Skip to main content

Made by a Fabricista: Knits, Knits, Knits!


I love knits, they were my first sewing love. Some new sewists find sewing knits tricky, but I loved that the fit was more forgiving as I was learning sizing. This month three knits spoke to me and I couldn't decide between them so I just went again and got all THREE!


First up is this black and white geometric print jersey knit. Everything about this fabric made me love it; it's a rayon jersey, it's black and white and it's a geometric print. It sewed up really nicely with minimal curling at the edges. I used my serger for most of the construction, which is another thing I love about knits.



My first thought was a wrap dress, which should be no surprise. My favorite wrap dress pattern is the Mathilde Wrap Dress by Untitled Thoughts. It's a true wrap, which is always a plus to me. It features a 2 sleeve options, three length (including a peplum top), a waistband, inseam pockets and ties that meet in the back.





This trippy abstract print ITY is completely different than the previous knit and is totally outside my comfort zone, but as I mentioned in the last post I've picked up skating as a hobby and I felt it would make a great loud skate outfit. And BOY did it! I wore this to a social distance skate meet up and everyone asked where I got my bodysuit. Don't you love when you can answer " I made it!"  This fabric drew all the looks. Unfortunately this print has sold out, but if you love bright abstract knit check out this blue and pink wavy ITY or this green and red one.



When this first arrived a was a bit concerned that this wasn't opaque enough my intended use, but it worked fine. The edges of this knit do roll a bit while sewing but not terribly so. I was also able to construct this entire look with my serger, save for the neck and armholes making it an incredibly quick sew.



For this simple bodysuit I actually modified Mimi G's Simplicity 9150. I've already made it as designed, here, but this time I wanted to eliminate the midriff opening. To do that I simply extended the front leg pieces by overlapping the back piece over the front pants piece matching the crotch lines. Then I blended and cut around the front pants and the back top portion. Thankfully this worked out very nicely and I only had to modify the neckline a bit.







Lastly I snagged this groovy broken daub stripe print ITY. I've order a pair of gray skates (yes I'll have two pairs) and I knew this fabric would go perfectly with them.  Though this colorway is sold out you can still grab it in either a blue/green or a peach/blue. I'm so pleased with these that I may grab a few more yards myself.


I'd seen so many skaters on social media cruising around wearing flared pants and I really wanted a pair. Obviously these also just make for great lounge around or running errands pants as well because they pull on and are so comfy. I used Simplicity 8212 because I already had it in my stash and simply modified the simple leggings pattern to add a flare. I chose to start the flare 1" below the cut/extend line because that lined up right at my knee and I wanted to start a tad below. Using my curve ruler I graded out a smooth line to about 5" to either side of the original pattern width keep the original hem line. My only regret is not lengthening the hem, I should added two or so more inches because while leggings can stop right at the ankle I wanted these to go over my skates a bit more.




Well that's it for me this month! Can you tell I'm obsessed with skating now?

See you next month,

Tiffany


Comments

  1. These outfits are awesome! Your post are always so inspiring, generally I'm afraid of using bright colors, but I want to wear them more after seeing your beautiful clothes!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks! The really abstract print was outside my usual but I did really enjoy wearing it to the skate meetup. Sometimes it's good to switch it up a bit.

      Delete
  2. I loved reading your post. I am so in need of something other than florals and solids. You rock the bold colors! I enjoy seeing that roller skating is a thing again and with "4" corner wheels! Have fun!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh Yes I love stripes, plaids and polka dots! Patterns can be really fun. Roller skating has definitely exploded during Covid.

      Delete
  3. Love all the fabrics and outfits and skating is so fun!

    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.

Popular Posts You Might Like

Made By A Fabricista: The Sheer Volume Of It All!

This garment was inspired by a dress I saw in an ad, and when I went to purchase it (which I rarely do)…I realized that the dress didn’t come in my size. Ticked off and with $300 back in my pocket, I decided to draft it myself. The description listed the fabrication as a silk cotton voile, so I used that as a starting point to recreate the simple yet elegant silhouette.  My drafting experience is limited; I’ve only ever made garments that are pleated rectangles that fit into an elasticated waist. No darts, no complicated calculations, and definitely no sleeves. But I’d have that dress if it’s the last thing I do! I made a drawing, created a Pinterest board to document my inspiration, and narrowed down the features I really wanted to have: billowy bubble-hemmed bishop sleeves (say it three times fast!), a fitted and lined bodice, and a gathered tiered skirt. Finally, it was time to shop for fabric. I knew I wanted a silk blend of some kind, without breaking the bank. For weeks, I ke...

Made By A Fabricista: Just Wear It Out!

Originally I wasn’t happy with my make this time around. I put it on fresh off the sewing machine and didn’t love how it fit. My elastic was slightly too narrow for what the pattern called for. I did end up putting a stitch to close up the v-neck on the top. I thought my sewing on the waistband looked sloppy and I looked kind of frumpy in the outfit. I was going to put the project down to fix later but decided to wear it out for some feedback from our web manager and one of the describers.  I ended up pleasantly surprised! The fabric is super comfortable and I felt really good wearing it. All the things I didn’t like kind of melted away wearing it out. The flaws were so small that only I noticed them. I think it’s important to remember that while striving for perfect seams and flawless construction is good, a handmade garment doesn’t have to be perfect to be wearable. This isn’t the first time I’ve softened on a garment after wearing, and it certainly won’t be the last! The 100% c...

Made By A Fabricista: In Love with Linen

Linen is the best fabric to sew and wear. I selected a beautiful 100% linen from Fabric Mart that is a steel blue and cream floral linen to sew up a By Hand London Hannah Wrap Dress pattern. The flowers look like Dahlias. I originally sewed a Toile from a black and white cotton bedsheet, wore the dress a lot but never made it again. I gave the Toile away to a friend who always commented on how much she loved the dress. When I saw this fabric, I knew I wanted to make the Hannah again. Linen is so easy to sew the entire experience reminded me why linen remains one of my favorite fabrics to sew. I look for a light to medium weight  European linen for a dress. I like a rayon or cotton blend with linen because it seems to have more drape and be more soft. Linen gets softer with washing and wearing it. This particular linen feels crisp and after ironing and washing, softens up. I like how Fabric Mart describes the fabrics as top, dress, blouse, shirt weight under “Use” and will describe...