Made by a Fabricista: ITY Knit Ebony Raglan Dress.

I may be less active on the internet than I used to, and far more active as a school teacher than I ever thought I would be, but I still find time to at least visit my favorite places in cyberspace at least once a day. And of course sewing blogs and sites are right up there. Since I don't live under a rock, I have at least peered at one of the cutest "made by me" dresses that made the rounds in overabundance the last year, the Ebony Dress by Closet Case Files. It is adorable in all of its iterations. :-)

It is also seemed to be a very quick make, and as this is one of my school year sewing needs (items I can cut and sew up in less than a few hours, as that is all I have most weeks between September and June), I asked Fabric Mart to send me that pattern stat. I was a bit more unsure of what fabric to choose, and it took me a while to come up with a choice, but I eventually chose a very abstract paint splatter/animal print border print. It is a very unique print, and I had to finagle the pattern to work with the border on the bottom, but in the end, it looks really special and pretty on...this fabric is gone, but there are a whole host of really unique ITY prints right now at Fabric Mart.

I knew I wanted the raglan sleeve and the collar (I think they are super fast sews), but the pattern was only for a top. I was a bit unsure if I wanted to take time I barely have to make a traced pattern, but I am glad I did since I definitely want to use this particular pattern again asap. I wasn't sure where to go and would have figured it out, but thankfully Heather Lou, the creator of the pattern, decided to do this very same "hack" a few months ago and has the photos of the creation and how to adjust the pattern. Yay for making my life easy!

I lengthened my version to the length of the longest size, so it is perfect for work. I also took out a bit of width on the side seams (I made a size 6) as I knew the ITY had plenty of drape so that even without extra fabric, it would still have that super relaxed loose shift silhouette that the original Ebony dresses all have. If you notice above, I was very careful to place the pattern pieces where the side seams would match up perfectly where the border print line begins. It would drive me mad to know they didn't match up at the side seams.

Anyhow, the sew itself was fast! I even had to rethread my serger in the process (one of my spools ran out of thread), and even with that ten minute delay, I managed to sew all the bits up in around 100 minutes or so (I am including pressing and such here, too). Yes! So now I know I can get a very cute, comfortable dress sewn up as often as I want. (Maybe a few more will come down the pike in the next few months?)

Here's a side view, where you can see how the seams match up at the border. The hemline is swingy, so the border print doesn't run completely parallel to the floor, but it makes for a pretty front, with the middle of the border print up higher than the side seams.

I love the back view. It fits so well! The drape is perfect for my pear shape. On the back, the hemline is not as swingy or uneven, so it stays straighter and more parallel to the floor, so the border print reads even too.

I look forward to wearing this and many future Ebony dresses in different fabrics! Do you have any Ebony dress makes? Have you used this fabric?

Thanks for reading, and happy sewing!

Dina--My Superfluities.

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: 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...

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...

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