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 a front button placket I installed a separating metal zipper. I redrafted the sleeves to make the barrel shape like in the reference image. It's a two piece sleeve by adding fullness and a dart to the upper sleeve.

The fabric used was perfect, it was able to hold shape well and gave it this really nice finish. I love the distressed wash of the fabric. It even paired well with my Bestie Bag that I made a few months ago using some Camo I got from the Fabric Mart site. I wore my look out while visiting St. Louis, MO. The Gateway Arch is a national monument and created the perfect backdrop.

JASMINE | @sewmuchjazz

Made By A Fabricista: Three Methods to Explore Colorblocking

Hey sewing friends! As I pondered what sort of plan to tackle for my next wintry project, a new and glorious array of rainbow Polartec fabrics filled the Fabric Mart site. I’ve enjoyed sewing with this brand’s fabrics for many years now, and I’m all too happy to add some more to my wardrobe. I picked two of my favorite types, the Power Air Grid Double Knit and the Power Grid Fleece. Choosing a few colors in matching weights to combine them into something totally me sounded perfect. Look at this stunning heap! When I’m sewing two different fabrics together, I prefer to use the same weight and type so that they behave similarly and hang well together. Any extra piecing like this also creates topstitching opportunities galore! (You already know I’m all about that available thread matching.) In this case, I opted for three colors in each of the two fabric varieties I mentioned above for the best combining results. I figured I’d dive in with a brief overview of how y...

Made By A Fabricista: Coat Sewing Chronicles

Sewing a coat is not for the faint of heart, or for the sewist looking for a light project. It is possibly the slowest form of apparel sewing that exists. If you’ve made a coat, chances are, you know what I mean. No matter what you do, you can’t rush through it, you can’t skip steps or cut corners, you just have to roll with the punches. One minute you’re flying through assembly thinking “I’ll be finished soon,” and the next you’re running away from your sewing room because you need space. Are you guaranteed to end up with a bespoke wonder in your coat closet, most definitely! But heed my warning, if you are looking for a quick win, it is not a coat! My coat sewing chronicles began around Christmas when I fell in love with a black-and-white basketweave wool-coating fabric on the Fabric Mart website. I quickly placed an order for 3.75 yards to finally make the Seamwork Bay coat I’ve been dreaming of making for a while. In addition to my Fabric Mart wool, I also ordered Kasha Satin...

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