Fabric Mart Fabricistas

As we get to the end of this year, I'm starting to prepare for 2023. Part of that is expanding my little pattern shop. I've been slightly obsessed with Active Wear recently and wanted something comfortable enough to lounge in but functional enough to work out in. So, these loose joggers, crop top, and jacket were made. There are always a few hiccups when trying a new pattern for the first time, and this was no exception. I have been working with wovens for the better part of a decade and don't have the experience to know how the average knit will drape. This caused a lot of problems for the pants, which I eventually recut with a different pattern.  This set is probably one of my favorite things that I've made for my everyday wardrobe and I will be making more. Like... one in every color they're that good. I hope you all enjoyed this as much as I did. MARTY   |  @ scrapsandsequins Unfortunately Fabric Mart Fabrics sell out quickly! You can find similar fabrics by sho

Are you getting ready for the holidays?  I am.  From past years, it gets so busy in my household around this time of year, so it is never too early to start my holiday sewing.  This year I decided to sew velvet, a fabric I had not sewn for many years but I think it is luxurious.   As luck would have it, FM’s poly rich black velvet flashed on my computer screen and I bought lots.  I thought it would be pretty for a one-shoulder gown, which I had never worn before but admired on others.  The following week FM’s multi-colored one showed up.  It was a poly embossed Bohemian print velvet with jade, yellowish, and crimson colors; it screamed fall and family get-togethers.   I just had to have it!  When the fabrics arrived, the deep colors did not disappoint. I chose Butterick B6557 for both dresses, View B for the knee-length printed dress and View C for the maxi dress. It was perfect for velvets; the front was one whole piece and so was the back.  I cut the fabrics with the nap going down

Happy Monday All! It has been a while since I wrote a blogpost and it feels great to be back! Today I am excited to share my daughter who hasn’t graced the blog for quite sometime. Now that my children are older, I have to always get their permission to take photos and share. It took a lot of convincing to get my daughter to rock this FAMU (Florida A & M University) inspired cardigan. I originally planned to make the Blackwood cardigan using the orange and green ponte knit for myself to represent my alma mater FAMU but then realized I cut the wrong size.  I was a bit disappointed at first that I cut a medium instead of a large but knew my daughter would rock it. Additionally, even if I wanted to squeeze in the cardigan, it just could not even pass my elbow when I tried it on. It was definitely a learning experience because I now know that you cannot add a non stretch ribbon around a fitted knit garment sleeve. It must be added to a loose sleeve as the ribbon stops the fabric from s

It happens to all of us.  We are eager to sew, sit down to go over our project and get it started.  At some point though you just can’t get yourself to finish.  You get frustrated or stuck and your project gets put to the side.  When you come back it just doesn’t excite you anymore.  Why does this happen?! A lot of things could cause it.  I totally lost my Sewjo on this project. While I’m happy with how it came out it was not easy to finish.  You can get your Sewjo back though!!   Here are 5 ideas on how to do that.  1. Clean Your Sewing Space I know! No one wants to talk about cleaning.  And in a lot of sewing community forums people always joke about sewing first and cleaning or cooking later.  I have done it too.  But a cluttered space can contribute to a cluttered mind, especially when trying to wrap your head around a new project.  For me I like to clean my whole sewing room.  I put all scraps away, vacuum the floors to get rid of all the thread.  When it ends up all over the ho

YouTuber's Dee & Dory are back on the Fabric Mart blog today with their most recent Fabricista Makes. Make sure to click play on the video below to hear all about their fabric choices & how their projects turned out! Dory I made a purple floral tunic out of 60” jersey fabric using Vogue 9224. The fabric was so easy to work with and washed up fabulously using a cold, gentle wash.  Because it’s a jersey there is no raveling and no need to roll a hem.  Just turn it up and sew it down! I was able to make a size medium because of the four way stretch in the jersey. Also, the fabric made for an easy cowl neck! This tunic is long enough it can be worn as a dress with leggings! The second garment was a Kwik Sew dress from pattern 4215 with a 44” cotton quilting print.  It was just such a fun, romantic fabric that I had to have it!  I’m absolutely in love with it, looking vintage, parisian or whatever else you want to call it.  Style it with an old fashioned hat and gloves and it’s

Since the weather has gotten cooler I’ve been drawn to corduroy looks and getting inspiration from vintage seventies fashion to add more Fall pieces to my wardrobe. For this month's Fabricista feature I created the perfect two piece to set off my Fall looks. This corduroy from Fabric Mart is a bright turquoise blue and its medium weighted which makes it great for outerwear and bottom weighted pieces. I used two of my favorite patterns to create a complete look and added Fabric Mart’s printed satin to create a scarf to coordinate. Trench jackets and wrap coats or a classic. Nothing says classic vintage like the iconic wrap and trench coat so I had to give into my whelms and create Simplicity 8554 view C. This jacket has a cool laid back polish look and this particular view has a tie at the wrist that creates an interesting ruffled hem cuff. It features two large pockets on the front, which I would usually skip or leave off for this look. I felt it added to the 70’s vibe and actually

Hi! By the time this is posted on the blog, I may already have a newborn in my arms! This blog post and project have been some of the hardest for me to get done. I wanted to do them way in advance but ended up working on them at 38 weeks pregnant. Talk about pressure! I am usually very organized, but this time I’ve had to learn to pick my battles. So let me share the whole story. First battle: fabric and pattern choice. I first saw this beautiful heathered brushed sweater fabric in one of Julie’s videos on Fabric Mart’s Instagram . They looked so soft and light I thought I probably could use them even in the – almost inexistent – Floridian Fall and Winter. I waited about ten days to order them, knowing full well that they would have discounts at some point! And sure enough, they got into one of the excellent 65% off deals! While waiting for the right time to order the fabric, I looked for the project and pattern I would use these for and found this nursing sweater/dress by Lulu Ferris