Made by a Fabricista: Black, White, Gray and Boring?

My go to colors for winter--black, white, and gray...boring?

It doesn't have to be!

Even though they could be considered boring by some, consider the pattern on the fabric and the design silhouette before giving your opinion please!

With the right shape for the fabric and the right execution, black, white and gray can be somewhat exciting if not loads of fun! That 'spot' that appears to be on the fabric is really not there, that is from my camera. I do love how my top-stitching looks on the seams. I like to use a triple-stitch or a stretch-stitch for most of my top-stitching. I love how it emphasizes that part of the design.

I choose a sweater knit in black and white that is so soft, so luscious, and so wonderful to work with! I want a pair of pajamas made from this fabric, it is that wonderful on your skin!

The gray is a crepe with a wonderful texture that you expect from a crepe. I love how it looks in the jacket I made.

I used a StyleArc pattern for my jacket. It is the Allegra jacket and I just think the shape is so much fun and something totally out of the ordinary for me to sew together.

It has very deep raglan sleeves giving it a distinctive look. The crepe does a great job of showing the dramatic lines of the jacket and doesn't droop which would mask the look.

ONE PATTERN TWO LOOKS: Short jacket with pleat back and deep raglan sleeves + Knee length zip front cocoon shaped coat

For the sweater knit, I used an old favorite of mine, Simplicty 2054. This a Cynthia Rowley pattern. It works so very well in a sweater knit.

I made view B with the elbow length sleeves. I love the fit of this. It has shape without being tight and is flattering as well as comfortable. I matched those strips like a boss if I do say so myself!

For the neckband, I cut it out on the cross-grain, just to get a different look. I did however check the degree of stretch. I wanted to make sure I could get it pulled on and off over my head!

With sweater knits, I like to take a couple of precautions.

I use stay-tape at the neckline to keep it from stretching. I stitch it to the neckline with just a bit of it extending into the seam allowance. After attaching the neckband, the stay-tape is completely covered.

I also use clear elastic at the shoulder seams to stabilize the area and keep it from stretching out.

I hemmed everything on my cover-stitch machine. If you don't have a cover-stitch, a single needle or double needle works well to hem. Just like a recent post from Julie, I used SewkeysE hem tape at the sleeve and lower hems. At the sleeves I used 1/2" tape and at the lower hem I used 1" tape. This gives such a beautiful finish to your knits.

I hope you'll try sweater knits and a crepe in a shape you don't normally sew. I had a great time sewing this ensemble!

Thanks for reading!

Sue from Ilove2sew!

Made By A Fabricista: A Tipsy Martini Transitional Three Piece Look

Hello Sewing Friends! It’s Sharon with Sharon Sews with my latest Fabricista make – a three-piece set I can wear as the weather transitions to fall here in Texas. It may look like a summer outfit but there will days filled with sunshine and high temps well into November. At first glance it looks like a nice, lightweight jacket, top and pants. But look closer – it’s sewn from the designer Tipsy Martini cotton sateen that was originally used by the designer for a pajama set. Now I could have sewn myself a pair of pajamas using the Closet Core Carolyn Pajama pattern (available at Fabric Mart) and replicated the designer pajamas. But if I had gone that route the only ones who would have seen this adorable kitschy fabric would be my family. This print is much too cute to hide out at home. This Tipsy Martini cotton sateen fabric was lovely to sew. I used black thread, an 80/12 universal needle, and Palmer/Pletsch Perfect Fuse Medium interfacing (link here). Note that this is a rayon fu

Made By A Fabricista: Hooray for Cozy Fall Sews!

Greetings, all! I am in such high spirits with the best-of-all-seasons just beginning and change is finally in the air. I always rejoice when the sweatiest time of the year passes and we can all take a deep breath and gear up for cozier times. Neighborhood Patterns is a new-to-me designer, and I came across them on Instagram in late summer and fell in love with the Plain Jane Skirt. This is such a simple A-line skirt, but with nice details like large inseam pockets and an optional drawstring, and though I’m sure I could draft this style myself, the appeal of having it all done for me was too tempting to pass up. A sew such as this is a lovely palate-cleanser and this was the first project I sewed after returning from a cross-country trip. Perfect! The gorgeous plaid flannel is exactly what I want to be wearing in the fall. The fabric is SO soft and a pleasure to snuggle up in. Because flannel does not have much body and is prone to stretching or shifting with all its mechanical give,

Made By A Fabricista: It's Sweater Weather Time

Hi Guys! It is officially fall and its sweater weather time. Since it's that time of year, I decided that I wanted to make a hoodie for my son and me. I've been wanting to sew more for him. He is now a freshman in high school and no longer has to wear a school uniform, so I am able to take advantage of the situation and sew him up more clothes. YAY for me. I don't know about you, but I am always scouring the internet for new PDF patterns. More specifically, free PDF patterns. I honestly don't know how I found this pattern, but I stumbled across a Yeezy x GAP Double Layer Hoodie. I'm sure it's inspired by the one that was sold at the store. Well, I've had this pattern in my stash for a while and it was time to give it a try. When I found the pattern, it was listed for free. It is currently listed for $10 and you can find it on yeezygapsewingpatterns.com. This pattern is designed to be a loose-fitting hoodie with drop shoulders. I did not realize w

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