Fabric Mart Fabricistas

This garment was inspired by a dress I saw in an ad, and when I went to purchase it (which I rarely do)…I realized that the dress didn’t come in my size. Ticked off and with $300 back in my pocket, I decided to draft it myself. The description listed the fabrication as a silk cotton voile, so I used that as a starting point to recreate the simple yet elegant silhouette.  My drafting experience is limited; I’ve only ever made garments that are pleated rectangles that fit into an elasticated waist. No darts, no complicated calculations, and definitely no sleeves. But I’d have that dress if it’s the last thing I do! I made a drawing, created a Pinterest board to document my inspiration, and narrowed down the features I really wanted to have: billowy bubble-hemmed bishop sleeves (say it three times fast!), a fitted and lined bodice, and a gathered tiered skirt. Finally, it was time to shop for fabric. I knew I wanted a silk blend of some kind, without breaking the bank. For weeks, I ke...

The Zadie Jumpsuit has become one of those rare sewing projects that I return to again and again. The pattern, created by Paper Theory, is beautifully drafted and thoughtfully written, making it appropriate for confident beginners but still fun to make for experienced sewists. I have made this pattern before, so I wanted to select an fun fabric. Feeling adventurous, I wanted to use a fabric I have never sewn with before in a dramatic color. I choose to use a beautiful, bright yellow silk noil from Fabric Mart to make this jumpsuit. Silk noil is made from silk and has a slubby texture and is linen like. When silk is made, the long fibers are spun into silk thread, but the short fibers are made into silk noil. Because the fibers are short, the fabric becomes textured. Silk Noil is also known as raw silk. Unlike slippery silks, it behaves like a stable cotton fabric so it is easy to sew!  I’ve made two versions, each with a completely different  look. My first was sewn in a red ...

I knew what this Linen/Silk Organza would be the minute I saw it. For years, I have been struggling with wearing my Italian Ren Garb in the hot summers. It has not only been a struggle but a disappointment to have to try and find something else to wear when the temperature is above 75. Enter, the lightest kirtle I have ever sewn. I'm not joking, this dress is half the weight of my other kirtles. I even had other people test it to make sure I wasn't delusional. Over the past 10 years, I have made so many kirtles that I know the process and how to get this done efficiently. The only problem that I saw was how to get the right drape on the skirt without adding bulk and therefore warmth to the dress. The solution? Add a canvas facing on the hem of the skirt. This was such a simple fix that is not only historically accurate, but it produced such an amazing shape to the dress that it somehow looks better than all my past dresses?  I might just be biased. I managed to finish this dre...

As we slowly (very slowly) start to leave winter behind, I am starting to resent my heavy coats and crave light and flowy garments. So what better way to summon Spring than this airy little gem of a blouse!  The fabric is a delightful silk cotton voile that floats mid-air like a feather as it drapes around you, truly whimsical and exactly what I was looking for!  I had never sewn anything this fine or sheer before, and even though it wasn't as daunting as the internet made it out to be, I certainly learned a lot in the process. For instance, I found myself paying closer attention to my sewing machine settings and for once I actually swapped my universal sewing needle for the more appropriate microtex needle. Also, the fraying was legendary and unfortunately I didn't realize until I had already lost ¼ of an inch around the hem. Once I pinked the raw edges I was OK, so in the future I'll remember to pink my raw edges to minimize fraying during construction. Overall I really ...

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

This project was one of necessity. Over the past two years, I have worn various 15th-century court gowns, and every time I run into the same problem. Around 4 pm, I start overheating and need to make a quick escape.  So I thought I would make a loose gown that I could wear over my foundation garments and still look dressed. Essentially it would act like a very fancy dressing gown. I made one of these garments a few years ago as a fur-lined coat. And while I am absolutely in love with it, it's not practical to wear when I am already too warm to function. So in choosing the fabric for this project, I looked for a lightweight linen that I could line with an equally lightweight silk. This would give me everything I would want and more.  I chose to alter a doublet pattern so I could skip most of the patterning process and get straight to the construction. With a few quick decisions on where to start adding fullness and how to support the collar, I was onto sewing. All of this was d...

Spring has finally sprung & warmer weather is upon us. Today, I am back with two new Fabric Mart makes. Let me start by saying this has been my favorite fabric to date. The feel, drape, and pattern of the fabric was absolutely beautiful I could not wait to get it home to create something! This time around I wanted to push myself a bit & create something that I usually don’t & that happened to be a corset. For this garment, I chose pattern McCall’s #MonicaMccalls, or pattern number 8182 in View C, which had an angled V in the front. The pattern has the option of closing with ties, or a separating zipper. I chose the zipper option, but I moved the zipper from the front to the back. I think moving the zipper to the back created a little bit more unity to the corset for me. I loved making this corset. I usually don’t lean to making tops, because I have run into fitting issues in the past, but this turned out nice. My only hiccup I had was not realizing sooner, about how much bo...