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: A Pink Suiting Set for Spring

Spring is here! So is my first blog of the year. I had some inspiration with this one. I saw a picture on an Instagram profile and wanted to make my own. Now, my version ended up a little different, but overall, I really love it. However, I still want to recreate the inspiration pic at some point. For this look, I chose a cotton candy pink double weave suiting . It is soft, has a semi-textured hand, and has a crepe weave on the wrong side. The fabric does have some stretch to it. I absolutely love the color and feel of this fabric. This is a suiting fabric with the softness of a knit. The thing I do not like about it though is it snags. So, I had to be careful using pins and seam ripping to prevent snags. I had the Fernanda Vicki Sews pattern in mind but once I downloaded the instructions and saw how many pieces were involved, I switched to a different pattern, lol. I ended up making the Riana Blazer. It has a semi-fitted blazer with a straight silhouette. A belt and belt loops that yo...

Made By A Fabricista: Sewing the Eleonora by Silversaga – A Romantic Dress you need in your closet

I recently had the pleasure of sewing up the Eleonora pattern by Silversaga, and I’m excited to share my thoughts because this one really surprised me—in the best possible way. If you’re not already familiar with Silversaga, their aesthetic leans into romantic minimalism—think timeless silhouettes with poetic details. The Eleonora Dress is a vintage-inspired, chemise-style from the Regency Era of the 1800’s design infused with modern elements like adjustable sizing, soft gathers, and flexible fit details. The Eleonora is a thoughtfully designed dress pattern with multiple views and customizable features. Some of its standout design elements include: • Adjustable fit via ties and elastic channels at the neckline and waist, allowing it to flatter a range of body shapes and sizes. • Sleeve options, including short or long gathered raglan sleeves, often finished with ruffles for added softness. • A full, swishy four-panel skirt—complete with in seam pockets and a deep hem—that b...

Made By A Fabricista: Sewing the Chalk & Notch Hayes Dress

Hey lovely friends! With summer knocking at the door, I am absolutely ready for breezy dresses at all times. I love linen all year round, but summer is my particular favorite for this fiber. This bright happy color fills me with delight, and it’s so perfect in the sunshine. For this project, I got all my supplies in one go! I chose this stunning Sea Green linen , lightweight fusible interfacing , ½” elastic , and of course, matching thread. If you haven’t sat down to create your own little sewing kit with all the bits at hand, it’s quite a nice gift to yourself and makes getting started that much easier. I’m all about ease these days. I sewed the new Chalk & Notch Hayes Dress with the open back cutout, which is View A. The other two options are a closed-back dress and a two piece set. I was a tester for this charming pattern, and I can confirm the two piece set is also gorgeous and really fun to wear. I have looked forward to sewing this version for weeks! Please...

Fabric Mart Fabricistas

Search This Blog