Made By A Fabricista: Riley Overalls

Hello friends, 

My Latest Fabricista Make: True Bias Riley Overalls x Red Carmine Cotton/Lycra Stretch Sateen

Hi everyone, this is Byrd with my latest Fabricista make! I knew I wanted to make a pair of overalls, and when I saw Fabric Mart’s gorgeous Red Carmine Cotton/Lycra Stretch Sateen (Bottom Weight), it was game over. The color? Bold and rich. The weight? Spot on for summer overalls—structured but still breathable.

For the pattern, I went with the Riley Overalls by True Bias. I cut a size 20 at the bust and graded to a size 22 at the hips for a custom fit that works with my shape. There are 23 different pattern pieces in this design, so I queued up a favorite audiobook and settled in. This was one of those slow, satisfying makes I knew from the start I’d stretch out over several days, savoring the process.

Before I even touched the scissors, though, I made sure to prep my fabric properly. Pre-washing and drying are key—especially with cotton/lycra blends. It helps eliminate shrinkage surprises later and ensures the fabric behaves the way you want once it’s sewn. Think of it as step zero—non-negotiable.

That said, this is a very oversized pattern. I could have easily sized down the entire make by two sizes. To get the fit closer to what I wanted, I made several adjustments: I took an inch off the top of the bib, narrowed the bib width, and trimmed down the side seams as well as the center crotch near the faux zipper area. I also skipped the belt loops—I preferred a cleaner, more minimal look without them. Next time around, I will increase the size of the back darts to add just a little more shape. Still, I kept the overall silhouette loose and easy, sticking close to the designer’s original intent.

This is a piece I can see wearing all year. It works just as well with a crop top or short sleeve tee in the summer as it does layered with a sweater or long sleeve shirt in the cooler months. I’ll definitely be making another pair—and when I do, I want to spend a little more time adjusting the rise. But overall, I really love the fit.

Can’t wait to get these back on the machine and see where the next version takes me.

Thanks so much for reading! If you enjoyed this post, be sure to follow me on social media for more sewing inspiration and behind-the-scenes details on my latest makes. See you next time!

Thank you Fabric Mart for the beautiful fabric!

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Until next time,

BYRD  | @yogabyrdsews