Skip to main content

Made by a Fabricista: Charlie Caftan

Image
By


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
TipStitched.com

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.

Recent Posts You Might Like

Made by a Fabricista: What to Make with Silk Taffeta

By
You may have noticed that Fabric Mart has a *HUGE* selection of silk taffeta right now.  A lot of it is either large plaid or large stripes.   I was curious about it, and not really sure what I could make with it, but I just knew it would be gorgeous fabric and had to play around with it.  Turns out, it's actually great for quite a range of projects!  The dress above is my third project. Let me show you the first two. My first was to make some queen size pillow shams.  They are the plaid ones in the back of the photo.  I also made the two printed ones in the center from another Fabric Mart home dec fabric special!  I wanted to make the covers removable with a zipper, and include a braided trim.  As luck would have it, I found a whole card of braided trim at an estate sale that worked with my taffeta for just $2! To start, I used a zipper foot to stitch down the braided trim all around one side of the pillow. Then I serged ...
8 comments
Continue Reading »

A Yard And Change

By
Do you have a fabric that you love and has been hanging around but is too small to use? Maybe you found a wonderful fabric with a super cute print but there's only a yard left.  I've got a few projects I worked on all with roughly a yard of fabric. And I have a few tips for making that yard and change go further! Cutting Layout: You can get a lot more mileage out of a yard of fabric if you can get creative with how you lay out your fabric. Cutting things single layer will give you the most control. My favorite thing to do is unfold the fabric and fold the selvages in to meet in the middle. That gives me two folded edges to work with. I had to overlap these to get enough width for the tank top. Just make sure that your pattern pieces don't also overlap!  This one was especially fun for me because I really loved the print on this swimwear knit but am not yet up to sewing swimwear. But a nice flowy hiking tank is perfect for this! In the future I'd love to experiment with...
3 comments
Continue Reading »

Help Our Buyers Shop!

By
  Comment on this post with what you are looking for right now and our buyers will seek it out!  I am craving wool gabardines and ponte knits in fun autumn colors. What about you?
128 comments
Continue Reading »

Athletic Wear Refresh: A Bold New Gym Set

By
There’s something especially motivating about refreshing your workout wardrobe with pieces that feel like you. As part of my ongoing athletic wear refresh, I’m adding another handmade set to my gym wardrobe—and this one might be the boldest yet. Lately, I’ve been taking a closer look at my handmade wardrobe and thinking more intentionally about what I actually wear in this season of my life. Athletic wear has become a big part of that. Instead of treating workout clothes as an afterthought, I want my gym wardrobe to have the same personality, color, and style as everything else I make. And this fabric made that very easy.  The Fabric That Started It All   The moment I saw this vibrant multicolored paisley, I was immediately drawn to it. The mix of warm reds, oranges, greens, turquoise, and golden yellow against the light background feels bold, energetic, and a little unexpected for athletic wear . There’s something about the print that reminds me of Etro and other higher-end f...
7 comments
Continue Reading »