Made by a Fabricista: The Cold Shoulder Top

Hey, guys! I'm baaaaack! And look at me, I am totally on trend with my sassy new cold shoulder top. I have never put one of these sort of tops on my body ever in my life until I finished sewing this one, I had no clue if I'd even like it. Surprise, I think I do?!

I used a pattern from BurdaStyle magazine-- it's 3/2017 #116. I cut my usual size 42 to fit my shoulders, and of course no grading for a fuller hip on this flowy and roomy top. I added 1" to the hem of the bodice to account for my slightly taller height at about 5'8". The sleeves and bodice are very, very, very full and loose, perfect for stupid hot summer days to come.

I chose this double border rayon challis print. I was so nervous I'd ruin everything with my pattern matching, so I ordered 3 yards. Likely I only needed 2 1/4 at most considering I was able to take advantage of the fact it was a double border... each side was a mirror image of each other. See the pic on the right, you can see how the pattern is actually printed on the material. Lots of leeway for those who may be anxious when matching prints up like this.

I looove sewing with rayon challis. Initially, I need to wrangle it since it's so slippery--I need to be careful to cut it perfectly straight as I prepare the pattern pieces with my rotary cutter. But it goes through my serger and sewing machine so nicely. It presses up beautifully-- which makes hemming super easy. Pre-washing IS CRITICAL since it will shrink up some. And I severely dislike ironing if it's not associated with sewing. Usually I can toss it in the wash, then remove it from the dryer immediately and hang it for a wrinkly free garment. It'll be a hot wrinkly mess if I leave it in the dryer for any length of time after it's done tumbling.

I was (sort of) surprised that the Burda directions fail to include understitching for neck or shoulder pieces. But then again, it's Burda, infamous for half-@ssed directions. This top is pretty easy to sew up, but it would seem to be frustrating for a newer seamstress to have only partial directions.

Overall, I'm pleased with this trendy look. I was mostly worried it would look like a weird pregnant top that adds mega pounds to a figure. I think it's not particularly slimming for sure, but it's super cute none-the-less.

Happy Sewing!!

~Kathy

Kathy Sews

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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: 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: 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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