Made by a Fabricista: Voluminous Denim

Can you believe it's Memorial Day weekend? Time during this pandemic is a very strange thing. Sometimes it seems that time is going so quickly that the days blur together and other times the hours creep by. I think I'm pretty well adjusted to this new normal. Doing my best to stay safe and sane. Sewing is definitely a big part of my self care. I hope you are well and have found some peace in these unpredictable times.

I'm still sewing even though I rarely leave the house and am not in need of new clothes. This voluminous gathered tent dress will be great to wear out on a hot summer day even if it's just my back yard.

Works belted as well

This tencel chambray is luxe, it has a smooth hand and gorgeous drape. I loved it so much that when it arrived I just kept petting it. LOL Then I had the hardest time deciding what to make. Does that happen to you? My first thought was and I had settled on McCall's 7936, but when one of my sewsistas mentioned the swing dress by Beaute Jadore I changed my plans. I remembered I had purchased the pattern earlier ithis year.

Cutting and sewing this fabric was a breeze! It is a tad transparent, but thanks to the fullness of the dress it's not an issue. I love the cornflower blue color. Unfortunately this color is sold out, but there are a few yards of the darker navy in stock here. I would also recommend any chambray, challis or light weight crepe.

What I might not recommend is this pattern- the Swing Dress by Beaute Jadore - at least to beginners. The construction is simple and straightforward if you've been sewing for a little while, which is good because the instructions are minimal. I would also caution those new to pdf patterns as the printing and assembly of this pattern is unlike any other I've made. Check out my sewalong video (here) to see what I mean.

All that said, I love the dress! It's a perfect dress for a hot summer day. I can't wait until we can go to local festivals and outdoor concerts to wear this dress. It's chic enough to look dressed up, but comfy and light enough not to be miserable in the heat.

See you next month!

Tiffany

Made By A Fabricista: Revisiting a Pattern After Five Years

Have you ever used a sewing pattern and then immediately vowed never to sew it again? Well, I have. It all began in the spring of 2020 at the start of the pandemic lockdown. I tackled sewing projects that were more challenging to help me grow as a seamstress. There was one pattern in particular that almost did me in, the Seamwork Penny shirt dress. The Penny dress pattern has a classic button-up dress shirt style bodice with a gathered skirt and pockets. It is a beautiful take on a shirt dress, and my sister and I loved it. The only downside is that it was recommended for intermediate-level sewists and I was only an adventurous beginner back then. I think I had only ever made one button-up shirt before attempting this Penny Dress and it didn’t even have a collar! Despite all of this, I thought “Why not try it, what’s the worst that can happen?” Thankfully the worst didn’t happen, and the dress turned out surprisingly wearable, but I had some intense frustration at the end. I...

Made By A Fabricista: A Simple Frock for Spring

Hello friends! I’m really into sewing and wearing tent dresses at the moment. A tent dress is basically a wide A-line style gown. For this month’s project, I’ve opted to try out The Assembly Line’s Square Neck Dress. This style is a little avant-garde in its enormity and shape, and boasts the squared neckline it’s named after, plus some cute hem side slits. All that volume is fun to move around in, plus there’s loads of air circulation which is cooling. This dress’s main feature–its wide and high squared neckline–really piqued my interest recently, and I added it to my Make Nine plans for 2025. I find it so satisfying to check off those boxes as I sew! This beautiful shirtweight linen is a color I simply adore; a muted medium blue. Stormy skies, worn-in denim, and ocean waves all come to mind, and that is exactly what I want to be all wrapped up in. While I think a wild or large print would be amazingly on display in this big canvas of a dress, I also thought that a subtle ...

Made By A Fabricista: Bold Aspen Dress for Spring

As I write this in mid-April, central New Jersey weather is showing small signs of spring. My neighbor’s daffodils are blooming and our magnolia tree is trying to unfold its vibrant magenta petals. I am in the midst of preparing my wardrobe for the warmer months, even if we are still huddling against windy 30 degree days. For me, warm weather means linen. I love breathable, floaty linen sundresses and drapey, loose linen wide-leg pants. My vision for a spring piece was something bold and bright, inspired by the natural colors of blooming flowers, but also something that could transition well between the warmer and cooler months. When I saw Fabric Godmother’s Apsen Dress, I knew that it had the sensible transitional opportunities I was looking for while also providing a blank canvas for fun prints, patterns and colors. With the pattern in mind, I then turned to the stunning linen collection that Fabric Mart always has on hand to see what colors or patterns would best suit my visio...

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