Made by a Fabricista: Spring Style Essentials

Is there anything more versatile for your Spring wardrobe than a T-Shirt Dress and a classic button-up blouse? In this Fabric Mart Fabricista blog, I'm going to show you how these two little wardrobe staples can be rotated through your spring me-made wardrobe for 5 different and fun looks!

I was browsing the Fabric Mart website when this lovely 100% Cotton Parchment/Black Striped Jersey Knit Fabric popped up. I’ve been itching to make a T-Shirt dress with the Rebecca Page T-Shirt Dress pattern ever since the pattern launched back in February. As I continued to browse the Fabric Mart website, I was struck by the most lovely Blossom Pink Silk Shantung Shirting that I knew would be perfect for a Grainline Studios Archer Button-Up! As the wheels started turning, I realized that the cotton jersey paired with the silk shantung shirting fabric would be a match made in heaven for my me-made wardrobe. So naturally, I had to get both fabrics plus the Archer Button-Up pattern!

I was not disappointed when my Fabric Mart order arrived! The 100% Cotton Striped Jersey Knit Fabric was wonderful because it had a bit of weight to it and was not see-thru or too clingy. I should have bought more of this fabric in different colors while it was still available because it was just so nice! The silk shantung shirting also didn’t disappoint! The color was just as beautiful in person as it was online and I knew my spring fabric dreams were coming true.

The Rebecca Page T-Shirt Dress pattern was a dream to sew and came together really quickly. The pattern comes with a bunch of options for length, neckline, and style but I chose to make the straight fit, crew neck, knee-length option for my T-Shirt Dress. I had concerns that the straight fit pattern option could end up looking like a body-con dress, which if you know me, you know I’d never wear out in public. To my pleasant surprise, the pattern and the fabric worked perfectly together to create a straight A-line dress silhouette without any of the clinginess that I hate!

The Archer Button-Up pattern is definitely my favorite button-up shirt pattern that I’ve ever made. I decided to make option B with the lovely back pleats in order to give this shirt an extra chic element (as if Silk Shantung isn’t chic enough!) What I love about this pattern is the fit! While it is semi-fitted in the bust area, it is flowy in the waist and sleeve which is exactly what you want in a Button-Up!

Armed with my new wonderfully fitting me-made items, I was now ready to dive into making the most of these sews for spring! Below, I’ll share 5 different looks that I made with my new Rebecca Page T-Shirt Dress and my Grainline Archer Button-up blouse. I’m only sharing my top 5 looks with you, but there were countless others I considered sharing as well! For these top 5 looks, I only had to supplement the T-Shirt Dress and Button-Up Blouse staples with a few extra items that can easily be found in the average closet.

Special thanks to my friend Tiya Steffy from Tiya M Photography for being so willing to help me capture pictures of my makes and for being so patient during my million wardrobe changes! You brought my wardrobe to life!

Look 1: Casual Saturday

RP T-Shirt Dress, Rifle Paper Co Keds, Kate Spade Crossbody Purse

Look 2: Work From Home

Silk Shantung Archer Button-Up, White Camisole, Dark Denim Skinny Jeans, Leopard Print Ballet Flats

Look 3: Work Meeting

RP T-Shirt Dress, Nude Pumps, Black Sweater Blazer, Dark Grey Pencil Skirt, Trench Coat

Look 4: Holiday Gathering

RP T-Shirt Dress, Denim Seamwork Zinnia Skirt, Kate Spade Crossbody Purse, Black Block Heeled Sandals

Look 5: Sunday Brunch

RP T-Shirt Dress, Silk Shantung Archer Button-up, Black Block Heeled Sandals

I hope you were inspired to make your own little T-Shirt Dress and Button-Up for your essential spring wardrobe using delightful Fabric Mart fabrics! Until next time, keep following my sewing journey @shaina_sews and Mainstreetsewingco.com!

SHAINA | @shaina_sews

Unfortunately Fabric Mart Fabrics sell out quickly!
You can find similar fabrics by shopping the following categories:
COTTON KNITS, JERSEY KNITS, SILK, & SHIRTING
Plus you can shop our collection of Grainline Studio Patterns HERE.

Made By A Fabricista: A Mother’s Day Gift - Making my Daughter’s Prom Dress

Happy Friday All! As a mother and sewist, I am always planning months in advance for any special occasion dress. Due to the pandemic, my daughter missed all the activities at the end of her elementary journey and I was truly heart broken. She did not have any promotional ceremony, field trips or activities for the last few months of elementary school. I made a vow to myself that in Middle School, no matter what life throws us, I would make the perfect Junior Prom dinner dance dress even if she had to twirl in it at home. When I came across this beautiful blue lycra sequins fabric, I was thrilled. My daughter Arielle and I spoke a few months ago about the perfect Grade 8 Junior Prom dinner dance dress. She found an inspirational photo on Pinterest back in December which was a one shoulder maxi dress that sparkles and she was excited about me making her special dress. At the time she wasn’t quite sure of the shade of blue she wanted but after our trip to Jamaica during Spring break, she

Made By A Fabricista: Rayon Challis Separates for Me!

This month I decided to take a minute to sew something for myself! Knowing that I was about to move house (I'm excited to be getting a nice big sewing room!), I opted to use some tried-and-true patterns that I knew would be quick and easy to sew: Jalie Michelle and Jalie Geneviève . I've really loved seeing garments made in crinkle challis lately, so I selected a solid mustard yellow crinkle challis with a plan for either pants or a skirt ( Geneviève is a skirt, but there's also a culotte option available for it), and two sateen challis prints for a top (Michelle can be made either as a top or a dress). I considered making a reversible top with both fabric prints, but upon playing with them in real life, opted for two separate tops with a facing. Given that challis tends to be a bit shifty, it's best to starch it before you begin cutting out your project. It's also best to cut it out on a large surface with a rotary cutter so the fabric doesn't get distorted.

Made by a Fabricista: YouTube Edition | Marty - Let's Make a Spring Dress

Light Cornflower Blue/Fern Green/Imperial Red/Multi 100% Rayon Floral Print Challis 54W I don't have much to say about my project this time. Other than I can't be happier with how it turned out. I think it'll make a cute romantic dress for summer but also blend into the high-fantasy wardrobe that I want to create. It'll be fun to play with and explore. Hopefully, next time my life will be a little more put together and I'll be a little less stressed. But for now, I hope you all enjoy this project as much as I do. With all the chaos included. MARTY | @scrappypatterns Unfortunately Fabric Mart Fabrics sell out quickly! You can find similar fabrics by shopping the following category, CHALLIS .

Fabric Mart Fabricistas

Search This Blog