Sewing Cohesive Outfit by Marie

Welcome to my debut on the Lamazi bloggers website!

As soon as we were asked to choose our favourite fabrics from the Lamazi website with a vision for what we would make, I had this zoned in on these three fabrics to make a spring/summer coordinating outfit.

I begun with this cotton gaberdine canvas twill, with copper stripe from See You At Six.  It’s unique print caught my eye as most good bottom weight fabrics seem to be plain.  I wanted a pair of shorts with a slightly tailored look, with front pleats to give some volume and allow me to wear tights underneath for winter wearing to up their versatility. 

I waited until I received the fabric to settle on a pattern so that I could take into consideration its properties, and make a piece as near to the image in my mind as possible! This is a heavyweight fabric with little to no drape and no stretch.  For reference, I used a denim needle which I would recommend.  

After trawling the vast and sometimes overwhelming amount of options available, I settled on the Megan Nielson Flint pants.  This is a new to me pattern (I know, where have I been!?) A scroll through the relevant # on Instagram gave me mostly images of floaty culottes, but I felt view C would give me just the look I was after.

This fabric was a dream to cut and sew as its stability means there is no shifting about.  Due to the stripes and my perfectionist tendencies I cut the pattern on the single layer to ensure those stripes matched!  I’m so glad I took the time to do this as I am delighted with the result.  

These shorts turned out exactly as I had hoped.  The stiffness of the fabric holds the pleats beautifully and creates the volume I was hoping for.  I would recommend this fabric for patterns which call for any non-stretch denim such as the Lander pants or Persephone pants.  It could also be used for a jacket, as well as bag making. I have some leftover pieces which I intend to put to good use with other scraps by making a Closet Case Patterns Pouffe.

Liana and James at Lamazi very generously gifted me the second piece of fabric to feature in my outfit too.  Needing no introduction, I’m sure, the Atelier Brunette crepe viscose. The blush colour works so well with the blue and copper tones in the shorts.  It is a beautifully delicate nude pink which will lend itself to an unlimited amount of patterns. Once I received it I couldn’t stop thinking about how pretty a Tilly and the Buttons Fifi set would look, with a lace trim on the shorts and neckline.  Something for my future never ending list!

No more daydreaming; back to the present! I didn’t need to look anywhere to get ideas for this fabric.  A simple Ogden Cami. Chic, simple and stylish.  This is a true day to evening workhorse. It not only dresses up these shorts, but looks lovely with black jeans for an evening out. 

I’m no stranger to Atelier Brunette fabric as you may have seen on my Instagram feed. Lamazi stocks a vast selection of their lovely prints and plains.  This is a fabric that requires patience to handle!  If you are new to  their viscose fabric then an Ogden Cami is a good way to get used to cutting and sewing it.  With no darts, or fastenings it provides as great base for more luxurious fabrics.  As with many things in life, the difficult things are the most worthwhile.  Stick with it, take it slowly and you will end up with a garment that you love.

The final garment in my outfit is this Fulton jersey Blazer from Alina sewing+Design Co. It is made in this beautiful chevron quilted knit fabric from Mind the Maker (own purchase).  The rust colour pulls together the other two garments into a complete look that works well for my lifestyle.  It has already proven to be a useful addition to my wardrobe.  The stability of the fabric proved to work perfectly with my chosen pattern as it gives structure that the collar needs.  Another suggestion for this fabric is the Morris Blazer by Grainline Studio. 

I decided to crop the jacket to just above hip length as this length not only suits the look, but is more practical for when I use my wheelchair. I chose the 3/4 length sleeves for the same reason.

I used some scraps of scuba from my stash for the sleeve and neck facing. This, together with the pale pink binding to finish the seams has given me a finished garment that I am really proud of.

As you can probably gather, I am exceptionally pleased with the realisation of my initial outfit musings!  I have three pieces that not only co-ordinate together, but work well with other garments in my wardrobe. I feel like sewing a complete outfit has been a helpful experience in planning a handmade wardrobe that works in harmony together.  This is a step in the right direction in working towards a cohesive, multi seasonal wardrobe.