Fabric Mart Fabricistas

One of my favorite parts of sewing is taking an idea that exists only in my head and turning it into something I can actually wear. This project was exactly that—a quick, intuitive exercise in imagination, experimentation, and trusting my process, brought to life with Fabric Mart’s sweatshirt fleece. I started with a loose concept rather than a fixed plan. I knew I wanted something comfortable, but still fashion-forward—elevated loungewear that felt intentional rather than basic. Fabric choice was key, and Fabric Mart’s sweatshirt fleece ended up being the perfect foundation. Working with Fabric Mart Sweatshirt Fleece This fleece was an absolute dream to work with. It has a slight stretch, which made the final outfit incredibly comfortable while still maintaining structure. After pre-washing, the fabric held up beautifully with no pilling or texture issues, which is always a big win. It sewed smoothly and handled like a fabric that wants to be worn, not babied. Safe to say, I’m offici...

  Dee: For this Fabricista make, Butterick See & Sew 5676, from 1998, was the pattern of choice.  I wanted to try and update this style by adding an exposed zipper in the front  instead of the normal in seam zipper. I used a gold jacket zipper exposing the zipper teeth. I think that simple change made an amazing difference in the look of jumper.  Goal achieved! As to pattern alterations, the above waist is in the size 12 graduating to a size 16 from the waist to the hem.  An extra 3 inches was added to the hem line to achieve the desired length. Seen here with a classic thrifted white front button blouse, but would look equally good with a cream or black turtleneck. Or even a cream or black blouse! The fabrics is a plaid polyester  wool  blend fabric. Easy to work with and no itch to the fabric. Wonderful! Thank you Fabric Mart! Dory: This beautiful Rayon  Challis  was such an easy fabric to work with and looks very elegant made into a To...

If you don’t know in October my beloved Bernina sewing machine blew a fuse and started smoking while I was using it. She went to the shop for repairs, and then I moved. So it’s been a bit since I’ve sewed last and I’ve had trouble getting back into it. I knew I needed a simpler project to get me going again. Julie sewed up a Jarrah sweater recently ( restock coming soon! ) and gushed about how simple and rewarding a project it was. Then we got in this beautiful wool/cashmere sweater knit from England. I was seeing lighthouse keeper, sheep herder in the highlands. I knew it had to be my Jarrah sweater. I did lengthen the bodice by 3 inches. I actually sewed up a mock up with the curved hemline, but decided that wasn’t for me and went with the straight hem. Of course I took zero photos of said mock up.  Oops. Otherwise I sewed it up in a size 6 as is. Using the serger this really does sew up quickly. The dropped shoulder creates clean, simple lines that make it easy to sew u...

I have been wanting to make an insertion lace shift to wear under my historical clothing for a while now. When I saw this cream silk pop up on the Fabric Mart website, I knew exactly what my next project would be. It was nice to have a fairly straightforward project for once. This is the first time in months that something hasn't gone wrong in the middle, causing some deviation from the plan. And for that I am extremely grateful. Please excuse all my final photos being on Claire. When everything was done, the shift was a little too sheer to model myself and get a good view of all the details. Be sure to watch the video to hear about my research and to watch me play dress up at the end with miscellaneous pieces of my historical wardrobe!  MARTY   |  @scrappypatterns

For the uninitiated, Critical Role is a group of nerdy voice actors playing Dungeons & Dragons every Thursday. I've already been a long time fan and cosplayer of the character Jester Lavorre from their second campaign (recently adapted to the animated series The Mighty Nein), but recently they started their fourth campaign! With this new campaign, we got a new cast of characters and I absolutely fell in love with the chaotic pink demon named Tyranny.  When looking at my options for fabric for Tyrannys outfit, I found the perfect fabrics, a seafoam-blue polyester taffeta and a platinum colored charmeuse . The colors were perfect and I loved the combination of textures that felt appropriate for Tyrannys role as an aspirant of a religious order.  When it came to patterning the cosplay, I used my go to bodice pattern, adjusting to have a zipper at center front that would be covered by the tabard that was also cut out of the taffeta stiffened with interfacing and with the char...

Hi everyone, this is Byrd with my latest Fabricista make!  Is it too early to start thinking about Valentine’s Day? Because this fabric is giving all the heart vibes. With rich red hearts scattered across a dark base, it feels festive without being over-the-top—and completely wearable well beyond February. This time around, the fabric completely stole the show. I used a Dark Navy/Crimson/White Polyester/Lycra Hearts Print Brushed Sweater Knit by a NY Designer , and it was love at first sight. Even though it’s labeled navy, in person it reads more like a deep black base with these beautiful red hearts throughout. When you zoom in, you’ll also spot the designer’s name and a tiny smiley face woven into the print - such a fun, unexpected detail. This fabric immediately spoke my name when I saw it online, and it absolutely lived up to the hype. Before sewing, let’s talk fabric care and prep - because it matters. This sweater knit is wash and dry friendly, which makes it practical for e...