Skip to main content

Made by a Fabricista: Sequins and Lace Holiday Affair

Happy Holiday Loves!

Can you believe 2018 is almost over? This year has been an amazing journey! I have met so many talented sew sisters, crafters, and fashionistas across the globe via my monthly Fabric Mart post.  In 2018 I gained confidence in my sewing skills, took risks and even had some failures along the way. 2019 I am so ready and excited to take on new challenges and stretch beyond my comfort zone.

I wanted to end the year with a little sparkle and challenge myself by sewing and working with sequins.  This sparkly top which is perfect for the Holidays was a challenge and I plan to continue to practice more with sequins in 2019.  My first plan was to create a simple caftan dress using this mesh sequins that can be worn for a holiday event but after making the dress, I hated the fit.  

The pattern that I used was a Simplicity 8657 and I decided that this would not go in my fail pile and created a top instead. The neckline was way too deep and even after re-cutting the XS the fit was still weird. I opted to make it an off the shoulder top and I use bias tape for the seams and neckline as I opted not to line.  I do plan to wear it over a fitted dress bodycon dress.

Now let's talk about this beautiful designer stretch lace that I am absolutely in love with

This designer lace is mixed with lycra and has a sprinkle of sequins. My original plan was to make a midi length dress using McCalls M7569  but at the last minute after cutting the skirt lining, I decided to make a maxi length skirt instead that I know I can wear more ways than one. 

I simply drafted the skirt by multiplying my hip measurement by 1.5 and then dividing it by 2 to create 2 pieces with side seams.  I also decided to create a detachable lining so that I can wear the lace skirt with a short or a longer lining depending on the occassion.
I decided to try something new with the waistband and plan to perfect this technique with another elastic waist skirt.  I did try a few techniques this summer with knit and have shared some great tips HERE on my personal blog.  I have mastered the art of creating elastic waist skirts (pencil and maxi) in 1.5 hours or less.

Here are the steps that I used for creating this waistband!



For the top row, I created a 3/4 inch casing for a 1 inch elastic.  This ensures that the elastic does not roll as I was using the lining fabric to create the waist band has has a 2 way stretch.
For the middle row, I decided to not to include any elastic but separate the rows by creating a 1/2 inch mock casing.
For the bottom row, I created a 1 and 1/8 inch casing for the 1.5-inch elastic.  I wanted to give it a more formal look with this casing method.

This lace fabric has a beautiful scallop detail seen at the hem.  I do plan to use the left-over on a sleeve of a dress or adding details to a top.  I also plan to wear this skirt as a bathing suit cover-up on my next beach vacation and a perhaps a dress with a lining during the summer.  I know for sure I will get more wear from this skirt than a formal dress. 
I have 1 week of work before I am off for two weeks.  I am excited about my 2019 sewing goals and plan to share it with you next month.  Thank you so much for the love and support in 2018.  I appreciate your kind words or encouragement and the love and support this year. Since this is my final post of 2018, I wish you and your loved ones a wonderful Holiday Season and a Happy NEW Year when it comes!!

As always, don't forget to stop by my Instagram page to check out my latest makes!

One Love,
Marica!

Comments

  1. Great work as always. You never disappoint. Love what you did with the sequin fabric. I could see myself wearing that top . The lace skirt is amazing. Anything maxi, I love! And the fact that it's versatile is a plus! I'm going to use your waistband technique in the next skirt I make.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Beautiful garments! Great sewing technique on the waistband.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I love these fabrics I am relatively new to sewing--why do you make the casing for the elastic smaller than the elastic. Won't it fold over and create a lump?

    ReplyDelete

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: 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...