Fabric Mart Fabricistas

Poly/silk black velvet dress made with pattern New Look 6049 Hi everybody! I hope you are having wonderful Holidays, taking some time off and spending quality time with family and friends (and sewing too, of course)! For me, the Holidays also mean that there must be some sparkle in some way, somewhere, and when I saw this fantastic poly/silk velvet on FM's website I knew it was my ticket for that little black dress! I ordered this fabric as soon as I saw it and created this dress for my December 25th gig I had in a very nice hotel in the beautiful region of Charlevoix, Quebec. I was there to perform a set of jazzy Christmas classics, and the audience is mainly tourists, couples as well as families with kids; they all gather in the restaurant and enjoy the jazz while having a drink or having dinner by the fire. I thought a little black dress would be unfussy to wear, and would be chic without being too formal.

Can you believe 2019 is just three days away?! 2018 seemed both long and short to me. The saying " the days are long, but the years are short comes to mind ". During this time most of us look back over the year and the reassess the goals we set back in January. I always set new sewing goals every year. I never complete everything on my sewing list, but I'm glad I was able to squeeze this coat out before the new year rings in.

Hi Fashionistas! I hope you are enjoying the holidays. Last month I made a pencil skirt with this floral fabric. I had enough leftover fabric to sew up another pair of pants. I re-used my favorite pants pattern, Burda 7122.  This pattern is out of print but can be found online.

Happy Holiday Loves! Can you believe 2018 is almost over? This year has been an amazing journey! I have met so many talented sew sisters, crafters, and fashionistas across the globe via my monthly Fabric Mart post.   In 2018 I gained confidence in my sewing skills, took risks and even had some failures along the way. 2019 I am so ready and excited to take on new challenges and stretch beyond my comfort zone.

Surprise!  I just posted last week, and usually go two months between posts, but I just had to share with you one more thing before the end of the year.  I thought I would sew up something a little dressier than my usual fare- something that could be great for a New Year's Eve soiree!

Sometimes other sewists and their amazing garments are the best inspiration!  I knew I wanted to finally jump on the Kimono craze, but wasn't sure how to go about it.  Until....I saw this gorgeous fabric!  

Happy December everyone!  It's the time of year for celebrations.  It's sometimes tough to dress for parties because the temperature can vary so much.  Will it be below zero or 60 degrees outside?  I've found a solution- wool knits!  They are remarkably good at keeping you warm when it's chilly, but somehow are not so warm that you break out in a sweat if you find yourself at a rather warm cocktail party.  I have found that that these are not at all itchy for me to wear- just super soft and smooth.

Hi Fabricistas! I am loving the recent dip in our temperatures where I live and I hope you are enjoying the seasonal weather in your neck of the woods.  I am a huge fan of layering, especially cardigans and long sleeve tops.  I recently came across an article that mentioned fashion designers are tending toward layering as a visual cue that people are trying to protect themselves from harsh cultural and social climates.  Just a fact of interest, and I wish I remembered where I read it but it stuck with me and I think there must be some truth to the idea.  I know I definitely layer because its comfy and soothing.

My sewing time has been very limited with the holidays and the normal house activities (kids getting older means life getting so much busier)! And because of that I've been very selective of what I choose to sew, free time is so incredibly rare! Right before Thanksgiving I sat down and quickly sewed four new tank tops and I absolutely love how they turned out!

As soon as simplicity released their Fall patterns I knew I wanted to make S8749 by Mimi G. This fall I've decided to make more separates. I'm always in need of tops and pants because I default to dresses. Additionally, I have also wanted to tackle a blazer for a while now and this oversized blazer seemed like a good place to start.

Happy Thanksgiving!!! I hope that everyone is ready for a feast tomorrow! I know I am! I made a quick pencil skirt last week to wear to Thanksgiving dinner, although we usually keep it pretty casual on that day.

Hi, all! Happy November...and happy colder weather.  I dislike colder weather, so I am not exactly loving the weather right now ( especially since it just snowed in November in Virginia--which is highly unusual ).  But I do LOVE long sleeved jersey dresses, so I can at least dress like I am okay with the weather. I have a very strong fondness for double knit fabrics.  They are warmer, they are thick, they are stretchy, they lay flat instead of curling up at the edges the way single jerseys do, and they are fairly easy to sew, even on a traditional sewing machine.  I was thinking about it, and I decided that if they invented linen double knit fabric, I would be in heaven (if this actually exists, please let me know!). Most often, double knits come in a poly blend, and though polyester is not my favorite, they do travel well (no wrinkles) and they are durable.  They also hold color really well, so if you enjoy bright patterns, these are perfect for you. ...

Happy Saturday loves! I am so excited that this weekend the weather is finally cooling down here in Sunny South Florida which means its cardigan season.   This Fall, my goal is to create staple pieces including cardigans that can be styled from preppy to edgy. This month's sewing plans was to create a few cardigans from different pattern companies for my November Fabric Mart blog post just in time for Thanksgiving. I am sharing my thoughts about each pattern and what I like and would change next time around.  I wanted to use at least two commercial patterns, however, I did not select the right fabric choice for the Butterick I intended to use.  I did NOT make any modifications to the patterns and plan to make a few the next time around. The Blackwood Cardigan Size: MEDIUM  Fabric: Red Designer  Ponte Knit (SOLD OUT).  Fabric Mart has another red  ponte knit available here .  The Blackwood cardigan is an open front, f...

