Made by a Fabricista: A Layering Dress for Fall

I am so happy with how this project turned out, can you tell?! Everything about making this dress was completely enjoyable. So many of my projects have to be tweaked tiny bits here and there for a great fit. They may involve pattern manipulation before cutting fabric or small tucks and shifts here or there on an almost finished project, but for this make the fitting was so very easy and the result so fun to wear.

The pattern is the Deer and Doe Arum. This is the first Deer and Doe pattern I've ever made up so I was curious about the fit. Most of my makes as of late have been with the bigger pattern companies and I pretty much know how they will fit my body type. It felt like a bit of a gamble when I began grading this pattern between sizes (which I always do to any pattern because my measurements always put me in two to three ranges).

But I have to say that I am so impressed with the back of this dress, can you believe that I didn't have to make a single sway back adjustment? What?!! I always need a small sway back adjustment to get a smooth look in the small of my back but not with this pattern. The grading between sizes made this pattern fit perfectly down my back, into the small of my back and over my back side- miracle!! The only place where I took a bit in was at the side seams from the hips down. This was easily accomplished by wearing the dress inside out and pinning out the excess.

The shape is fun too, I love a shift but my one complaint with shifts is usually that there is absolutely no shaping. This dress has just the right amount of shaping combined with only five pattern pieces. The kimono sleeves mean that there are no sleeves to set and the shift shape means there's no zipper to install, win-win!


My pose was directed by my seasoned fashion photographer....my 8-year-old!

Now on to this great fabric! I love this fabric too, it was perfect for this project. My original plans for this dress were to use a denim or rayon challis but when I spotted this rayon/tencel suiting I was very curious since I've never sewn with this type of fabric. The texture is great for fall, it has great drape like a rayon challis but is thicker than challis and has a twill woven texture. It is very soft and very comfortable to wear.

I think this is going to be a great layering piece for fall and imagine pairing it with mustard colored tights and a cute moto jacket. Or maybe I will wear tall boots, a chunky sweater and bright scarf- its great to have options! I hope your fall sewing is off to a great start and the cooler temperatures (if you're in the northern hemisphere!) provide you with a renewed sense of inspiration!

Happy Sewing!

Elizabeth

I Sew, You Sew

Made By A Fabricista: Closing 2025 with a Lined Jacket

Hello again, sewing friends! It seems we have arrived yet again in the grandest season for layering, all this oncoming cold weather. I like ending the year with something warm and very useful. Seems based on my past Fabricista posts, I love to sew year-end outerwear, and this round is no different! I challenged myself with a new lined coat (wait, jacket? Coat? I feel like the presence of wool changes things?). Anyhoo, since the lovely Chalk & Notch Den Jacket has been in my queue, I proceeded ahead. I like the large pockets, the option to line or not, and the extra bodice and sleeve seams for topstitching. Sewing this coat is not at all difficult, but the many pieces and loads of topstitching will take a bit of time. My version took me a few multiple-hour sessions to complete. I sewed a size 2, which matches my measurements, and I made no alterations. Hint: for a quick size test, just employ the lining pieces. Gorgeous, muted blue as a soft wool flannel ? This is ...

Made By A Fabricista: Sheer Elegance and Everyday Comfort with my Two New Tops

Hello Sewing Friends! It’s Sharon from Sharon Sews with my last Fabricista make for 2025. While many sew a special holiday outfit at year’s end, I went in another direction sewing two tops that couldn’t be more different. One is sheer and elegant while the other is easy comfort for everyday wear. These tops reflect how I dress at this stage of life. As an over-50 sewist, these two tops reflect how I dress at this point in my life. Sometimes I want something a bit special, other times more basic. Either way, sewing them in beautiful fabrics, custom fit to my body, makes all the difference in how I feel when I wear them. Even though I’m quite pleased with my two tops, my original plan was to sew a jacket with the tropical print stretch twill and pair it with a top sewn from the soutache mesh knit . Sadly, I wasn’t quick enough to get enough of the stretch twill to make a jacket, so a top it was! You do know you have to act fast when you see something you love on Fabric ...

Made By A Fabricista: Chalk and Notch Wren Dress: My Buffet dress for the Christmas season!

I recently sewed the Chalk and Notch Wren dress using a beautifully soft black voile from Fabric Mart, and it turned into such a satisfying, enjoyable project. The pattern itself is very easy to understand and straightforward with clear instructions, intuitive construction, and a relaxed fit that makes the sewing process easy. A buffet dress in the sewing community is a dress that is loose fitting, so you can eat at the buffet without your dress being uncomfortable afterwards, lol! Because the voile I chose is extremely thin and transparent, I opted to line the bodice and first tier. Adding a lining not only provided modesty but also gave the delicate fabric a bit more stability, especially around the neckline and button placket. A helpful tip when sewing a lining into a lightweight bodice is to treat the lining and the main fabric as one. I sewed the bodice as you would for a lined bodice, and the first tier I sewed the pieces together with a basting stitch to make the process...

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