Hello Gems! If you are just tuning in, I was chosen to be part of the Mood sewing Network (MSN) at the beginning of the year. I have featured several stunning fabrics that are available at moodfabrics.com . For the month of February I featured two looks using Mood’s Exclusive Fabric Collection to create "inspired by" designer pieces that I adore.
There is so much inspiration in fashion to spark the creativity in your sewing projects! A lot of times this inspiration comes straight from the runway and from designer pieces with price tags that are a little over the budget. Sometimes it's the fabric that sparks the creative journey and creating customized pieces that fit your body just right. I can honestly say all of these thoughts came to mind while creating my looks this past month.
For my first look I was inspired by the Versace Jungle Print Single Breasted Blazer! A great statement piece to spice up a look! And it has been a while since I had created a blazer so I decided to base the look around the blazer. I found this awesome Black Paradise Palms Sateen Stretch Cotton at MoodFabrics.com and I thought it was perfect to recreate this blazer. The color combo and the silhouette of palm trees on the black background is amazing. This fabric is a medium weighted with a mild stretch. Like most sateen stretch fabrics it's great for almost any garment piece. It has a crisp hand but still a bit fluid due to the stretch and descent weight.
I used an older more classic blazer pattern to re-create this piece. McCalls Pattern 6172 has that classic contoured silhouette, the welted pocket option and also three length options. I didn’t have to make many changes to this pattern. However, I did add a few darts in the side waist and back because I wanted the fit to contour just a little more. Also, I'm about 6’0 tall with long arms so I always lengthen my sleeves by at least 2”. This jacket is fully lined in a black poly lining. I added one snap closure to the blazer and made a belt with a fabric covered buckle that I also picked up from Mood Fabrics.
I completed this look by creating the Day Lily Skirt from Mood Fabrics collection of Free Patterns to go with the blazer. I absolutely love this drop waist tiered skirt. It has a side zipper and large ruffled tiers cascading to the floor. This pattern is a quick and easy pattern to create. Mood Fabrics offers detailed instructions on the website to their patterns and fabric suggestions also. I found this Stretch Sateen worked perfectly for this piece and gave the ruffles a solid volume. The skirt is fluid but also keeps its structure very well.
I absolutely love this look! And what's more rewarding is I’ve already started to remix these pieces in my wardrobe and look forward to finding more ways to style them separately.
The second look I created for February is made from Mood Fabrics Exclusive Mellow Yellow Sprouting Cotton Poplin fabric. This is a beautiful poplin fabric, great for dresses, skirts and shirts. The print is stunning and the color combo is so striking. The contrast between the two green hues is spectacular with a floral silhouette. When I spotted this fabric on moodfabrics.com it reminded me so much of the Alexis Zuella Maxi Dress that caught my eye recently and I knew this fabric would be great to create a similar look.
I used McCalls pattern 7974 to create the dress. I found the sizing of this pattern to be a little tricky around the waist, so I did have to make some adjustments for fit. I shortened the midriff piece a bit to get a better fit and added a drop waist with tiered ruffle hack to the skirt. This dress has fabric covered buttons that I also picked up from Mood. The elastic puff sleeves were spot on for this look. I did not make any alterations to the bodice. However, I did add a little netting in the puff sleeve to hold the volume of the puff. I think this worked out great! I absolutely love the way this fabric turned out for this look!
Spring will be here in a few weeks and this fabric with its crisp hand, light feel and so much volume is a great fabric and look for the Spring! The colors really do get you in the mood for the season. I look forward to working this look into my wardrobe and accessorizing and finding new ways to style and wear it!
Hope you enjoyed this month's looks and Fabric choices! All of the featured fabrics are available on moodfabrics.com and remember to use my mood promo code: MSNMS121 for 10% off of your order. For more sewing tips, style tips and fashion Inspo don’t forget to subscribe and follow me on Instagram @keechiibstyle .
Until Next Time!
Marcia 💋