Skip to main content

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











Comments

  1. Love both your projects. Can’t wait to see what you do with this pattern in the ponte. Happy Holidays to you and your family. Prayers that next year will get us to a better place than 2020 brought us all.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I am happy to see that shirting made up into a fabulous jumpsuit. I have been eyeing it for weeks.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I have seen that fabric several times and could not visualize it made into a garment. It looks nice as a jumpsuit, you did a fantastic job, and it looks great on you!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Thanks for leaving a comment! All comments are reviewed before posting to help us eliminate spam. Your comment will be posted within 24 hours.

Popular Posts You Might Like

Made By A Fabricista: ITY Dress

Hi sewing friends - Andrea here from Happy.Things.Here over on Insta with this week’s post – I’m sharing about a favorite fabric and pattern today!  So… the last two months have almost gotten the best of me. We made a somewhat unplanned decision to move homes and life has been just insanely busy and hard to find time to sew. But sewing  is such a joy and a stress reliever for me, so I fit in this fun and easy sew amidst the chaos and it made me sew very happy! Sneak peek – how could this print NOT make someone happy? First, let’s talk fabric. ITY , or Interlock Twist Yarn, is one of my all-time favorite fabrics for sewing clothing. Fabric Mart did an Instagram post with a video on this fabric and I highly recommend you check it out if this fabric is new to you. Three things I love about ITY – 1) it’s easy to care for and rarely wrinkles, 2) it’s easy to wear, great for drapey pieces, and works all year long, and 3) Fabric Mart gets great deadstock prints and colors from fashion design

Made By A Fabricista: Breezy Summer Style with Rayon Challis from Fabric Mart.

Hey there my sewing friends!  Summer is here and I am all for it.  It has been exceptionally hot here in Southwest Florida. We have had temps in the high 90’s.  I want to keep cool and comfortable and still look pulled together this summer.  That’s why I chose rayon challis for this month’s summer make.   Rayon Challis is lightweight, flowy, soft and extremely comfortable to wear. It’s an excellent choice for summer outfits.  It has a beautiful drape making it an excellent choice for maxis, tops, dresses, and shorts. The fabric is lightweight and depending upon your sewing project you may need to use a lining with this fabric. Also use a lightweight interfacing when working with rayon challis.  If you are a beginner at sewing, you may find the fabric a bit fiddly to work with, but the end result is so worth it.  Fabric Mart has beautiful challis fabric to choose from. I chose this fun tropical print on an off-white background. This summer season vests are in.  I love the ease of wearin

Made By A Fabricista: The Loring Dress

Hello friends,  This is Byrd, your curvy sewist and I am back with my latest Fabricista make.  This is the newly released Cashmerette Loring Dress, a size-inclusive beginner-confident flowy summer dress.  The dress features a V-neck, pockets and tie that cinches in the waist.  The Loring pairs so nicely with Fabric Mart’s cornflower, magenta and pink floral cotton lawn.  Fabric Mart’s cotton lawn is a dream for summer projects!  Its lightweight breathable nature and smooth silky drape is perfect for warm weather garments like the Loring Dress. The vibrant cornflower, magenta, and pink flowered fabric is a joy to sew and wear.  Fun fact:  Named after the flower, the color cornflower is a medium blue mixed with a little green.  Cotton lawn is easy to cut and sew and pre-washing is always a good idea to avoid any surprise shrinkage after your garment is finished. I also recommend using a serger/overlocker for a clean interior finish. Cashmerette describes the Loring Dress as an explosion