Sew a Jilbab From an Abaya for an Interview

The last five months have been crazy!  First, I got married.  Then I got really sick.  I mean really sick.  Off of work.  Multiple trips to the doctor.  I was sick for seven long weeks.   In that time I also got a new job (which I had applied for before I got sick).  Alhamdullilah I got better just before we moved into our new house!  I had to unpack.  I left my new job.  I left because I didn't like juggling two part-time jobs (among other reasons).  I decided to find full-time work and that leads me to today's blog post...  sewing a jilbab for an interview from an existing abaya.  Since I wear hijab, I can't just go to a department store and pick up a suit for an interview.  Plus I am plus sized, making things even harder.  I had to get creative.  

This all started when I sent in my resume and was just hoping for an interview.  I knew I would need something to wear.  I have clothes for work, but nothing I thought would be good for an interview.  Plus, since I only recently started wearing an outer garment, a jilbab, as part of my hijab (see my post about hijab to learn more about this) I don't have a lot of choices.  This was the perfect opportunity to have the jilbab of my dreams.

So I shopped.  And shopped.  And shopped some more.  All online, of course.  I live in rural Wisconsin.  There are no Muslim clothing stores in the area.  I have to travel 2 hours to get to one in Madison.  And they do not carry what I was looking for.  And I was pretty sure that even if I drove to Chicago itself, I would have a hard time finding what I was looking for.  Mainly I figured this because I have had such a hard time finding it online!

Coat style jilbabs are not easy to find in plus sizes.  And that is what I wanted.  A button down, full length, summer weight jilbab, preferably with A line styling.  And not in what most websites consider "plus size" (AKA XL).  I am a bigger girl than that!

First, I must say that if Shukr would increase their range of sizes, I would purchase from them in a heartbeat.  I love most of their stuff and they have exactly what I was looking for.  But alas, they only have sizes for the slender among us.

I considered East Essence.  I have purchased from them before and am familiar with their quality.  I H.A.T.E. their koshibo fabric, though I read that it may have changed for the better since I last ordered it two years ago.  Other items of theirs I have, love, and wear all the time.  They have a jilbab that I am interested in, but I had read it is not really a summer weight so I am saving it for later.  Also, it takes time to get their stuff since it is custom made and shipped from India.  I hoped I didn't have time for that!  I wanted an interview NOW.

I like some of the stuff from Islamic Attire but they have the same problem as East Essence... the custom making and shipping from India.  So again, I will save them for a later date.

Then I looked at Plus Size Muslimah.  I had never purchased from them nor had ever heard from anyone who had.  Their website certainly is attractive.  As are their designs.  I had admired several of their abayas for a long time but had never bought anything.  Now, I saw that they had several designs on sale for $19.99, including the Colorblock Abaya.  Unfortunately, it only came in a 7X.  That is more than double the size I needed.  But gazing longingly at the picture of this handsome abaya, I had an idea.  I saw a button down jilbab made from this abaya.  The same lovely colorblock design.  The same attractive summer weight fabric.  The same conservative, interview worthy colors.  But with black buttons running down the front, creating the button down coat I longed for.

Picture used with the permission of www.plussizemuslimah.com

I figured that if I ordered a size so much larger than my own, I would have plenty of fabric to work with.  I hemmed and hawed and finally dove in and ordered it.  I considered ordering more of their products at the same time but I try to order small the first time I order from a company so if I am unhappy I am at least unhappy at a smaller dollar amount.

There was no need to worry.  My package came lightening quick!  And it was packaged beautifully.  Even wrapped with a pretty ribbon.  The abaya itself, though way too big for me, was very well made and of a beautiful fabric.  Light yet opaque.  Perfect for summer.  Perfect for the project.

For this project I had to enlist a helper.  My good friend Kim became my assistant.  By this time, I had the interview!  We had only three days to complete the project.

The first evening we laid the abaya out on the floor.  We laid one of my frequently worn abayas on top of it to compare the sizes.  Wow.  We certainly had plenty of fabric to work with.

The first job was to cut up the middle of the front so we could make the front opening.  After a moment's hesitation, Kim cut right up the center.

Next we pinned each side to create the placards.  I put more fabric on the inside edge of the inside flap so that if there was gaping while wearing it, it would be less likely you could see through the gap as the extra fabric will help fill it.

After carefully pinning the front, I tried it on.  I knew I wanted an A line silhouette.  So wearing the abaya inside out, Kim pinned in the waist.  I wanted it loose enough for hijab standards, but without a lot of excess fabric in the waist.  My bust and hips are much larger than my waist.  I do not want to emphasize my shape, but I cannot stand too much excess fabric bulking up under my arms.  I was looking for a nice, clean diagonal line out from my armpit, skimming over my hips, and to the floor.

The first sewing I did was sewing in that fabric on the sides.  Then I sewed up the placards.  Once they were sewed, it was easier to try on.  So far, I was very pleased.

In front of the TV that night, I sewed on the buttons.  Then I hand sewed the buttonholes.  I chose to do them by hand because (and this is my dirty little secret) I have never sewn a buttonhole by machine.  Gasp!  Honestly, I don't really feel like a real seamstress without that experience, but there it is.  In the end, I was very pleased.  The hand done ones turned out perfectly.  My two tips are using a razor blade to cut the hole instead of a scissors and using embroidery cotton instead of sewing thread.

Once I could button it and see how it hung while wearing it, it was possible to do the hem.  I wanted a hem that just skimmed the floor.  The week before I had seen at the Masjid some women with lovely jilbabs that were that length and loved the look.  I believe the only foolproof way to do a hem, especially one like that where there is no room for error, is to pin it while wearing it.  Once again, my assistant helped me, doing a wonderful job pinning it.

I didn't actually sew the hem as I hate a noticeable hem seam and I didn't really have the time to do a hand sewn one.  Instead I used iron on hem tape.  That stuff is awesome and is very easy to use!

I took in the arms and shortened them as well.

Afterwards, I was pleased as punch!

How I looked the day of the interview.

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Thank you to my wonderful assistant and fabulous friend, Kim!!!  I honestly could not have finished this project without you.

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After notes:

I always like to talk about what I wish I had done different and if I am pleased with the project.  With this one, yes, I am pleased.  Very pleased!  I wear this jilbab A LOT!  The only thing I would have done different is the hem.  I think it looks really good at that length, but I step on the front of it all the time.  I am not sure how to fix it other than just making it shorter.  I am still considering the situation.

The abaya itself that I used was really nice.  The construction was too good!  I felt bad cutting it apart it was made so well.  The seams were all french seams, not serged.  A more expensive way to do them because they take more fabric and more time, but they last much longer.  And are perfect for plus sized ladies because they can take more stress and wear.  The fabric is wonderful.  I know it doesn't look that light but it is and yet still opaque.  Despite the dark color I am finding it quite comfortable for summer.

Plus Size Muslimah as a company impressed me a lot.  My order came lightning fast!  The picture above shows how nicely it was wrapped.  When I contacted them to ask their permission to use the above picture, they were very excited and offered to help me any way they could.  From this abaya alone, I believe that this company understands the needs of plus sized Muslim women for their clothing.  I will definitely be ordering from them in the future.

Please let me know what you think!  Do you like coat style jilbabs?  Do you have a hard time finding plus-sized Muslim clothing?