Made By A Fabricista: Matching Sets Are Always a Win for Me

I think I might have a problem. I’m obsessed with a good matching set. Matching Sets can be considered as a coordinated chic look. A perfectly paired top and bottom that creates a seamless, stylish look with minimal effort. I think that’s exactly what I did.

Usually when I’m looking for fabric, I try to have something in mind of what I’m going to make with it. Well, I’m here to report that I totally forgot what pattern I was going to use for this beautiful fabric. I believe I had a dress in mind, but I couldn’t remember the pattern for the life of me. The fabric I chose is called Indian red dandelion soft lavender flower poplin shirting. I’ve used poplin from Fabric Mart several times and it’s always a win for me.

I went through several different patterns for the top, until I landed on the Sara Top from Fibre Mood. I’ve had this top in my stash for so many years, and I thought it would be great for this fabric. This pattern is basically 2 rectangles with a channel for the elastic at the top. It also has 2 straps you can tie at the shoulders. You also have the option of making this top into a dress just by making the pattern pieces longer. As you can see, I went with the shirt version, and I made an XL based on my body measurements.

I recently had the opportunity to test the Paris Palazzo Shorts and Pants pattern from Made for Mermaids. This was the first pattern I’ve ever made from them, and I love it. For the test I made the shorts version. This time around I made the pants version. These are a wide leg pant with a high waist 2” elastic waist with a draw string. There are so many things I like about these pants, the waist band being one of them. My second favorite part about these pants is the pockets. I’ve never made pockets like this. Let me show you how they’re sewn together and how they look once you’re done.

1. Once you’ve cut out 4 pocket pattern pieces, I would suggest adding interfacing to the area of the pocket that is marked on the side seam.

2. With right sides together, pin the pocket to a front pant piece and stitch around the marking line. Cut into each corner and trim down to 1/8 around area just stitched.

3. Press pocket to wrong side of pants and press. Top stitch around pocket opening.

4. With right sides together, align another pocket piece long raw edges and stitch using a ¼ seam allowance.

You now have a pocket! I love how clean this looks. I may or may not start doing all my pockets this way.

I gave this set a casual, going out to lunch look. I styled this with a pair of sneakers and a bag from Amazon. Gold accessories to match the gold chain of the bag completed the look. If you are looking for a breathable fabric for summer sewing, then I would pick up some poplin shirting fabric. It’s not just for shirts.

Until next time!

JOHANNA | @soveryjo

Made By A Fabricista: Falling for Knits

We are now well into Fall, even though the temps are still relatively warm here in Texas. I love the fall season and dressing for Fall. When it comes to the conversation of knits vs. wovens I typically sew mostly wovens. So for this post I decided to sew completely knits! With the holiday season right around the corner I saw these three dress styles as perfect for Friendsgiving/Thanksgiving gatherings. The first look is a tried and true pattern Simplicity S9372. Using this gorgeous burgundy ponte knit , I like how this pattern fits throughout. I chose this color to add to my typically neutral palette in my closet. I also wanted something I could wear to my sorority meetings and found this color perfect. It's an easy sew with back fisheye darts and invisible zipper to add to the tapered style. The neckline and armholes are finished with bias binding giving it a clean finish on the inside. I used a universal needle to sew a...

Made By A Fabricista: Closing 2025 with a Lined Jacket

Hello again, sewing friends! It seems we have arrived yet again in the grandest season for layering, all this oncoming cold weather. I like ending the year with something warm and very useful. Seems based on my past Fabricista posts, I love to sew year-end outerwear, and this round is no different! I challenged myself with a new lined coat (wait, jacket? Coat? I feel like the presence of wool changes things?). Anyhoo, since the lovely Chalk & Notch Den Jacket has been in my queue, I proceeded ahead. I like the large pockets, the option to line or not, and the extra bodice and sleeve seams for topstitching. Sewing this coat is not at all difficult, but the many pieces and loads of topstitching will take a bit of time. My version took me a few multiple-hour sessions to complete. I sewed a size 2, which matches my measurements, and I made no alterations. Hint: for a quick size test, just employ the lining pieces. Gorgeous, muted blue as a soft wool flannel ? This is ...

Made By A Fabricista: Chalk and Notch Wren Dress: My Buffet dress for the Christmas season!

I recently sewed the Chalk and Notch Wren dress using a beautifully soft black voile from Fabric Mart, and it turned into such a satisfying, enjoyable project. The pattern itself is very easy to understand and straightforward with clear instructions, intuitive construction, and a relaxed fit that makes the sewing process easy. A buffet dress in the sewing community is a dress that is loose fitting, so you can eat at the buffet without your dress being uncomfortable afterwards, lol! Because the voile I chose is extremely thin and transparent, I opted to line the bodice and first tier. Adding a lining not only provided modesty but also gave the delicate fabric a bit more stability, especially around the neckline and button placket. A helpful tip when sewing a lining into a lightweight bodice is to treat the lining and the main fabric as one. I sewed the bodice as you would for a lined bodice, and the first tier I sewed the pieces together with a basting stitch to make the process...

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