Liesl + co Classic Shirt in navy blue linen Hi everybody, blue is one of my favorite colours and I love all shades of blue - from pale sky blue to midnight blue and everything in between. For this month's post I was inspired by some blue fabrics on FM's website, and I made 3 shirts out of them! I've been wanting to try the Classic Shirt by Liesl + co since its release, so I grabbed some designer quality blue linen and gave it a try.

Happy fall everyone!  I love making dresses for the cold months.  You can layer them with a jacket, wear tights and show off cute boots.  I found this gorgeous border print and knew it would be a dress.  Right?  Aren't the colors just beautiful?  This appears to be sold out, but FM always has gorgeous ITY knits  (Which are on sale this weekend 11/10-11/11!) and if you search the designer section often, you'll come across some pretty, pretty pieces. 

Hello Fabricistas! It's Meg from Cookin' and Craftin' and I've got a two-for-one post for you today... a coat and a dress, perfect for the chilly weather. First, the coat: this is the  Jill Coatigan from Seamwork , which Seamwork describes as "an easy-to-sew, over-sized coatigan that can be made in chunky sweater knits and thick wool coatings."

I genuinely love making clothes for my 3 sons.  From the time they were little guys tossing around my fabric scraps on the floor while I sewed, seeing the joy on their faces as I finish a new garment is something that will never get old for me.  So often they love picking their own fabric and planning out various aspects of each project.  Working with them has always been part collaboration, and it's wonderful to see design through their eyes!  I knew that these Hawaiian cotton lawn prints would be the perfect opportunity to do just that with my boys.  Let's talk about the fabric, the pattern, and what you can do to make awesome button downs for the tiny men in your life. 

Hello again Fabricistas! It is time for the next post in our Fabricistas Explore series! Today we have  bloggers Sue from Ilove2sew & Ann from SewBaby News. They have each chosen a pattern from the our newest pattern company arrival, Cutting Line Designs . If you missed Part One , make sure to head over & read that too! But make sure to come back & finish Part Two! "By Popular Demand" Sue from Ilove2sew Hello sewing friends!   A while back, Fabric Mart asked if there were volunteers to try the Cutting Line Designs patterns and   since that was a new-to-me company, I jumped all over it! I choose the By Popular Demand pattern as I loved the styling of the boxy jean jacket.  I’ve always wanted to make a jean jacket style with a boucle fabric and that’s what I did.  This fabric is a wool blend from the designer section from FM and I simply love the feel and colors in it. There are still a few yards of it in stock. You can ...

Happy Saturday Loves!! Have you ever been wowed by an inspiration look on Pinterest or Instagram and vow you will find a pattern or learn how to make it?  I was super excited when I came across a look on Instagram that I knew I could make and selected this beautiful deep denim blue  linen fabric to create this month's look. PERFECT for layering during Fall and WINTER! Over the past few months, I have spent more time advancing my sewing skills and learning more about what fits my body type.  I am in love with wide leg pants, classic tops, and pieces that I can rock more ways than one.

Hi Fashionistas! I am into fall sewing for the last couple of months and this months project is building on last months black tie back top . When I picked out this gorgeous 100% Cotton Percale, I knew exactly what I had in mind. I wanted a poofy gathered skirt to complement the top I made last month. But first I styled it with my favorite button-down:

I have been holding out on making a pair of super cute 'overalls' for a while but there are so many cute patterns and makes out there!  I decided to dip my toes in the water with Simplicity 8641 and yes, I know.  It isn't a full-on pair of overalls, but it has the overall styling, perfect for deciding if this is right for me. Here's what that pattern looks like:

Pink and gray ponte Skylar Knit Hoodie (Sinclair Patterns) Hi everybody, it's Virginie from Jazz Couture and I hope you're doing well! On the blog today I'm showing you 3 interpretations of the Skylar Knit Hoodie (Sinclair Patterns). A while ago I selected some knit fabrics and I had envisioned wrap dresses, tops and maxi skirts. Well, Sinclair Patterns just released the Skylar Knit Hoodie and that totally changed my plans. I decided to go with my instinct, I bought the pattern and made 3 hoodies in a row. I'm so glad I did, they're just perfect for the changing weather we have here in eastern Canada!

Happy Monday Fabricistas! Welcome to the very first post in our Fabricistas Explore series. Today we have a special two part blog post for you! We have selected four of our lovely Fabricista Bloggers to try out patterns from Cutting Line Designs, the newest pattern company added to our store. Today we have bloggers Dina & Marica. Make sure to check back Monday 10/22 for part two with Ann & Sue! "This or That" Dina from  My Superfluities Pattern:  This Or That Fabric Used:  Striped Linen and a Brushed Floral Jersey Were the instructions easy to follow? I loved that they were so very detailed, but to be honest, they were SO detailed that I was a bit overwhelmed at times at the sheer amount of information.  I think a beginner will be appreciative, however, some of the explanations were a bit clunky, so if Cutting Line is interested, I think a sewalong (online or a video) for these patterns would be w...