Fabric Mart Fabricistas

Hello Sewing Friends! Summer has arrived bringing sunshine and hot, humid weather.  Where I live there are days when the heat is downright oppressive, but I still want to look stylish. That’s why I choose to use rayon challis to sew myself a few summer pieces.  It’s lightweight and breathable with a lovely drape, making it a great choice for flowing, loose, unstructured garments that are comfortable to wear in warm weather. I sewed a top as well as a matching set consisting of a top and wide-leg pants. For my top, I chose the Style Arc Selina Top sewn out of a dusty cherry blossom print rayon challis . I did make a few minor changes to the pattern.   I added a small dart, lowered the neckline making it a scoop neck, increased the narrow ruffles by 3/4”, and added an additional 2” to the back gathered section. The extra fullness in the back really showcases the drape of this fabric.   By the way, I ordered matching thread along with my fabric. I love that Fabric Mart offers that service

Even though it is not quite yet summer, it is VERY close, in Indiana it still has been raining cats & dogs, so hello from my studio! One of my favorite fabrics to wear in summer is linen. Linen is an absolute all-time favorite of mine. It’s light-weight, beautiful, and breathable. There are so many options of garments you can make when it comes to linen. You can make shirts, shorts, pants, dresses, etc. When I think of linen I usually think of more neutral colors, or a one colored fabric, but the dress I’m showing today is a printed linen & I am just blown away! The fabric is of great quality & has a gorgeous print.  This fabric was extremely easy for me to cut & work with. My favorite part was pressing it; it really held the seams well, but also retained the heat for a bit so I urge you to be careful. If you have not worked with linen there are some things to consider such as: making sure you cut it accurately, because it can pull & warp & mess up the actual pi

Gingham hasn't always been my favorite fabric print, but this purple gingham print shirting from Fabric Mart is definitely shifting my thoughts on Gingham this summer. I added a woven linen contrast, also from Fabric Mart,  in the color Spring bud to contrast with the purple gingham. The whole look is given me Modern Disney princess vibes. This gingham is a lightweight, woven, shirting fabric. It's cool, crisp, and breathable. All the features you want in a summer fabric. However, this is not your basic gingham. There is a slight metallic pinstripe that runs through this gingham pattern that is a pleasant surprise and elevates the print a bit. I also chose to use a contrasting fabric in this project for a little fun. I love a great color combo, so I couldn't resist. Lime green and purple has always been a vibe, so this linen in Spring Bud is a suitable  addition to the make. This combo left me with so many options, and I was torn on whether to create a two-piece set or a d

Hi! This was supposed to be a pretty and slow-made mommy-and-me outfit. As simple as it seems, it took me over a month to finish it, mostly because I got tangled up with the steps and I wanted to abandon it more than once. So I will use this post as a therapy, catharsis, self-reminder, you name it. If you’ve been in my position, it may help you too!  “A limiting belief is a thought or state of mind that you think is the absolute truth and stops you from doing certain things.” While copying a pattern, cutting, ironing, sewing, and unstitching, I have an ongoing monologue of limiting beliefs. “I will never get this done on time. I probably didn’t copy this correctly. I should just stop and do something else. It’s too late now to fix this.” Etc. Etc. Etc.  Here is a list of my most common limiting beliefs and how I got things done this time! “I don’t have time to…”. Yes, I do, if I set up a plan and priorities. The baby romper was a fast and easy project, but the mommy outfit took much l

Have you ever seen a fabric that you just can't live without but then have trouble deciding what to make with it? That is exactly what happened to me with this gorgeous periwinkle and white rayon challis.  Is half of my fabric stash and handmade wardrobe blue and white? Yes! I know I'm slightly obsessed with blue and white floral prints, but when I see another gorgeous blue and white floral print fabric I just can't stop myself from inviting it to come live with me.  The minute I saw this perfect periwinkle and white rayon challis, I jumped at the opportunity to get my hands on it for my next Fabricista blog. When my fabric arrived, I loved it, but really struggled with what to make. I probably went through about 15 different iterations of what to make with the 2 3/4 yard cut, but nothing felt right.  Finally, I decided to make a Nina Lee Kew Dress. This pattern is one that I've had on my list to make for years, and it's been patiently waiting in my pattern stash fo

Hi Guys! It’s officially summertime! Even though it’s hot in South Florida most of the year, summer officially begins Memorial Day weekend for me.  Now that it’s summertime, it’s time for summer dresses, right?  This is why I chose to make McCall’s M8108. McCall’s M8108 is such a beautiful pattern.  I chose to make View A and I made a size 16.  I would have to say that this pattern runs a little large, but it might have had something to do with the fabric I selected. This fabric does have a little stretch to it. More on that later. I would normally make a size 18 but I made a 16 and even adjusted the bodice because it was still a little too big.  I am very happy with the final fit. While scrolling on Instagram one day, I saw someone post this pattern and I thought it would be perfect for this month’s make.  Once I finished the dress and tried it on, I was in love!  I’m a sucker for ruffles and I think the hem of this dress has the perfect amount of gathered ruffles.  My other favorite