Made By A Fabricista: Spring into 2023 with Liberty of London!

Hi Fabricista Fans! I'm excited to be back with my first FabricMart project of 2023 and my second with Liberty of London Tana Lawn! This fabric is so luxurious and wonderful to work with, I just can't pass it up whenever I see it come on sale! With such a high thread count, Liberty of London doesn't easily crush, and although it's 100% cotton, it's so flowy that it's perfect for billowy dresses, blouses, and skirts.

With my $50 budget this month, I purchased 2 yards of Tana Lawn and made a Peony Patterns Rosemary Dress with inseam pockets for my youngest daughter. This is a gorgeous button down dress with long and short puff sleeve options. After cutting it out, I realized I had plenty leftover for a skirt for my eldest, so I whipped up the FREE Peony Patterns Apple Berry Skirt for her. Since she needed a top to go with it, I raided my stash for some additional fabric, and found a lovely eggshell Fabric Mart Rayon Lycra hidden away. (Don't worry, I still have a bit left for making myself a top, which was probably the intent of that purchase two years ago!).

For my daughter's top, I used the FREE Peony Patterns Apple Berry Tee, but as that one comes with short sleeves only, and we are still having some chilly days, I switched those out for long sleeves from their Wattle pattern. In hindsight, I should have done a broad shoulder adjustment on it -- she's been doing swim team and basketball this winter and has become quite muscly in the shoulders!

Creating projects with both knit and woven substrates meant having to use slightly different techniques for each project. I recommend using a sharp/Microtex needle for wovens, and a stretch, ballpoint or jersey needle on knits. You'll also want either ballpoint pins or Clover Wonder Clips for assembling your knits, and my preference is fine glass head pins for assembling wovens. There are a couple of tools I love to use that simplify buttonhole making. First, interfacing! High quality interfacing is key in garment making, and I'm a big fan of Palmer & Pletch Sheer with Tana Lawn. I always mark all my buttonholes with a Simflex Expanding Sewing Gauge - I've had mine for years and I don't know what I'd do without it! I also love to open up my buttonholes with a buttonhole cutter. I used to steal one of my husband's woodworking chisels, but I much prefer having a dedicated chisel, and the double bevel on the Clover Buttonhole Cutter helps to get a more accurate cut between the two lines of stitching, limiting your risk of cutting your buttonhole threads. Once you've completed your buttonholes, I like to seal them with a few drops of Fray Check. Incidentally, I have had a few containers of this dry up on me, so I recommend storing it either on its side or upside down.

I hope this latest project inspires you for your spring sewing! Whether you’re sewing for adults or children, Liberty of London is perfect for those gorgeous, special occasion pieces!

NATASHA | @auschicksews

Unfortunately Fabric Mart Fabrics sell out quickly!
You can find similar fabrics by shopping the following categories LUXURY BRITISH BRAND, LAWN, COTTON, SHIRTING & NOTIONS.

Made by a Fabricista: The Bernadette

Hello friends, My Latest Fabricista Make: Friday pattern Co Bernadette Skirt x Midnight Navy Cotton/Lycra Sateen Stretch Denim Hi everyone, this is Byrd with my latest Fabricista make! When I saw Fabric Mart’s Muted Midnight Navy Cotton/Lycra Sateen Stretch Denim , I knew it would be perfect for my next project. The color is rich and versatile—a deep navy that works as a neutral but still has presence. The stretch denim has just the right balance: structure with a bit of give, making it great for a garment that needs both shape and comfort. It’s an ideal fabric for fall transitions, but it’s sturdy enough to carry straight into winter with tights and boots. For the pattern, I chose the Bernadette Skirt by Friday Pattern Company . This is one of their newer designs, and I knew immediately I wanted to sew it up. It’s a modern skirt that blends structure and style, with darts in the back and pleats in the front for a flattering fit. One of my favorite features is the belt, and of co...

Made By A Fabricista: One Pattern => Three Fabrics => Three Looks!

Hello sewing friends! Today I’m sharing three totally different looking tops I made from the same pattern where the only difference in approach was the fabric itself. If I hadn’t shared with you that these three tops were all made with similar options in same exact size…would you have known they all came from the same pattern? Read on, and let me know in the comments! First, the pattern – this is the Ellie & Mac Fall in Love sweater. I’ve had this pattern for ages and it’s been a tried and true for me over the years. I think the first time I sewed it up was back in 2018. It’s a great beginner pattern due to a few features: 1) Relaxed fit – it’s meant to be oversized so you don’t have to nail your exact measurements. 2) Not a ton of pattern pieces and limited options – it’s a basic sweater/sweatshirt so no wondering if you cut the right neckband for the right neckline 3) No hemming! If you sew the pattern as designed (which I did in one of the three options), it com...

Made By A Fabricista: The Art of the Slow Make: My La Forme Double-Breasted Jacket

I started this project back in July — one of those mid-summer sewing plans meant to get me ahead for fall. My idea was simple: start my wardrobe a season (or two) early so that when cooler weather came, I’d already have a few handmade pieces ready to wear. That was the plan, anyway. But as sewing often reminds us, plans evolve. This jacket, made using La Forme pattern No. 0303, is a double-breasted design with peak lapels and an exaggerated hip detail that gives it such a striking silhouette. I fell in love with the structure of the pattern right away — it has that timeless, tailored feel I can never resist — but it also asked for patience. I picked it up and put it down several times over the months, letting it rest while I worked on other projects, until finally, the timing felt right to bring it to life. And now, here we are — the leaves are turning, there’s a chill in the air, and some parts of the country are even seeing snow. My summer-started jacket is finally finished, and it c...

Fabric Mart Fabricistas

Search This Blog