Made By A Fabricista: Summer Stretch Knits & Performance Wear

Hello Gems! Although Summer hasn't officially started, I think the weather speaks for itself. My wardrobe is officially declaring Summer and embracing comfortable easy wear vibes. So of course, my closet wouldn't be complete without Summer stretch knit pieces.

For Fabric Mart's June Fabricista Feature I'm sharing two stretch knit looks that I can get into this Summer. From outdoor activities to Summer hot girl looks. I definitely have to have options.

My first look is an Athleisure wear look! I used Fabric Mart activewear/performance fabric in a yellow tie dye print to pull off this look. This was my first experience creating athletic wear and I love the way it turned out. I used a Simplicity Pattern 8392 for the top and bottom. I adjusted the top and added a thicker bottom band and side vents in the lining so that I can add bra cups to the inside for extra support.

This fabric gives great stretch and recovery. I was most concerned with the translucency of the fabric after the garment was made. This can be a common issue with activewear fabrics when you're trying not to bare it all, but it definitely held up on the opaque test on its own.

A big part of athletic wear are the seam finishings and topstitching. I used a similar setting on my Bernina 590 to get a similar effect at the seams and the top stitching at the side pocket. This is a step you don't want to miss when creating athletic wear. It gives a more professional look and it also adds strength to your seams so your activewear lasts longer through all your activities. I also created a simple cropped mesh T shirt to pair as a cover up option for this look.

For my second look, I chose an ITY stretch knit in Leo print. This is a 4 way stretch fabric. Its very drapey and has great coverage. This type of fabric makes comfortable knit wear for anytime of the year.

I used McCall's 8649 pattern for the skirt and constructed an easy wrap top to pair with it. I'm not a big fan of elastic waistbands but the way this knit skirt pattern is constructed, the elastic waistband is covered giving you a flat yoke and a smooth front band too. The skirt gives fluid movement and wearing ease which is always a plus.

I used a basic cropped T shirt pattern by Simplicity 8301 to make my top. I sliced the front bodice down the middle and extended the sides measuring from the middle of the bust and across to the opposite side. I created ties to add to the ends and left an opening in one side seam to feed the ties through.

Love the final touches on this look and the chic comfortable vibes it gives. I used Mettler elastic thread on both of my looks which helped me stitch this stretch knit with ease.

Until Next Time

MARCIA | @keechiibstyle

Unfortunately Fabric Mart Fabrics sell out quickly!
You can find similar fabrics by shopping the following categories: ACTIVEWEAR & ITY KNITS.

Made By A Fabricista: Revisiting a Pattern After Five Years

Have you ever used a sewing pattern and then immediately vowed never to sew it again? Well, I have. It all began in the spring of 2020 at the start of the pandemic lockdown. I tackled sewing projects that were more challenging to help me grow as a seamstress. There was one pattern in particular that almost did me in, the Seamwork Penny shirt dress. The Penny dress pattern has a classic button-up dress shirt style bodice with a gathered skirt and pockets. It is a beautiful take on a shirt dress, and my sister and I loved it. The only downside is that it was recommended for intermediate-level sewists and I was only an adventurous beginner back then. I think I had only ever made one button-up shirt before attempting this Penny Dress and it didn’t even have a collar! Despite all of this, I thought “Why not try it, what’s the worst that can happen?” Thankfully the worst didn’t happen, and the dress turned out surprisingly wearable, but I had some intense frustration at the end. I...

Made By A Fabricista: A Simple Frock for Spring

Hello friends! I’m really into sewing and wearing tent dresses at the moment. A tent dress is basically a wide A-line style gown. For this month’s project, I’ve opted to try out The Assembly Line’s Square Neck Dress. This style is a little avant-garde in its enormity and shape, and boasts the squared neckline it’s named after, plus some cute hem side slits. All that volume is fun to move around in, plus there’s loads of air circulation which is cooling. This dress’s main feature–its wide and high squared neckline–really piqued my interest recently, and I added it to my Make Nine plans for 2025. I find it so satisfying to check off those boxes as I sew! This beautiful shirtweight linen is a color I simply adore; a muted medium blue. Stormy skies, worn-in denim, and ocean waves all come to mind, and that is exactly what I want to be all wrapped up in. While I think a wild or large print would be amazingly on display in this big canvas of a dress, I also thought that a subtle ...

Made By A Fabricista: Bold Aspen Dress for Spring

As I write this in mid-April, central New Jersey weather is showing small signs of spring. My neighbor’s daffodils are blooming and our magnolia tree is trying to unfold its vibrant magenta petals. I am in the midst of preparing my wardrobe for the warmer months, even if we are still huddling against windy 30 degree days. For me, warm weather means linen. I love breathable, floaty linen sundresses and drapey, loose linen wide-leg pants. My vision for a spring piece was something bold and bright, inspired by the natural colors of blooming flowers, but also something that could transition well between the warmer and cooler months. When I saw Fabric Godmother’s Apsen Dress, I knew that it had the sensible transitional opportunities I was looking for while also providing a blank canvas for fun prints, patterns and colors. With the pattern in mind, I then turned to the stunning linen collection that Fabric Mart always has on hand to see what colors or patterns would best suit my visio...

Fabric Mart Fabricistas

Search This Blog