Made by a Fabricista: A Summer Staple – The Flowy Summer Dress

Hello Everyone! Today I’m sharing my latest summer sewing project. I’ve been wanting a pretty flowy summer dress and once I saw this fabric I knew I had the perfect pattern for it.

When the new summer patterns were released earlier this year, I reviewed them all and made a list of my favorites and hit up JoAnn Fabric during their pattern sale. One of the patterns I picked up was McCall’s 8215. This dress is the perfect summer dress because both views are sleeveless and have a flowy panel skirt. I chose to make view B which has a tank top bodice and the skirt is tea length. Did I mention that the dress has pockets? I don’t know about you, but a dress with pockets is always a win for me. The dress also has a small split in the front.

Initially I cut out the size 16 bodice. I basted the bodice together and once I tried it on, I decided that I could go down a size so I ended up making a size 14. For this very reason is why I usually make a muslin of the patterns I make. I would hate to have made the entire dress just to realize it don’t fit. Been there, done that. Once I decided the bodice fit how I like it, I cut out the skirt the same size.

My favorite way to finish the hem on a knit dress or skirt is by using HeatnBond Soft Stretch Ultra Iron-On Adhesive. I swear by this stuff! Here are the steps I take each and every time.

1. Sew a basting stitch around the hem using the seam allowance you want to your hem to be.

2. Turnover and press the seam allowance using the basting stitch as your guide. Doing so saves you having to measure all round your skirt.

3. You can remove the basting stitch at this point.

4. Press the tape in place and remove the paper and adhesive will now be on your garment.

5. Fold over your hem on the adhesive and press.

I would suggest you do this in sections and also make sure it’s Soft Stretch HeatnBond because there is also regular HeatnBond for wovens and you don’t want to use that on a knit because it does not stretch and your hem will not look good. Been there, done that too.

The fabric I selected to use for my flowy summer dress is this Dark Magenta Rayon/Lycra Jersey Knit. Unfortunately, this color is sold out, but there are other beautiful colors left. I always find that every time I receive fabric from Fabric Mart, the fabric is always more beautiful in person, then it is appears to be online. This was no exception. This fabric is so soft and the drape is amazing. This fabric is a 4 way stretch which is probably why I had to go down a size. McCall’s 8215 calls for a 2 way stretch. Another thing I love about this fabric is that it is not too thin and is perfect for this pattern.

Well, I hope everyone enjoyed my dress as much as I do. If you are looking for a great summer staple, then give McCall’s 8215 a try. Also search for Rayon/Lycra Jersey Knit on the Fabric Mart site or select Jersey Knit from the Fabrics section and you can see all the other colors available.

Until Next time!

JOHANNA | @soveryjo

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

Made By A Fabricista: A Tipsy Martini Transitional Three Piece Look

Hello Sewing Friends! It’s Sharon with Sharon Sews with my latest Fabricista make – a three-piece set I can wear as the weather transitions to fall here in Texas. It may look like a summer outfit but there will days filled with sunshine and high temps well into November. At first glance it looks like a nice, lightweight jacket, top and pants. But look closer – it’s sewn from the designer Tipsy Martini cotton sateen that was originally used by the designer for a pajama set. Now I could have sewn myself a pair of pajamas using the Closet Core Carolyn Pajama pattern (available at Fabric Mart) and replicated the designer pajamas. But if I had gone that route the only ones who would have seen this adorable kitschy fabric would be my family. This print is much too cute to hide out at home. This Tipsy Martini cotton sateen fabric was lovely to sew. I used black thread, an 80/12 universal needle, and Palmer/Pletsch Perfect Fuse Medium interfacing (link here). Note that this is a rayon fu

Made By A Fabricista: Hooray for Cozy Fall Sews!

Greetings, all! I am in such high spirits with the best-of-all-seasons just beginning and change is finally in the air. I always rejoice when the sweatiest time of the year passes and we can all take a deep breath and gear up for cozier times. Neighborhood Patterns is a new-to-me designer, and I came across them on Instagram in late summer and fell in love with the Plain Jane Skirt. This is such a simple A-line skirt, but with nice details like large inseam pockets and an optional drawstring, and though I’m sure I could draft this style myself, the appeal of having it all done for me was too tempting to pass up. A sew such as this is a lovely palate-cleanser and this was the first project I sewed after returning from a cross-country trip. Perfect! The gorgeous plaid flannel is exactly what I want to be wearing in the fall. The fabric is SO soft and a pleasure to snuggle up in. Because flannel does not have much body and is prone to stretching or shifting with all its mechanical give,

Made By A Fabricista: Quilted Jacket Chronicle

What do you get when mixing the best things about apparel sewing and machine quilting? A quilted jacket! It's funny that I elected to sew myself a quilted jacket for this Fabricista blog because I don't consider myself much of a quilter. I can count on my hands the number of quilted projects I've made over the last few years. While I fully appreciate the end product of quilting, I don't normally gravitate toward starting quilting projects. That's why making a quilted jacket is a new and exciting project for me! It gives me the fun of making a quilt on a much smaller scale. If you are an avid apparel sewist and are new to quilting, this is the perfect project to take for a quilting test drive! For my quilted jacket, I used the Seamwork Easton Jacket pattern. I decided to stick with a solid-colored fabric for the jacket's exterior and ordered 4 yards of Dark Umber Brown Lycra Stretch Canvas Suiting from the Fabric Mart website. I wanted a contrasting color for the

Fabric Mart Fabricistas

Search This Blog