Made by a Fabricista: Knit - Summer Hit and Miss!

Happy Saturday Loves! I am officially on summer break and truly enjoyed the first week just relaxing at home and working out at the gym. I have not done any sewing this week but plan to start on my summer sewing plans next week.

As an advanced beginner, I truly started my sewing journey 4 years ago working mostly with Ankara wax cotton, rayon, polyester and ponte knit and the only type of knit I was comfortable sewing with were scuba and ponte. In my stash, I have other knits including lycra and mid-weight jersey but really never had the desire to make basic pieces that I can buy for less than the cost of the fabric. I came across 2 beautiful knit prints back in April and knew it was perfect for summer.

I am in love with this top, made using Liverpool knit fabric. It is a beautiful midweight knit fabric for summer and is actually sold out but Fabric Mart has other selections including this beautiful flower print here.

This McCall pattern (M7686) has been on my to sew list for a while so I created view D bodice and view F sleeves shortened for the warm summer weather.

This summer, my main sewing goal is to create essential wardrobe pieces that will not be just for a few pictures to share on a blog, but pieces that I can wear daily. I have created a few summer tops which I love and have worn them several times already. The minute I saw the fabric, I knew I wanted to create a fitted off the shoulder to wear on a lunch date with a friend.

Unfortunately, my jersey knit fabric (also SOLD OUT :-) was a miss as it did NOT work out as planned. I wanted to create Beaute Jadore's most recent gathered tunic top here and the weight of the fabric would not work as it was too light-weight and sheer for my personal taste to wear as a top or a skirt. I needed to use a solid crepe fabric and this jersey was NOT for the shape and style. Honestly, I really knew that I should have ordered a PONTE knit version for structure but wanted to try something different. I surely recovered the fabric and created a beach cover-up dress for my day at the beach.

Learning and understanding fabric weight, type and color based on a pattern design are essential before starting any sewing project. Large stripes and prints are tricky and bold colors may not always work for a curvy figure. I know for sure that I will always check the suggested fabric and NOT assume that a particular fabric will work for a look. I am not a fan of fabric that is too lightweight with minimal structure so the next project will definitely be from Julie's PICK or a fabric that I am familiar with.

Thank you so much for stopping by and stay tuned for a few everyday work garments that I plan to make over the next few weeks. Have a wonderful summer and don't forget to stop by the blog to check out my latest makes!
Marica - Overdriveafter30

Made By A Fabricista: Celebrating warm weather with Spring sewing!

Hi sewing friends! I don’t know about you but boy, was winter cold and dreary this year! The weather here in the Philadelphia area has been slowly improving, but Spring sure did take her sweet old time to arrive. So by April, I was definitely in the headspace of needing to sew up things that were either bright and cheery or meant for the warmer weather I am very much craving right now. I recently purchased a few SewBexx Patterns so I took them on a test run to create some Spring makes. First on my list was to make a top using this absolutely gorgeous ITY fabric I picked up last year. I had two yards which was enough for a long sleeve shirt. I chose the Olivia top, which is oversized with a drop shoulder, has multiple lengths and a split hem. I think the pattern is intended for heavier fabrics but I was envisioning how lovely this top would look with the drape of ITY knit fabric, and it did not disappoint. It came together for me quickly and was a straight forward sew…and I love the br...

Made By A Fabricista | Chasing Time: My White Rabbit-Inspired Look for Atlanta Frocktails

For this year’s Atlanta Frocktails, I found myself captivated by a character who’s been quietly tugging at my imagination for years—the White Rabbit from Alice in Wonderland. There’s something so relatable about his frantic energy, always checking the time, always running late. While he’s worried about being on time, I’m usually calculating how late I can be and still technically arrive on time. Spoiler: I’m often wrong. It’s a cycle of procrastination and anxiety that I know all too well. So when I imagined my look for Frocktails, I thought—why not honor the White Rabbit? After all, time has been chasing me too. But this look isn’t just about Wonderland whimsy. It’s also deeply inspired by this year’s Met Gala theme, Tailored for You, which includes a focus on Black Dandyism—a celebration of Black elegance, intellect, and expressive style. I’ve been obsessed with this theme since it was announced. As a Black creative, I find it powerful and moving to see style used as a way to reclaim...

Made By A Fabricista: Getting into the Spirit of Summer

I'm not gonna lie y'all, I had a completely different project I wanted to do, but that's gonna take more time, and I wanted something cute, comfy and fun to wear for my birthday on the 19th. When I saw this goldenrod & off white linen jacquard , I thought it looked a bit like the design on a Koroks body, especially Makar from The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker! I started with the bodice from the free Elderberry dress pattern from Mood, but deviated for the skirt, it felt a little plain of a design, and I had scraps of a Korok fabric that I knew would be a nice accent with some cut out pockets. I've made these pockets once before, deciding the cut out was based on aligning with the seam on the bodice for how far in, and as for how low depended on where I wanted the pouch of the pocket to start. From there I cut the visible part of the pocket, making sure to match the curve of the waist and following the line of the side seams of the skirt, as well as cutting a facing to...

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