Made by a Fabricista: Perfect Weekend Dress

I hope everyone had a relaxing and enjoyable Thanksgiving! I know I was ready for a break. For those of you who love Black Friday I hope you grabbed all the doorbusters on your list!

FINALLY! Fall is creeping in here in the south. It was warm through Halloween here, but a chill is definitely in the air now (well at least in the mornings). Summer is probably my favorite season to sew for, simply because I love sundresses and they are such a breeze to make. However, I do enjoy creating certain cold weather looks like sweaters, jackets and capes. One day I'm going to make a true coat, but that's not today.

Paired with argyle tights and wedge booties.

Today I bring you this perfect weekend dress. Whether you are headed out to run errands, to meet your girlfriends for brunch or to meet up with the crew to watch a football game you'll be dressed for it. This dress can be worn with tights and booties, fishnets and heeled boots or legging and chucks. Just change out a scarf for gold jewelry and you've instantly gone from day to night.

New Look 6298 is a raglan sleeve knit dress with several options; a scoop or V neck, a narrow hem or a band hem, three-quarter or full sleeves, knee length or below the knee and lastly pockets are no pockets. I've had this pattern in my stash for at LEAST a year, maybe two. Though very simple, I remember instantly picking it up. For once I think it was the pattern model that got me! She looks comfortable and put together and that's what I want.

Paired with knee high boots, bright tights and a DIY infinity scarf..

I chose this wool blend knit because I wanted this to be cold weather dress. I love this wool knit, though I wished I picked another color for the sake of better photos, it has a great feel I can't quite explain other than to call it luxe. It feels just like a ponte or double knit but with the coziness of wool. My biggest fear was that it would itch, but in the time I worked with it and wore the dress for photos I had no issues. I'm not the most sensitive to wool though. Sadly this fabric is sold out and unfortunately I didn't grab a screenshot of the description. I believe it is a double knit as it is similar in weight to most of the ponte knit I own. Fabric Mart currently has several wool blend jersey and interlock knits to choose from that I believe would be similar in feel just lighter weight. Take a look here.

I sewed View B minus the pocket, because I did not have enough fabric. Let this be a reminder to you (because it was for me) to always check the width of fabric while ordering. At 54" wide (instead of 60") I could not layout the pattern as shown in the instructions. I had to get very creative with my pattern piece placement to squeeze everything on my 2yds and the pockets didn't make the cut.

This pattern was a breeze to sew up as it only has 4 pieces, front, back, sleeve, neck band. I found it interesting that the raglan sleeve had a dart but I looked at a few other raglan sleeved patterns (like McCalls 6992) and I realized this was not unusual.

Sleeve dart

Other than that everything was simple and straight forward. I've heard/read others sewists say this pattern runs large and perhaps it does. I haven't sewn enough New Look patterns to have a go to size. I cut a 16 based on the finished bust measurements and knowing I wanted a looser fit. However I did end up taking a half inch out at the back center seam. I graded from the top of the seam out to a half inch so that I wouldn't have to make any adjustments to my neck band. Next time I may go down a size on the back piece for a more fitted look.

I took in about a half inch tapering from the neck of the center back seam.

Even though I've been sewing for three years, this was my first time attaching a V neck band. I've heard they could be tricky and I was certain it would take a few attempts. To my surprise I got it on the first try. I'm not sure if it really isn't that difficult, the instructions were incredibly clear or I was just lucky, but everything came together once I got all my markings lined up correctly. My topstitching could be better but I am pleased with it.

My first V neck band

I will definitely be making this dress again likely with a different color of wool knit if Fabric Mart gets more in stock. I'll be keeping a look out for a bright red or a deep green. This time I'll check the width so I can add the pockets!

Dressed up a little with patterned fishnets and booties.

Head over to my blog, TipStitched, to see more pictures and to read my full pattern review.

Made by a Fabricista: The Bernadette

Hello friends, My Latest Fabricista Make: Friday pattern Co Bernadette Skirt x Midnight Navy Cotton/Lycra Sateen Stretch Denim Hi everyone, this is Byrd with my latest Fabricista make! When I saw Fabric Mart’s Muted Midnight Navy Cotton/Lycra Sateen Stretch Denim , I knew it would be perfect for my next project. The color is rich and versatile—a deep navy that works as a neutral but still has presence. The stretch denim has just the right balance: structure with a bit of give, making it great for a garment that needs both shape and comfort. It’s an ideal fabric for fall transitions, but it’s sturdy enough to carry straight into winter with tights and boots. For the pattern, I chose the Bernadette Skirt by Friday Pattern Company . This is one of their newer designs, and I knew immediately I wanted to sew it up. It’s a modern skirt that blends structure and style, with darts in the back and pleats in the front for a flattering fit. One of my favorite features is the belt, and of co...

Made By A Fabricista: Falling for Knits

We are now well into Fall, even though the temps are still relatively warm here in Texas. I love the fall season and dressing for Fall. When it comes to the conversation of knits vs. wovens I typically sew mostly wovens. So for this post I decided to sew completely knits! With the holiday season right around the corner I saw these three dress styles as perfect for Friendsgiving/Thanksgiving gatherings. The first look is a tried and true pattern Simplicity S9372. Using this gorgeous burgundy ponte knit , I like how this pattern fits throughout. I chose this color to add to my typically neutral palette in my closet. I also wanted something I could wear to my sorority meetings and found this color perfect. It's an easy sew with back fisheye darts and invisible zipper to add to the tapered style. The neckline and armholes are finished with bias binding giving it a clean finish on the inside. I used a universal needle to sew a...

Made By A Fabricista: The Art of the Slow Make: My La Forme Double-Breasted Jacket

I started this project back in July — one of those mid-summer sewing plans meant to get me ahead for fall. My idea was simple: start my wardrobe a season (or two) early so that when cooler weather came, I’d already have a few handmade pieces ready to wear. That was the plan, anyway. But as sewing often reminds us, plans evolve. This jacket, made using La Forme pattern No. 0303, is a double-breasted design with peak lapels and an exaggerated hip detail that gives it such a striking silhouette. I fell in love with the structure of the pattern right away — it has that timeless, tailored feel I can never resist — but it also asked for patience. I picked it up and put it down several times over the months, letting it rest while I worked on other projects, until finally, the timing felt right to bring it to life. And now, here we are — the leaves are turning, there’s a chill in the air, and some parts of the country are even seeing snow. My summer-started jacket is finally finished, and it c...

Fabric Mart Fabricistas

Search This Blog