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: 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