The Fabricista Final Challenge!
Tuesday, November 19, 2013Well it's finally here peeps...the final challenge of the Fabric Mart Fabricista Challenge. Here it is..
3 Piece Outfit/Collection
Challenge: Create 3 pieces that can be worn together as one outfit or 2 outfits that could be worn to the same event. Using the Pantone Fall Color Chart, select 2 fall colors to inspire your outfit.
You will be judged on creativity, craftsmanship, use of color, and fit.
The First Place Winner will receive $25.00 a month for one year to spend on fabric at Fabric Mart (worth $300!) Plus! You will become a Fabricista on our blog!
The Second Place Winner will receive a $100 Gift Certificate and a Julie's Picks Membership.
The Third Place Winner will receive a $50 Gift Certificate and Julie's Picks Membership
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The two colors I chose to focus on were Acai and Samba. Since I'm also on a time crunch, working 40 hours a week I chose to make a 3 piece outfit instead of the collection. I had an idea I wanted to make a jacket (I seriously tried talking myself out of it several times) and I needed all the time I could get to focus on that since it was my first.
Choosing my two colors all happened by chance. I would of never thought to pair red and purple together but I have to say I really love how the two look together. I spotted these two hanging out on a beautiful floral charmeuse. I used retro Simplicity 2154 to create the bow blouse. I cut my usual size 10 in Simplicity and didn't need any alterations. The back neckline has a keyhole button closure and there is a side lapped zipper. The bow is lightly interfaced to give it some structure.
I paired this top with a blackberry cotton sateen pencil skirt. I used the pencil skirt pattern out of Gertie's New Book for Better Sewing. I love this skirt style. It was very easy to assemble and Gertie gives all kind of variations to it in her book. When I was beginning to assemble my skirt front I noticed a line of discoloration running down the middle of my fabric. Argh Joann Fabric this is the third time now!!
Noticable huh!? I had no extra fabric to spare so I got creative. I found a faux leather strap from an old handbag and attached that to the front covering the line. An unexpected fun detail added to my skirt.
For my third piece I chose Burdastyle's long sleeve blazer pattern 106a. I went back and forth between cardigan - jacket. A plain black cardigan would be easy but I really wanted to push myself and make something I hadn't before. Plus once I picked up this wool houndstooth at Joann Fabric it wasn't going to let me leave the store without him.
This pattern was rated novice but I always find Burda patterns hard to understand. I cut a 36 and the only alteration I made was narrowing the shoulders by 1 inch. The pattern called for shoulder pads but with the weight of the wool I thought sleeve heads would suffice. I drafted my own out of flannel using the tutorial in the Colette Anise companion I had purchased a while back. (Yes I considered making the Anise for this challenge but I decided I didn't want to rush myself through it)
The sleeve heads help to support the sleeve as to keep it from caving in. They also keep your seam allowances from showing on the outside of your jacket. And with the combined weight of the wool yay for not having to use shoulder pads. I despise those things!
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| Vito says, "What in the wild wild world of sports is a going on here?" Yes Vito is a Blazing Saddles fan |
Reading other reviews of this jacket lead me to Jen from Grainline Studios tutorial on how to bag a jacket lining. This is a wonderful tutorial and proves to be much easier and quicker then how the pattern suggests you attach the lining (which I kinda glazed over). It was actually the funnest part of making this jacket for me. The entire time your thinking, "This isn't going to work." And then like magic with a little pulling and tugging your sausage roll turns into a fully lined jacket!
I'd like to thank everyone at Fabric Mart for hosting this challenge. It has been a lot of hard work at times but very rewarding. I've learned a lot, grown a lot in my skill and have a lot more clothes to wear! I've met some very nice, talented seamstresses who were all very supportive. And I could never forget a big thank you to all of you lovelies who supported me and cheered me on along the way.
XOXO!!
To see the other two contestants entries and vote for your favorite please *click here*
