Made by a Fabricista: The Madison Cardigan by Style Sew Me Patterns

Happy Saturday All,

Even though the weather in Florida is still in the 80s, I am gearing up for cooler days in November and December. I have a love affair with cardigans as my work building is extremely cold and a lightweight cardigan is perfect for the cooler days or nights here in sunny South Florida.

Two years ago when I did a review of 3 cardigan patterns here, I fell in love with the Madison Cardigan by Style Sew Me Patterns which is now available at Fabric Mart. This easy to sew waterfall drape is stylish and can be dressed up or down.

If you have been following my sewing journey, you know my favorite knit fabric is Ponte knit. I absolutely love the feel, drape, recovery, and sturdiness of the fabric. Around this time of year, Fabric Mart typically carries a wide selection of colors perfect for Fall and Spring. When I came across this orange color, I knew I had to grab a few yards for a cardigan. Unfortunately, this is color is almost sold out but Fabric Mart has a variety of colors here.

For this month's make, I selected 2 Ponte fabric with the intention to color block but because the red hue was almost as vibrant as the orange, I decided not to color block but use the orange Ponte knit for the cardigan.

I do have plans to make the Style Sew Me top from the Lisa loungewear set with the red fabric which is currently on my cutting table.

Did you know that you can sew 90% of your knit garment with a serger? Well, for the past 2 years, my cardigans are made using the serger except for the hem and where the seams meet. I am excited to announce that I am a NEW brand ambassador for Husqvarna Viking and I couldn't wait to create my first Fabric Mart make using my new Amber Air S 400 air threading serger.

I will be unboxing my new Designer Sapphire 85 sewing and embroidery machine this weekend and can't want to jazz up my makes. I am excited about this new journey especially learning more about embroidery and features of the Designer Sapphire 85.

Thank you for following my sewing journey! This month is extremely special as I celebrate 3 years of blogging with Fabric Mart and 5 years of sharing my sewing journey through my personal blog. I am ready to step up and step out of my comfort zone and plan to continue to share this journey with you. Don't forget to stop by my Instagram page to see what I will be working on over the next few weeks. Now that I have adjusted back to in-person teaching, I am hoping to get a few fall pieces made before Thanksgiving.

One Love,

Marica - https://www.maricamitchell.com

Made By A Fabricista: A Wooly Wearable Blanket.

Twirling in a me-made outfit! I live in a small town where the nearest fabric shop is a road trip away, so I almost exclusively shop for fabric online. Having access to an online shop like Fabric Mart with a solid search engine is incredibly helpful. But by far my favorite aspect of Fabric Mart is what I call the “Drape Picture” included in each listing! This picture gives me all the information I need and I find it more helpful than the exact weight per yard/square meter. Seeing how the fabric falls close or away from the body gives me a clear idea of how it will behave and inspires me to make it into something that will highlight the fabric’s nature. When I saw the drape of this “Baked Plum” wool suiting , I immediately wanted to immortalize those beautiful folds into a skirt! I opted for a simple self-drafted pleated skirt with a deep hem. I wear my dresses year-round and rely on wool skirts that I layer under or over my dresses for warmth. I cut two panels for the front ...

Made By A Fabricista: Sewing for a Florida Cold Snap with Fabric Mart Fabrics

Even here in Florida, we get the occasional cold weather surprise, and when temperatures dipped recently, I was very glad to have the perfect handmade outfit ready to go. For this month’s Fabricista make, I sewed up New Look pattern 6771, using two beautiful fabrics sent to me by Fabric Mart Fabrics. The Fabric & Pattern Choice New Look 6771 is a cozy two-piece set featuring a relaxed-fit top and pull-on pants—exactly the kind of pattern that works well for transitional weather. I chose to start with the top, using a brown animal print French terry from Fabric Mart, and it turned out to be an absolute dream to work with. The French terry was soft, substantial without being heavy, and handled beautifully at the machine . It had just the right amount of structure to highlight the pattern’s design details while still feeling comfortable and wearable. From cutting to pressing, this fabric behaved perfectly and elevated the final garment. The Top: A Total Win The top from New Look 677...

Made By A Fabricista: Which comes first – the fabric or the pattern?

Ah, the age old question garment sewers are often asked – do you choose the pattern first and then look for fabric, or do you buy fabric and then later decide what it will be when it grows up? If you are a sewist with a large fabric stash (like myself), then perhaps you are on Team Fabric. I would say I definitely lean that way, but there are also times when I land somewhere in the middle – I see a fabric and I think, I’ve just seen a pattern and these two would be perfect together! And that’s how gorgeous dusty rose stretch velvet and a recently released cardigan pattern came together to create the newest addition to my wardrobe. And had me improvising a few things along the way. First. I have to admit - I have a stretch velvet problem. I see it pop up on the website and I almost always grab it, especially if I see a sale. It’s not the easiest fabric to sew (it’s slippery as heck!), but I love it so much and I especially love using it in non-traditional ways. In my last blog post, I...

Fabric Mart Fabricistas

Search This Blog