Made by a Fabricista: Kimono and Jacket for Fall in Florida!

"I hope that my daughter grows up empowered and doesn't define herself by the way she looks but by qualities that make her an intelligent, strong and responsible woman." Isaiah Mustafa

I am all about the palm trees and the 80 degrees. I am in love with Florida weather and would not trade it for the snow and frigid cold. I have been lucky the last few years to be able to wear summer type clothing most of the year. Even though it doesn't snow here, once in a while we get to dress up in sweaters and boots when the temperature drops to the low 40s. Lucky for my daughter and I, we get to wear kimonos, light weight jackets and sweaters during the fall season.

My daughter fell in love with my pink kimono (here) and insisted that I make a mini size version. She actually wanted a light weight rayon kimono and jacket made for her birthday.

She loves when we dress up in similar colors or matching prints. On the first of the month, she is carefully searching for fabric and planning our makes and looks. Since we spend a lot of time hanging out, running errands or going to local events on the weekends, I opted to created a versatile, comfy look; a kimono for her and a pencil skirt for me.

When I saw this amazing solid chocolate brown polyester spandex double rib knit fabric (here), I was excited as I knew I wanted to make a fitted pencil dress and skirt. My skirt was an easy sew using the Pamela's pattern knit column skirt pattern that I won (here). I wanted to make something quick that I can wear casually or dress up. My biggest pet peeve with sewing is matching the seams and of course, this was my first attempt working with this polyester fabric. I opted to use my knit needle and a zig zag stitch.

Arielle loves the pineapple fabric that I ordered for me and begged that I create the kimono she wanted with it. There are currently 3 selections available in different colors; burgundy (our favorite for Fall), black and navy as seen below. Go grab a couple of yards before it's sold out!!!

The pattern I selected was Simplicity 1108 VIEW C (here) as it was my second time creating this kimono. I decided to modify to knee length for her and cut the XXS which is perfect for her sense of style, size and age. She is excited to rock it with turtle neck sweaters when the temperature drops. The only modification I made to the pattern was adding a yellow cuff sleeve (2 inches). She wanted to add her own spunk and selected a piece of yellow fabric from my stash for this kimono, and pockets on the jacket.

Second Look!! A Jacket (Pattern: Mimi G Simplicity 8227 )

This pattern has 3 views ( a dress, jacket and leggings) and I definitely will be making all 3. My daughter fell in love with the look and feel of this amazing 100% cotton whimsical floral print (here) the minute she opened my package.

My daughter has been eyeing this pattern for sometime and wanted the right fabric that suites her taste. She did not want a belt and wanted to use the remaining yellow fabric for the pockets.

I am a bit obsessed with matching prints and side seams. I hate to see stripes, patterns that are misaligned on ready to wear garments. I also try to ensure that when sewing with PRINTS, my side seams especially are aligned with the flow of the pattern not just the print.

I am happy with the finished look of the kimono and jacket. My daughter truly loves the fact that her mommy sews her clothes and is always proud to let the world know my mommy made it. I am pretty sure she will be rocking one of the looks next week at Thanksgiving dinner.

I am super excited to get started on our holiday looks for a family photo shoot and can't wait to share. Thanks for stopping by and enjoy your Thanksgiving Holiday!!

Marica at OVERDRIVE after 30

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: 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...

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...

Fabric Mart Fabricistas

Search This Blog