Made by a Fabricista: A Blast From the Past

Hello everyone! I’m so excited to share my new look with you guys!

Fashion is one big revolving circle. Trends, colors, styles, etc. all tend to repeat themselves. One of my favorite time periods is the 1960’s. It has so many traits that is true to me, they had vibrant colors, amazing silhouettes, lots of florals, and dramatized accessories.

When I saw this gorgeous Fabric Mart Chiffon fabric (found HERE if still available!) I immediately thought of an amazing 1960’s styled dress. I imagined this flowy floral dress with a dramatic sleeve & an immense amount of color. The fabric has many colors in it including: olive, mustard, hues of purple, pink, hunter green, blues; it is indeed out of a 60’s dream.

Instead of creating a pattern from scratch, I decided to use a pattern in case anyone would want something similar. I used the pattern 8089 by McCall’s View A. The pattern was pretty easy to use & I didn’t have any complications when making it. The fabric being chiffon it is very delicate and smooth. It can be hard for a beginner to sew or cut with. If you have ever run into any problem with it staying put you can very lightly spray starch on it & it will stiffen it a tiny bit to achieve some stability; for me I chose to put several pattern weights on it & cut it out that way. For the hems it is easy to do a curved hem roll, where you sew a curved line all around the bottom then press & fold it over. It will make the hem much easier for you & with this certain fabric it also leaves a clean finish. This dress is a pullover dress with an elastic waistband, so there was no need for any extra zippers or closures.

I lined it with some dark purple satin that I had in my stash. I only lined the bodice & skirt portion of the dress, to keep the initial flow of the dress, as well as, the ruffles. For the ruffles & the sleeves I extended the pattern to give it a more exaggerated look. I added 2 inches to each side of the sleeve & I added 1 inch to each ruffle.

I really wanted this photoshoot to be fun, so I styled it with all 60’s things alike. I really wanted to bring the entire look together to understand my vision when I initially saw the fabric. I bought a cheap old fashioned belt & I styled my hair & makeup to resemble that time period. I was so happy with the overall achieved look. This has to be one of my favorite dresses.

Thank you guys!

MACY | @macycamile

Unfortunately Fabric Mart Fabrics sell out quickly!
You can find similar fabrics in our CHIFFON category.

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: Sheer Elegance and Everyday Comfort with my Two New Tops

Hello Sewing Friends! It’s Sharon from Sharon Sews with my last Fabricista make for 2025. While many sew a special holiday outfit at year’s end, I went in another direction sewing two tops that couldn’t be more different. One is sheer and elegant while the other is easy comfort for everyday wear. These tops reflect how I dress at this stage of life. As an over-50 sewist, these two tops reflect how I dress at this point in my life. Sometimes I want something a bit special, other times more basic. Either way, sewing them in beautiful fabrics, custom fit to my body, makes all the difference in how I feel when I wear them. Even though I’m quite pleased with my two tops, my original plan was to sew a jacket with the tropical print stretch twill and pair it with a top sewn from the soutache mesh knit . Sadly, I wasn’t quick enough to get enough of the stretch twill to make a jacket, so a top it was! You do know you have to act fast when you see something you love on Fabric ...

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...

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