Made by a Fabricista: Dramatic Double Knit Swing Dress

Happy New Year, Fabricistas!

It's Meg from Cookin' and Craftin', back here with another double knit project. Can't stop, won't stop...

With so many stunning double knits regularly popping up in the Fabric Mart listings, how could I resist?! This designer black and white jacquard double knit fabric, in particular, is so unique because of the design and the fabric content.

A cotton, rayon and lyrca blend? Yes, please. The fabric is super soft to the touch from the cotton, perfectly drapey from the rayon, and has fabulous stretch and recovery from the lycra. A unicorn blend, folks.

Plus, the design is really striking. The double knit fabric has a large scale black and white design woven into it with overlapping, patchwork-looking designs, ranging from geometric to floral.

I vacillated between different pattern options for my project with this jacquard double knit. Initially, when I saw "double knit," I thought it would be perfect for a Fulton Sweater Blazer. But then, once I got my hands on it and had a better feel for the fabric's hand, I changed my mind. I knew just the pattern to make this fabric shine...

I wanted to do justice to both the huge print and the fabulous drape, so I opted for a swingy t-shirt dress instead. I chose the Madeit Patterns Groove Dress, figuring it would serve as the perfect blank canvas for this dramatic print. I'd made summery versions of this dress in the past (here and here), and loved the movement and simplicity of the pattern. I like that you don't have to break up the print with lots of seam lines, and can show off the print to the full extent.

This Groove Dress is a size 18 with the straight (as opposed to high-low) hem, high, round neckline, and long sleeves. Since my previous versions were for summer, I hadn't printed out the long sleeve pattern yet and my printer was out of ink, so I laid my Cashmerette Pembroke long sleeve pattern over the Groove Dress short sleeve pattern and sorta merged them. Worked out great!

I just love my dress! The combination of a simple pattern and a dramatic fabric was just how I envisioned it! So twirly and cozy and fun.

Thanks to Fabric Mart for yet another killer fabric...

Help Our Buyers Shop!

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?

Made By A Fabricista: Surgery, a pattern hack, and a hemming tip.

Hello sewing friends! I’m here on the blog today sharing a pattern hack I recently did to boost my wardrobe with a few pieces to wear during my recovery from surgery…and I’m also sharing a tip for those pesky rounded hems. So let’s jump in! I recently had surgery on my neck due to issues with my parathyroid glands. All went to plan and I’m doing well, but I have to admit, the scar was a bit larger and more prominent than I expected. I definitely want to cover it up a bit during the healing process, and I realized that I own very few tops that cover that area of my neck. I don’t really love wearing high neck tops, so I came up with the idea to sew a top that I could convert back to my preferred style once I recover. The pattern I used to do this is the Laundry Day Tee from Love Notions. This pattern is a fan favorite in the sewing community and has been around for more than ten years. I love the style – fitted at the bust but with extra swing at the waist, with lots of sleeve and n...

Made By A Fabricista: Jalie Open Front Blazer-Style Cardigan

Hi everyone, this is Byrd with my latest Fabricista make! If you’re looking for a versatile transitional spring layering piece - something you can dress up for the office or dress down for everyday wear - this ponte knit blazer-style cardigan might be exactly what your handmade wardrobe needs. This time around I’m sewing the Jalie Open Front Blazer-Style Cardigan , an indie sewing pattern designed for stable knits, using Fabric Mart’s Wet Sand Rayon/Nylon/Lycra Ponte Knit . This fabric and pattern pairing creates the perfect structured knit cardigan for spring, fall, and even cool summer evenings. The pattern specifically calls for a stable knit, and this rayon/nylon/lycra ponte knit was an ideal choice. Ponte fabric provides structure and recovery while still offering comfortable stretch, making it perfect for blazer-style cardigans, knit jackets, and professional layering pieces. The “wet sand” neutral tone is a wardrobe workhorse. If you’ve been following along, you know I usually ...

Fabric Mart Fabricistas

Search This Blog