Skip to main content

Made by a Fabricista: Easy Breezy Beach Capsule

Happy to be back for my second post as a Fabricista! This time around, I am sharing three easy outfits for the upcoming summer weekends. The pictures were taken on a very windy morning, hence the title of this post!

First, I opted to sew the Cocoon Cardigan by Jalie. I planned to do it a little oversized to wear it over the swimsuit during the day or as an extra layer in the evening. The Daisy White Leaf Jacquard Terry Knit was perfect to achieve my vision. It is a polyester/cotton blend, lightweight, a little stretchy, fresh, and it has a wonderful drape, which was necessary for this item. The leafy tropical pattern looks stunning in person and gives the cardigan such a pleasant texture. Overall, this was an uncomplicated piece to sew, and the result exceeded my expectations! Right after taking these pictures, I had to order more fabric because my sisters snitched this one…



For the second piece, I chose a Rayon/Lycra Jersey Knit with a beautiful flower pattern. Colors are popping, and the flowers have a delicate pattern. I wanted to make the Izzy dress by Lulu Ferris, a flowy dress with frilly short sleeves. But I was not happy about the sleeves, I felt too much fabric kept clinging! After much trial and error, I ended up skipping the sleeves altogether. Since I had some leftover fabric, I made a matching long band that I can use either as a headband or a belt. I know I will use this dress a lot!  



The third and last piece in my capsule is yet another dress! I was planning to do something else, but this one called for some improvisation. The fabric is a Polyester/Spandex Tropical Jacquard Double Knit. While reading the details in the fabric description, I thought: “once I touch it, I will know what to do with it!” Easier said than done. I ended up choosing by elimination: 

1 – The pattern on this fabric is sizeable, so I had to it justice by sewing something large. Leggings, shorts, a top, or even a t-shirt were out of the question. Maybe an oversized sweater? Not ideal for summer. 

2 – This fabric is narrower than other knits (42”), and I only had 1.5 yards. Not enough for a sweater or a jumpsuit, let alone a midi dress. I would have to settle for a sleeveless and short dress! 

3 –Double knit is thicker than others, so I needed to take that into account and make something with structure. 

4 – After so much back and forth, I had very limited time to get this piece done! I decided to stop thinking, take my scissors, cut two rectangles, add a round neck (lower in the front, higher in the back). To give it a simple finishing touch, I gathered it at the waistline by sewing an elastic on the inside. Et voila!



I admire and appreciate intricate handmade pieces, but I am an impatient sewist who loves to get something – or several things - done in an afternoon. I prefer spending a few hours sewing than going to the mall! This capsule has taken me more hours than I can confess (counting all the second-guessing and do-overs). But the good thing is that I have done it once, so now I can easily replicate it in a fraction of the time! 

INES  @bynunis


Unfortunately Fabric Mart Fabrics sell out quickly!
You can find similar fabrics by shopping the following categories: JERSEY KNITS , TERRY KNITS , & DOUBLE KNITS.
You can also shop our collection of Jalie patterns HERE.

Comments

  1. What a fun and inspiring collection! I'm definitely in the mood for some fast, easy, summery makes.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Pamela! Summer calls for these fast makes to spend more time outdoors!

      Delete
  2. Your summer wardrobe is beautiful. Love what you can do with two rectangles and some thread and elastic. Thanks for the clever idea. I always think I need to have a pattern to make something, boy do you blow that theory. Have a wonderful summer.

    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: Pattern Emporium’s Lyrical Top Featuring Fabric Mart Fabrics

 Sewn in a lightweight  rayon challis , this top combines style, comfort, and fluidity. There’s one thing I love in a summer sew: effortless drape—and the Lyrical Top by Pattern Emporium delivered just that. This pattern is a new release, and when I spotted this dreamy rayon challis from Fabric Mart Fabrics, I knew it was the perfect pairing. Lightweight, breathable, and with just the right amount of movement, the fabric really brought the pattern to life. Today, I’m sharing all the details—from fabric choice and construction to styling and fit—plus a few thoughts on why this top might just become a repeat sew. Pattern Overview: The Lyrical Top by Pattern Emporium The Lyrical Top is a relaxed-fit design with bloused sleeves and a gently flared frill cuff. It comes with three sleeve lengths and two neckline variations. I chose the tie-neck view, but there’s also a collar option for a slightly different vibe. I’ve been looking to add more stylish tops to my wardrobe this year, a...

Made By A Fabricista: Oversized Jenna Shirt for Summer Fun

 I may or may not have had several meltdowns during the making of this Closet Core Jenna Shirt… But let’s back up first. During the month of May, I promised to wear handmade garments every single day for the popular sewing challenge “Me Made May.” I really enjoyed thoughtfully putting together my outfits each day. While I was doing this, I was taking notes of the gaps in my wardrobe. Particularly, I don’t have many transitional shirts that could work for on-camera work attire and be comfortable for the weekend. When I saw this delicious cotton lawn on the Fabric Mart website, I knew that I wanted to make a button up shirt that would be both work appropriate and a nice overshirt for summer evenings over my tanks and tees.  I have made a few button up shirts before using a vintage Stretch & Sew pattern but I decided to try my hand at the Closet Core Jenna Shirt (up to a 60” chest) which has had rave reviews on social media and pattern sites for being a great pattern with e...

Made By A Fabricista: A matching set and a happy error.

 Hi sewing friends! Today I’m sharing a new outfit I made inspired by looks I’ve been seeing pop up in my Facebook and IG feeds a LOT this year. I’m talking about those monochromatic matching top and bottom outfits, sometimes in linen, sometimes in a flowy knit - the ones that advertise they go effortlessly from loungewear to office wear to going out wear. So I decided to “sew the look” using Fabric Mart fabric and a few patterns I already in my massive pattern library. First, let me share that I have very few solid color pieces in my closet. I’m so taken in by whimsy and geometric prints that this is still a gaping hole in my wardrobe -  a matching solid color set was actually a practical addition for me.  So let me walk you through how I created this look, and also tip you off to an error I made while cutting that worked out pretty well after all. Can you spot the error? Hint - it’s somewhere in the top: Here’s how I went about building my matchy match outfit. And here’...