Made By A Fabricista: Bold Red Two Piece

Hello Gems! For this month's Fabricista feature I’ve chosen a beautiful bold red suiting fabric from Fabric Mart. I set out to make a two piece that would carry over to Fall but the weather has been so hot lately that I decided to lean more into shorts instead. What can I say, I can’t let go of Summer just yet! Nevertheless, I love this bold red, it works for any season and it never goes out of style. The fabric is a light to medium weight fabric. It's perfect for suiting, blazers, pants and dresses, and the quality is superb!

If you follow my creations on social media you guys know I love my cargo and utilitarian details. This trend is still going strong and I wanted to bring these features into this look. With that in mind I wanted to create something using my Early Spring Know Me pattern ME2020. I used the pattern to create a vest style wrap top. I kept some of the original features but made small modifications to them. I created the cargo pockets a little differently, leaving out the 3D gussets. I shortened the skirt, cutting it higher in the front and lower in the back. To give it a high- low effect, I went with the sleeveless version for this look.

My favorite part is the addition of the cape on the back of the top. I drafted this piece by manipulating the back of the bodice and adding width to the back seam. It gives it a little something unexpected in the back which I love.

I originally planned to create the belt tie to go with this top but after bringing the whole look together l wanted to have an open vest option. Besides I have so many great contrasting belts to add to this look so I used one from my previous ME2020 to wrap this top.

As for the open vest option, I added elastic at the back of the waist to cinch the waist in the back a little, which gives it more of a contour effect when I'm not wearing a belt. You guys know I love my style options!

To complete this look I created Know Me Pattern 2028 to coordinate with the top. I haven’t been successful in finding a pair of pleated trousers or shorts that fitted the way I liked in the past but after creating these, I actually love the way they turned out and the fit! I look forward to creating the pant version also. I’ve been looking to make these for a while now and I thought it paired great with this look. I switched out the button closure on the shorts for a hook closure so that there is a clean flat finish on the front of the waistband.

This fabric worked out great for the look! It's breathable, light weight and sews up so well. The fabric can provide crisp finish to pleats and collars yet offer movement to parts that need more movement such as the cape. This set makes for a great put together two piece look for the summer. I believe the top could even carry into Fall cooler temps paired with a longer sleeve skirt. I love it when I can wear my pieces throughout the year with no problems!

Until Next Time!

MARCIA | @keechiibstyle

Unfortunately Fabric Mart Fabrics sell out quickly!
You can find similar fabrics by shopping the following categories: SUITING.

Made By A Fabricista: Revisiting a Pattern After Five Years

Have you ever used a sewing pattern and then immediately vowed never to sew it again? Well, I have. It all began in the spring of 2020 at the start of the pandemic lockdown. I tackled sewing projects that were more challenging to help me grow as a seamstress. There was one pattern in particular that almost did me in, the Seamwork Penny shirt dress. The Penny dress pattern has a classic button-up dress shirt style bodice with a gathered skirt and pockets. It is a beautiful take on a shirt dress, and my sister and I loved it. The only downside is that it was recommended for intermediate-level sewists and I was only an adventurous beginner back then. I think I had only ever made one button-up shirt before attempting this Penny Dress and it didn’t even have a collar! Despite all of this, I thought “Why not try it, what’s the worst that can happen?” Thankfully the worst didn’t happen, and the dress turned out surprisingly wearable, but I had some intense frustration at the end. I...

Made By A Fabricista: A Simple Frock for Spring

Hello friends! I’m really into sewing and wearing tent dresses at the moment. A tent dress is basically a wide A-line style gown. For this month’s project, I’ve opted to try out The Assembly Line’s Square Neck Dress. This style is a little avant-garde in its enormity and shape, and boasts the squared neckline it’s named after, plus some cute hem side slits. All that volume is fun to move around in, plus there’s loads of air circulation which is cooling. This dress’s main feature–its wide and high squared neckline–really piqued my interest recently, and I added it to my Make Nine plans for 2025. I find it so satisfying to check off those boxes as I sew! This beautiful shirtweight linen is a color I simply adore; a muted medium blue. Stormy skies, worn-in denim, and ocean waves all come to mind, and that is exactly what I want to be all wrapped up in. While I think a wild or large print would be amazingly on display in this big canvas of a dress, I also thought that a subtle ...

Made By A Fabricista: Bold Aspen Dress for Spring

As I write this in mid-April, central New Jersey weather is showing small signs of spring. My neighbor’s daffodils are blooming and our magnolia tree is trying to unfold its vibrant magenta petals. I am in the midst of preparing my wardrobe for the warmer months, even if we are still huddling against windy 30 degree days. For me, warm weather means linen. I love breathable, floaty linen sundresses and drapey, loose linen wide-leg pants. My vision for a spring piece was something bold and bright, inspired by the natural colors of blooming flowers, but also something that could transition well between the warmer and cooler months. When I saw Fabric Godmother’s Apsen Dress, I knew that it had the sensible transitional opportunities I was looking for while also providing a blank canvas for fun prints, patterns and colors. With the pattern in mind, I then turned to the stunning linen collection that Fabric Mart always has on hand to see what colors or patterns would best suit my visio...

Fabric Mart Fabricistas

Search This Blog