Made a Fabricista: Classic Holiday Pieces

Happy Saturday Everyone! It seems like forever since I wrote a blog post. The past 2 months have been quite a challenge as I lost my sewjo, creativity, and drive to create. I had so many plans to finish off 2020 strong but my energy level has been at the lowest. In all honesty, I needed this time to reflect and regroup to focus on what matters. Going to work daily in a physical building leaving my children at home to do virtual learning all alone left me feeling guilty. I made a decision in late October to put a pause on sewing for a few weeks giving my attention to them every chance I get. I have had moments where I broke down hearing other parents cry out for help, but in all honesty, 2020 has drained me the last few months emotionally in so many ways. I knew I had to get out of this slump, not take things too personally, and create a few pieces to lift my spirit before the end of the year.

I have been wanting to make the Dionne duster by SewAltered style pattern with a designer Ponte knit from Fabric Mart I have been holding on to for over a year and decided to make a wearable muslin using this rib polyester/rayon/lycra rib sweater knit.

In all honesty, I thought this weight would have been perfect but feel it is way too lightweight for this length and style. Using a thicker knit or Ponte knit would be perfect as I could rock it as a sweater dress or duster. The next time I make it, I will definitely use a Ponte knit instead.

I modified the Dionne duster pattern by adding 4 inches to the length and graded it from the size 10 waist to the 12 hips. The next time I make it, I will just cut a straight 10 and remove the 4 inches I added, and cut the view closest to calf length.

Have you ever failed at making a look and decided to give it a try again? Well, that is exactly what happened with this tropical jumpsuit using a muted cherry red cotton shirting fabric.

Two years ago I mashed the infamous Vogue 9253 bodice with a jumpsuit pants pattern and it was an epic fail. I did not measure or make adjustments to the bodice or pants pattern and the fit was horrible. With time comes experience and I finally understood the changes needed when mashing 2 different patterns to make a dress or jumpsuit. I am absolutely in love with the fit and definitely can't wait to rock this jumpsuit on my next island vacation.

Here are some tips:

1. Measure - Check bodice length and adjust top or pants accordingly for a better fit. I did use my favorite jumpsuit pattern (M8009) I made here as a guide and adjusted the bodice of V9253 accordingly by adding 1.5 inches to the length so that I would not make any adjustments to the pants pattern that I have used before.

2. Align and adjust darts, seamlines, and or pleats if necessary and measure and compare the distance to ensure that everything lines up. Even though I did not have to do any alignment for the pants as it is gathered, I have done this in the past using the skirt portion of Vogue 9253 and another fitted bodice pattern here.

3. Make a muslin if necessary before cutting into your fashion fabric. Make adjustments if needed.

I am excited that I am officially on my 2 weeks holiday break and will be taking some time to recharge and reset. 2020 has been a year of adjustments and learning and I pray that 2021 will be a year of growth for me. Be sure to stop by my Instagram page to see my last make back in October.

Thank you for the love and support over the years and following my journey. I hope and pray that you have a wonderful and safe holiday with your loved ones.

One Love,

Marica - https://www.maricamitchell.com

Made By A Fabricista: A Tipsy Martini Transitional Three Piece Look

Hello Sewing Friends! It’s Sharon with Sharon Sews with my latest Fabricista make – a three-piece set I can wear as the weather transitions to fall here in Texas. It may look like a summer outfit but there will days filled with sunshine and high temps well into November. At first glance it looks like a nice, lightweight jacket, top and pants. But look closer – it’s sewn from the designer Tipsy Martini cotton sateen that was originally used by the designer for a pajama set. Now I could have sewn myself a pair of pajamas using the Closet Core Carolyn Pajama pattern (available at Fabric Mart) and replicated the designer pajamas. But if I had gone that route the only ones who would have seen this adorable kitschy fabric would be my family. This print is much too cute to hide out at home. This Tipsy Martini cotton sateen fabric was lovely to sew. I used black thread, an 80/12 universal needle, and Palmer/Pletsch Perfect Fuse Medium interfacing (link here). Note that this is a rayon fu

Made By A Fabricista: Hooray for Cozy Fall Sews!

Greetings, all! I am in such high spirits with the best-of-all-seasons just beginning and change is finally in the air. I always rejoice when the sweatiest time of the year passes and we can all take a deep breath and gear up for cozier times. Neighborhood Patterns is a new-to-me designer, and I came across them on Instagram in late summer and fell in love with the Plain Jane Skirt. This is such a simple A-line skirt, but with nice details like large inseam pockets and an optional drawstring, and though I’m sure I could draft this style myself, the appeal of having it all done for me was too tempting to pass up. A sew such as this is a lovely palate-cleanser and this was the first project I sewed after returning from a cross-country trip. Perfect! The gorgeous plaid flannel is exactly what I want to be wearing in the fall. The fabric is SO soft and a pleasure to snuggle up in. Because flannel does not have much body and is prone to stretching or shifting with all its mechanical give,

Made By A Fabricista: Quilted Jacket Chronicle

What do you get when mixing the best things about apparel sewing and machine quilting? A quilted jacket! It's funny that I elected to sew myself a quilted jacket for this Fabricista blog because I don't consider myself much of a quilter. I can count on my hands the number of quilted projects I've made over the last few years. While I fully appreciate the end product of quilting, I don't normally gravitate toward starting quilting projects. That's why making a quilted jacket is a new and exciting project for me! It gives me the fun of making a quilt on a much smaller scale. If you are an avid apparel sewist and are new to quilting, this is the perfect project to take for a quilting test drive! For my quilted jacket, I used the Seamwork Easton Jacket pattern. I decided to stick with a solid-colored fabric for the jacket's exterior and ordered 4 yards of Dark Umber Brown Lycra Stretch Canvas Suiting from the Fabric Mart website. I wanted a contrasting color for the

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