Fabric Mart Fabricistas

It’s Summer and most times you will catch me in a summer dress, but every now and again I love a Summer Fun pants outfit. This outfit is fun because I love the combination of the polka-dots with the strips in the fabric. I have started loving fabric with double borders now because it can be used in so many different ways and that’s why I chose this beautiful Barn Red/Black/Off-White 100% Cotton Double Border Geometric Print (#ULD7686r) that was perfect for this project. I used just under 4 yards of this fabric to create this outfit because I had to make sure I had the perfect pattern placement on the fabric and I also love me some wide-leg pants. This is again a mashup of 2 different patterns to create this look. I used the bodice of the Burda 6968 Top and the pants from the Simplicity 8389 pattern which I hacked by taking the pleats out of the front of the pants. Pattern placement on fabric with double borders or any borders is the key to that perfect look. I wanted to make sure my bo...

After a year in yoga pants and sweatshirts all I want to sew are dresses. Big, over the top, wonderfully floaty dresses. I loved this fruity chiffon border print from the moment I saw it and knew it had to become one such dress. Much like florals, I absolutely adore fruit prints on fabric, so to find a fabric with both was a real treat. Chiffon is one of those fabrics a lot of sewists seem to be afraid of, and I don't blame them, it can be very tricky to work with. However, I strongly believe in doing difficult things, because the end is so worth it and you have the chance to learn new things along the way. I've only sewn with chiffon a couple times before so I decided to go with a pattern that didn't have any tricky closures and or require a lot of careful fitting. I ended up settling on Simplicity 8872, view A – a maxi length pullover dress with a tiered skirt and cap sleeves. I started with a small bust adjustment (SBA). I do this with nearly every pattern because I tend...

If you've searched through FM's gorgeous selections like I have, you'll notice so many fun border prints.  I love border prints.  The can make a simple dress/top look so boutique like.  

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. 

[Dress was made for and modeled by my daughter Mori] Summer is here, kinda...... over here in PA the weather gets warm then cool, then rain then warmer, then cool. When it comes in full swing Mori will be prepared with all the  dresses I've sewn this week. For this DIY dress I used   Butterick pattern 6453 will be a summer staple for sure. It's sew cute and sew easy to make. I made three different versions of this dress and the other two are posted on my blog, so stop by and check those out.  The pattern is pretty straight forward no issues and the possibilities of hacking this pattern are endless. The pattern does not call for an invisible zipper, just a regular install. I used a peach color zipper which will give  some peek-a-boo color action in the back. I think an exposed zipper would work magic back there with a simple print or solid. I may try that if I make another dress from this pattern. I purchased this sateen border print when I visited t...

Hey, guys!  I'm baaaaack!  And look at me, I am totally on trend with my sassy new cold shoulder top.  I have never put one of these sort of tops on my body ever in my life until I finished sewing this one, I had no clue if I'd even like it.  Surprise, I think I do?!   I used a pattern from BurdaStyle magazine-- it's 3/2017 #116.  I cut my usual size 42 to fit my shoulders, and of course no grading for a fuller hip on this flowy and roomy top.  I added 1" to the hem of the bodice to account for my slightly taller height at about 5'8".  The sleeves and bodice are very, very, very full and loose, perfect for stupid hot summer days to come.    I chose this double border rayon challis print.  I was so nervous I'd ruin everything with my pattern matching, so I ordered 3 yards.  Likely I only needed 2 1/4 at most considering I was able to take advantage of the fact it was a double border... each side was a mirror ...

( Normally you only see me here once a month, but this month I have two posts scheduled, this special post on border printed fabric, and next Wednesday's, which is still a surprise! ) In April, we had our annual school auction to raise money for our school.  Every year it has a theme, and every year I try to make a dress that will be an appropriate match for the theme.  The first year I sewed my own dress for the auction, it was a "Kentucky Derby" theme, and I chose to make a Burda 7137 dress.   The next year was a "Space" theme, so I chose to make a dress using a galaxy printed fabric using McCall's 2401.   This year was "My Big Fat Greek Auction," so in keeping with tradition, I made a dress.  ;-) We were asked to try and wear blue and white, and I figured I had best get on finding some blue and white fabric, because even though I have a ridiculous stash of fabric at my house ( thank you, Fabric Mart! ), I didn't have any blue and wh...