I'm so excited! I've been planning this little capsule for weeks now, and it's been really satisfying to pull it all together! First off, the colours: This is Pantone's Fall 2017 colour palette for New York. I've done a lot of thinking on my own blog about colour palettes, and, well, these are definitely not my colours! I usually wear jewel tones and always prefer cool colours. That just makes this a ...
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It's definitely getting cooler here in Canada... as I type this, I'm sitting under a wool blanket and quilt! That means it's time to put away the sundresses and cosy up in layers. This fall, I decided to use my Cali fabrics to add some trendy colours from the Fall Pantone Palette to my fall wardrobe. I haven't worn this dusty pink or soft burgundy for years, but suddenly they feel ...
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You know, a year ago I hadn't even heard of double brushed poly... but now I'm a convert! It's a polyester knit (not unlike ITY in weight) that has been combed on each side to give it a soft, micro-fleece-esque texture. Like all polyester fabrics, it comes in an huge variety of colours and and prints, and Cali Fabrics carries a great supply, including dots, florals, solids and the cutest ...
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There must have been something in the water lately, because THREE Cali bloggers have projects with this tencel denim in June! I think it's neat that you'll get to see the same fabric used in different ways - and Cali has several other Tencel denims in stock now, including black and light blue. You already saw my Winslow Culottes and now I'm back with the new Jalie Vanessa Fluid Pants. These ...
Read MoreThis summer, I'm determined to experiment with fun trousers styles. There has to be more to life than skinny jeans, right? First and foremost, I needed a good flowy fabric that was also robust enough for pants. I was so happy to find this tencel denim on the Cali Fabrics site! (It's sold out right now, but I hope there will be more stock soon!) Tencel is a really trendy fabric right ...
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Before I started sewing, my favourite special occasion dress was black stretch lace over taupe lining. It felt elegant and chic, but so comfortable! For this Cali Fabric make, I decided to channel that dress but in a more daytime appropriate way. Cali has a great selection of lace - I was so tempted by this stripe and floral one! - but I chose this classic black stripe lace for a casual-but-classic look. But ...
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I'm back, with more modal jersey! (Here's my last post.) This time I sewed Cashmerette's Appleton Wrap Dress. I've made it several times before: as a pattern tester in rayon knit, then in Japanese-inspired polyester ITY, a maxi sleeveless version this summer, and one for my sister in rayon bird knit! This one is actually for my sister too - but we're almost the same size, so I'm modelling it today. As I mentioned ...
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My favourite kind of projects are simple ones. Simple doesn't have to be boring! This time, I made two pairs of leggings in buttery soft modal jersey, and an oversized dolman tee in variegated rayon. They mix-and-match perfectly into my wardrobe, but for the purposes of this post, I've styled them together! Shall we begin with the leggings? Cali Fabrics carries a bunch of colours in this modal jersey, and owner Ron told ...
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For this project, I wanted to create a chic layering piece for fall. Something that would go with everything, and have the comfort of a sweater but with a bit more polish! The fabric is Cali Fabric's Heavyweight Black and Off-White Striped Stretch Jersey. It is exactly what the description says: a beefy jersey with 4-way stretch. It's got quite a stiff hand with little drape, and it's more stretchy than a ...
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Love is gentle, love is kind... love is sharing your favourite fabric, and sewing for someone else! In this case, my big sis, Anne. She's a fantastic knitter, and in return for her supplying me with hand knits, I keep her supplied with a custom wardrobe. (In fact, she's wearing jeans I made her last summer!) The beloved fabric is the Ivory and Navy Stripe Floral Stretch Rayon Jersey Knit from Cali ...
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Which came first? The mini or the ruffle? In other words... which came first, and then was changed into the other because I wasn't happy? Both versions have their merits... But after taking pictures of one, I went home and altered it to make the other! Maybe this will clarify things... Frumpy much? I always think that an outfit that NEEDS a belt to "work" visually is not a good outfit. Sure, ...
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Does anything scream "SUMMER!" louder than a maxi dress? Particularly in a bold, bright print like this paint daub rayon jersey from Cali Fabrics. I knew this fabric wanted to be a maxi as soon as I saw it online, and in person it doesn't disappoint. It's my favourite type of squishy, medium-weight rayon knit - heavy enough to be fully opaque and drape nicely over bumps and lumps, and resilient ...
Read MoreHi! My name is Gillian, and I love to sew! I blog at craftingarainbow.wordpress.com and I'm an editor over at the Curvy Sewing Collective. I’ve enjoyed sewing since I was a kid, but when I started sewing clothes in 2012, it became a bit of an obsession. I’m all about wearable, comfy everyday clothes – and my wardrobe is overflowing! I’ve pulled all the colours that I love wearing into my personal colour palette, which ...
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