Made by a Fabricista: Striped Duster

Have you ever run out to buy a pattern with the intention to make it right away, but then you get side tracked and days become weeks that become months? Well, that is what happened with early fall pattern, Simplicity 8177. I purchased this pattern this summer with plans to make it right away for the fall, because I love dusters. Whelp, that didn't happen, but I did finally sew it up this week. Even though I'm a season behind, I'm calling this a win, because it didn't get pushed back into next year.

I originally selected a brown and orange tweed wool suiting for this project (here), but then this navy and cream striped suiting (here) arrived and I quickly switched to it. I love, Love, LOVE stripes, my stash proves it. What I always forget when buying striped fabric is the added work of matching stripes when sewing. LOL. It is not difficult but it does take time. Sadly time is what I was short on due to some delays with FedEx (not Fabric Mart's fault). The stripes don't line up as nicely as I would like in a few places, but I have a finished coat to show you!

The stripes are about 1" wide and I think its the perfect scale for this duster. I didn't have any trouble sewing with it, but it is a boucle and prone to tons of fraying. I serged all of my raw edges except for the bottom hem. This suiting is fairly lightweight and I was concerned initially about using it for this project, but in the end I feel it worked especially for fall or warmer winter days.

This was a straight forward sew as there is no collar or fasteners. The two piece sleeve did add an additional seam which meant more stripes to match. One arm is off ,but I didn't have the time or the patience to correct it as I didn't notice until I had attached it to the body.

I decided to add a lining for a more finished look. I created the lining by cutting out the front, back and sleeve pieces and then tracing the facing pieces on the front and back pieces. I then added 5/8" seam allowance outside of that traced line and removed that portion to account for the facings. After sewing the lining pieces together I attached the raw edge to the facing of the jacket right sides facing.

I hemmed the sleeve lining and sleeve separately and then hand stitched the lining to the stitch line of the jacket I had planned on using the same method to finish the hem of the coat but somehow my lining was much shorter than the jacket. I'm not sure how that happened, maybe I was sleepy when I cut the lining. I had a bit of trouble with the vent and the lining. This led me to run out and buy double fold bias tape to enclose the raw edge of the hem. I simply did a narrow hem on the lining fabric.

The vent of the coat was no issue but I wasn't sure how to work the lining into the vent. So I sort of made this part up. I sewed the vent of the duster as instructed and then simply folded back the vent on both side of the lining. It doesn't show but I know this is not the correct way. I will be researching a proper way for the future, but for this project I made do.

I did omit the flaps because I don't quite get the "faux flaps"and the stripes are busy enough. I really like this duster and the only change I would make in the future would be to lengthen the sleeves by an inch and make the pocket larger. This pocket is teeny. Maybe I shouldn't have used a 5/8" seam allowance but even if I had made the seam narrower I still believe the pocket isn't deep enough. I will fit my large Samsung S7 but my hand does not fit comfortably. Then again I do have big hands.
I will make the project again, though I don't know when. I have such a long list of projects to sew over Christmas.

Check out my blog for a full pattern review and more pictures! TipStitched

Made By A Fabricista: Basics vs Fun Clothes

Every summer I make flowy, pretty dresses because they are so fun for me to make, wear, and they keep me cool as temperatures rise. But when the days get shorter and autumn rolls around, I’m not always confident on how best to transition my summery dresses into garments that will allow for the seasonal changes. In an effort to be more intentional about maximizing the use of my clothing, I thought long and hard about what I wanted to make for August. It’s been a hot summer in New Jersey. From what I can see, it’s been a hot summer across the US. Looking for clothing that will keep me cool, perhaps hide some sweat stains, and allow me to transition between seasons, I decided to make separates that would pair well with each other and allow me to mix and match with the rest of my wardrobe. For the top, I wanted a basic tank top, something I could layer later on. For the bottoms, I wanted flowy, summery pants that can last into brisker weather or become phenomenally cozy in front of my wint...

Made By A Fabricista: Sewing Summery ITY

Hi sewing friends! I’m dropping in to share a few makes sewn with ITY fabrics and inspire you to try out this slinky, cool-to-the-touch fabric for hot weather if you haven’t yet, or to recommend some patterns that work fabulously if you already love it. This is by far my favorite knit to wear in summer. Since it moves easily there’s lots of airflow, and it just skims the body. More often than not, it has a four-way stretch that doesn’t grow when worn, so it works great for loads of styles. ITY stands for Interlock Twist Yarn and the knit gives it some wonderful drape and stretch. There are lots of different weights and even some differing textures. Because it’s so fluid, the fabric really resists most wrinkling. I’ve sewn three different weights and prints here to show off just what ITY can do! This white floral is a lighter weight and features a slightly crepe-textured finish, and I think that combined with the large and spread-out floral makes it quite elegant and eye-cat...

Made By A Fabricista: From Paris with Love!

Bonjour! I am still in bliss from my recent trip to Paris!! It was much more than I expected and I absolutely fell in love with the city. I can honestly see myself living there one day. I knew before leaving I wanted to make something to fit into the Parisian landscape because I knew it would be a special opportunity. I was inspired by one of my favorite fashion creators Juliette Foxx. Her checked gingham corset and wide leg pants were on my list to remake. For fabric I used this red and white pin stripe denim twill and deep red sateen for the pants. The pattern I used for the corset was McCall’s #M8182 with a few modifications. The fit was a little large so I took it in along the sides and shoulder seam. I then lowered the neckline since the shoulders were taken in. I used the sateen as my lining which gave a great contrast. My pants are my unreleased pattern which happens to be exact from the inspiration. I drafted these last year and have been wo...

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