Meet Vivian, Our Newest Fabric Mart Fabricista!

Everyone meet Vivian, also known in the sewing world as Vivmom. She is our newest Fabricista! Vivian will be sharing her makes on her YouTube channel & we will be sharing them with you here as well. Before we get to watching her first make, we thought we would share a quick Q&A...

1.) Tell us a bit about yourself...
My name is Vivian and I'm a mom of 3, hence my user name Vivmom. I've been married to Brad for 34 years, we live outside of Washington, DC. I home schooled my kids and two have graduated from college with honors, the last has just graduated high school. Now I've got free time to sew!

2.) How did you get started on YouTube?
I started my YouTube channel in June of 2018, at the encouragement of my kids. I believed that maybe 50 people might see it, kind family members and some friends. No one is more surprised than I am about the response to Vivmom Sews. It has been the most gratifying experience and I have met absolutely sterling people along the way.

3.) When/How did you learn to sew?
I learned to sew like many others: my mom sewed, and sewing was part of my 7th grade Home Ec curriculum. Mom really filled in the blanks, though, and encouraged me in high school to save up for my own sewing machine. I saved $70 and purchased a 1957 Singer Featherweight that I still have, and it still works like a champ!

4.) Give us an organizational tip:
Organizational tip: purchase a small silk (or similar poly) artificial flower arrangement, put it on your sewing table and use it to hold your hand-sewing needles. Pushing the needles through the fabric petals will keep them sharp and then you always know where they are when you need one. And it's pretty!

5.) What sewing machine do you work with? Do you own more than one?
The sewing machine I work with most is a Brother Simplicity SB3129. I have my Singer Featherweight and 3 vintage Kenmores, all in fine working condition. I also love my Brother 1034D serger.

6.) How much time do you spend in your sewing room?
I converted our dining room into my sewing studio 2 years ago and I'm in there all the time! It's right on the main level of our house and lends itself to long sewing sessions or just short bursts because it's right there. My favorite thing to do is spend time in there late at night, matching fabrics with patterns.

7.) Give us three words that describe your sewing style:
Three words that describe my sewing style: 1. Dedicated 2. Careful 3. Flexible

8.) Where do you get your inspiration for your projects?
I get my inspiration for my projects from the pattern envelopes. I choose whatever I think would look good on me (inverted triangle; I have to be careful of top-heavy garments with big short sleeves or collars.) I own many pattern "counter books" and spend hours going through them. I love new pattern releases, and I love scrolling for vintage (1960's) patterns on eBay and Etsy. I don't follow trends or really even look at RTW, trusting that the pattern companies have their collective finger on the pulse of current fashion. In fact, they often precede fashion trends. The wealth of pattern choices is comprehensive and truly inspirational.

9.) What was your first successful project?
My first successful project was a Simplicity Jiffy sundress in 1978. I can still see the fabric - a green check - and it had shoulder ties. I have been looking for that pattern for 3 solid years and have never found it!

10.) If you could pass along only one piece of sewing advice, what would it be?
One piece of sewing advice: Keep sewing. No project is a waste of time, even if it ends up in "File 13." You gain knowledge with every project, every mistake, every triumph -- but you're only going to get there if you keep sewing!

And without further delay here is Vivian (Vivmom Sews) with her first make...

Fabric used: Berry Rayon/Nylon Shimmer Satin - Famous Dress Designer - 58W
Pattern: New Look 6617

Made By A Fabricista: The Sheer Volume Of It All!

This garment was inspired by a dress I saw in an ad, and when I went to purchase it (which I rarely do)…I realized that the dress didn’t come in my size. Ticked off and with $300 back in my pocket, I decided to draft it myself. The description listed the fabrication as a silk cotton voile, so I used that as a starting point to recreate the simple yet elegant silhouette. My drafting experience is limited; I’ve only ever made garments that are pleated rectangles that fit into an elasticated waist. No darts, no complicated calculations, and definitely no sleeves. But I’d have that dress if it’s the last thing I do! I made a drawing, created a Pinterest board to document my inspiration, and narrowed down the features I really wanted to have: billowy bubble-hemmed bishop sleeves (say it three times fast!), a fitted and lined bodice, and a gathered tiered skirt. Finally, it was time to shop for fabric. I knew I wanted a silk blend of some kind, without breaking the bank. For weeks, I ke...

Made By A Fabricista: Just Wear It Out!

Originally I wasn’t happy with my make this time around. I put it on fresh off the sewing machine and didn’t love how it fit. My elastic was slightly too narrow for what the pattern called for. I did end up putting a stitch to close up the v-neck on the top. I thought my sewing on the waistband looked sloppy and I looked kind of frumpy in the outfit. I was going to put the project down to fix later but decided to wear it out for some feedback from our web manager and one of the describers. I ended up pleasantly surprised! The fabric is super comfortable and I felt really good wearing it. All the things I didn’t like kind of melted away wearing it out. The flaws were so small that only I noticed them. I think it’s important to remember that while striving for perfect seams and flawless construction is good, a handmade garment doesn’t have to be perfect to be wearable. This isn’t the first time I’ve softened on a garment after wearing, and it certainly won’t be the last! The 100% c...

Made By A Fabricista: In Love with Linen

Linen is the best fabric to sew and wear. I selected a beautiful 100% linen from Fabric Mart that is a steel blue and cream floral linen to sew up a By Hand London Hannah Wrap Dress pattern. The flowers look like Dahlias. I originally sewed a Toile from a black and white cotton bedsheet, wore the dress a lot but never made it again. I gave the Toile away to a friend who always commented on how much she loved the dress. When I saw this fabric, I knew I wanted to make the Hannah again. Linen is so easy to sew the entire experience reminded me why linen remains one of my favorite fabrics to sew. I look for a light to medium weight European linen for a dress. I like a rayon or cotton blend with linen because it seems to have more drape and be more soft. Linen gets softer with washing and wearing it. This particular linen feels crisp and after ironing and washing, softens up. I like how Fabric Mart describes the fabrics as top, dress, blouse, shirt weight under “Use” and will describe...

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