Made By A Fabricista: Red Ikat Dress

Hello, everyone! I am back! Today I want to share my latest project that I am super excited about! I have so much that I want to share! Are y'all ready?

This dress was love at first sight, again! The Sofia Dress! I have wanted to own a garment with shirring for a while. When I saw the Sofia Dress, I had to have it. It's not just because of the shirring but also because it has a lovely square neckline and beautiful puff sleeves. Even the sleeves have shirring! I was sold! Because of these lovely details, I thought that this would be a big project for me to jump right in (at least in my head at the time, Lol), so I decided to take baby steps.

First, I wanted to be familiar with shirring, so I made two tops, #M7901 and Mimi woven top from Style Arc. Please refer to my blog or IG for more details and pictures. I think they came out nicely. Because of these tops, I became very comfortable making shirring. And then I made a Sofia top with a wearable muslin.

The Sofia Dress has sleeve options, and I like them all! I like patterns that have options that allow me to wear the item for multiple seasons, wouldn't you? I think it's very well thought out. I found a YouTube tutorial by Kristiann, the designer of the pattern. I was so impressed with her tutorial. From my perspective, there wasn't anything she didn't tell us on how to work with shirring. I really enjoyed watching her complete guide on YouTube.

Now, I want to talk about the fabric. Normally, I know exactly what type of fabric I want to use for a project. But this time, it took a while to find the fabric that I wanted. Now that I think about it, my heart was set for a certain type of fabric and color.

But just wait, Fabric Mart keeps having a variety of fabric selections! This fabric, Rayon Crinkle Challis is gorgeous! It drapes beautifully. I love how it flows when I move. It moves with my body!

By the way, have you ever tried their matching thread?

As I was making shirring, I was saying, "Wow! Look at this color of thread! It's the perfect match!" The button for "Add Matching thread" on your cart appears after putting the fabric in your cart. I hope you will give it a try!

While I was searching for the fabric, I decided to play with my new skill that I learned that I am super excited about! This was inspired by Tipstitched a while ago, but I could not figure it out at the time. But I do now with my own twist! I used some of the fabric from Fabric Mart and created inspiration images with the line drawings of the Sofia Pattern in Adobe Illustrator. What do you think?

The scale of the fabric is not accurate, but for me, this is way better than trying to figure it out in my head. I am a visual person. I can understand things better if I see them.

Oh, by the way, I have a question for those of you who have sewn crinkle fabric. I noticed this fabric grew after I cut it. How do I prevent that next time? I have read that fuse interfacing to the horizontal seams before doing anything else AFTER I made the dress, LOL.Would you please share if anyone has tried this method? The area that I saw it grow was on the sleeves and seams on the skirt. I left the sleeves as is, but they have three shirring rows. For me, it's not noticeable. For the skirt, I let it hang on my dress form overnight and trimmed it after I measured with a chalk hem marker.

This pattern is made for the height 5' 7", so I needed to shorten 6" since I am 5' 1". My usual adjustment I do for most of patterns is to shorten 1" from the bodice, another 1" from the sleeves, and then shorten it to my liking. However, when I made the wearable muslin, it came out too short for me. So, I added 1" back in for this dress. For the skirt, I shorten it 2" in three areas. One is at 1/4 length, another one is 1/2 length, and the last one is 3/4 length from the waist. I let my skirt hang on the dress form overnight and took 1" from the hem and also where the fabric grew.

I love this dress! I bought more patterns that have shirring during the Fourth of July sale. I can't wait to sew them.

Y'all have a great weekend!

Happy Sewing!

MEG | @meggisews

Unfortunately Fabric Mart Fabrics sell out quickly!
You can find similar fabrics by shopping the following category: CHALLIS.

Made By A Fabricista: Everything Old is New Again: A Linen Skirt Using an Old(er) Pattern

Hello Sewing Friends! It’s Sharon from Sharon Sews with my last post for 2024! This time I used one of my favorite fabrics, linen. Fabric Mart usually has an excellent selection of linens . I should know as I’ve ordered my fair share over the years. This time I choose a medium-weight 100% linen with a black and white abstract print. When I ordered the fabric, my plan was to use an old Issey Miyake pattern and sew myself an oversized linen coat. But when the fabric arrived it told me it would be happier as a skirt. Your fabric also talks to you, right? I’ve been drawn to the look of satin bias skirts paired with oversized sweaters but knew that skirt style doesn’t work on my body shape. Plus, once the holidays are over a satin skirt would just sit in my closet. But a linen skirt, in a neutral black and white print, could be worn during the winter months with boots and a sweater and easily transition to warm weather with a tee and sand...

Made By A Fabricista: Cozy two piece lounge set with cotton jersey from Fabric Mart.

There is something incredibly nostalgic about old school gym wear. I love the relaxed fits and timeless appeal. It takes me back to my high school gymnasium days. When I stumbled upon this beautiful heather grey cotton jersey knit from Fabric Mart Fabrics, I knew exactly what I wanted to create: a two piece lounge set that would be easy to wear and perfect for the cooler Florida weather we have been having. The Fabric The heather grey cotton lycra jersey knit was perfect. It’s soft, lightweight, and has just the right amount of stretch. The subtle marled texture of the fabric added depth and character, making it an ideal choice for recreating a vintage gym look. The fabric is comfortable and warm enough for our recent cooler temps. It washed and dried beautifully. It’s breathable and easy to work with, a dream for any sewing project. The Pattern I chose McCall’s 4261 Spa Essentials from 2003. ...

Made By A Fabricista: Playing with Classic Silhouettes and Timeless Color Palettes

When it comes to sewing, few things excite me more than reimagining classic designs and breathing new life into timeless patterns. As someone who has been sewing for over 25 years, I thrive on exploring unique details and construction techniques that make each piece feel special. Recently, I found inspiration in a previous look I’d created and decided to take it a step further, crafting a full outfit that plays with volume, texture, and classic styling. See below my dress from 2011 that I drew inspiration from. The Fabric For this project, I chose a Glen Plaid Suiting fabric from Fabric Mart, a timeless yet versatile pattern that instantly elevates any garment. The fabric’s classic black-and-white palette gave me the perfect base to experiment with silhouettes and pairings while keeping the overall look chic and cohesive. I love how this fabric’s pattern gives off an air of sophistication yet lends itself beautifully to bold, modern designs. The Dress For the dress, I used the VikiSew...

Fabric Mart Fabricistas

Search This Blog