Fabric Mart Fabricistas

I am continuing with my Home Clothes Project. The goal of this was to give me versatile pieces that I could easily wear for various events and occasions. Halfway through the project, I decided to keep the stiffened bodice and the skirt separate for maximum versatility in my historical wardrobe. Both patterns were pulled from the Modern Maker Vol2. This gave me a solid baseline to work from, and I've used these patterns before, so I knew I wouldn't have to fuss too much with the fitting.  The skirt is a basic A-line, with the most complicated bit being piecing the front and back panels together to get the fullness I wanted on the hem. I also took the time to face the skirt with cotton flannel to pad it out and provide the weight I like. This also provided maximum swish. And when wearing early Renaissance clothing, if your skirts don't swish, did you make them properly? The bodice was also fairly straightforward. It has been years since I put boning in the front of a bodice a...

Have you ever fallen in love with a fabric and immediately envisioned exactly what you wanted to make, only to realize halfway through the planning process that the fabric had other ideas? That’s exactly what happened with this project. I used Fabric Mart’s Black/Dark Cobalt/Smoky White Poly Foliage Print Chiffon , and while I initially had plans for a detailed dress, the fabric ultimately led me in a completely different direction—and I’m so glad it did. When I first saw this gorgeous chiffon print, I was immediately drawn to the rich color palette and beautiful movement. The dark background paired with the cobalt and smoky white foliage creates a striking look that feels both dramatic and versatile. My original plan was to make a dress with princess seams, buttons, and more structured design elements. However, after spending time with the fabric, I realized that all of those seam lines and construction details would compete with what makes this chiffon so beautiful: its drape, moveme...

I have been wanting a Hill House Home Nap Dress for the longest time, but when I saw the reviews that the fabric was too sheer and the price tag—often well over $200—I decided it would be much more fun to make my own! I found this gorgeous abstract navy and white cotton voile from Fabric Mart and knew it would be perfect for the light, floaty dupe I had in mind. Cotton voile is soft, lightweight, and beautifully suited for a shirred dress like the infamous Nap dress. This abstract print gives the finished dress a more modern feel. I love a floral fabric, but I was excited to find this abstract print in my favorite color of navy.  Rather than using an entire dress pattern, I followed Just Lauren Johnson’s YouTube tutorial on how to create a Nap Dress from rectangles. Lauren walks you through how to use your own measurements to calculate the dimensions of the bodice, skirt tiers, and other pieces. I loved this approach because I could create the dress specifically for my measurement...

In June of this year, after spending nearly 11 years at my place of employment and after restructuring and cost cutting, I took a separation package. I was so fortunate to be able to take a few months off, and also to very quickly find a position with a new company. I start my new job on September 14th and I’m super excited!  This new position is also different for me in that it is local to my area (whereas before I worked remotely and traveled to the office every few weeks) – so I’ll be going into the office three times a week. So of course I needed to sew up some new outfits! I’m a huge fan of ITY knit fabric ; ITY stands for interlock twist yarn, which describes the way the yarn is knitted together. I love it for tops, dresses, skirts, and even pants: it’s comfortable, easy care, low wrinkle, and comes in so many beautiful prints. I sewed up three new outfits over the last two weeks and I’m excited to share them with you today! Oh, and also – I need help choosing what to wear fi...

I love playing with volume and texture! I've always loved well-made shirts: the soft yet crisp fabric, the structure and tailored fit. I love the deceptive simplicity that tries to conceal the precision and details that go into their construction…everything about well-made shirts is fascinating. And despite my interest, I somehow never really owned one. Let’s change that! I took my time with the finishing touches. I decided to bury my nose in a couple of David Page Coffin books on shirtmaking and became even more determined to try my hand at sewing one for myself. Everything I read about shirtmaking emphasized the need for really good fabric, so this 100% cotton shirting was a no-brainer (SKU: DMC 5116). I mean, look at those stripes! It's incredibly soft and light, with lots of body and a voluminous drape. It holds its shape remarkably well, and it was a delight to press. For my first go, I wanted a forgiving pattern that could hide any potential mistakes behind gathers and v...

Have you ever used a fabric that you loved so much you had to buy more and make it again.  I can only think of a handful of times that I’ve done that as I am very much a use it all for one project type of person.  However after I first used this snakeskin print stretch twill I knew I needed more of it. It started off when I decided to make this dress for my upcoming high school reunion. I loved the fabric even more in person. When I was playing around with the dress I envisioned making pants with it as well in the future.  I was able to order some matching thread and zippers to complete my dress look. Then I ordered 5 more yards to give myself a second look.  I love to use Pinterest to help me gather my ideas. In the end I came up with this lace up detailed look.  I wanted a slightly rockstar inspired look but still something I could keep in rotation in my wardrobe.  I sketched my idea out and sourced the patterns that I wanted to use.  I used Viki Se...