Made By A Fabricista: Summoning Spring

As we slowly (very slowly) start to leave winter behind, I am starting to resent my heavy coats and crave light and flowy garments. So what better way to summon Spring than this airy little gem of a blouse!

The fabric is a delightful silk cotton voile that floats mid-air like a feather as it drapes around you, truly whimsical and exactly what I was looking for!

I had never sewn anything this fine or sheer before, and even though it wasn't as daunting as the internet made it out to be, I certainly learned a lot in the process. For instance, I found myself paying closer attention to my sewing machine settings and for once I actually swapped my universal sewing needle for the more appropriate microtex needle. Also, the fraying was legendary and unfortunately I didn't realize until I had already lost ¼ of an inch around the hem. Once I pinked the raw edges I was OK, so in the future I'll remember to pink my raw edges to minimize fraying during construction.

Overall I really enjoyed sewing this voile, it pressed exceptionally well and the pintucks remained crisp the whole time while I was sewing them. Talking of pintucks, this is the Garden Blouse by Frux Studio, a pattern that I've sewn several times and that I really enjoy.

I envision wearing this blouse over my sleeveless dresses and tops in place of a cardigan, for when I want a bit more coverage.

Sewing with this fabric wasn't as hard as I thought it would be and I am so glad I now have my own firsthand experience with it. I will definitely be on the hunt for more silk cotton voile to add to my stash.

I am very happy with this make and hope that warmer days can hurry up and get here soon, I am ready!

JOANNA | @hotpurlsummer

Made By A Fabricista: Three Methods to Explore Colorblocking

Hey sewing friends! As I pondered what sort of plan to tackle for my next wintry project, a new and glorious array of rainbow Polartec fabrics filled the Fabric Mart site. I’ve enjoyed sewing with this brand’s fabrics for many years now, and I’m all too happy to add some more to my wardrobe. I picked two of my favorite types, the Power Air Grid Double Knit and the Power Grid Fleece. Choosing a few colors in matching weights to combine them into something totally me sounded perfect. Look at this stunning heap! When I’m sewing two different fabrics together, I prefer to use the same weight and type so that they behave similarly and hang well together. Any extra piecing like this also creates topstitching opportunities galore! (You already know I’m all about that available thread matching.) In this case, I opted for three colors in each of the two fabric varieties I mentioned above for the best combining results. I figured I’d dive in with a brief overview of how y...

Made By A Fabricista: Coat Sewing Chronicles

Sewing a coat is not for the faint of heart, or for the sewist looking for a light project. It is possibly the slowest form of apparel sewing that exists. If you’ve made a coat, chances are, you know what I mean. No matter what you do, you can’t rush through it, you can’t skip steps or cut corners, you just have to roll with the punches. One minute you’re flying through assembly thinking “I’ll be finished soon,” and the next you’re running away from your sewing room because you need space. Are you guaranteed to end up with a bespoke wonder in your coat closet, most definitely! But heed my warning, if you are looking for a quick win, it is not a coat! My coat sewing chronicles began around Christmas when I fell in love with a black-and-white basketweave wool-coating fabric on the Fabric Mart website. I quickly placed an order for 3.75 yards to finally make the Seamwork Bay coat I’ve been dreaming of making for a while. In addition to my Fabric Mart wool, I also ordered Kasha Satin...

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