Yakkity Yak, Sewing Chat! | Latest Fabric Release

As some of you may know, Kayla, our founder, is also an avid knitter. One of the things that drew her to knitting, was how accessible unique and intriguing fiber blends were in yarn form. For years she has dreamed of bridging the gap between crafting worlds and making more unique fiber blends available to us home sewists! 

This week we are making a few strides towards her goal with our new, custom milled, Organic Cotton, Hemp and Yak jersey blend. This blend of fibers is nothing short of amazing! Organic Cotton is not only more eco-friendly and safer to wear, but it's softer and more durable too. The hemp content in this fabric adds to its overall strength while also providing natural UV protection and anti-microbial properties without the use of any chemical treatments. Yak has been deemed as a soft and durable alternative to cashmere. The addition of Yak in this fabric serves as an anti-odour and a natural elastic, which prevents the fabric from stretching out over time. Not only is this a wonderful blend of fibers that we can feel good in, but it has also been sustainably sourced and ethically produced by our partner that is OEKO-Tex, Fair Trade, and GOTS certified!

When these fabrics arrived to our warehouse, Kayla took it upon herself to sew a sample with each color to show how versatile this Jersey Knit would be. She wanted to make sure that you could see how wonderfully it would work not only for simple t-shirts, but also for polos and dresses. This fabric has no age or gender limitations either. If you are passionate about the fibers you wear and want to create garments that fit better than any RTW piece could, this fabric is for you!

Now let's hand things over to her so she can share her makes with you!

"For this collection I really wanted to lean in on the luxurious nature of this fabric and keep the styles simple to allow the fabric do all the talking. So that you may see not only the garment, but the true nature of the fabric as well.

Pattern | Elbe Textiles Staley Top
Color | Soft Apricot

For my first piece, I browsed high and low for a unique top that had subtle design elements that would create a garment I would want to wear daily. Something that might make waking up early on a Monday morning a little easier. The softness and comfort this top offers, does just that. I love how this fabric hangs down from the bust, not clinging to my body, but softly draping. The is the long sleeve and cropped split hem options. I can see myself wearing this with leggings and a denim jacket, or simply with jeans as I have done here.   

Pattern | Made For Mermaids Katy Dress
Color | Mint Tint

Around the time when I was preparing to make all my samples, my daughter proclaimed that she loved the side tie dresses I have made myself in the past and then when I asked her which colorway was her favorite amongst this new collection, she said it was this lovely mint tint shade. I knew right then and there that I had to make her that dress with this fabric. Sometimes it can be hard to tell if a fabric is going to provide good enough coverage/opacity. And it helps to see someone else do it first. So, I knew not only would she love the finished piece, but it would also show just how well it works for a dress. 

Pattern | Sinclair Patterns Tao Raglan
Color | Newburyport

For this sample, I wanted to encourage beginner sewists. You may think that sewing a raglan isn't a big deal, and you may be pushing yourself on to more challenging projects. So I wanted to show you that even a seasoned garment maker enjoys making a simple raglan from time to time. And if you use a lux fabric like this and pair it with say a bamboo spandex as I did, I'm sure any recipient will be ecstatic and appreciative! 

Pattern | Do It Better Yourself Club Anything But Basic Kid's Tee (free pattern)
Color | Honeydew

My son is hard to sew for, he has a very simple sense of style. Basic tees and shorts/jeans are where it's at with him. So the only elevated detail I added was a little front patch pocket. He doesn't have many long sleeve tops, so that was his request which he only regretted after putting it on and wishing he could wear it on a 90 degree day! 

 
Pattern | Love Notions Dockside Polo
Color | Russet

My husband recently discovered how luxurious natural fibers feel and has picked up a few RTW tops, but after that first wash they never fit him the same as they did in the store. That's the major perk of sewing right? To make it better than you can buy it? Well, that was my challenge and inspiration for this project. The length turned out perfect, and the shoulder width allows for a full range of motion. He has mentioned how soft this fabric is countless times, so I'm betting this top is rivaling those RTW ones!

Pattern | True Bias Jesse Tee
Color | Black

This was the last sample I had left to sew and I'll admit, on a bit of a time crunch. But I knew I wanted to make a very casual, easy fitting top. Something that would sew up quick and be something I would want to wear anywhere. I wasn't prepared for how much I was going to love this. The way the fabric hangs, the cut of the tee, it all works together so exquisitely! There's a good chance I'll have a Jesse Tee in every colorway soon enough!

I also got a little bonus project in with the left over fabric from my first project (the Staley Top) and I'll be sharing that in our Facebook Group and on my personal Instagram (@kctarey_handmade) later this week! 

I hope seeing these projects inspire you to give this new delectable fabric base a try, or perhaps inspires you to try a new pattern or even just dust off your machine and get back to sewing again if it's been a while! Thanks for reading!"