Athleisure (Fabric Mart Pinterest Contest)

I know I’m not the only sewist who cruises Pinterest regularly, looking for inspiration.  It’s like an endless fashion magazine (okay, and a food/fitness/tabloid/design magazine too).  In fact, browsing pins is usually one of the first things I do when I’m looking to get out of a sewing slump.  You can find everything there: sewing bloggers, new patterns, street style looks, magazine editorials, and (my fave) fashion week runway collections!

So imagine my excitement when I found out that Fabric Mart has a Pinterest page and is looking for some guest pinners!  To decide who will have this opportunity (and win a gift certificate), they are holding a contest.  The challenge: make garments using the mystery fabric in one of their bundles.

Now, I’ve never entered a sewing competition before, and I don’t know exactly what drove me to sign up for this one.  Maybe it’s a newly found confidence in my sewing?  Maybe I’ve just been watching too much Project Runway?  (Anyone wanna have a talk about All Stars, lemme know.) Whatever it is, I took the plunge and ordered a 6 yard bundle.  Here’s what I got:

I received 4 pieces.  From left to right, they are: a neon green glittery knit, a textured woven of some kind printed with what appear to be colorful stone blocks, an olive sheer knit (it keeps reading brown in photos), and a grey sheer knit.  I could see that this would be a real challenge.

Actually, when I ripped open the package, what went through my head was something like: HOLY COW NEON GREEN SPARKLES!!?@@!?!!  and OMG BLOCKS ON BEIGE WHAT IS THAT EVEN??!?!?!?  followed by WHY DID I DO THIS TO MYSELF???!!!  WHY MEEEEEE??????

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Once my existential crisis was over, and after I had dinner, I returned to the fabrics with fresh eyes.  First, the neon sparkles.  While I can (unfortunately) think of no occasion to wear this fabric myself, I could totally see my four-year-old niece wearing it to gymnastics class.  I made up the leotard from Jalie 3138 for her.  Of course, I couldn’t stop there, so I also whipped up some matching shorts using Jalie 3247.  Let me tell you, I am STILL cleaning green glitter out of my sewing machine.  But aren’t they ADORABLE?!  I don’t know why I don’t sew for my niece more.  Tiny four-year-old bodies require very little fabric and very little fitting alterations.  Win-win.

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Second, those sheer knits.  Since the weather has been warming up around here, I’ve been thinking about coming out of hibernation and working out again.  The problem: in my underemployed life, workout-wear usually becomes all-day-long-wear.  The solution: athleisure!  I knew I wanted some drapey layering pieces, but I couldn’t decide what to do until I saw some great inspo on Pinterest.  I even made an “athleisure” board!

The grey piece became the Tania tabard by Style Arc.  Not only do they make for fantastic medieval formal wear, tabards are actually great layering athleisure pieces!  I opted for a black elastic piping at the neckline and armholes because trying to apply binding in these areas was driving me crazy.  I liked it so much that I also applied a yellow (not elastic) piping to the side slits.  It makes for a fun contrast!

 

The olive colored piece became Simplicity 1463 (view B): a knit top with a faux-wrap drapey pleated back.  I seriously love this top.  I’ll probably be wearing it 24/7.  Not much else to say about this one – I just made a straight size medium and didn’t deviate from the instructions.

(Note: I made the galaxy leggings about a year ago, using the Cake Espresso leggings pattern)

Finally, that woven.  In my previous post, I talked about how I (unsuccessfully) tried to dye this fabric.  Well, eventually the loud print grew on me, so I stuck with my athleisure theme and made some loungey-track pants using the Tessuti Suzy pants pattern.  I like them!  I’ve made this pattern twice before, and the only change I made this time was to taper the legs a bit more.  I actually tapered from a large at the hip to a small at the ankles.  I think that if I do make these again I’ll size down to a medium.  They’re a bit baggier in the bum than I remembered.

I thought this was going to be stressful at first, but it actually turned out to be a lot of fun!  Challenges with restrictions like this really push you out of your creative comfort zone and force you to try new things.

What do you think of my projects?  I hope you like them! And if you DO like them, please go vote for me in the contest! Voting should open in the next couple of days, and I believe the info will be found here as soon as it does: Fabric Mart Fabricista Blog.

Edit: Voting is now open (until 4/8), check it out here: Fabric Mart Pinterest Contest