Made By A Fabricista: A matching set and a happy error.

 Hi sewing friends! Today I’m sharing a new outfit I made inspired by looks I’ve been seeing pop up in my Facebook and IG feeds a LOT this year. I’m talking about those monochromatic matching top and bottom outfits, sometimes in linen, sometimes in a flowy knit - the ones that advertise they go effortlessly from loungewear to office wear to going out wear. So I decided to “sew the look” using Fabric Mart fabric and a few patterns I already in my massive pattern library.

First, let me share that I have very few solid color pieces in my closet. I’m so taken in by whimsy and geometric prints that this is still a gaping hole in my wardrobe -  a matching solid color set was actually a practical addition for me. 

So let me walk you through how I created this look, and also tip you off to an error I made while cutting that worked out pretty well after all. Can you spot the error? Hint - it’s somewhere in the top:

Here’s how I went about building my matchy match outfit. And here’s another pic, this one the profile view:

First, let’s talk fabric! I spotted this dark rust linen rayon on the website two months ago. It was pretty early to start writing my post back then but as soon as I saw it, I knew I needed to grab a few yards.  I love a linen rayon blend because I find it to be a very affordable user-friendly version of pure linen - it’s still easy to sew and washes well, but has more drape and usually costs less. So I knew it would be perfect for my loungewear/office wear/dinner wear outfit.

For the pants, I used my tried and true magical pattern - the Apostrophe Patterns jogger pattern. I’ve written about this pattern before and if you read that post, you may recall that this pattern is not a static file; it’s a fully customizable pattern generator. You enter in your custom measurements, select your options (loose or form fitting, knit or woven, cuffs/no cuffs, etc) and it generates the pattern exactly to your specs. It does take a few toiles to perfect things like the crotch curve and rise, but once you crack the code, you can make a closet full of pants. This version is loose fitting, no cuffs, with pockets, elastic waist, woven. I love how they turned out -  not your average “joggers”!

For a ready to wear look, I did multiple rows of stitching on the waistband. 

Now let’s turn to the top. For this look, I used the Seamwork Sorbetto woven top, an older pattern that has been updated to have layers and also a newer sleeve option (it was previously only a tank top). And it’s a free pattern too! But this is where I made my error. Notice how my tank has an almost dolman top look, where the shoulders are pretty wide? I accidentally used the bodice pieces for the sleeved version and then did my bias binding before I realized this. So the armholes are pretty wide and the top sits lower on my shoulders. But - I actually really like it! I also cut a few inches off the length to get more of a copped look. 

And it pairs well with more casual bottoms like jeans:

So that, my friends, is the story of my “create the look” outfit with the user error that turned out just fine. The lesson - embrace your mistakes…and make a matchy match outfit! :-)

Happy Sewing!

Andrea  |  @happy.things.here