Skip to main content

Made By A Fabricista: Tennis Apparel Chic

Image
By

  Hi everyone! I’m back again joining you today with another blog. As of lately, I have been participating in various physical activities to improve my health such as: running, Pilates, strength training, etc. I love wearing spunky/cute workout wear, because we still want to be fashionable at the gym right?! It dawned on me that I have never made any activewear, so I decided to give it a try. 

This year it feels like tennis outfits/skirt & pickleball outfits have been all the rage. I have recently seen them in all of the major stores. Not only are they adorable to wear, but they are multifunctional (at least in my eyes). You can of course play tennis/pickle ball in them, workout in them, or just have an everyday wear in them. 

For this outfit, I did not use a commercial pattern. For the skirt pattern, I had an old pleated skirt that I got the measurements from & created the pattern from that. When freelancing a pattern, it’s always important that you add seam allowance & you measure thoroughly so that you do not make mistakes. 

For the shirt, I created the pattern using an old shirt that I had. I traced around the shirt using a tracing wheel & some construction paper to mark around it. Once everything was outlined onto the paper, I graded the lines & made sure all the curves & measurements were properly done before cutting out. 

The hardest thing about making this garment was actually creating the pattern. I searched high & low for a sewing pattern that was already made to look similar. I couldn’t find one anywhere. The actual fabric from Fabric Mart was extremely easy to work with & it was the most beautiful pattern. For activewear I tend to wear more neutrals, but this was too gorgeous to pass up! The best thing about active wear/stretch material is that it is very giving; meaning, if you mess up there is an easier solution than if you messed up sewing with a woven material. 

I absolutely loved the final results. While this was my first time making activewear, I felt the outfit was very true to me. I can honestly say that I can see myself wearing this around a lot.  Initially when I was creating this outfit I went for a different silhouette & styled dress & I’m sure glad that it didn’t work out with the other garment, because I am thrilled with this one. 

MACY  | @macycamile

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

Comments

  1. AnonymousJuly 12, 2024 at 3:37 PM

    Your skirt is wonderful, I love the classic pleats.

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousJuly 13, 2024 at 11:45 AM

    You did a fabulous job drafting and creating this look. This would be cute in solids too, but the fabric is a stunner! It takes it over the top. Thanks for the inspiration!

    ReplyDelete
  3. RJuly 16, 2024 at 7:34 AM

    Very stylish Macy. Amazing that you drafted the pattern yourself! Terrific fabric choice too.

    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.

Recent Posts You Might Like

Made By A Fabricista: A Fresh Take on a Classic Shirt Dress

By
Summer has arrived! That means longer days, soaring temps, and the perfect excuse for me to add another linen garment to my wardrobe.  Lightweight linen and summer weather just go together, don’t you agree? That’s why I choose this striped linen for my next Fabricista make. Hello Sewing Friends! It’s Sharon from Sharon Sews ready to share my summer dress with you.  The tiny blue and white stripes combined with navy buttons give it a bit of coastal charm, while the details make it anything but a traditional shirt dress.  The fabric is a Ralph Lauren 100% shirt weight linen. The stripes are so small that from a distance the fabric almost looks like a solid color. One advantage of those small stripes is that I didn’t worry about whether they matched as I would have with a wider stripe :-)  The pattern I choose is McCall’s 8556, a shirtdress that, instead of a typical straight silhouette, has a gathered bodice, a fitted waistband that sits just above the waist, short, c...
3 comments
Continue Reading »

Made By A Fabricista: Mechanic Chic!

By
When it comes to buying ready-to-wear garments as a sewist, I only ever spend in three categories: heavy duty winter jackets (life in Maine!), bras… and jumpsuits! I love a good jumpsuit, but unfortunately the ones I used to buy have been impacted by the tariff situation and I can’t get them affordably anymore. This can only mean one thing, folks: it’s time to roll up my sleeves and sew my very first jumpsuit!  When I started planning for this project, I knew I wanted to use a heavyweight linen for cozy comfort in the fall and breathability in the summer. I wanted something that would wear beautifully and soften with age, and something with neutral tones that could go with everything. Naturally, when I came across this 100% linen canvas on Fabric Mart, my heart skipped a beat! I love the ikat-inspired geometry and something about it reminds me of leopard spots too. Bold yet wearable! I am pretty sure this fabric was intended for home decor which I don’t mind at all and in fact of...
3 comments
Continue Reading »

Made By A Fabricista: Tried and true summer basics that fit.

By
Happy Summer Friends! As I am writing this, we are headed into a nasty heat wave…so the timing could not be better to share two of my favorite summer patterns and fabrics.  But first, let me tell you about the fail I had heading into this month’s blog… As Fabricista’s, we get to pick out fabric for each of our blog submissions. I fell in love with this gorgeous lilac jacquard knit that I thought would be perfect for a pop of color in my summer wardrobe. But I made a fatal error - I grabbed a pattern I haven’t made for years, quickly went up one size to account for a few new pounds, and sewed them up. And they don’t fit, will NEVER fit, and will never be worn. Sigh…when will I learn?? Here’s a flat lay pic so we can at least look at the lovely fabric: The lesson I learned (relearned!) is that just like with off the rack clothes, the things that worked well for me years ago don’t work well for me today.  And that’s the case with both tops and bottoms. So I went back to two patt...
Post a Comment
Continue Reading »

Made By A Fabricista: Art In Motion

By
Hello Sewing Friends! It’s Tira from TIRACOOKS and I am so excited to share this project with you. When I first spotted this fabric, I was drawn in by how stunning it looked it reminded me of a living art piece. Then, when I looked closer, I noticed painted hanging plants in the print, which made it even more special. This fabric is one of my all-time favorites: chiffon. It cuts so smoothly, and the best part? Any wrinkles come out effortlessly with a steamer. Before cutting into anything, fabric prep is essential! Chiffon must be prewashed by hand in cold water with a gentle detergent or baby shampoo. Always serge or zigzag stitch the raw edges to prevent fraying. Submerge and gently swirl the fabric to wash never wring or twist it then air dry flat. I used a 70/10 needle in my Juki DDL, which is perfect for lightweight fabrics, alongside my Juki overlock machine. Look One: The Duster & Dress I was lucky enough to create two completely separate outfits from this fabric. The first...
2 comments
Continue Reading »