Made by a Fabricista: Hello Fall

My sewjo has definitely been lacking due to trying to shelter in place. Back in March when we started working/schooling from home my sewjo had a little spike as initially felt like I had a bit of extra time in my day. Sadly, it didn't take too long to lose that extra hour I'd gained due to not commuting. Add to that the fact there's no where to go so when would I wear these makes. Lastly I, like many, have gained weight the last few months (that's not totally Covids fault) and sometimes I hate sewing for a size I'm not so happy with.

Picking up skating helped a bit because I could sew and wear new makes to social distance skate events, but what really kicked me back into high gear was the arrival of fall. Usually summer is my favorite season to sew for, but during this time of staying home cozy loungewear and comfy separates are really speaking to me. So when I was looking for fabrics this month I selected three double knits to make some easy to wear fall looks.

This imperial blue raised striped double knit caught my eye first. I really love a bright, bold blue. I love double knits because it's weight makes it easy to sew and helps hide some curves you may not want to show, which is the downside of thinner knits, like ITYs or jerseys. The raised stripes reminded be of a black bodycon Calvin Klein dress I used to have so I decided to recreate that.

McCalls 6886 is my go to for fitted knit dress so that it what I used. My old dress was sleeveless with a mock turtleneck, but I decided to add sleeves to this one. I essentials sewed the crew neck, with the mid length and the short sleeves.

When I selected this glen plaid double knit I was thinking of a cardigan to wear with the dress. However when it arrived I realized the weight and stiffer hand would be great for pants and I was torn. Thankfully with some careful pattern piece placement I was able to squeeze out a cardigan and pants. For the cardigan I used Mimi G's Annie pattern and omitted the buttons because I plan to wear it open. If I change my mind I can always go back and add them.

The pants are Harper trousers by Designer Stitch. I've made these a couple of times before so I knew I'd like them. The only issue I had was that I didn't realize until after I cut the pieces that this double knit didn't have any vertical stretch, but luckily I had made an adequate back crotch adjustment so these are wearable.

Last up is this leopard double knit which had a textured jacquard feel. This knit is very stretchy and a lightweight, but I think I can wear it even when it gets cooler with thick tights and a cardigan. I love a leopard print so I had to have this one. I used the Designer Stitch Jasmine dress, because the I love the unique pockets. To make sure you notice them I used black ponte for the pocket band.

Well that's all my makes this month.

Tiffany

TipStitched.com

Made by a Fabricista: A Wardrobe Staple for Spring - A Denim Coat

Hello Sewing Friends! It’s Sharon with Sharon Sews with my latest Fabricista make – a denim coat for spring. Denim is a wardrobe staple for many of us, and even more so this year with denim on denim looks coming back in style. The denim I used is a medium weight cotton/lycra blend with about a 20% stretch selvage to selvage. Fabric Mart always does an amazing job photographing and describing their fabrics, yet I still gasped in delight when I opened the package containing my denim. It was even better than I had anticipated. This fabric would have worked well for a traditional denim jacket – one with button front closure, chest pockets with flaps, and a collar. However, I have wanted to sew this open front coat with kimono inspired sleeves and big patch pockets since February 2021. I saw it in that month’s BurdaStyle Magazine, bookmarked the page, and promptly forgot about the coat. It’s coat #105 if you’re interested in sewing one for yourself. Fortunately, I went on an organ

Made by a Fabricista: Revving up your style in the Dana Marie Moto Jacket

Hey friends - I am so excited to have been invited to participate as a Fabric Mart Fabricista this month! This year is the year I challenge my sewing skills. I have wanted a moto jacket for some time. Not just any moto jacket but one that has a classic and timeless style. I saw the Dana Marie Moto Jacket pattern on the Fabric Mart website and knew that was the one. The fabric I used was a beautiful porcelain white/black/silver 100% polyester plaid weave boucle suiting. Remember when I said I wanted to challenge my sewing skills? 😉 This fabric was beautiful but fragile to work with. It was a great mental challenge that had me problem solving before sewing to avoid any potential problems. I first traced out the pattern onto tissue paper to determine the fit. I used scrap cotton fabric to sew up a “practice run” of the jacket. I was pleasantly surprised at how easily the jacket comes together. I sewed up the muslin in one evening. It was time to cut into the beautifu

Made By A Fabricista: My Version of the Infamous DVF Wrap Dress

Just in case you are not aware, the iconic Diane Fustenberg wrap dress has turned 50 this year. In celebration, Vogue has re-released the DVF Wrap Dress pattern, which now comes in extended sizes. This dress is so classic and fits many different body types. I got a hold of this pattern and decided this would be my birthday dress this year. This pattern is categorized as a Very Easy Vogue pattern, and I would have to agree with that. Wrap dresses are usually relatively simple to put together since there aren’t that many pattern pieces to sew together. I made View A in a size 22 and the only modification I made was to shorten the hem by 6 inches. I will say that since I used a Ponte Knit , I could have gone down to a size 20. I didn’t read the fabric suggestions before picking my fabric. I’ve always remembered seeing the DVF Wrap dress in knits. After reviewing the fabric suggestions, they do say that you can use soft fabrics, like a Challis or a Chambray. As I mentioned, I’ve alwa

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