Made by a Fabricista: Revving up your style in the Dana Marie Moto Jacket

Hey friends - I am so excited to have been invited to participate as a Fabric Mart Fabricista this month! This year is the year I challenge my sewing skills. I have wanted a moto jacket for some time. Not just any moto jacket but one that has a classic and timeless style. I saw the Dana Marie Moto Jacket pattern on the Fabric Mart website and knew that was the one.

The fabric I used was a beautiful porcelain white/black/silver 100% polyester plaid weave boucle suiting. Remember when I said I wanted to challenge my sewing skills? 😉 This fabric was beautiful but fragile to work with. It was a great mental challenge that had me problem solving before sewing to avoid any potential problems.

I first traced out the pattern onto tissue paper to determine the fit. I used scrap cotton fabric to sew up a “practice run” of the jacket. I was pleasantly surprised at how easily the jacket comes together. I sewed up the muslin in one evening.

It was time to cut into the beautiful fabric. I did not pretreat the fabric. I know, I know, I took a big chance here. However, it is recommended to steam or gently wash this type of fabric before using. I knew the fabric would fray easily once cut. I took my serger to all the seams and ends and minimized handling the fabric as much as possible. I used tailor’s tacks to mark all notches and placements. Luckily there are not too many on this pattern. I did use a dot or two of fray check in a couple areas where the fraying looked like it was a little close to peaking through. I kept my steam low and heat medium to low on the iron and used a pressing cloth all the time!

The jacket came together in a good solid afternoon of sewing. I ordered a silver metal zipper on white tape from Amazon but it did not come in time, so I used a white plastic zipper I had in my stash. I love the final look. I love the two piece sleeve and deep facings that hide the shoulder pads and help keep the inside looking neat.

The jacket looks great dressed up or with jeans and boots. I styled it with white jeans and with black wide leg pants. I have plans to make a skirt to match. The fabric is of medium weight, so the jacket is a little heavy for right now. (I live in Southwest Florida). But it will be perfect for our Florida winters. It’s also a great weight for fall weather transitioning to winter or winter transitioning to spring up North.

I will definitely will make this pattern again in possibly a denim fabric or jacquard fabric. I feel stylish and pulled together in this jacket and the fabric makes it chic and classic.

CARMEN | @carmensalome

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

Made By A Fabricista: Falling for Knits

We are now well into Fall, even though the temps are still relatively warm here in Texas. I love the fall season and dressing for Fall. When it comes to the conversation of knits vs. wovens I typically sew mostly wovens. So for this post I decided to sew completely knits! With the holiday season right around the corner I saw these three dress styles as perfect for Friendsgiving/Thanksgiving gatherings. The first look is a tried and true pattern Simplicity S9372. Using this gorgeous burgundy ponte knit , I like how this pattern fits throughout. I chose this color to add to my typically neutral palette in my closet. I also wanted something I could wear to my sorority meetings and found this color perfect. It's an easy sew with back fisheye darts and invisible zipper to add to the tapered style. The neckline and armholes are finished with bias binding giving it a clean finish on the inside. I used a universal needle to sew a...

Made By A Fabricista: Closing 2025 with a Lined Jacket

Hello again, sewing friends! It seems we have arrived yet again in the grandest season for layering, all this oncoming cold weather. I like ending the year with something warm and very useful. Seems based on my past Fabricista posts, I love to sew year-end outerwear, and this round is no different! I challenged myself with a new lined coat (wait, jacket? Coat? I feel like the presence of wool changes things?). Anyhoo, since the lovely Chalk & Notch Den Jacket has been in my queue, I proceeded ahead. I like the large pockets, the option to line or not, and the extra bodice and sleeve seams for topstitching. Sewing this coat is not at all difficult, but the many pieces and loads of topstitching will take a bit of time. My version took me a few multiple-hour sessions to complete. I sewed a size 2, which matches my measurements, and I made no alterations. Hint: for a quick size test, just employ the lining pieces. Gorgeous, muted blue as a soft wool flannel ? This is ...

Made By A Fabricista: Chalk and Notch Wren Dress: My Buffet dress for the Christmas season!

I recently sewed the Chalk and Notch Wren dress using a beautifully soft black voile from Fabric Mart, and it turned into such a satisfying, enjoyable project. The pattern itself is very easy to understand and straightforward with clear instructions, intuitive construction, and a relaxed fit that makes the sewing process easy. A buffet dress in the sewing community is a dress that is loose fitting, so you can eat at the buffet without your dress being uncomfortable afterwards, lol! Because the voile I chose is extremely thin and transparent, I opted to line the bodice and first tier. Adding a lining not only provided modesty but also gave the delicate fabric a bit more stability, especially around the neckline and button placket. A helpful tip when sewing a lining into a lightweight bodice is to treat the lining and the main fabric as one. I sewed the bodice as you would for a lined bodice, and the first tier I sewed the pieces together with a basting stitch to make the process...

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