Skip to main content

Made by a Fabricista: Springtime Style - Simple ITY Maxi Dresses

By

Now that spring is officially on my mind, my makes going forward will be spring clothing that transitions into summer. Maxi dresses or skirts are  great staple pieces to have.  I was ready to start the creation of my Spring makes and when I came across these two great ITY prints I knew they were perfect for dresses.  Unfortunately, they are both sold out but these are two great ITY (Interlock Twist Yarn) knits available in solid or floral that would definitely work for this style. 


The beauty about maxi dresses is that they are a no worry one piece that can be dressed up or down. I wanted to find a pattern that was easy and selected Simplicity 8595 as a start.
This Floral ITY maxi dress is a staple piece because you I can wear it running errands during the warmer days here in South Florida or to work with my blackwood cardigan (Made here).  ITY is a cool and fluid knit fabric that has an incredible drape and does not wrinkle. 


I wanted to find a TNT (tried and true) easy to sew maxi dress pattern and based on the cover, I knew VIEW D with and without sleeves was perfect for my pear shape body.  This style is only 4 pattern pieces, front, back, neck and sleeve band.


As usual, I had to make a few modifications to the pattern to fit my body type:
1. Graded the size small to the medium from the waist.
2. Added 4 inches to the length
My original plan was to create another maxi dress using McCall 7122 but the sleeve style and the fact that the back piece was not cut on the fold, would require a bit of matching and lining up the print.  I opted to reuse the same simplicity pattern as I am in love this print. I layered it with my leather jacket and boots earlier this week when the temperature dropped. 
 The ITY knit is light enough for the Florida weather and perfect for a maxi or wrap dresses.   I am in love with both maxi dresses and can’t wait to make another style VIEW D using some designer ponte knit.
Thank you so much for reading and please don’t forget to check out my latest blog post of the top I made for Valentine’s Day. Be sure to stop by my Instagram page to see some of my recent makes.  Have a wonderful day!

One Love,
Marica - Overdriveafter30

Comments

  1. Faye LewisFebruary 16, 2019 at 3:57 PM

    Gorgeous!

    ReplyDelete
  2. UnknownFebruary 16, 2019 at 10:06 PM

    nice work

    ReplyDelete
  3. GeorgieFebruary 17, 2019 at 5:42 AM

    Love the looks.

    ReplyDelete
  4. LindaFebruary 17, 2019 at 6:57 AM

    Flattering style, nicely done! Love the pattern and the fabric is perfect for this style! Great Job! I may have to buy that pattern!

    ReplyDelete
  5. QueenbeeFebruary 17, 2019 at 9:11 AM

    I love a maxi dress. Your are fabulous and look amazing on you.

    ReplyDelete
  6. CarolFebruary 17, 2019 at 10:06 AM

    Wow girl. Thats beautiful and you have my hips. Im 68 so I would need to add sleeves and maybe a middy...I love middies. That is wonderful...will look for this pattern. Its perfect .

    ReplyDelete
  7. Heartland bornFebruary 17, 2019 at 1:03 PM

    Gorgeous!!! Thank you for showing us what can be done with that pattern. You look great!

    ReplyDelete
  8. UnknownFebruary 23, 2019 at 5:16 PM

    Wow that dress is beautiful. Great job!

    ReplyDelete
  9. pink poppiesFebruary 26, 2019 at 12:49 PM

    fabulous dress and the color is wonderful on you. that blue is really hard to match and you did it!! love those shoes

    ReplyDelete
  10. Elizabeth Made ThisFebruary 28, 2019 at 5:05 PM

    These are all so lovely Marica! The blue one particularly is awesome on you, and it looks fabulous with your jacket!

    ReplyDelete
  11. MaricaMarch 18, 2019 at 5:49 AM

    Thanks Elizabeth

    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.

Recent Posts You Might Like

Made By A Fabricista: A Fresh Take on a Classic Shirt Dress

By
Summer has arrived! That means longer days, soaring temps, and the perfect excuse for me to add another linen garment to my wardrobe.  Lightweight linen and summer weather just go together, don’t you agree? That’s why I choose this striped linen for my next Fabricista make. Hello Sewing Friends! It’s Sharon from Sharon Sews ready to share my summer dress with you.  The tiny blue and white stripes combined with navy buttons give it a bit of coastal charm, while the details make it anything but a traditional shirt dress.  The fabric is a Ralph Lauren 100% shirt weight linen. The stripes are so small that from a distance the fabric almost looks like a solid color. One advantage of those small stripes is that I didn’t worry about whether they matched as I would have with a wider stripe :-)  The pattern I choose is McCall’s 8556, a shirtdress that, instead of a typical straight silhouette, has a gathered bodice, a fitted waistband that sits just above the waist, short, c...
3 comments
Continue Reading »

Made By A Fabricista: Mechanic Chic!

By
When it comes to buying ready-to-wear garments as a sewist, I only ever spend in three categories: heavy duty winter jackets (life in Maine!), bras… and jumpsuits! I love a good jumpsuit, but unfortunately the ones I used to buy have been impacted by the tariff situation and I can’t get them affordably anymore. This can only mean one thing, folks: it’s time to roll up my sleeves and sew my very first jumpsuit!  When I started planning for this project, I knew I wanted to use a heavyweight linen for cozy comfort in the fall and breathability in the summer. I wanted something that would wear beautifully and soften with age, and something with neutral tones that could go with everything. Naturally, when I came across this 100% linen canvas on Fabric Mart, my heart skipped a beat! I love the ikat-inspired geometry and something about it reminds me of leopard spots too. Bold yet wearable! I am pretty sure this fabric was intended for home decor which I don’t mind at all and in fact of...
3 comments
Continue Reading »

Made By A Fabricista: Tried and true summer basics that fit.

By
Happy Summer Friends! As I am writing this, we are headed into a nasty heat wave…so the timing could not be better to share two of my favorite summer patterns and fabrics.  But first, let me tell you about the fail I had heading into this month’s blog… As Fabricista’s, we get to pick out fabric for each of our blog submissions. I fell in love with this gorgeous lilac jacquard knit that I thought would be perfect for a pop of color in my summer wardrobe. But I made a fatal error - I grabbed a pattern I haven’t made for years, quickly went up one size to account for a few new pounds, and sewed them up. And they don’t fit, will NEVER fit, and will never be worn. Sigh…when will I learn?? Here’s a flat lay pic so we can at least look at the lovely fabric: The lesson I learned (relearned!) is that just like with off the rack clothes, the things that worked well for me years ago don’t work well for me today.  And that’s the case with both tops and bottoms. So I went back to two patt...
Post a Comment
Continue Reading »

Made By A Fabricista: Art In Motion

By
Hello Sewing Friends! It’s Tira from TIRACOOKS and I am so excited to share this project with you. When I first spotted this fabric, I was drawn in by how stunning it looked it reminded me of a living art piece. Then, when I looked closer, I noticed painted hanging plants in the print, which made it even more special. This fabric is one of my all-time favorites: chiffon. It cuts so smoothly, and the best part? Any wrinkles come out effortlessly with a steamer. Before cutting into anything, fabric prep is essential! Chiffon must be prewashed by hand in cold water with a gentle detergent or baby shampoo. Always serge or zigzag stitch the raw edges to prevent fraying. Submerge and gently swirl the fabric to wash never wring or twist it then air dry flat. I used a 70/10 needle in my Juki DDL, which is perfect for lightweight fabrics, alongside my Juki overlock machine. Look One: The Duster & Dress I was lucky enough to create two completely separate outfits from this fabric. The first...
2 comments
Continue Reading »