Fabric Mart Fabricistas

Guess what sewing friends, this is a great time of year to make a new traveling coat for the holidays! We're heading to celebrate in a colder climate than where we reside, so a heavier coat is a necessity. I'm already a big fan of wool in general, so a coat in wool Melton was high on my list of wants, both for warmth and sustainability. I decided to sew an Octave Coat by Love Notions. I've sewn this pattern in recent years both in a heavy fleece and in a knit coating I bought from FM years ago. The original pattern includes a shawl collar or hood option, and this enormous moto-style collar is a free add-on. I love how it's both dramatic and has a vintage flair. I appreciate the thigh-length bodice of this coat, I really need that kind of coverage. The wide overlap of the lapels also adds to the layers of warmth I crave.  Rather than a button closure or the waist tie closure option, I just added a simple heavy-duty snap. I might go back and add one more for security, but...

I have really been loving fabrics with borders lately, but this is my first one that was made of knit fabric. I chose this awesome Black/Claret/Medium Tan/Eggshell/Melon Rayon/Nylon/Lycra Horizontal Stripe Print Ponte Knit 60W fabric that I believed would be perfect for my 3-piece outfit I had in mind, and it definitely was. This fabric is a Ponte knit which has a very nice weight on it, so it was very easy to sew up without getting caught in the plate of the sewing machine or even stretching out of shape. While this fabric is not super stretchy it really has a nice stretch with great recovery. Which makes the choices of what to create with this fabric endless.   I absolutely love the colors of the horizontal strips and they just made my outfit fun to wear. These colors and fabric are perfect for the Fall months, but yet this is actually an outfit that can be worn all year around. I had 4 yards of this fabric and I absolutely believe in the “No Fabric Left Behind” rule of mines. I ...

We had a marvellous autumn in western Canada with warm dry days and just a couple of hints of frost. When I was perusing Fabric Mart Fabric's site in October, I was tempted to focus on pretty florals for blouses or dresses but part of me knew that ... (da dah dum ... ) winter is coming . Fortunately, Fabric Mart was stocked with a huge selection of fabrics that are perfect for winter or holiday sewing. Over the past several months I've been planning my sewing projects so I have pieces that work together. To stick with that theme, I decided to pick a print fabric for a top, and a solid for pants, using navy as the neutral. Pants For the pants, I selected Navy Poly/Nylon/Spandex Stretch Corduroy. This fine 14-wale corduroy is warm enough to wear outdoors but will be especially comfortable indoors. It also has a bit of drape which makes it nice for trousers. And who doesn't want some stretch?  I selected Vogue 9181 (Custom-Fit Bootcut Pants) because it is designed for stretch ...

As we get to the end of this year, I'm starting to prepare for 2023. Part of that is expanding my little pattern shop. I've been slightly obsessed with Active Wear recently and wanted something comfortable enough to lounge in but functional enough to work out in. So, these loose joggers, crop top, and jacket were made. There are always a few hiccups when trying a new pattern for the first time, and this was no exception. I have been working with wovens for the better part of a decade and don't have the experience to know how the average knit will drape. This caused a lot of problems for the pants, which I eventually recut with a different pattern.  This set is probably one of my favorite things that I've made for my everyday wardrobe and I will be making more. Like... one in every color they're that good. I hope you all enjoyed this as much as I did. MARTY   |  @ scrapsandsequins Unfortunately Fabric Mart Fabrics sell out quickly! You can find similar fabrics by sho...

Are you getting ready for the holidays?  I am.  From past years, it gets so busy in my household around this time of year, so it is never too early to start my holiday sewing.  This year I decided to sew velvet, a fabric I had not sewn for many years but I think it is luxurious.   As luck would have it, FM’s poly rich black velvet flashed on my computer screen and I bought lots.  I thought it would be pretty for a one-shoulder gown, which I had never worn before but admired on others.  The following week FM’s multi-colored one showed up.  It was a poly embossed Bohemian print velvet with jade, yellowish, and crimson colors; it screamed fall and family get-togethers.   I just had to have it!  When the fabrics arrived, the deep colors did not disappoint. I chose Butterick B6557 for both dresses, View B for the knee-length printed dress and View C for the maxi dress. It was perfect for velvets; the front was one whole piece and so wa...

Happy Monday All! It has been a while since I wrote a blogpost and it feels great to be back! Today I am excited to share my daughter who hasn’t graced the blog for quite sometime. Now that my children are older, I have to always get their permission to take photos and share. It took a lot of convincing to get my daughter to rock this FAMU (Florida A & M University) inspired cardigan. I originally planned to make the Blackwood cardigan using the orange and green ponte knit for myself to represent my alma mater FAMU but then realized I cut the wrong size.  I was a bit disappointed at first that I cut a medium instead of a large but knew my daughter would rock it. Additionally, even if I wanted to squeeze in the cardigan, it just could not even pass my elbow when I tried it on. It was definitely a learning experience because I now know that you cannot add a non stretch ribbon around a fitted knit garment sleeve. It must be added to a loose sleeve as the ribbon stops the fabric fr...