Made By A Fabricista: Autumnal Inspired Sews

Crisp, crunchy leaves, rows of colorful mums, and a harvest of pumpkins are how I envision fall. The rich colors of red, gold, and orange fill my mind with visions of fun fall outings and wearing autumnal hues. Fabric Mart’s website is stocked with fabrics perfect for autumn sewing projects. With every type of fabric imaginable, in every desirable color, I knew I was shopping at the perfect time.

When I started browsing the site, I found two fabrics that screamed “FALL!” The first fabric was a black, pumpkin, and cream, ornate, floral lattice print on polyester crepe in a blouse-weight. I loved the floral motif inside the lattice diamonds, and of course, the colors. Paired with the Assembly Line Puff Shirt pattern, I knew this would make a super cute fall top. The next fabric I found was a black stretch twill fabric with soft yellow polka dots. I envisioned a traditional denim-style jacket with this fabric. To warm up the black fabric base and accentuate the soft yellow polka dots, I planned to use a golden top-stitching thread and gold buttons.

My fabric arrived, and I made the Assembly Line Puff Shirt first. The Assembly Line Puff Shirt has a beautiful overlapping boat neckline and puff sleeves with elastic cuffs. I’ve sewn this pattern a few times, and I knew it would be a quick sew, freeing me up to focus on making the jacket. I made the size small blouse graded out to a medium in the waist and hips to provide some extra ease.

Since the crepe fabric is translucent, I decided to line the bodice front and back pattern pieces. The lining also provides added warmth for cooler autumn days. The pattern uses facings at the neckline, but I omitted the facing pattern pieces and cut a bodice front and a bodice back piece using my lining. My lining fabric is a simple black polyester fabric from my stash. The pattern also calls for using fusible interfacing on the facing pieces, which I fused to the lining pieces to maintain the structure that the facing provided. I also added a line of stitching at the bottom of the interfacing to keep it in place for future washings. I hemmed the lining a half inch shorter than the bodice hem so that it wouldn’t be longer than the main fabric. I followed all of the other pattern instructions exactly with no other changes.

After completing the Puff Shirt, I started making the denim jacket with the black and yellow polka dot twill fabric. I’ve made denim jackets in the past, but I wanted to try out a new jacket pattern this time. For this jacket, I used the Seamwork Audrey Denim Jacket pattern, a very traditional jacket with single welt pockets and faux flat-felled seams. I made a size 8 because I like jackets to fit a little looser.

Sewing faux flat-felled seams is definitely faster and more beginner-friendly than traditional flat-felled seams. I was surprised how much faster the jacket assembly went because of this difference. If you are new to the concept of flat-felled seams, you simply sew the seam at the recommended seam allowance with the right sides together. Next, you will finish the seam allowances using your preferred method and press the seam to one side. After finishing, flip the fabric to the right side and topstitch with topstitching thread, catching the seam allowances underneath. The result is perfect-looking topstitching on the jacket's right side, with a neat and clean inside seam finish. I’ve included a photo for you to see the inside. I didn’t make any alterations to this pattern.

I love the way the jacket turned out. The single welt pockets are one of my favorite features of this jacket because pockets are often missing from denim jackets. Pockets are a must-have feature for a jacket that will be worn in cool weather. You need somewhere to put your cold hands! The jacket is the perfect weight for layering over a light sweater or long-sleeved shirt, and I love the versatility of the black and gold colors. It is traditional yet unique, a benefit of making your own clothing.

Overall, I’m happy with how my first two fall sewing projects fulfilled my wardrobe visions. I can see myself wearing the Puff Shirt out and about all autumn. The denim jacket deserves a trip to the pumpkin patch for some quality pumpkin picking adventures. Whatever you have planned, Fabric Mart has the fabric to make your autumnal sewing dreams come to life.

SHAINA | @shaina_sews

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