Made By A Fabricista: Ghostly School Uniform

When Fabric Mart asked me what fabric I wanted for my first project I knew EXACTLY what I wanted to make, Nene Yashiro from Toilet Bound Hanako kun (a weird but cute anime) but as cute as the design was, I knew I'd need to adjust the colors to a slightly warmer tones to better suit my complexion and undertones.

For the main dress I was so happy to find an off white cotton/Lycra stretch twill that was opaque enough to not need a lining and stretched enough that I could continue avoiding my nemesis; zippers.

I wanted to try out having a seamless center front panel, so I modified one of my existing go-to bodice patterns, and after figuring out what length I wanted for the skirt, was able to have the center front panel incorporated into the center front panel of the skirt. I then had the rest of the bodice as their normal waist length so that I could add an additional panel to the skirt to be able to have enough width to have volume and gather it down evenly around my waist.

The hem has a fun detail of scallops, to accomplish this I had cut my skirt length with an additional 3-4 inches, pinned the excess length to the right side of the fabric, and traced a bowl to get an even scalloped shape. Once it was traced out, I sewed over that line with a simple straight stitch, then with pinking shears trimmed close the the line and flipped each scallop right side out, pressing it smooth, and essentially making a facing in the process! Once the facing was flipped to the back, I did a herring bone stitch by hand so there would be no visible top stitching to finish off the hem.

The original taupe-brown color of the collar and accents is unfortunately not very flattering color on me so I was so happy to find the perfect light mahogany cotton shirting. The collar (as well as the sleeves) was a self drafted pattern specifically for this cosplay and has two sneaky secret pockets to hold my lipstick, that I honestly forgot I included since I had also made larger, more functional pockets on the skirt of the dress using a welted pocket technique that has them been covered by a cover for the pocket to match the ones shown in the characters design. Once the collar was sewn, I hand sewed the neckline of the collar to the neckline of the dress with a quick whip stitch so they wouldn't shift while wearing, and so I couldn't lose the collar as that was my greatest concern.

To finish off the smaller details, I used more of the dress fabric to make fabric buttons on the collar, as well as a cute bow at the center of the collar, and that finished off my Nene Yashiro cosplay! I can't wait to wear this to more events, especially as a comfy and casual cosplay, I know it'll be something I reach for often!

MINA | @cosplaytology

Made By A Fabricista: A Wooly Wearable Blanket.

Twirling in a me-made outfit! I live in a small town where the nearest fabric shop is a road trip away, so I almost exclusively shop for fabric online. Having access to an online shop like Fabric Mart with a solid search engine is incredibly helpful. But by far my favorite aspect of Fabric Mart is what I call the “Drape Picture” included in each listing! This picture gives me all the information I need and I find it more helpful than the exact weight per yard/square meter. Seeing how the fabric falls close or away from the body gives me a clear idea of how it will behave and inspires me to make it into something that will highlight the fabric’s nature. When I saw the drape of this “Baked Plum” wool suiting , I immediately wanted to immortalize those beautiful folds into a skirt! I opted for a simple self-drafted pleated skirt with a deep hem. I wear my dresses year-round and rely on wool skirts that I layer under or over my dresses for warmth. I cut two panels for the front ...

Made By A Fabricista: Which comes first – the fabric or the pattern?

Ah, the age old question garment sewers are often asked – do you choose the pattern first and then look for fabric, or do you buy fabric and then later decide what it will be when it grows up? If you are a sewist with a large fabric stash (like myself), then perhaps you are on Team Fabric. I would say I definitely lean that way, but there are also times when I land somewhere in the middle – I see a fabric and I think, I’ve just seen a pattern and these two would be perfect together! And that’s how gorgeous dusty rose stretch velvet and a recently released cardigan pattern came together to create the newest addition to my wardrobe. And had me improvising a few things along the way. First. I have to admit - I have a stretch velvet problem. I see it pop up on the website and I almost always grab it, especially if I see a sale. It’s not the easiest fabric to sew (it’s slippery as heck!), but I love it so much and I especially love using it in non-traditional ways. In my last blog post, I...

Made By A Fabricista: Simplicity 8847

Hi everyone, this is Byrd with my latest Fabricista make! Is it too early to start thinking about Valentine’s Day? Because this fabric is giving all the heart vibes. With rich red hearts scattered across a dark base, it feels festive without being over-the-top—and completely wearable well beyond February. This time around, the fabric completely stole the show. I used a Dark Navy/Crimson/White Polyester/Lycra Hearts Print Brushed Sweater Knit by a NY Designer , and it was love at first sight. Even though it’s labeled navy, in person it reads more like a deep black base with these beautiful red hearts throughout. When you zoom in, you’ll also spot the designer’s name and a tiny smiley face woven into the print - such a fun, unexpected detail. This fabric immediately spoke my name when I saw it online, and it absolutely lived up to the hype. Before sewing, let’s talk fabric care and prep - because it matters. This sweater knit is wash and dry friendly, which makes it practical for e...

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