Skip to main content

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

By
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!  

Comments

  1. ElizabethDecember 23, 2017 at 8:37 AM

    Both are gorgeous Marcia! Happy holiday sewing!

    ReplyDelete
  2. MaricaDecember 23, 2017 at 11:26 AM

    Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  3. UnknownDecember 23, 2017 at 2:16 PM

    U go Marica.... Very talented. Looks gorgeous

    ReplyDelete
  4. UnknownDecember 23, 2017 at 2:30 PM

    I love them... No more ready-made...you go girl....

    ReplyDelete
  5. Ann BrodskyDecember 23, 2017 at 5:08 PM

    What a great idea to make the sweatshirt to give a completely different look to your LBD! And I liked how you only used the leopard print for part of it. You look amazing in this dress. Happy Holidays to you as well!

    ReplyDelete
  6. JDDecember 23, 2017 at 6:46 PM

    Both items are really nice looking on you. You did a fabulous job. Hope your Holidays are Merry and Bright.

    ReplyDelete
  7. JoanDecember 24, 2017 at 6:45 AM

    Stunning! Thanks for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  8. AnonymousDecember 24, 2017 at 10:14 PM

    Thanks for sharing Marica. You did a great job and you look amazing. Love the pattern, hacks and fabric choices. Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

    ReplyDelete
  9. MaricaDecember 25, 2017 at 3:55 PM

    Thank you so much. Happy Holidays to you too.

    ReplyDelete
  10. TeeDecember 26, 2017 at 6:58 AM

    Simply beautiful! The lace sleeves are so chic!

    ReplyDelete

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.

Recent Posts You Might Like

Made by a Fabricista: What to Make with Silk Taffeta

By
You may have noticed that Fabric Mart has a *HUGE* selection of silk taffeta right now.  A lot of it is either large plaid or large stripes.   I was curious about it, and not really sure what I could make with it, but I just knew it would be gorgeous fabric and had to play around with it.  Turns out, it's actually great for quite a range of projects!  The dress above is my third project. Let me show you the first two. My first was to make some queen size pillow shams.  They are the plaid ones in the back of the photo.  I also made the two printed ones in the center from another Fabric Mart home dec fabric special!  I wanted to make the covers removable with a zipper, and include a braided trim.  As luck would have it, I found a whole card of braided trim at an estate sale that worked with my taffeta for just $2! To start, I used a zipper foot to stitch down the braided trim all around one side of the pillow. Then I serged ...
8 comments
Continue Reading »

Made By A Fabricista: Mechanic Chic!

By
When it comes to buying ready-to-wear garments as a sewist, I only ever spend in three categories: heavy duty winter jackets (life in Maine!), bras… and jumpsuits! I love a good jumpsuit, but unfortunately the ones I used to buy have been impacted by the tariff situation and I can’t get them affordably anymore. This can only mean one thing, folks: it’s time to roll up my sleeves and sew my very first jumpsuit!  When I started planning for this project, I knew I wanted to use a heavyweight linen for cozy comfort in the fall and breathability in the summer. I wanted something that would wear beautifully and soften with age, and something with neutral tones that could go with everything. Naturally, when I came across this 100% linen canvas on Fabric Mart, my heart skipped a beat! I love the ikat-inspired geometry and something about it reminds me of leopard spots too. Bold yet wearable! I am pretty sure this fabric was intended for home decor which I don’t mind at all and in fact of...
7 comments
Continue Reading »

Made By A Fabricista: Tried and true summer basics that fit.

By
Happy Summer Friends! As I am writing this, we are headed into a nasty heat wave…so the timing could not be better to share two of my favorite summer patterns and fabrics.  But first, let me tell you about the fail I had heading into this month’s blog… As Fabricista’s, we get to pick out fabric for each of our blog submissions. I fell in love with this gorgeous lilac jacquard knit that I thought would be perfect for a pop of color in my summer wardrobe. But I made a fatal error - I grabbed a pattern I haven’t made for years, quickly went up one size to account for a few new pounds, and sewed them up. And they don’t fit, will NEVER fit, and will never be worn. Sigh…when will I learn?? Here’s a flat lay pic so we can at least look at the lovely fabric: The lesson I learned (relearned!) is that just like with off the rack clothes, the things that worked well for me years ago don’t work well for me today.  And that’s the case with both tops and bottoms. So I went back to two patt...
1 comment
Continue Reading »

Made By A Fabricista: Burnside Bibs

By
Hi everyone, this is Byrd with my latest Fabricista make! If you’re looking for the perfect handmade piece for spring and summer travel, these just might be it. This time around I’m sewing up the Burnside Bibs by Sew House Seven using Fabric Mart’s gorgeous Aquamarine/Umber Brown 100% Cotton Floral Artisan Batiks Jungle Dreams by Robert Kaufman. From the moment I saw this fabric, I was completely drawn in by the colors. The combination of aquamarine, brown, and cream feels both earthy and vibrant, making it perfect for warm weather sewing. I immediately knew it would make an incredible spring or summer garment. I’m a longtime fan of Robert Kaufman fabrics and always appreciate the quality and artistry behind the prints. As always, and especially because this is 100% cotton, I gave the fabric a thorough wash and dry before cutting into it. Trust me, I’ve learned the hard way over the years that addressing potential shrinkage before sewing is always worth the extra time. This blouse is...
Post a Comment
Continue Reading »