Skip to main content

Made by a Fabricista: Spring Collection in Blues




Every time the weather begins to shift from cold to warm I am itching to introduce new separates into my wardrobe rotation.  Last spring I made several garments based on a yellow color scheme and you can see that post here.  This year I chose to make blues the focus of my mini collection mostly because I spotted this gorgeous jacquard double knit and wanted to build everything around it.  It's now sold out but there are other double knits still available that are really cute herehere, and here.  I also wanted this collection to be more casual than my collection last spring so I used mostly knits.  



For date nights and church I put together this tropical dress. I love wearing it and already found that I want to reach for it again and again. It was made with McCall's 6355.  The fabric and pattern worked perfectly together, the thickness and texture of the fabric and the optional shaping in the pattern were a match made in sewing heaven.  This pattern is also awesome in that it is great at letting the colorful fabric do the talking.

The fabric's texture is very forgiving for a form fitting dress like this one and minimizes any lumps or bumps.  Its also very comfortable and although the dress is form fitting it is not constricting in any way.





For my next outfit I used three different knits.  I made the skirt using Simplicity 1283 and the jacquard double knit mentioned above.  I can't say this was the best match of pattern and fabric but it is obviously very wearable and works for this outfit.  The sweater and sleeves from the top were made with a navy striped rayon knit pre-cut fabric.  There are a few pre-cut fabrics left here but essentially all are sold out.  The white fabric was from my stash.  The top is Simplicity 1317 and is a great basic loose fitting raglan tee.  For the sweater I used McCall's 7484 and have worn this so many times since making it that I am beginning to wonder why I haven't made another!







For the following shorts/tops outfits I used the navy striped rayon/lycra pre-cut knit and a snakeskin print rayon crepe pre-cut.  They are both sold out, so sorry!  What can I say, when Fabric Mart has a sale, fabrics fly off the internet!  However a good pairing for a similar outfit might be the following: Black/White Stripe ITY and Taffy Pink/Black/White Rayon Challis.  Or wouldn't this awesome Challis Shrimp print make adorable summer shorts!!? 


I used Simplicity 1167 for the tank top and Megan Nielsen Flint Pant/Short pattern for the shorts.  I was a pattern tester for the Flint pant and this is the first pair of shorts I've made from the pattern.  A challis or rayon crepe is a good choice for this pattern however- fair warning- the slippery/drapey nature of these fabrics make for a bit of a challenge in sewing, but these same properties make them very breezy for summer heat.


The T-shirt is an altered out-of-print McCall 6796 turtle neck pattern.  Needless to say I have a lot of stripes in my wardrobe top rotation now but I am a stripe fan and find it a great pairing for a shorts with a great print.  Tees and tanks play a central role in my casual summer wardrobe so it feels good to have them all ready for our quickly approaching sweltering summer!




I wanted one more outfit for this group and turned to my knit stash purchased some months back. This red knit is a modal/lycra and I believe it was a Julie's Pick fabric.  This was the first time I have ever sewn with a modal knit and while it was super soft it was also super slippery, so my walking foot came to my rescue.  This little red dress is a great casual basic and I used my TNT McCall 7348 which I have made previously here and here -again with some of the width at the hemline removed.  


I am thrilled to have so many new casual separates and when perusing these pictures I hope you feel inspired to plan your casual wardrobe basics too!


Thanks for reading!
Elizabeth

Comments

  1. Love that red modal/lycra fabric! Beautiful dresses all of them and I too love a T dress for the summer - cool, easy on and off and always looks "dressed" too for day or evening.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Kathleen! You are right, a good T shirt dress is hard to beat in the summer!

      Delete
  2. Beautiful and versatile pieces, Elizabeth! Love it!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Ann! They were fun to sew and coordinate!

      Delete
  3. Love your mini wardrobe! The fabrics and prints work so well together.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Nakisha! I love coordinating fabrics probably as much as I love buying patterns :)

      Delete

Post a Comment

Thanks for leaving a comment! All comments are reviewed before posting to help us eliminate spam. Your comment will be posted within 24 hours.

Popular Posts You Might Like

Made By A Fabricista: Liberty Snow Day

Hi everyone! While we’ve been blanketed with snow out here in Southeastern PA, I decided to conquer my fear of button holes and make NewLook pattern N6749. I was able to snag a few yards of the Jess + Jean print Liberty of London Tana Lawn for it. It’s always exciting when Fabric Mart is able to get Liberty fabrics in! I always make sure to grab some.  Cutting into a beautiful piece of tana lawn is scary every time. The fabric is such good quality, I’m afraid to mess it up! I had to be extra careful as this is also the first directional pattern I’ve worked with. But one of my assistants made sure all of my pieces were laid correctly. Something I wanted to try out with this dress was finishing the inside seams using the overlock stitch on my domestic machine. Normally I would french seam, but it was nice to not have to worry about cutting seam allowance in half, sewing, trimming, flipping, and sewing again. Next time I would cut the seam allowance back before overlocking, but I thin...

Made By A Fabricista: Ghostly School Uniform

When Fabric Mart asked me what fabric I wanted for my first project I knew EXACTLY what I wanted to make, Nene Yashiro from Toilet Bound Hanako kun (a weird but cute anime) but as cute as the design was, I knew I'd need to adjust the colors to a slightly warmer tones to better suit my complexion and undertones. For the main dress I was so happy to find an off white cotton/Lycra stretch twill that was opaque enough to not need a lining and stretched enough that I could continue avoiding my nemesis; zippers. I wanted to try out having a seamless center front panel, so I modified one of my existing go-to bodice patterns, and after figuring out what length I wanted for the skirt, was able to have the center front panel incorporated into the center front panel of the skirt. I then had the rest of the bodice as their normal waist length so that I could add an additional panel to the skirt to be able to have enough width to have volume and gather it down evenly around my waist. The hem h...

Made By A Fabricista: The Perfect Birthday Dress - Simplicity 9777

Hello friends,  I’m Byrd, and today I’m excited to share my latest Fabricista project with you.  I knew I wanted something extra special—a dress that would not only celebrate my birthday but also hold a deeper meaning. I found the perfect fabric in Fabric Mart’s Bordeaux Polyester Wool Gaberdine Suiting , and it didn’t disappoint. The Fabric: A Perfect Blend of Beauty and Function This fabric is a gorgeous wool blend in a rich Bordeaux color that exudes elegance. It’s medium weight, making it substantial enough for structure but with just the right amount of drape for movement. It’s one of those fabrics that feels luxurious and versatile—perfect for a statement-making dress. The Pattern: Simplicity 9777 After debating between a few patterns, I settled on Simplicity 9777, an easy-to-sew, one-shoulder dress with plenty of options. This pattern allows you to choose between mini or maxi lengths, different sleeve styles, and even includes side pockets (who doesn’t love pockets?). ...