Skip to main content

Made By A Fabricista: An Outfit for First Snow

We had a marvellous autumn in western Canada with warm dry days and just a couple of hints of frost. When I was perusing Fabric Mart Fabric's site in October, I was tempted to focus on pretty florals for blouses or dresses but part of me knew that ... (da dah dum ... ) winter is coming. Fortunately, Fabric Mart was stocked with a huge selection of fabrics that are perfect for winter or holiday sewing.

Over the past several months I've been planning my sewing projects so I have pieces that work together. To stick with that theme, I decided to pick a print fabric for a top, and a solid for pants, using navy as the neutral.

Pants

For the pants, I selected Navy Poly/Nylon/Spandex Stretch Corduroy. This fine 14-wale corduroy is warm enough to wear outdoors but will be especially comfortable indoors. It also has a bit of drape which makes it nice for trousers. And who doesn't want some stretch? 

I selected Vogue 9181 (Custom-Fit Bootcut Pants) because it is designed for stretch woven fabrics, it has bootcut legs and a front mock zip. For the past several months I've been working on the Top Down Center Out fitting method for pants and this pattern, with its shaped waistband, works especially well when attempting this fitting method. I first made a half-toile using muslin, then marked up the pattern and cut out the corduroy. The fabric was really easy to cut and sew. It does shed a bit but not nearly as much as cotton corduroy. I used a stretch needle and sewed the seams on my sewing machine, then serged the seam allowances. 

I made two mistakes when sewing the pants and both were simply the result of a lack of experience working with corduroy. First, I neglected to sew a test buttonhole on scrap fabric. That resulted in a good hour of unpicking after I made the same mistake twice! The second error is more embarrassing but I know I'm not the first nor will I be the last to do this. When I cut out the cord I didn't even think about the nap of the fabric. So my finished pants have the nap going up on the front and down on the back. It makes a difference! I'm hoping that no one will notice and if they do, they're looking too closely.

These pants are super comfortable. I like the drape with the boot-cut shape. 

Top

The second part of my outfit is a loose-fitting turtleneck that is perfect for winter weather. 

Fabric Mart had a number of fun holiday print fabrics and I just couldn't resist this brushed sweater knit with Christmas trees and cabins in non-traditional colours. (Pro Tip - buy it when you see it, even if it's off-season!) I think this print will be wearable throughout the winter, not just over the holiday period. This sweater knit is a poly/lycra blend and the stitches are very fine so it feels like a jersey. It has a lovely drape and feels cosy but not too warm. 



I went back to a favourite pattern, the Jalie Emelie. This free, downloadable pattern has sizes for everyone from toddlers to adults 2XL. It's oversized with dropped shoulders and a turtleneck collar. I've used this pattern several times and love it because it's such a fast make and is a great shape for wearing over tights or pants. The only change I make when sewing this top is to slightly alter the shape of the collar so it's more loose fitting around the neck. Instead of cutting a tube, I cut a D shape neck piece and that allows the top of the turtleneck to open up a bit. One note about sizing, the sleeves are slim fitting and I recommend measuring the sleeve pieces before cutting. 

I know I'll get lots of wear out of both of these pieces. As you can see, winter has already arrived in western Canada so the timing was perfect! 


This is my last Fabric Mart Fabricista post and I sincerely thank everyone at Fabric Mart for their generosity and for being such a great team to work with. And for always having something that I must have. 

Happy Holidays, everyone!

JANINE  | @janineerm   

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

Comments

  1. Great makes. You are right, I regret not getting the navy cord. I made a very similar shirt with the same fabric this week. It is definitely winter themed and I made a matching hat as well.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Love your new pieces. They look very comfy and warm. I haven't sewn with corduroy in years. I mostly made overalls for my babies but occasionally made something for me too. It is a very versatile fabric because depending on the type it can be very casual or even dressy but always warm. Best holiday wishes to you and your family.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Lovely combination!

    ReplyDelete
  4. No small Feat! Corduroy, Velvet, Satin are all waiting for us to slip up. Your outfit is lovely and well fitting and nothing is better than purposeful well fitting clothes. Great job and good timing!

    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: 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...