Made by a Fabricista: Tropical Paradise Summer Top and Maxi Dress

"One Love, one heart,
Let's get together and feel all right!"
Lyrics from Bob Marley song!

The melodies of one of my favorite songs from Bob Marley replayed in my head when I came across two beautiful fabric; a solid yellow and tropical print. They both screamed Jamaica, Caribbean, cruise vibes and summertime fun in the sun. I instantly fell in love and had to select them for my May Fabric Mart blog post.

When I saw this sun yellow polyester/lycra crepe techno fabric, it reminded me so much of the Jamaican flag. I knew I had to grab a few yards before it was sold out.

My first choice was to make a wrap dress but fearing that I would look like a yellow highlighter with my hips, I decided to go with a top instead. I always wanted to create McCalls M7812 and knew it was the perfect fabric for this style based on the texture.

I cut the small and used view A bodice with view B sleeves and made no modifications. The next time around I will definitely lengthen the bodice by an inch as this is a great pattern for summer. This was a quick and easy sew as I did sewed up most of it before heading out to work at 8am.

I am in love with the front gathers and found the perfect drawstring in my notions pile!

1 INCH elastic for the sleeves

This beautiful tropical floral double brushed jersey knit screams paradise vacation. This fabric and print hit the nail and is perfect for Mimi G's Simplicity new summer pattern S8915. I fell in love with the booty gathers the minute Mimi shared as it is perfect for the curvy girls. I love a great maxi especially if it has a great drape and length.

Typically, I do not sew a commercial pattern more than twice unless it's TNT but I do plan to make this again using lycra, and the other view using a jersey as it is an easy sew and great fit right out of the pattern envelope.

I needed an extra 1/2 yard based on the bottom back piece and instead of cutting it on the fold, I decided to join 2 pieces creating my own fold as I did not have enough. It worked out just fine and yes, I am satisfied with the look.

The two modifications to fit my curves and my height are:

- Graded the waist from a size 12 to the 14 hips.

- Added 1 inch to the length.

It came out absolutely perfect to my taste when I tried it on and I was floored with the fit.

Another minor tweak that I will make next time is removing 1/2 or 3/4 inch from the back bodice piece.

I am happy with both looks and can't wait to sew down my stash of knits purchased from Fabricmart.

I am counting down to summer break which starts on June 7th, and can't wait to rock both makes in Jamaica this summer.

Thank you so much for reading and for always showing love! Don't forget to check out my latest makes on the blog and my Instagram page.

Photos taken by my daughter Arielle (10 years old)!

One Love,

Marica - Overdriveafter30

Made By A Fabricista: Falling for Knits

We are now well into Fall, even though the temps are still relatively warm here in Texas. I love the fall season and dressing for Fall. When it comes to the conversation of knits vs. wovens I typically sew mostly wovens. So for this post I decided to sew completely knits! With the holiday season right around the corner I saw these three dress styles as perfect for Friendsgiving/Thanksgiving gatherings. The first look is a tried and true pattern Simplicity S9372. Using this gorgeous burgundy ponte knit , I like how this pattern fits throughout. I chose this color to add to my typically neutral palette in my closet. I also wanted something I could wear to my sorority meetings and found this color perfect. It's an easy sew with back fisheye darts and invisible zipper to add to the tapered style. The neckline and armholes are finished with bias binding giving it a clean finish on the inside. I used a universal needle to sew a...

Made By A Fabricista: Closing 2025 with a Lined Jacket

Hello again, sewing friends! It seems we have arrived yet again in the grandest season for layering, all this oncoming cold weather. I like ending the year with something warm and very useful. Seems based on my past Fabricista posts, I love to sew year-end outerwear, and this round is no different! I challenged myself with a new lined coat (wait, jacket? Coat? I feel like the presence of wool changes things?). Anyhoo, since the lovely Chalk & Notch Den Jacket has been in my queue, I proceeded ahead. I like the large pockets, the option to line or not, and the extra bodice and sleeve seams for topstitching. Sewing this coat is not at all difficult, but the many pieces and loads of topstitching will take a bit of time. My version took me a few multiple-hour sessions to complete. I sewed a size 2, which matches my measurements, and I made no alterations. Hint: for a quick size test, just employ the lining pieces. Gorgeous, muted blue as a soft wool flannel ? This is ...

Made By A Fabricista: Chalk and Notch Wren Dress: My Buffet dress for the Christmas season!

I recently sewed the Chalk and Notch Wren dress using a beautifully soft black voile from Fabric Mart, and it turned into such a satisfying, enjoyable project. The pattern itself is very easy to understand and straightforward with clear instructions, intuitive construction, and a relaxed fit that makes the sewing process easy. A buffet dress in the sewing community is a dress that is loose fitting, so you can eat at the buffet without your dress being uncomfortable afterwards, lol! Because the voile I chose is extremely thin and transparent, I opted to line the bodice and first tier. Adding a lining not only provided modesty but also gave the delicate fabric a bit more stability, especially around the neckline and button placket. A helpful tip when sewing a lining into a lightweight bodice is to treat the lining and the main fabric as one. I sewed the bodice as you would for a lined bodice, and the first tier I sewed the pieces together with a basting stitch to make the process...

Fabric Mart Fabricistas

Search This Blog