Made By A Fabricista: Two In Blue

Everywhere I look while writing this, I see blue. Blue walls, blue flowers, blue fabric, and blue clothes. I’m not ashamed to admit that I have a deep affection for blue hues, and no amount of blue is too much. It’s no surprise that I recently fell in love with two new blue fabrics on the Fabric Mart website that I simply had to have!

The first blue-hued fabric I ordered was a cobalt, 100% cotton, double border, embroidered, geometric eyelet voile. I loved the geometric pattern of the embroidered eyelet and envisioned a fun summer blouse featuring the eyelet border at the hem of the shirt and sleeves.

The second blue-hued fabric I found was a slate blue 100% cotton retro floral print canvas fabric. I loved the bright white blooms on a slate blue background. I pictured a pair of fun shorts, but I wasn’t sure which pattern to use, so I ordered two yards.

As soon as my fabric arrived, I started making the cobalt blouse, knowing I needed more time to think about what to make with the other fabric. The Seamwork Sage Top Bonus pattern fit my blouse vision perfectly. The Sage Bonus pattern is a fitted button-down top with princess seams, lined center front and back panels, and short sleeves.

Due to the see-through nature of eyelet fabric, I decided to line all of the bodice pieces except for the sleeves. I used a lightweight ecru cotton voile from my stash, which was purchased from Fabric Mart’s retail store years ago. It was the perfect lining to add modesty to the cobalt voile without adding bulk. I envisioned the border hem without lining behind it, so I cut my lining pieces about 2 inches shorter than the main pieces. The lining pieces were finished with my serger to prevent the lining fabric from fraying. I finished the top with five cobalt buttons from my vintage button stash.

After completing my cobalt button-down, I still had the seamstress equivalent of writer's block, unsure of what to make with my second blue-hued fabric. Not knowing where to turn for the perfect shorts pattern, I reached out to the sewing community in the Facebook Group Modern Sewist to gather ideas of what shorts patterns were well-loved and highly recommended. I’m so glad I did this, because I received many helpful responses and pattern suggestions which helped me decide what to make. If you’ve never been part of a sewing group on Facebook, it is worthwhile to join one. I can’t describe the amount of inspiration and fun being a member of a sewing group will add to your Facebook feed and sewing life.

After reading all of the comments and reviewing the suggested patterns, I landed on the True Bias Emerson Pants & Shorts. This pattern features a lovely elasticized back waist, stylish front pleats, and side pockets. Before cutting into my beautiful canvas fabric, I made a muslin of the shorts in a size 8 based on my body measurements. I followed the pattern exactly and used the recommended seam allowance. When I went to try on my muslin, I couldn’t slide the shorts over my hips! I decided then and there that I needed to size up and make a size 10. The amount of ease built into this pattern is less than that of other woven bottom patterns.

Instead of making another muslin in size 10, I cut my canvas and hoped for the best. As it turned out, the size 10 was perfect. I made the high-rise view D version of the shorts. The shorts were just as I envisioned, from the pleats to the floral print fabric, they are structured and fun. I’m excited to wear these shorts all summer long.

Whether blue fabric is part of your go-to color scheme or blue is a new hue for you, Fabric Mart is the perfect place to stock up on blue fabric for summer sewing. I hope my two in blue have inspired you to start adding shades of blue to your handmade wardrobe!

SHAINA | @shaina_sews

Made By A Fabricista: Basics vs Fun Clothes

Every summer I make flowy, pretty dresses because they are so fun for me to make, wear, and they keep me cool as temperatures rise. But when the days get shorter and autumn rolls around, I’m not always confident on how best to transition my summery dresses into garments that will allow for the seasonal changes. In an effort to be more intentional about maximizing the use of my clothing, I thought long and hard about what I wanted to make for August. It’s been a hot summer in New Jersey. From what I can see, it’s been a hot summer across the US. Looking for clothing that will keep me cool, perhaps hide some sweat stains, and allow me to transition between seasons, I decided to make separates that would pair well with each other and allow me to mix and match with the rest of my wardrobe. For the top, I wanted a basic tank top, something I could layer later on. For the bottoms, I wanted flowy, summery pants that can last into brisker weather or become phenomenally cozy in front of my wint...

Made By A Fabricista: Sewing Summery ITY

Hi sewing friends! I’m dropping in to share a few makes sewn with ITY fabrics and inspire you to try out this slinky, cool-to-the-touch fabric for hot weather if you haven’t yet, or to recommend some patterns that work fabulously if you already love it. This is by far my favorite knit to wear in summer. Since it moves easily there’s lots of airflow, and it just skims the body. More often than not, it has a four-way stretch that doesn’t grow when worn, so it works great for loads of styles. ITY stands for Interlock Twist Yarn and the knit gives it some wonderful drape and stretch. There are lots of different weights and even some differing textures. Because it’s so fluid, the fabric really resists most wrinkling. I’ve sewn three different weights and prints here to show off just what ITY can do! This white floral is a lighter weight and features a slightly crepe-textured finish, and I think that combined with the large and spread-out floral makes it quite elegant and eye-cat...

Made By A Fabricista: From Paris with Love!

Bonjour! I am still in bliss from my recent trip to Paris!! It was much more than I expected and I absolutely fell in love with the city. I can honestly see myself living there one day. I knew before leaving I wanted to make something to fit into the Parisian landscape because I knew it would be a special opportunity. I was inspired by one of my favorite fashion creators Juliette Foxx. Her checked gingham corset and wide leg pants were on my list to remake. For fabric I used this red and white pin stripe denim twill and deep red sateen for the pants. The pattern I used for the corset was McCall’s #M8182 with a few modifications. The fit was a little large so I took it in along the sides and shoulder seam. I then lowered the neckline since the shoulders were taken in. I used the sateen as my lining which gave a great contrast. My pants are my unreleased pattern which happens to be exact from the inspiration. I drafted these last year and have been wo...

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