Fabric Mart Fabricistas

Hi Fashionistas!! Happy New Year to everyone! I am sure you are getting ready for a celebration! For my dress for NYE, I decided to make a classic Little Black Dress with a touch of pink! I wanted a classic sillouette, so I chose to go with a round neckline and a midi length hemline. I opted for a fitted sleeveless dress. I chose to make the pattern from scratch this time instead of manipulating a commercial pattern. I love that this dress is a simple LBD, yet there is a surprise hiding in the back :) For the fabric, I used a gorgeous cotton sateen from Fabric Mart, and a hot pink shirting material for the flounce. This was a relatively easy project after my seven day coat I made with another gorgeous fabric from FM. I love the way the pink fabric drapes. It definitely steals the cake :) Here is a closeup of the flounce.. Isnt she gorgeous? And can we just have a moment to admire those shoes? Happy New Year to all and happy sewing in 20...

Hi, all! Happy New Year (well, almost)! I know that for many of us getting together at the holidays is so important, and fun parties are always part of the offerings of festivities. That said, at the same time, we are always stuffed to the gills with things to get done before the festivities start, buying presents, getting cards mailed, shopping for pounds and pounds of groceries, and continuing with daily life, too. But because we are all a bit ambitious ( I know this, it seems to be a hallmark of sewers in general ), we also want to make our own party wardrobe each year ( in addition to a coat, a pair of pants, a jacket, some gifts, etc. ). When I was presented with my December make, I knew immediately that I wanted to make a cocktail dress in under a couple of days and from a stretch velvet. The cocktail dress was because I always try to find an excuse to dress up in shiny, blingy things at this time of year, but I know that a full-length gown isn't really practical. Th...

I really wanted to sew something cute to wear on Christmas Day; not that we do anything fancy, at all! But it's fun to sew 'fun things', isn't it?? I was browsing the site (as I do almost daily - shhhh!) and saw this amazing gold foil floral double knit. I initially thought it had to be a straight skirt because it would pair nicely with my Burda magazine top from the October 2015 issue. This was made in black ponte, which I almost always buy 5 yards of when Fabric Mart has it on sale! I'd made McCall's 6654 before and knew it would be quick and easy and would really allow the fabric to shine (pun intended!) :) Slightly overexposed - sorry! I only had a size 14 and really needed a 16. However, I knew I wanted this version to be fitted (but not body-con tight). I sewed 3/8" side seams for a little more room and pegged the skirt a bit. Also, I wanted it below knee length and cut in between views C and D. View C has a 23" finished length...

Years ago, in my pre-sewing days, when I was single, childless, and therefore had much more disposable income, I once splurged on a set of designer pajamas made by Bedhead Pajamas . I loved those pajamas; they were made from a super-soft cotton in a fun print, and the piped edges and cuff seemed totally luxe. I've bought many sets of RTW pajamas over the years, but none came close to how those Bedhead Pajamas made me feel when I wore them. Fast-forward to 2015. I'm married, have a 3-year-old, a dog, an additional cat, and a mortgage. High-end pajamas haven't really been on my radar much in recent years, although once I started sewing, I always kept an eye out for a pajama pattern that could be used to knock off those beloved Bedhead PJs. Unfortunately, I found that most adult pajama patterns are fairly baggy-fitting and few had the piping details that I was looking for. Enter the Carolyn Pajama pattern from Closet Case Files. I finally had my perfect pajama pattern, an...

I am completely loving the weather we are having lately! This time last year, it snowed twice already. How did we did we get so fortunate to have 60 degree plus weather? Any who, my project for this week is a strapless jumpsuit I have been wanting to make for some time now.  The fabric is Chili Red pepper Gabardine suiting from Fabric Mart. While this fabric is no longer available, a great substitution would be ( here ) and ( here ). Denim would be a great choice as well, as the Gabardine has the consistency of 4-5 ounce denim with absolutely no stretch. The color is very vibrant and one of my go to's for pops of color in the fall. I am thinking about wearing this to bring in the new year. The top of this jumpsuit was constructed using the top of Vogue 8766 . I thought and thought for quite some time about making this top as I am NOT a fan of tube/strapless tops. I absolutely LOVE the look but the execution for me has always been troublesome. Whether it is retail or ...

I love the holidays, and even more, I love wearing something I've made. Well, this year, I decided to make a beautiful lace dress. I've never tackled a project like this, so grab a coffee or your favorite beverage, and I will walk you though my journey.   I choose this lovely pattern from StyleArc, the Alisha Dress .  I've had my eye on this dress for a very long time but wondered where on earth I would wear it and could I create it in a way that I would be proud of? Typically I am not a fearful sewer, so I just got busy and created my dress.   Here is the pattern description from StyleArc's site:  A wonderful party dress complete with a slip. Use scalloped lace to create beautiful and interesting neckline. The lace edge can also be used on the hem and sleeves. This pattern can be made many ways - all lace, lace yokes & sleeves with plain body, or completely plain. The choice is yours! Those design lines are so pretty!  I love the separate...