Made by a Fabricista: Striped Duster

Have you ever run out to buy a pattern with the intention to make it right away, but then you get side tracked and days become weeks that become months? Well, that is what happened with early fall pattern, Simplicity 8177. I purchased this pattern this summer with plans to make it right away for the fall, because I love dusters. Whelp, that didn't happen, but I did finally sew it up this week. Even though I'm a season behind, I'm calling this a win, because it didn't get pushed back into next year.

I originally selected a brown and orange tweed wool suiting for this project (here), but then this navy and cream striped suiting (here) arrived and I quickly switched to it. I love, Love, LOVE stripes, my stash proves it. What I always forget when buying striped fabric is the added work of matching stripes when sewing. LOL. It is not difficult but it does take time. Sadly time is what I was short on due to some delays with FedEx (not Fabric Mart's fault). The stripes don't line up as nicely as I would like in a few places, but I have a finished coat to show you!

The stripes are about 1" wide and I think its the perfect scale for this duster. I didn't have any trouble sewing with it, but it is a boucle and prone to tons of fraying. I serged all of my raw edges except for the bottom hem. This suiting is fairly lightweight and I was concerned initially about using it for this project, but in the end I feel it worked especially for fall or warmer winter days.

This was a straight forward sew as there is no collar or fasteners. The two piece sleeve did add an additional seam which meant more stripes to match. One arm is off ,but I didn't have the time or the patience to correct it as I didn't notice until I had attached it to the body.

I decided to add a lining for a more finished look. I created the lining by cutting out the front, back and sleeve pieces and then tracing the facing pieces on the front and back pieces. I then added 5/8" seam allowance outside of that traced line and removed that portion to account for the facings. After sewing the lining pieces together I attached the raw edge to the facing of the jacket right sides facing.

I hemmed the sleeve lining and sleeve separately and then hand stitched the lining to the stitch line of the jacket I had planned on using the same method to finish the hem of the coat but somehow my lining was much shorter than the jacket. I'm not sure how that happened, maybe I was sleepy when I cut the lining. I had a bit of trouble with the vent and the lining. This led me to run out and buy double fold bias tape to enclose the raw edge of the hem. I simply did a narrow hem on the lining fabric.

The vent of the coat was no issue but I wasn't sure how to work the lining into the vent. So I sort of made this part up. I sewed the vent of the duster as instructed and then simply folded back the vent on both side of the lining. It doesn't show but I know this is not the correct way. I will be researching a proper way for the future, but for this project I made do.

I did omit the flaps because I don't quite get the "faux flaps"and the stripes are busy enough. I really like this duster and the only change I would make in the future would be to lengthen the sleeves by an inch and make the pocket larger. This pocket is teeny. Maybe I shouldn't have used a 5/8" seam allowance but even if I had made the seam narrower I still believe the pocket isn't deep enough. I will fit my large Samsung S7 but my hand does not fit comfortably. Then again I do have big hands.
I will make the project again, though I don't know when. I have such a long list of projects to sew over Christmas.

Check out my blog for a full pattern review and more pictures! TipStitched

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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