Fabric Mart Fabricistas

Dare I start this blog by asking who enjoys assembling a PDF pattern? I know I don’t love it! If you’re like me, and love using PDF pattern files, but hate assembling them, a projector for sewing is perfect for you! For this Fabricista blog, I made three garments using beautiful Fabric Mart knits and my projector in no time! Since I installed a projector in my sewing space, I’ve been able to save precious time by adding technology to the fabric-cutting process. If you’re new to the idea of projectors being used for sewing let me catch you up to speed.  A projector casts the lines of  PDF sewing pattern pieces onto a table or cutting mat. From there, you place your fabric on the table/cutting mat and cut your pattern pieces directly from the projected image. I've captured a couple of photos so you can see how this looks. This projection onto the fabric means that you can avoid printing and assembling paper patterns, saving time and printing costs. As an added bonus, since you’r...

I was lucky to go on a weekend cruise to the Bahamas with my husband! For the occasion, and for this April post, I initially planned on doing two versions of the Wanda Wrap Dress: a colorful sleeveless one for daytime excursions and a darker mid-sleeved one for nighttime outings. Thankfully, I did the black one first and realized I preferred to sew something else with the other fabric. Why? Indeed, the dress is very comfortable to wear. It is flowy, elegant and a good option for day or night, depending on the chosen fabric. But, with its six panels full skirt, its faux-wrap top, and its extended waistband, this dress took almost two yards of fabric to make, even in a small size! With this jersey knit elastic fabric, it ended up being bulky and heavy to pack. Knowing I am used to traveling with very minimal luggage (backpack forever!), bulkiness and weight do not work for me. I will wear this in Miami, but it won’t travel much with me in the future.  Also, making the Wanda Dress was...

Let me start by giving my “official creative adviser” a public THANK YOU. I was stuck, browsing through ideas, looking for inspiration. My Fabric Mart cart had 24 fabric options at some point, but nothing really “clicked”. What would I sew next? I am glad I asked that out loud! My husband got the answers I needed to hear. From the concept (a tennis outfit) to the patterns (a skort and a dress), up to the fabric choice (a fabulous combo of Activewear Lycras), he helped me get my inspiration back! As soon as I ordered the fabric and patterns, my enthusiasm had come back in full force!  While waiting for the package, I read about sewing Lycras. I got the basic theory, such as using a ballpoint needle and elastic stitches. I made sure the fabric had the required elasticity for both patterns. Anytime either of the patterns called for straight stitches, such as in the sidebands on the skort and the pocket on the dress, I used my domestic machine with a ballpoint needle. For elastic stitc...

I have always loved fashions from the past. But I have to be honest, I've never been able to put myself to buy vintage clothes because I felt like I would be wearing a costume. Seeing some of the many vintage-inspired garments sewn by the talented sewers in the blogging world has been enough inspiration to give it a try! When I saw the Mad Men Challenge was running again, I knew I HAD to do this! It was a little bit of bad timing because March is a big travel month for me, but in-between my travels I was able to pull it off. (Even got it done a week early!)  Inspiration: I scoured Pinterest for photos from Mad Men. There were so many fun designs, it was hard to choose just one! I decided to select a cute shift dress, which could be vintage and modern at the same time. (I definitely wanted to make something that would be comfortable for me to wear around town and not feel like a costume.)  Fabric:  I looked through my stash for a solid fabric. But I didn't...