Made by a Fabricista: Boho Chic Summer

Hello Gems! I'm so excited to share this month's look as a Fabric Mart Fabricista featuring two gorgeous fabric selections from Fabricmartfabrics.com. If you know me by now, you know that I adore a cool, floor length, boho chic look. There is something so sophisticated, sexy and cool about a free flowing look this time of year made from lightweight breathable fabrics such as the ones used for my most recent Fabricista make.

Although the weather is warmer, I still enjoy creating long flowy dresses and free flowing silhouettes to stay cool in the summer and beat the heat. So for my June look, I did a hack of Vogue pattern 9311 and created a voluminous floor length dress with large billowy sleeves and a plunging neckline. I used Fabric Mart's Rayon Framework Crinkle Challis fabric, which is very light weight and breathable, but not transparent.

I love the drape of this fabric and how it just melts onto your body. I added facing down the front and made it a button up so that this piece could easily double as a cover up!

But, I believe what makes this dress so special are the little details added that draws even more interest to the piece. I cut through the volume of the sleeve and added ruffles along the seams. I believe this amplifies the sleeves and gives the illusion of even more added volume to this part of the dress.

I also added an open back feature to the back bodice and finished it with binded edges ending with a tie at the back of the neck! The dress has an ruffled skirt at the bottom that adds so much more movement and catches the air when you are walking!

This piece in itself makes a beautiful bold statement worn as a dress but I wanted to mix it up a little. During the Summer time we spend a great deal of leisure time pool side and strolling beaches, so a cover-up is always a necessity. So, I featured this piece as a coverup also and created a beautiful pair of wide leg pants using McCalls pattern 8223. I used Fabric Mart's Rayon Polka Dot Voile fabric for these pants and created a matching bra top from the fabric left over!

This fabric is a little silkier than Rayon Challis. It has a slight sheen to the surface but it is still very lightweight and has a beautiful drape. It sews up quite nicely. I was afraid it may slip all over the place due to the shine and slip of the fabric surface. However, it held up quite nicely on the cutting board and under the needle. Despite the weight of this fabric it is very opaque and not sheer at all!

I am so in love with how the pants turned out! The width and volume in the leg is beyond wide and its so beautiful to watch in motion. The fabric feels great against the skin and the pattern was pretty easy to construct. I can definitely see making a few more of these pants for the summer season.

The top I created for this look is made from a hack of one of my favorite bustier patterns this season from Daria Patterns. It is derived from the Rose Cafe Bustier pattern. I pretty much followed the pattern instructions leaving off the straps and adding a tie to the back. I chose a tie closure for this top so that the strapless top would remain tightly secure. This piece does have an underwire. This is one reason this is one of my favorite tops to create. However, it is always nice to be able to control the tightness of the top to insure support up top.

I kept the styling on this look very casual and simple! I added a DIY bag and a pair of comfy yet fashion forward Hurricane Tevas. This keeps the look effortless, cool and ready for Summer. However, dressing up this look and mixing the pieces up would definitely be an option. I am all for versatility and creating stylish options from my pieces.

I had so much fun creating this look and absolutely love the way it came together. I can’t wait to see what other looks I can create with these pieces in my wardrobe !

Until Next time!

MARCIA | @keechiibstyle

Unfortunately Fabric Mart Fabrics sell out quickly!
You can find similar fabrics by shopping the following categories CHALLIS & VOILE.

Made By A Fabricista: Celebrating warm weather with Spring sewing!

Hi sewing friends! I don’t know about you but boy, was winter cold and dreary this year! The weather here in the Philadelphia area has been slowly improving, but Spring sure did take her sweet old time to arrive. So by April, I was definitely in the headspace of needing to sew up things that were either bright and cheery or meant for the warmer weather I am very much craving right now. I recently purchased a few SewBexx Patterns so I took them on a test run to create some Spring makes. First on my list was to make a top using this absolutely gorgeous ITY fabric I picked up last year. I had two yards which was enough for a long sleeve shirt. I chose the Olivia top, which is oversized with a drop shoulder, has multiple lengths and a split hem. I think the pattern is intended for heavier fabrics but I was envisioning how lovely this top would look with the drape of ITY knit fabric, and it did not disappoint. It came together for me quickly and was a straight forward sew…and I love the br...

Made By A Fabricista | Chasing Time: My White Rabbit-Inspired Look for Atlanta Frocktails

For this year’s Atlanta Frocktails, I found myself captivated by a character who’s been quietly tugging at my imagination for years—the White Rabbit from Alice in Wonderland. There’s something so relatable about his frantic energy, always checking the time, always running late. While he’s worried about being on time, I’m usually calculating how late I can be and still technically arrive on time. Spoiler: I’m often wrong. It’s a cycle of procrastination and anxiety that I know all too well. So when I imagined my look for Frocktails, I thought—why not honor the White Rabbit? After all, time has been chasing me too. But this look isn’t just about Wonderland whimsy. It’s also deeply inspired by this year’s Met Gala theme, Tailored for You, which includes a focus on Black Dandyism—a celebration of Black elegance, intellect, and expressive style. I’ve been obsessed with this theme since it was announced. As a Black creative, I find it powerful and moving to see style used as a way to reclaim...

Made By A Fabricista: Getting into the Spirit of Summer

I'm not gonna lie y'all, I had a completely different project I wanted to do, but that's gonna take more time, and I wanted something cute, comfy and fun to wear for my birthday on the 19th. When I saw this goldenrod & off white linen jacquard , I thought it looked a bit like the design on a Koroks body, especially Makar from The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker! I started with the bodice from the free Elderberry dress pattern from Mood, but deviated for the skirt, it felt a little plain of a design, and I had scraps of a Korok fabric that I knew would be a nice accent with some cut out pockets. I've made these pockets once before, deciding the cut out was based on aligning with the seam on the bodice for how far in, and as for how low depended on where I wanted the pouch of the pocket to start. From there I cut the visible part of the pocket, making sure to match the curve of the waist and following the line of the side seams of the skirt, as well as cutting a facing to...

Fabric Mart Fabricistas

Search This Blog