Made by a Fabricista: A Love Affair with Leopard Print and Black

Happy Saturday ALL!!

Hope you are all READY for HOLIDAYS! I am super excited as I am on break for 2 weeks and can't wait to finish up a few sewing projects before 2017 is over. For the holidays this year, I opted and plan to make garments that can be worn year round, creating staple pieces in my closet rather than focusing on seasonal items or prints. I have always wanted to create a leopard print cardigan or sweater and when I came across this beautiful print on sale, I had to grab it.

I love any animal print which is less of a trend and is more of a classic print. I have always grabbed anything in cheetah or leopard print that catches my eyes. My favorite sweater in cheetah print has been worn so many times the last 4 years and is now in a dump pile. When I found this print, I knew it was perfect to replace the sweater that I loved so much.

I wanted to mix the print with the black ponte knit and add my own twist to it. I opted to use the print only in the front and on the cuffs.

I wanted to create a wearable muslin and a simple view from one of McCall Winter Holiday collection pattern M7688 (here) and wore it over my little black dress. I created view A without the pocket as I wanted the remaining black ponte knit to create the dress below.

Can you believe for the last 3 years of sewing, I have never made a black dress?

I have been looking for a thick ponte knit fabric for the last 2 months and came across this great find on sale for 50% with a pre-cut cardigan kit (here). I was so happy to grab the last kit with almost 3 yards. Based on the amount left over from my sweater, I knew it was just enough to create a little black dress without sleeves so instead, I used some black polyester sheer lace from my stash to jazz it up. Fabric Mart has a similar lace available in stock. (here)

The pattern that I hacked is Mimi G's - Georgia knit long sleeve turtle neck top pattern (here). I decided to create a midi dress instead of the top and omitted the ruffles from the sleeves.

This dress is so perfect for a NEW YEAR'S EVE party!

I am totally in love with my first lace sleeve dress and plan to add my own flare to future sewing projects and take more fashion risk with commercial and self drafted patterns. I can't wait to cut into some amazing fabric the next 2 weeks while I am off. I am super excited about 2018 and plan to step out of my comfort zone and sew more often than I did in 2017.

Thanks for stopping!

Happy Holidays and Cheers to the New Year!

Overdrive After 30!

Made By A Fabricista: Celebrating warm weather with Spring sewing!

Hi sewing friends! I don’t know about you but boy, was winter cold and dreary this year! The weather here in the Philadelphia area has been slowly improving, but Spring sure did take her sweet old time to arrive. So by April, I was definitely in the headspace of needing to sew up things that were either bright and cheery or meant for the warmer weather I am very much craving right now. I recently purchased a few SewBexx Patterns so I took them on a test run to create some Spring makes. First on my list was to make a top using this absolutely gorgeous ITY fabric I picked up last year. I had two yards which was enough for a long sleeve shirt. I chose the Olivia top, which is oversized with a drop shoulder, has multiple lengths and a split hem. I think the pattern is intended for heavier fabrics but I was envisioning how lovely this top would look with the drape of ITY knit fabric, and it did not disappoint. It came together for me quickly and was a straight forward sew…and I love the br...

Made By A Fabricista | Chasing Time: My White Rabbit-Inspired Look for Atlanta Frocktails

For this year’s Atlanta Frocktails, I found myself captivated by a character who’s been quietly tugging at my imagination for years—the White Rabbit from Alice in Wonderland. There’s something so relatable about his frantic energy, always checking the time, always running late. While he’s worried about being on time, I’m usually calculating how late I can be and still technically arrive on time. Spoiler: I’m often wrong. It’s a cycle of procrastination and anxiety that I know all too well. So when I imagined my look for Frocktails, I thought—why not honor the White Rabbit? After all, time has been chasing me too. But this look isn’t just about Wonderland whimsy. It’s also deeply inspired by this year’s Met Gala theme, Tailored for You, which includes a focus on Black Dandyism—a celebration of Black elegance, intellect, and expressive style. I’ve been obsessed with this theme since it was announced. As a Black creative, I find it powerful and moving to see style used as a way to reclaim...

Made By A Fabricista: Getting into the Spirit of Summer

I'm not gonna lie y'all, I had a completely different project I wanted to do, but that's gonna take more time, and I wanted something cute, comfy and fun to wear for my birthday on the 19th. When I saw this goldenrod & off white linen jacquard , I thought it looked a bit like the design on a Koroks body, especially Makar from The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker! I started with the bodice from the free Elderberry dress pattern from Mood, but deviated for the skirt, it felt a little plain of a design, and I had scraps of a Korok fabric that I knew would be a nice accent with some cut out pockets. I've made these pockets once before, deciding the cut out was based on aligning with the seam on the bodice for how far in, and as for how low depended on where I wanted the pouch of the pocket to start. From there I cut the visible part of the pocket, making sure to match the curve of the waist and following the line of the side seams of the skirt, as well as cutting a facing to...

Fabric Mart Fabricistas

Search This Blog