Fabric Mart Fabricistas

 Dee: Thank you Fabric Mart for this wonderful ITY fabric that has a marvelous stretch and recovery!! I would call it a travel knit because you can just throw the dress all crumpled up and there will not be a wrinkle in it when you go wear it.  It is a Polyester/Lycra blend and drapes beautifully. I used it to make McCalls 7561. The fabric makes for a very comfortable wear. This dress will be perfect for transition into fall as cooler weather approaches. But right now we’re in the middle of summer and I find it perfect to wear in those really chilly air-conditioned buildings. The issue that I had with the fabric, being that it is so silky and luscious, was that it was very slippery to work with. I needed to be very careful and patient when cutting out the fabric and throughout the sewing process. Be sure to use the correct needle for the fabric!! I would advise walking foot. Happy Sewing!!! Dory: Dory’s fabricista make is from a beautiful Rayon/Linen blend fabric.  It’...

Happy Summer Friends! As I am writing this, we are headed into a nasty heat wave…so the timing could not be better to share two of my favorite summer patterns and fabrics.  But first, let me tell you about the fail I had heading into this month’s blog… As Fabricista’s, we get to pick out fabric for each of our blog submissions. I fell in love with this gorgeous lilac jacquard knit that I thought would be perfect for a pop of color in my summer wardrobe. But I made a fatal error - I grabbed a pattern I haven’t made for years, quickly went up one size to account for a few new pounds, and sewed them up. And they don’t fit, will NEVER fit, and will never be worn. Sigh…when will I learn?? Here’s a flat lay pic so we can at least look at the lovely fabric: The lesson I learned (relearned!) is that just like with off the rack clothes, the things that worked well for me years ago don’t work well for me today.  And that’s the case with both tops and bottoms. So I went back to two patt...

Hello sewing friends! I’m back on the blog today continuing to share my obsession with sewing ITY fabric. If you’ve seen any of my previous posts, you know that I like to shout from the rooftops about how much I love creating garments with ITY.  ITY is short for Interlock Twist Yarn, and the name describes the construction process. The key thing to know about this fabric is that it is usually wrinkle-resistant, silky and smooth to the touch, and despite being polyester, feels relatively cool to wear in the summer too.  Here is one of my all time favorite dresses I made from ITY a few years ago which has been in regular rotation in my work wardrobe: And here is the awesome thing about ITY and Fabric Mart - this fabric is super popular with designers and so Fabric Mart is always picking up new and on trend stock. When I browse the website, it is always the first section I check because there are some GORGEOUS fabrics I’ve seen and grabbed over the years. Here’s a favorite top o...

Freshen up your wardrobe for spring with Dee & Dory! 🌸 They’re back on the Fabric Mart blog with a brand-new round of Fabricista Makes—sharing pieces that are as wearable as they are inspiring. This time, it’s all about thoughtful updates and feel-good fabrics. Dee leans into effortless style with elevated basics—think a beautifully draped top and easy wide-leg pants that prove simple silhouettes can still make a statement. Meanwhile, Dory brings a playful twist with a super comfortable dress, complete with fun details and styling plans already in motion. It’s a fun, inspiring episode filled with fabric insights, pattern picks, and real-life sewing wins (plus a few helpful lessons along the way!). Press play and join Dee & Dory as they step into their spring sewing season! ✂️✨ Dee I needed an update for my wardrobe, style wise. I used Butterick 6966, views A&C. Wide legged slacks and a basic pullover top. Nothing basic about the fabric! The top is from an polyester/lycra I...

Have you ever found yourself in a transitional period?  Well that’s where I currently am in my life.  After spending 3 years in Texas I found myself having to pack all my things up and putting them in storage as I figure out my next season. Packing up means including my entire sewing room and not having access to any of my things. However no matter the situation as a creator I am always going to need to create.  So now I am adapting my methods and doing more of a slow sew process to still make beautiful things. I have to strategize how I can use or draft patterns, my cutting layout and techniques in my process. I saw this gorgeous tie dye sweatshirt knit and knew I wanted to make a sweatshirt set to keep me comfortable whether sitting in the house or running errands. I love the weight and softness of this fabric as it feels like a comfy blanket, so comfortable on the skin.  Fabric Mart also has great notions and it saved me a trip to the store to get matching threa...

Hey sewing friends! As I pondered what sort of plan to tackle for my next wintry project, a new and glorious array of rainbow Polartec fabrics filled the Fabric Mart site. I’ve enjoyed sewing with this brand’s fabrics for many years now, and I’m all too happy to add some more to my wardrobe.  I picked two of my favorite types, the Power Air Grid Double Knit and the Power Grid Fleece.  Choosing a few colors in matching weights to combine them into something totally me sounded perfect. Look at this stunning heap!  When I’m sewing two different fabrics together, I prefer to use the same weight and type so that they behave similarly and hang well together. Any extra piecing like this also creates topstitching opportunities galore! (You already know I’m all about that available thread matching.) In this case, I opted for three colors in each of the two fabric varieties I mentioned above for the best combining results.  I figured I’d dive in with a brief overview of how y...