Fabric Mart Fabricistas

Do you have a favorite sewing blog you follow? Well here is ours: Merrick's Art. Merrick is an adorable mommy who has found ways to impress us everytime with the way she alters clothing. So when we chose to talk about making old pieces new on the blog this month, we NEEDED Merrick to guest blog! Here she is! Hello! I'm Merrick from Merrick's Art where I blog about sewing, style, and life. I'm excited to share a really fun refashion here today!  Many months ago, I went thrift shopping and picked up this ginormous navy blouse.  I had no brillant refashioning plans, so it sat in my fabric box for many months until just recently I saw a navy peplum top and instantly knew that's what this top was destined for.  With my 2013 goal to be a better seamstress, I really took my time on this project, making sure to think through each step, and I am thrilled with how it came out! I didn't have a blue zipper, but this green one made for a fu...

Now that spring is here, I'm in the mood for home improvements. I haven't been doing a lot of sewing, but had an itch to do a quick project. I wanted to make a project that I could get done in two hours and feel a sense of accomplishment. I also did not want to buy any materials, so I used things I had. The fabric I used was scrap, the fiber fill I had sitting around, and the button I had stashed in a jar of buttons.  My original intent was to make a circular pillow from the book, One-Yard Wonders by Patricia Hoskins and Rebecca Yaker. But when I realized that it wanted you to do smocking, I knew it would take MUCH longer than I wanted to spend. Don't get me wrong, I really want to try smocking, but not at this moment. I still wanted to make a circular pillow, so I decided I would figure it out myself. I'm the kind of sewer that likes to figure things out as they go, so I will be sharing my experiences along the way.  This pillow will be approximately 15...

As a fellow fabric addict, I have struggled with ways of storing all of my gorgeous finds. I've tried stacking, boxing, etc. And none of them worked for me. I still found myself frustrated with the appearance of my stash and I could never find that piece of fabric I knew I had (or maybe thought I had, but didn't actually buy yet..) One of my sewing friends told me about these handy dandy fabric organizer boards . We thought they were a swell idea, however, they didn't come with a very friendly price. So I decided to try my hand at making my own mini bolts with no cost. You will need a bolt for 45" fabric that is tri-folded. You can ask for these bolts at your local fabric store. Some places will throw them away, so you can snatch them up for free.  You can get four mini bolts out of one 45" bolt. Using a box cutter, cut on the folds and one in the center of the long piece.  (Where the black lines are in the photo above.)  By doing so y...

How many times have you gone on a fabric expedition and found a fabric you just NEED but you have no idea how much is necessary for this pattern you know you have but you left at home?   Or perhaps you did remember your pattern but it was thrown into your purse and in a shabby condition once it retreated from inside the time capsle. All you need is:  5 1/2 in x 8 1/2 in binder 5 1/2 in x 8 1/2 in sheet protectors Stick-On Note Tabs Your Sewing Patterns Photo Copier  Once you have your supplies you are ready to make your book. All you need to do is take your pattern and photo copy the front and back. Cut off the excess and insert the pages with the pattern sides facing out into your sheet protector.  Now when you find that perfect fabric you can flip open your pattern book and know exactly how much fabric you will need to purchase. Yep, it's that simple!  Now the hard part is remembering to put it in your purse! ...

I like a zip close pocket every now and then. And at first I was a bit skeptical about how to do such a thing. So I put my worries aside and searched the internet for some guidance and I finally found a combination that works for me.  I would love to share it with you so you can make your own professional-looking pockets too! A few things you will need to begin: Zipper Ruler Disappearing ink marker or other marking tool Pins Iron Sharp Pointed Scissor and of course, your project. First measure the zipper you are planning to use. I used an eleven-inch zipper that was about 12 inches long. (Measure the whole tape!) From there I know that I have to make an 11" long slit by 1/2" high. I also know that my pocket has to be at least 12" wide. I typically add an inch to either side of the zipper tape to make it easier to sew around later. So I cut a 14" by 10" pocket for my 18" by 15" tote. You will need to ...