my go-to choice. The project I chose for this Fabric Mart make is from Friday Pattern Company’s Patina Blouse .  I used a gorgeous lightweight rayon .  It’s delicate hand is the perfect blouse weight and it drapes beautifully with this pattern. In this blog post, l'll explore the advantages of sewing woven blouses over knit shirts, highlighting the creativity, versatility, and satisfaction that come with this choice.  The Joy of Creativity Sewing a woven blouse offers a chance for my creativity to flourish. Woven fabrics come in a wide array of colors, patterns, and textures, allowing me to unleash my artistic potential. With knits, the stretch and drape of the fabric often limit my design options. In contrast, woven fabrics give me the fr

Fabricista Guest Post: Perfectly Imperfect

Hey Sewing Friends!! I’m super excited to be a guest Fabricista. I’ve been a fan of Fabric Mart since I began sewing again in 2020. Let me begin with an introduction. I’m Eras, and my Instagram account is sewing_andmore. During the day, I work as a Nurse Practitioner, and I  first learned to sew in my local 4-H club when I was in middle school.  At that time, I had an amazing sewing instructor, Mrs. McKinney, who was extremely patient and was by my side for every step. However, in 2020, the stress of being a Nurse Practitioner during the pandemic made me turn to sewing for my mental health. I started out sewing and creating masks, and I immediately saw a change in my mood. I’m so glad I dusted off my old sewing machine, and I haven’t stopped! After seeing the rush of adrenaline and satisfaction sewing provided, I started making clothes. When I no longer needed fat-quarters, I started looking for online fabric stores. It was during this time that I discovered Fabric Mart and their great

Made By A Fabricista: Skipping Winter - Tailored Outfits in Twill & Shirting for Spring

Hi Fabric Mart fans! I hope everyone had a fabulous Thanksgiving! This month, while perusing the Fabric Mart collection, I was drawn to cotton twill fabrics. My son, who's growing like a weed, is always in need of new pants! I could easily have made him multiple pairs of pants, however I was also drawn to a bright blue stretch twill for me. I just can't resist a bold color on a jacket, and this blue was calling my name! I hope you love these outfits as much as I do! Since I planned to make pants for my son, I knew I'd need to make a button-down shirt as well. Fabric Mart had a range of fabulous cotton shirtings and it was hard to land on just one, but I eventually picked this royal blue gingham which pairs perfectly with the tan twill pants. When it comes to woven patterns for boys, I can never go past Oliver+S. I've made their dress shirts so many times now - the finishes are always lovely, and always so worth the time and effort. I used the Buttoned-Up Button-Down Shi