Skip to main content

Made By A Fabricista: Learning to pick my battles.

Hi! By the time this is posted on the blog, I may already have a newborn in my arms! This blog post and project have been some of the hardest for me to get done. I wanted to do them way in advance but ended up working on them at 38 weeks pregnant. Talk about pressure! I am usually very organized, but this time I’ve had to learn to pick my battles. So let me share the whole story.

First battle: fabric and pattern choice. I first saw this beautiful heathered brushed sweater fabric in one of Julie’s videos on Fabric Mart’s Instagram. They looked so soft and light I thought I probably could use them even in the – almost inexistent – Floridian Fall and Winter. I waited about ten days to order them, knowing full well that they would have discounts at some point! And sure enough, they got into one of the excellent 65% off deals! While waiting for the right time to order the fabric, I looked for the project and pattern I would use these for and found this nursing sweater/dress by Lulu Ferris. Like many other nursing garments, this dress has an external flap that gives easy access to the breast. I would say that, all in all, this first battle was a win!


Second battle: color choice. With the discount, I had enough budget to make two versions of the same pattern. So, I ordered two “different” colors, thinking of making two garments in a Fall palette. Unfortunately, the “Dusty Rose” and the “Strawberry Red” look very similar in person. There were so many other options (shades of blue, yellow, and black, among others), so the mistake was entirely on me. Also, I should have trusted my instincts and chosen a bolder color than Dusty Rose. Brighter colors are my thing! So I must say this battle was a big failure on my end! 

Third battle: drape and elasticity. On the one hand, this fabric is super soft, thin, and elastic. Wonderful! On the other hand, it easily bends and gets distorted at the seams. Thankfully, I had watched Julie’s video and followed her recommendations on using stay tape. But my pregnant brain got the better of me. I forgot to put the stay tape on a couple of hems in the inside piece (the one under the flap). I realized it when the dress was already finished! So I would say this battle between the fabric and me was a tie!

Fourth battle: cutting. This was an easy win! I usually cut my patterns on the floor, but this time my flexibility was limited by my belly. I used my kitchen island instead (I will do that again in the future!) Another helpful thing was placing my pattern pieces on the fabric exactly as in the instructions. It may seem like a basic thing to do, but I tend to want to freestyle too much. Following instructions instead of wanting to save every inch of fabric certainly avoided some headaches!

Fifth battle: pattern versions. As I mentioned, I wanted to do two versions of this pattern. One was this dress (the one I ended up doing) and the other was a more sporty/casual hoodie. But seeing how similar the two fabrics were, I started doubting. Also, for the hoodie, I would choose a fuller or heavier sweater fabric. I will admit my failure on this one.

I was going to add a sixth battle but decided to mention it as an anecdote: making a post-partum dress and trying to know if it will fit, while being 38 weeks pregnant, is not an easy feat. I have never liked my body more than now, with all its “roundness.” Still, I wish this dress looked better on me at this moment! It is hard to picture my measurements once the belly is gone. So I kept the “Dusty Rose” fabric to make a second dress like this, once I know my post-partum size. 

In all, we have two wins, two fails, and one tie. I believe your vote can help tip the scale to one side or the other! What do you think? Is this project a win? Thanks for reading!

INES  @bynunis


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

Comments

  1. The dress is beautiful and so are you. Best wishes

    ReplyDelete
  2. Very pretty dress that should look great for a long time as your body returns to a pre-pregnancy state.

    ReplyDelete
  3. You are much too hard on yourself. Every inch of this dress is beautiful. Great fabric and pattern match, and both colors are lovely. Happy baby day!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Great dress! Would love to make for my daughter in law. Where can we find this pattern?

    ReplyDelete
  5. Well this dress just proves what a great mom you will be!!! Your patience really paid off- it is lovely!!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Absolutely gorgeous!! Both you and the dress!! It's definitely a win!! Very well done! Sending best wishes for an easy delivery and congratulations on welcoming your little one to the world!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Love your make and you look beautiful in it! I wish I had noticed this fabric it looks so soft & comfy. Many blessings with your new baby!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Lovely construction and proportion, best wishes!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Congratulations on the upcoming baby. I think your make is a winner. Your fabric choice is fantastic. I love the color and it looks snuggley warm. I think a hoodie would work with the dusty rose color.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Definitivamente eres una "ganadora" Ines querida, cada batalla ha sido un tremendo aprendizaje y te preparó, con esa dosis de paciencia, a esta nueva etapa que vives junto a Vera. Me encantó el post, Congrats.

    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: Did someone say FREE??? All about Free Sewing Patterns

Hi sewing friends! I am SEW excited to share this blog post with you today! This is my fifth post with Fabric Mart since I did a guest post late last year and then joined the blogging team in 2024 but I would say this is the post that 1) I worked the hardest to create, and 2) the one that has me the most excited! Today I am going to talk about FREE sewing patterns, showcase a few free patterns I’ve sewn, and then share some very exciting news at the end of this post about an upcoming! First, let’s talk about free patterns – where they come from, why they exist, and how you can find them. But first, here’s a recent free pattern I sewed. This is the Finn Crop Tee from Petite Stitchery . I used an ITY (Interlock Twist Yarn) for this one and I was able to squeeze it out a yard of a fabric. ITY is one of my favorite fabrics to dress up a t-shirt and it wears well across all seasons. And Fabric Mart gets the most AMAZING designer deadstock designs you will ever see! Petite Stitchery offers...

Made By A Fabricista: Fall is here!

Fall is here, and I have been in a coat/cape mood lately! I have a few that I plan to make, however, this pattern was not in the plans. It was in my stash, but it wasn’t on my “must make” list. I wanted to make a coordinating set but I thought it might be a little too much with this print. Now, I absolutely love animal prints, don’t get me wrong. I am a sucker for them! When I saw this jacquard double knit I had to have it. Instead, I decided to make an easy, comfortable cape that I can wear casually or dressed up. This pattern and fabric were perfect! The pattern I chose to make is McCall’s 8029. This cape has three designs that you can choose from. I chose to make view C. View C has a hood. All three views have a neck and front facing and a belt/tie. Now, if you are wanting to make a cape but would like something on the easy side, this is your cape! I didn’t realize just how easy this was prior to getting started. This cape has minimal sewing. It doesn’t even require a hem. Which, w...

Made by a Fabricista: Structure

Hi everyone!  I can’t believe the year is nearly wrapping up already and this is my last post for 2024! You may have noticed but the barrel silhouette has been very much in right now from pants to sleeves.  To be honest I was a little bit hesitant about hopping on to the trend.  One I was not sure if the proportions would work for my body also I considered would this be a long lasting trend to keep incorporated in my closet?  But after a few seasons the barrel seems to stay in many variations, I think exaggerated proportions are such a thing now.  I saw this Cult Gaia x Gap denim dress collab with the barrel sleeves and wanted to remake it.  When I saw this brown distressed denim twill I knew it was perfect.  I had been debating between making cargo pants but I wanted to try to do something different and went for the dress once I saw the inspiration.   I used McCall’s pattern 8139 as my base with the following modifications.  Instead of...