Fabric Mart Fabricistas

I selected to sew up the  Charlie Caftan by Closet Core  patterns in View B, a long, gently gathered bodice with waist tie. I chose a lightweight rayon in a pink and yellow floral, 70s-style print from Fabric Mart. I think this pattern is a great opportunity to use bold and large print since there are large pattern pieces. Overall, the pattern was easy to sew except for the front panel, which I will discuss later on. Closet Core recommends lightweight to medium wovens like rayon challis , tencel, crepe de chine , or voile —all my favorite fabrics to wear because they are soft and cool which make a caftan feel so comfortable.  The pattern pieces are very long and are cut on the fold. I made sure that my fabric was on grain so it would hang properly. I used pattern weights and a rotary cutter to cut the fabric out. I chose to make the sleeves that are longer. I may adjust the opening as the opening is more revealing than I prefer. I increased the length by 4 inches since I ...

Hello sewing friends! It’s usually around this time in late summer when I start to get excited about Fall sewing, and here we are! One of my favorite types of fabric for the colder months is Double-knits - specifically Liverpool . So today I’m very excited to share my love of this amazing fabric plus two new pieces I just added to my wardrobe.   So let’s talk fabric! Liverpool is a member of the Double-knit family – fabrics that are constructed using two needles which creates a double-layer of fabric. They have less stretch than classic knits but they have really nice structure and are a joy to sew. Liverpool has a textured surface – often bubble or crepe-like – and is usually medium weight. And then bullet fabric is a kind of Liverpool fabric that often has a finer and softer weave. To be honest, I really can’t tell the difference most of the time, so I just call it all Liverpool. 😊 I LOVE Liverpool knit for pants, dresses, structured skirts and jackets. Fabric Mart always ...

Bonjour! I am still in bliss from my recent trip to Paris!!  It was much more than I expected and I absolutely fell in love with the city. I can honestly see myself living there one day. I knew before leaving I wanted to make something to fit into the Parisian landscape because I knew it would be a special opportunity. I was inspired by one of my favorite fashion creators Juliette Foxx. Her checked gingham corset and wide leg pants were on my list to remake. For fabric I used this red and white pin stripe denim twill and deep red sateen for the pants.  The pattern I used for the corset was McCall’s #M8182 with a few modifications.  The fit was a little large so I took it in along the sides and shoulder seam.  I then lowered the neckline since the shoulders were taken in. I used the sateen as my lining which gave a great contrast.  My pants are my unreleased pattern which happens to be exact from the inspiration.  I drafted these last year and have been wo...

Every summer I make flowy, pretty dresses because they are so fun for me to make, wear, and they keep me cool as temperatures rise. But when the days get shorter and autumn rolls around, I’m not always confident on how best to transition my summery dresses into garments that will allow for the seasonal changes. In an effort to be more intentional about maximizing the use of my clothing, I thought long and hard about what I wanted to make for August. It’s been a hot summer in New Jersey. From what I can see, it’s been a hot summer across the US. Looking for clothing that will keep me cool, perhaps hide some sweat stains, and allow me to transition between seasons, I decided to make separates that would pair well with each other and allow me to mix and match with the rest of my wardrobe. For the top, I wanted a basic tank top, something I could layer later on. For the bottoms, I wanted flowy, summery pants that can last into brisker weather or become phenomenally cozy in front of my wint...

Hi sewing friends! I’m dropping in to share a few makes sewn with ITY fabrics and inspire you to try out this slinky, cool-to-the-touch fabric for hot weather if you haven’t yet, or to recommend some patterns that work fabulously if you already love it. This is by far my favorite knit to wear in summer. Since it moves easily there’s lots of airflow, and it just skims the body. More often than not, it has a four-way stretch that doesn’t grow when worn, so it works great for loads of styles.  ITY stands for Interlock Twist Yarn and the knit gives it some wonderful drape and stretch. There are lots of different weights and even some differing textures. Because it’s so fluid, the fabric really resists most wrinkling. I’ve sewn three different weights and prints here to show off just what ITY can do!  This white floral is a lighter weight and features a slightly crepe-textured finish, and I think that combined with the large and spread-out floral makes it quite elegant and eye-cat...