Fabric Mart Fabricistas

Color is one of my favorite things about summer. I love the bright hues that appear mixed with the simple tons of white and tan. And where is a better place to look for this season's trends other than Etsy? Exactly. So, I picked out my favorite items for each color from the Pantone Color Trend Chart.   Linen:   Lace Beauty Crocheted Collar   Grayed Jade: Bella Mia Design Hair Pins   Vintage Toy Sewing Machine Lemon Zest & Tender Shoots (Lime): Citrus Prints from Colorbee   Bidwell Botanicals Soap   Mug Rugs from Hennas Boutique Nectarine: Kelly Bow Belly Ties African Violet: BZR Shop Ombre Tights   Borlovan Wood Works Letter   Vital Temptation Scarf Emerald: Emerald from Mashugana Dusk Blue: Brocade Serving Tray from Cats Paw Pottery   Ombre Wool from The Sheeps Company Poppy Red: Flower Pillow from Bed Buggs Monaco Blue: Adorable Bow Tie from Lolly Lu Designs Di

Without a doubt my daughter is the center of attention in all that I do. Since the moment I knew I was pregnant I planned my day, my week, month and year around her. I try to care for her providing food, well-being, health, spiritual growth through our church and family, means to access education and moral teaching, ethics and manners (improving mine on the way). The influence of my family in my daughter’s life is a great advantage in her development. My mother’s suggestions were at first a cause of headache and upset. But I learned that providing for my daughter all of the above aspects are wonderful but that was not enough to assure a good future. Giving her the gift of the arts is a shortcut to build in her strength, good feelings, culture, spiritual growth and much more. In professional terms art: Stimulates and develops the imagination and critical thinking, and refines cognitive and creative skills. Has a tremendous impact on the developmental gro

Isn't it wonderful going to a beautifully decorated vacation home? There is something so relaxing and special about the little details.   Do you have a vacation home? Here are a few decorations for the beach house that you could make yourself: Anchor Pillow  Felt applique a fun shape onto an ordinary pillow. This anchor is great! You could even do a seashell, a flip flop, or even a seahorse! Yellow Cabinets  Think about freshening up the kitchen with a new color for the cabinets. Textured Table Accents  Make textured ornaments using yarn or try gluing small objects like buttons or seashells onto a Styrofoam ball. Fish Scale Quilts  Make fun quilts for the spare bedrooms. Don't you just love these fish scales? Ombre Dresser  Give a new look to old furniture by painting it ombre. Map Chair  Decoupage an old map onto your chairs to make them more exciting.  Aqua Dresser If ombre seems too advanced or just is not quite your thing, h

The survey has ended and the results are in!   [Blogger Julie's super supportive husband wearing a dress shirt that Julie made for him.] Visit the post she wrote about making this shirt: here!    1. Does your husband/father/partner take any interest in or support your sewing/quilting/needlework? He's my biggest fan! 2. Do you keep your fabric purchases a secret? I flaunt them with overwhelming excitement! 3. Does your husband/father/partner wear or use items that you have made him? Does he ask you to make him anything? He'll wear anything I make him as long as it fits. 4. What do you like to make your husband/father/partner? Pajamas and robes 5. How does he get involved? Gives his opinion on projects, fabric selections, and patterns and helps you set up a sewing room 6. If he doesn't get involved, how does he support you? Brags about your work to friends and family   So many supportive men!  Did you know you were so lucky?!    

Whenever a friend of mine gets married, I like to get them a special gift. I'm one of the few of my friends that sews and I know that many of them do not have sewing kits. You don't have to be a seamstress to have a sewing kit. Everyone will need to sew a button back on a shirt, everyone will have to fix a hole in their jeans and everyone will have to hem pants sometime in their life.  The first time I gave a sewing kit as a gift, my friend graciously accepted. A few months later when we talked, she admitted that she thought she would never use it, but already had to fix a few items in her closet! I was very pleased that she was able to use it even when she thought she would not. From that point forward I decided that everyone should have a sewing kit!     Here is a list of things I include in the kit:  - Sewing Box (Available at many discount and craft supply stores.) - Pack of Hand Needles (various sizes) - Basic color thread (White, navy, black, tan)

We want to hear about your favorite man and how he supports your favorite hobby, sewing! Take a few minutes to fill out our quick survey about your husband, father, boyfriend, partner, friend, etc.   We will post the top answers on Father's day to honor our men!   Create your free online surveys with SurveyMonkey , the world's leading questionnaire tool.

One day at work I was reminded of  a conversation I had with a friend about a group of ladies from our church that sew to help other people. I thought about the fabric scraps I was cutting and how they could help these ladies. I asked my boss for scraps for those ladies. I wanted to meet them and see what they do. I put some unused swatches in bags and left them in church the next Sunday. Sometime later Mrs Janice Hess approached me. Janice and her husband (a former Pastor) are important members of the church, whom I admire. They selflessly lead activities and are always thinking how to help other people. She said: “Gabby, I just wanted to show you what we did with the swatches that you brought to church. I hope you would like it. It is to give away to the Jubilee Store” It was a beautiful comforter, I recognized the swatches and my mind started going over all of them, one by one reminding me their content, weave etc.   I was in awe of her work with those tiny swatches. D

My favorite part of summer are the dresses. I love the simplicity and the way a dress can make you look pulled together and fabulous even when it is miserably hot and you just got off of the beach. (Or sweating in your car at a traffic light while imagining you were at the beach, which is more so the case for me.) My favorite summer dresses are the ones you wear out at night to go to a nice restaurant on vacation. What is your favorite summer dress?     Here are a few great picks from our handmade friends on Etsy: Michelle Tan      Tammy Jo Fashion   Fleet Collection   Hope and Jane Honey Olive    Rough Houser Inc.     Little By Me  Simply Sewphisticated