Skip to main content

Made by a Fabricista: Charlie Caftan



It's official, I love Closet Case Patterns! Eventually I believe I will make all of them! I've already made the Clare Coat, Fiona Sundress and Amy Jumpsuit. I also have the Ginger Skinny Jeans, Sasha Trousers and Kalle Shirtdress in my pattern collection, but my latest make is this mini length Charlie Caftan.

Charlie Caftan Pattern / Kaftan Pattern | Closet Case Patterns

It was difficult to decide which view to make. I like the architectural look of View A and knew Fabric Mart's designer quality linen would provide the perfect structure. On the other hand Fabric Mart typically stocks a lovely assortment of challis and it is one of my favorite fabrics. Ultimately I decided that flow-y would beat out structured (this time). Despite the fact that fall is approaching I decided on the shorter version (but added the ties) and will just wear the heck out of it for the next several weeks.




I used this beautiful gray and white diamond print challis which has a super soft hand! This is going to be so comfortable to wear. The listing accurately describes the fabric as translucent, but with the loose floaty feel and front gathers I am not concerned about anything showing.



I'll be honest I was a tad concerned about installing the panel. Looking over the instructions reminded me of welt pockets instructions, which I've never sewn because they seem tricky. Thankfully the instructions were clear and installations was a success (though not perfect). I followed the sewing machine instructions for enclosing the panel on the inside of the dress because I hate hand sewing, but the instructions walk you through both options. Closet Case also has a blog post on the panel installation which includes step by step photos in case you need extra help.



Everything else is really a breeze. I'm super pleased with how it turned out and now I know I need Views A and C too.



See you next month!

Tiffany

Comments

Post a Comment

Thanks for leaving a comment! All comments are reviewed before posting to help us eliminate spam. Your comment will be posted within 24 hours.

Popular Posts You Might Like

Made By A Fabricista: Why Sew A Muslin

Here it is, my September blog post featuring Newlook N6692 and this pretty rayon challis from Fabric Mart! This pattern style is so in right now. The square neckline, cute puff sleeves and the tiered skirt are all exactly what I was looking for in a summer dress. As always I started with making a muslin first!  Let’s get into why it’s important to start with a muslin.  A muslin is basically a practice garment. It prevents you from cutting into your good fabric prematurely.  I usually use a muslin fabric (natural cotton) but you should also consider using a fabric that is the same weight as your fashion fabric. This will give you a truer gauge of how the garment is going to lay in the final fabric. Anytime I try out a new pattern company I make a muslin. This was my first time using a Newlook pattern so I need to know what the ease would be like for this pattern. Also I need to see how the bust would fit me and where I would need to make adjustments. Plus there were some new techniques

Made By A Fabricista: End of Summer Swimsuits

My kids have been in desperate need of new swimsuits this summer, but with a busy season of moving house and spending nearly a month in Australia, it left barely any sewing time! When I spotted a whole collection of Beach Riot swim fabric land at Fabric Mart, I knew it was just the motivation I needed to get new suits made! Last year my eldest was on swim team and I was floored at the cost of her suit - somewhere in the ballpark of $80! Using less than a yard of fabric and some elastic, swimsuits are incredibly cheap to make yourself! I ultimately selected three prints and four solids (one being a beige color I intended to use as lining), with input from my children to get their preferred designs. I made an initial sketch in Photoshop to get a visual on what they would look like, and then made a few more changes once the fabric arrived. The easiest suit to make was my son's - I used Jalie Gerald underwear and Nico raglan. This was my first time making Gerald and I loved how quickl

Made By A Fabricista: The Love of Sewing - Basic Pieces for a Beginner

Happy Friday All! It has been a while since I made myself a dress. I am excited to sew after not making anything since my last post (whew) and finally sharing some photos.  This past summer has been a roller coaster journey with plans to release a small collection and then deciding that right before the launch to postpone. Sewing has brought me joy over the past 8 years and the mere fact to sew daily for orders had me in a panic mode. I really don’t want to walk away from my craft due to burn out  and decided that if I do sew for others, it would be only for local clients. Moreover, If next year I decide to launch, it would be seasonal and not year round. I really want to share my talent and love for sewing with others but don’t want it to be a full time job and lose the passion in me.  After a bit of soul searching, teaching and sharing my talent with my community will always be my first love. For the past 2 summers, I was blessed to partner with two nonprofit organizations’ local sum