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: Three Bengaline Basics – A Jacket, Skirt and Vest

Hello Sewing Friends! It’s Sharon from Sharon Sews excited to share my latest Fabricista makes with you. When Fabric Mart offered an array of stretch bengaline suiting fabrics , I choose three different fabrics to sew myself a few basics to be worn as the season transitions from winter to spring. The bengaline fabric I used is a woven rayon/nylon/lycra blend fabric with the stretch running vertically (lengthwise on the fabric) instead of horizontally (selvage to selvage). It lends itself well to fitted and structured garments, such as jackets, pants, skirts and dresses. Because of the vertical stretch, I folded the fabric cross grain to cut out my fabric pieces so the greatest stretch would go around my body. I used a stretch needle size 75/11 due to the lycra in the fabric. I also eliminated the interfacing as I discovered this fabric did not like fusible interfacing and I did not have any sew-in interfacing on hand. Now let’s talk about the garments...

Made By A Fabricista: FROM FABRIC TO FASHION: - The Saguaro Set with Fabric Mart Fabric

The weather in Southwest Florida is finally starting to warm up. With the warm air and bright sunshine, I have been thinking about refreshing my “at home” wardrobe with some fun easy pieces this year. I have wanted to make The Saguaro Set for some time now. When I saw the beautiful selection of rayon challis on the Fabric Mart website, I knew now was the perfect time to get it started. THE FABRIC I researched a lot to see which fabric would work the best for this pattern. I chose the Deep Amaranth Pink 100% Rayon Twill Challis for my project. It is a beautiful color that to me looks more coral. The fabric is light to medium weight and has beautiful drape. The care instructions said gentle wash or hand wash. I prewashed the fabric in cold water on the delicate cycle. However, after drying it on the delicate cycle, the fabric had an almost vintage distressed look. I was a bit co...

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...

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