Made by a Fabricista: A Blast From the Past

Hello everyone! I’m so excited to share my new look with you guys!

Fashion is one big revolving circle. Trends, colors, styles, etc. all tend to repeat themselves. One of my favorite time periods is the 1960’s. It has so many traits that is true to me, they had vibrant colors, amazing silhouettes, lots of florals, and dramatized accessories.

When I saw this gorgeous Fabric Mart Chiffon fabric (found HERE if still available!) I immediately thought of an amazing 1960’s styled dress. I imagined this flowy floral dress with a dramatic sleeve & an immense amount of color. The fabric has many colors in it including: olive, mustard, hues of purple, pink, hunter green, blues; it is indeed out of a 60’s dream.

Instead of creating a pattern from scratch, I decided to use a pattern in case anyone would want something similar. I used the pattern 8089 by McCall’s View A. The pattern was pretty easy to use & I didn’t have any complications when making it. The fabric being chiffon it is very delicate and smooth. It can be hard for a beginner to sew or cut with. If you have ever run into any problem with it staying put you can very lightly spray starch on it & it will stiffen it a tiny bit to achieve some stability; for me I chose to put several pattern weights on it & cut it out that way. For the hems it is easy to do a curved hem roll, where you sew a curved line all around the bottom then press & fold it over. It will make the hem much easier for you & with this certain fabric it also leaves a clean finish. This dress is a pullover dress with an elastic waistband, so there was no need for any extra zippers or closures.

I lined it with some dark purple satin that I had in my stash. I only lined the bodice & skirt portion of the dress, to keep the initial flow of the dress, as well as, the ruffles. For the ruffles & the sleeves I extended the pattern to give it a more exaggerated look. I added 2 inches to each side of the sleeve & I added 1 inch to each ruffle.

I really wanted this photoshoot to be fun, so I styled it with all 60’s things alike. I really wanted to bring the entire look together to understand my vision when I initially saw the fabric. I bought a cheap old fashioned belt & I styled my hair & makeup to resemble that time period. I was so happy with the overall achieved look. This has to be one of my favorite dresses.

Thank you guys!

MACY | @macycamile

Unfortunately Fabric Mart Fabrics sell out quickly!
You can find similar fabrics in our CHIFFON category.

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...

Made by a Fabricista: What's Black and Gold with Chevron All Over? This DIY Pant Suit, That's What!

Hope you're having a Golden day, get it? [I crack myself up sometimes!] This DIY pant suit is golden for sure. So tell me this, were you one of the lucky ones who were able to grab some of this fabric when Fabric Mart posted their new arrivals? I jumped on it so fast it was crazy and before you know it "poof" it was gone. So sorry I don't have any links to this fabric but all is not lost, you can use something else for these patterns. Try looking in the suiting selection for the blazer. The other awesome option is denim and as always check the New Arrivals. I went to my "tnt" blazer pattern for this project because I knew the metallic bias around the edges would look fab and I was on a mission to make another pair of mimi g's jeans and trim the seams in metallic bias as well. I recommend both of these patterns to any level sewist. I did a little pattern hack on the blazer pockets to make them a little more interesting and I made a pic...

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...

Fabric Mart Fabricistas

Search This Blog