Summer Sewing with TNT Patterns - Fabricmart Fabricista

I'm happy to be back this month with a summer Fabricista project and some exciting news...

There's nothing more rewarding for a sewist than having a TNT (tried and true) pattern you love to make, is easy to wear and versatile enough that you can make it over and over with great results.  I decided to set out and do just that:  design a line of modern patterns with friendly fully illustrated instructions that sewers could use to build their sewing skills, fill their closets and add to their TNT pattern list.  So with that, I'm excited to announce Blue Dot Patterns, my new sewing patterns!

For my summer outfit, I used one of Blue Dot's first patterns, the Dover Jacket which comes with two views. View A is short sleeved with a single button closure and view B has a 3/4 length sleeve, gathered bodice and a three button closure.

I chose a lightweight stretch denim from Fabricmart (sadly it sold out) would be perfect for view A because it would look great with some decorative machine stitching.

The cotton/lycra fabric I used is light, has stretch and a soft brushed face but the jacket would also work in quilting cottons, like this polka dot, twills and ponte knits.

Dover is a loose fitting jacket with raglan sleeves that goes together quickly.  I bound the jacket facing with bias I made using a bias tape maker and fabric from my stash (I think it looks interesting when the jacket comes open) and added strips of interfacing to the bottom of the jacket to stabilize the hem.

My "Details" Pinterest board was the inspiration for the topstitching.  After testing several different stitches on my machine, I ended up using a "dot and stitch" design around the edge of the jacket.

I debated on adding topstitched pockets to the front but after seeking the opinions of those around the house, I opted not to this time but I will the next time around.  I used a Burberry button I had in my button tin (I have no idea where it came from) to finish everything off.  I love it with the skirt but I also like that it can dress up a simple t-shirt.

For the summer skirt I used a Colette pattern I had in my stash.  The Ginger skirt pattern became a TNT pattern for me a couple of years back but it's been a while since she's been pulled it out.  The high waist silhouette lends itself to this bold stretch shirting from Fabricmart.  This cotton/lycra fabric is crisp and bright with a slight sheen and best of all, it's easy to sew.

I lengthened the skirt about 2" and added a cotton batiste lining but didn't change anything else.  This pattern has great instructions and would be perfect for a beginning intermediate sewist.

Thank you for letting me share my Blue Dot news with you and for all my Fabricista friends, the patterns are 40% off through the end of July.

Happy Sewing,

Diane at Gatorbunnysews.

Fabricista Border Print Dress

Once again I'm so happy to be a contributor on the FabricMart blog.  Here's my project for April:

When I was little, I loved when my mom took me to the fabric store in the pink building (by the way, my kids have never "loved" going to the fabric store).  I would go up and down the aisles with my hands outstretched so I could feel the fabrics.  My love for fabrics started when I was very young and I admit, I can get nostalgic about fabrics.

My mom was a sewer and I remember many of the things she made, but one blouse in particular really impressed me.  She took a design class at a local college when I was 7 or 8 years old and made a two color tunic with an ogee print at the neckline and on the cuffs.  I thought she looked beautiful in it! When I saw this cotton print on the Fabricmart website, it took me back to that blouse and I knew I had to have this fabric.

Border prints can be scary for sewers because we never know what to make with them aside from the typical dirndl skirt with the border at the hem.  When I saw this black and magenta ogee print with hot pink floral border I knew I wouldn't use it as a border on a skirt, but I would put it on the neckline....just like my mom did.

I used new McCall’s pattern 7119, view C, a maxi wrap dress with short sleeves.  I chose it in part because it has a neckband with a shape that would fit within the width of the border but also because a wrap dress is really comfortable.

It can be difficult to determine how much fabric is needed on a border print so a little extra is always a good idea.  I ordered 4 yards and used all of the border print (down to 2”!) primarily because the waist ties are very long.  However, I have plenty of black fabric left over to make another small project.

The dress went together quickly and the instructions were well written.  I chopped the maxi length to a midi length because making the dress go all the way to the floor would've looked heavy.  This pattern is a great choice for a beginning/intermediate sewist and certainly something I will make again.  

This is my first dress of the season and I'm looking forward to making it again.  Next time I'll make the sleeveless version because I know some hot weather is on the way.  

Do you have any summer dress patterns on your cutting table?  I'd love to know what you're making.

Happy Sewing!  

Diane - Gatorbunnysews

The 15-Minute Flannel

I'm glad to be back to Fabricmart's blog with my new cozy flannel.  Sewholic's latest PDF pattern, the Granville Shirt, is the perfect fitted shirt pattern to make a classic flannel shirt while still looking like a girl.  I used this soft plaid 100% cotton flannel from Fabricmart.  It's lightweight and dreamy to wear but it also holds it's shape like a good quality flannel should.

So...it didn't actually take me 15 minutes to make this shirt so why call it the 15 minute flannel, you ask?  Time being what it is in my life right now, I didn't have the opportunity to set aside large blocks of sewing time so I decided to make this shirt in short, 15-20 minute sewing spurts.

A shirt like this, with lots of details, is the perfect project to break up into smaller parts.  I found sewing this way made me take my time and focus on each part to be sure everything was done right.

In just 15 minutes or so I could do quite a few separate things:  apply interfacing and rethread the serger, add pockets and front darts, attach collar band and make collar, make sleeve plackets and sew side seams and set in sleeves.

Sewholic's patterns are geared toward the pear shaped figure which is quite refreshing for the sewing community.  I wouldn't consider myself a pear shape, so I took out some of the hip curve in the side seam.  You can see here it's pretty curvy!  The instructions have lots of drawings and well written step by step instructions which lends itself to sewing in small time increments.

