Fabric Mart Fabricistas

Even here in Florida, we get the occasional cold weather surprise, and when temperatures dipped recently, I was very glad to have the perfect handmade outfit ready to go. For this month’s Fabricista make, I sewed up New Look pattern 6771, using two beautiful fabrics sent to me by Fabric Mart Fabrics. The Fabric & Pattern Choice New Look 6771 is a cozy two-piece set featuring a relaxed-fit top and pull-on pants—exactly the kind of pattern that works well for transitional weather. I chose to start with the top, using a brown animal print French terry from Fabric Mart, and it turned out to be an absolute dream to work with. The French terry was soft, substantial without being heavy, and handled beautifully at the machine . It had just the right amount of structure to highlight the pattern’s design details while still feeling comfortable and wearable. From cutting to pressing, this fabric behaved perfectly and elevated the final garment. The Top: A Total Win The top from New Look 677...

Hello Sewing Friends! It’s Sharon from Sharon Sews with my last Fabricista make for 2025. While many sew a special holiday outfit at year’s end, I went in another direction sewing two tops that couldn’t be more different. One is sheer and elegant while the other is easy comfort for everyday wear.  These tops reflect how I dress at this stage of life. As an over-50 sewist, these two tops reflect how I dress at this point in my life.  Sometimes I want something a bit special, other times more basic. Either way, sewing them in beautiful fabrics, custom fit to my body, makes all the difference in how I feel when I wear them. Even though I’m quite pleased with my two tops, my original plan was to sew a jacket with the tropical print stretch twill and pair it with a top sewn from the soutache mesh knit . Sadly, I wasn’t quick enough to get enough of the stretch twill to make a jacket, so a top it was!  You do know you have to act fast when you see something you love on Fabric ...

It’s officially holiday travel season and a good travel outfit is a must!  I usually wear the same green sweatsuit that I purchased a few years ago.  The last time I travelled, I knew that it was time for a new travel outfit. Meet the Cropped Sweater and Pintuck Sweatpants from Sew It Academy. I’ve had this outfit on my list of things to make for a few years now. The Cropped Sweater and Pintuck Sweatpants are a class in the Sew It Academy. Sew It Academy is Mimi G’s online sewing school and each month there is a new pattern and sew along to go with it.  Mimi is now offering Sew It Academy patterns for purchase without being a Sew It Academy student and this is one of them. For the Cropped Sweater, I added 3 inches to the hem because I didn’t really want it to be cropped. I made a size 20 and graded out to a size 24 at the waist. I really enjoyed sewing this sweater up.  I decided to use the instructions included with the pattern instead of watching the sew along ...

What does cozy mean to you? When it comes to fabrics, I love flannels, brushed cotton, fluffy fleece, and warm wool. After stumbling across these two stunning flannel shirtings (Crimson/Dark Navy/White 100% Cotton Plaid Weave Yarn-Dyed Flannel Shirting and White/Crimson/Dark Forest Green/Multi 100% Cotton Plaid Weave Yard-Dyed Flannel Shirting) on Fabric Mart’s website, I was immediately smitten. Plaid, particularly with hues of red, reminds me of winter pajamas, perfect for curling up with a cup of hot cocoa.  However, instead of making pajamas for this month’s post, I decided to create two warm shirts that are casual enough for work-from-home frocks and lounging on the couch but can also bring a festive air to a day of shopping or spending time with friends. For the pattern, I chose the Daughter Judy Bonnet Shirt. The shirt is “inspired by the classic French work shirts” with a front button placket, adjustable cuffs, and an optional back button and loop detail (I skipped this fo...

For most of my life, I happily wore mismatched pajamas. Not caring what my pajamas looked like, just delighting in anything clean and comfortable. My sister also had the same mentality about pajamas until one day it all changed.  She came over for a fun sister hangout weekend and pulled out a set of matching pajamas! I nearly dropped over with shock! Growing up, she was the queen of mismatched pajamas. She was notorious for wearing faded t-shirts and pajama shorts long after their life expectancy. But there she was in a set of sophisticated matching pajamas with white piping, raving about how wonderful they were. If the queen of mismatched pajamas could appreciate a fine pair of matching pajamas, everyone could. Shortly after that, I decided to give matching pajamas a try, and I became hooked as well.  There is a peace and order that comes with having a matching pajama set. You always know which pajama top goes with which bottoms. You can reach for them quickly in the closet a...