Skip to main content

Made by a Fabricista: Summer DIY Print Mixing

Hello Gems! It's still summer and it's a hot one! I'm not a shorts and t-shirts type of gal, as you all may know by now. That is, unless the occasion calls for it of course! I'm more of a casual chic, flirty two piece, with a little bohemian vibe on top type of gal! So you can find me beating the heat in these last days of summer in this cool and comfy backless tiered flounce sundress. Oh, and let's not forget the puff sleeves! 

This whole vibe sums up the summer! And nothing says it better than zebra and tribal print! I coordinated the rayon rugged Tribal print crinkle challis with this rayon zebra print challis. These two prints look absolutely amazing together. They are both very drapey fluid fabrics that fair well as summer garments. They are breathable and feel so light and cool against the skin. Challis fabrics make great flounce and it's not too light weight that you have to line it.

I absolutely adore both of these prints. Zebra print is one of those prints that acts like a neutral and goes with just about anything. Its sexy, its cool and it's a classic! Tribal print on the other hand displays beautiful intricate designs, with deep undertones and is grounded in culture and nature. I love a good Tribal print, it speaks to my Native Indian heritage. Together these two prints make a dynamic duo that play off each other.

I used McCalls Pattern 8087 to construct the bodice of this pattern and utilized McCalls 8150 skirt pattern to bring together the bottom portion of this piece. As with many of my makes I like to do mash ups.They always make for interesting pieces once I bring them together! However, the same can be said for a one piece made into separates. Just sayin...😁💋


For the bodice, I did make a few changes for fit and style. I left a lengthy amount of fabric at the shoulder of the bodice that makes an interesting drapey ruffle at the shoulder where the straps connect to the bodice pieces. I added a side strap that ties at the center back. This brings more support and coverage to the bust area. The double straps at the top ties at the neck. These straps are the only support up top so you want to make sure they are strategically placed and well secured.

I created the skirt then brought the waist to meet the bottom of the top and added a ¾ inch elastic waist. The hems of the skirt were left raw. I added No fray to prevent the hem from raveling. I originally planned to turn the hems under ¼ inch however, after starting that I quickly realized that I preferred the raw edges on this one. It's much more organic and adds to the character of this piece. 

The detached puff sleeve was made free hand and I left a generous amount ruffle at the top end and turned under bottom end with ¾ inch elastic. I created one of each coordinating fabric! Dress can be worn with or without sleeve. I definitely prefer it with the sleeve though. It adds an interesting element to the look that's very appealing.

This is one of the rare pieces that I planned out ahead of time and sketched before I created it. Usually, I have a look in my head and execute the look off an idea in my head. There is a lot of deviation from the original idea when I work this way. The outcome is usually a surprise yet close to the idea I had. I must say based on my original sketch this project came out exactly like I planned. 

I love the feel of this fabric and this look! It was the perfect medium of fabric for a summer project such as this! It's truly a liberating, feel good piece! I only hope to be able to wear it a few more times before Fall sets in.

Until Next time!

💋MARCIA  @keechiibstyle 


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

Comments

  1. This is a beautiful dress. Great job!

    ReplyDelete
  2. WOW! You are so very creative. The sleeves are what make this outfit. I love them! The dress as you have explained it makes perfect sense in the way it comes together. Just WOW!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Love your creation and style. I could see putting both sleeves on one arm just because you can!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Absolutely stunning! I so admire your spot-on selection of patterning and fabric. A work of art!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Fantastic! Enjoy the heat in that beautiful dress.

    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: Why I Love Sewing Woven Fabrics Over Knits

Sewing is a creative hobby that allows me to express my unique style while adding a personal touch to my wardrobe. When it comes to choosing between wovens and knits I will mostly always choose woven. There are a lot of reasons I choose wovens as my go-to choice. The project I chose for this Fabric Mart make is from Friday Pattern Company’s Patina Blouse .  I used a gorgeous lightweight rayon .  It’s delicate hand is the perfect blouse weight and it drapes beautifully with this pattern. In this blog post, l'll explore the advantages of sewing woven blouses over knit shirts, highlighting the creativity, versatility, and satisfaction that come with this choice.  The Joy of Creativity Sewing a woven blouse offers a chance for my creativity to flourish. Woven fabrics come in a wide array of colors, patterns, and textures, allowing me to unleash my artistic potential. With knits, the stretch and drape of the fabric often limit my design options. In contrast, woven fabrics give me the fr

Fabricista Guest Post: Perfectly Imperfect

Hey Sewing Friends!! I’m super excited to be a guest Fabricista. I’ve been a fan of Fabric Mart since I began sewing again in 2020. Let me begin with an introduction. I’m Eras, and my Instagram account is sewing_andmore. During the day, I work as a Nurse Practitioner, and I  first learned to sew in my local 4-H club when I was in middle school.  At that time, I had an amazing sewing instructor, Mrs. McKinney, who was extremely patient and was by my side for every step. However, in 2020, the stress of being a Nurse Practitioner during the pandemic made me turn to sewing for my mental health. I started out sewing and creating masks, and I immediately saw a change in my mood. I’m so glad I dusted off my old sewing machine, and I haven’t stopped! After seeing the rush of adrenaline and satisfaction sewing provided, I started making clothes. When I no longer needed fat-quarters, I started looking for online fabric stores. It was during this time that I discovered Fabric Mart and their great

Made By A Fabricista: Skipping Winter - Tailored Outfits in Twill & Shirting for Spring

Hi Fabric Mart fans! I hope everyone had a fabulous Thanksgiving! This month, while perusing the Fabric Mart collection, I was drawn to cotton twill fabrics. My son, who's growing like a weed, is always in need of new pants! I could easily have made him multiple pairs of pants, however I was also drawn to a bright blue stretch twill for me. I just can't resist a bold color on a jacket, and this blue was calling my name! I hope you love these outfits as much as I do! Since I planned to make pants for my son, I knew I'd need to make a button-down shirt as well. Fabric Mart had a range of fabulous cotton shirtings and it was hard to land on just one, but I eventually picked this royal blue gingham which pairs perfectly with the tan twill pants. When it comes to woven patterns for boys, I can never go past Oliver+S. I've made their dress shirts so many times now - the finishes are always lovely, and always so worth the time and effort. I used the Buttoned-Up Button-Down Shi