The pattern uses mostly traditional construction techniques aside from the collar.  I was tempted to use my usual collar application but I decided to stick right with the instructions (I know...yay for me for following directions).  The collar band and collar band facing are attached to the neckline of the shirt first (like the photo above), then the collar is attached to the band.  This is the first time I've ever seen this in a collar and I had to read it a few times to get it.  The collar band and facing are then stitched, right sides together from the tip just to where the collar starts.  After turning the collar band right sides out, the collar is sewn to the band and slipped in.  It worked great and it made topstitching a breeze.

I made three small changes to the shirt.  First, I cut the pocket, sleeve cuff and back yoke on the bias, second, I made the collar band facing and cuff facing out of contrasting fabric (polka dots because what could be better?) and lastly, I used pearl snaps instead of buttons and that made it easy and fast.

This Granville pattern is a perfect wardrobe staple  It makes up great in casual flannel but it would be beautiful in a floral voile or classic in crisp white broadcloth.  I'm sure I'll be making it again soon.

This is likely my last winter project and now I'm off to thinking about spring sewing.  What's next for all of you?

My photographer is back from college for the weekend.  Isn't she cute!

Fabricista Jacket - Boucle Baby

Happy New Year Friends!  I'm happy to get my Fabricmart Fabricista year (Thanks Fabricmart!)  off to a good start with a classic boucle jacket. It's a timeless style, classic fabric and beautiful color!

I started with New Look pattern 6028 view A and chose Fabricmart's soft green, black and white boucle suiting, similar to the type of fabric used in the pattern photo (the fabric also comes in this pretty pink, yum).  I used this Maggy London black satin for the lining.  So luxurious!

I didn't make any style changes or alterations to the pattern (don't you love when you get a pattern like that?)  but I changed the lining. The jacket shell pattern and the lining pattern are the same, meaning, when you sew the lining and jacket together, the lining fabric is right up to the outer edge of the jacket.  So if the jacket comes open or lifts up, you would see the lining right at the edge.  I wanted a more traditional lining that included a facing all the way around the neckline and a hem.  It's an easy remedy:

1) I added 1" to the hem of the jacket shell (there was only a 5/8" seam allowance).

2) I cut the jacket front facing out of the shell fabric.

3) I cut a back neck facing out of the shell fabric and attached it to lining.

This boucle is great to work with because it has some natural give which makes sewing curves and easing in sleeves a breeze.  I added a sleeve head to the sleeve to give the jacket additional structure.  Here's how I made them (it's so easy you don't need to buy them):

Trace the sleeve head onto lightweight fleece, from dot to dot.

Draw a line from dot to dot.

Fold along the line and cut out the curve.

Sew the sleeve head onto the seam allowance of the sleeve, matching raw edges of fleece and sleeve.  Stitch just inside stitching line (4/8").  Press all seams toward the sleeve.

The sleeve on the left has a sleeve head and the one on the right doesn't.  You can see what a big difference this tiny piece of fleece makes.  The one on the left looks much better, it even makes the side of the jacket hang more smoothly.  And this is all before shoulder pads!

And now for the fun part....the trim!  The outer trim on the jacket is simply bias strips of fabric gathered down the center.  I used the gathering foot on my machine, set the tension to the tightest, used the longest stitch length and stitched until everything was gathered.  I put the trim on with a straight stitch right over the gathering line.  Super easy....and pretty!

I had some leftover strips I sewed into a continuous circle, put a button on top of the raw edges and made a flower.  I'm feeling pretty tricky right now! 

I think now it's time to make this jacket in pink!

What's next for you?

Check out the blog post for this jacket and lots more at Fabricmart's blog.

Here's my Patternreview.com review.

Diane

Fabricmart Fabricista - Frankenpattern Dress

Although the mention of Frankenstein conjures up scary images of Igor and bad posture, Franken-patterns are quite different.  Sewists have coined the term to describe combining more than one sewing pattern until a new look materializes.  Ahhh, the joy of creating something new and unique. “It’s Alive!”

It’s time for a winter dress and I’ve been drooling over this fabric for quite some time, both because I love the print and because a double crepe can be difficult to find.  It has a pebble like texture, beautiful drape and “mechanical” stretch, meaning that although it is a woven fabric without lycra, it still has a slight crosswise give.  The stretch makes this fabric easy to sew and even more comfortable to wear.

The print is sophisticated but still really fun and lends itself to a simple style. The skater dress silhouette is quite popular right now and I thought a modified version would be perfect.  There are plenty of skater dress patterns out there but I couldn’t find one suitable for a woven fabric, therefore, I decided a Franken-pattern was in order.  

For the bodice, I used New Look 6144 View B.  I’ve used this pattern before and love the fit.  I cut the pattern 1" above the waistline so the skirt would sit just above the waist and made pleats at the neckline instead of the darts the pattern called for.  

For the skirt, I wanted to dirndl style skirt, not too full, not many seams, so I could make the best use of the print.  I used Simplicity 1354 for the skirt, omitted the pockets and left everything else the same.

What’s a cute dress without a bag to go with it?  Simplicity pattern 1387 was the basis for the shape of the bag, but I changed the handles, closure, hardware and lining to get the bag that I wanted.

The top of the bag is lightbeige twill and black wool suiting makes up the bottom and handle.  To round out the menswear feel of the twill and wool, I lined it in a classic striped shirting and trimmed it with “pleather”.  The pattern doesn’t have any pockets in the lining, so I added a zip pocket on one side and sectioned pockets with bias trim on the other.

 

I’m so happy with my Franken-pattern dress and my coordinating bag makes me feel like I really have it together.  Thanks Dr. Frankenstein.  And thank you Fabricmart!