Fabric Mart Fabricistas

Hello Sewing Friends! It’s Sharon from Sharon Sews with my last post for 2024!  This time I used one of my favorite fabrics, linen. Fabric Mart usually has an excellent selection of linens .  I should know as I’ve ordered my fair share over the years. This time I choose a medium-weight 100% linen with a black and white abstract print.  When I ordered the fabric, my plan was to use an old Issey Miyake pattern and sew myself an oversized linen coat.  But when the fabric arrived it told me it would be happier as a skirt.  Your fabric also talks to you, right?   I’ve been drawn to the look of satin bias skirts paired with oversized sweaters but knew that skirt style doesn’t work on my body shape.  Plus, once the holidays are over a satin skirt would just sit in my closet.  But a linen skirt, in a neutral black and white print, could be worn during the winter months with boots and a sweater and easily transition to warm weather with a tee and sand...

When fall started and we moved into Spooky Season I knew I wanted to make something a little witchy. I’d been eyeballing Stitch Witch’s patterns for some time, and after some back and forth on which pattern to make, I landed on the Harlow Dress. I really liked the neckline, the cute elasticated sleeves, and I didn’t have a pattern already with a princess seam a-line skirt.  I’m a huge sucker for linen , and after perusing Fabric Mart’s stock I decided on this beautiful black linen with a subtle rose jacquard weave. I loved how at first glance it looks plain, but when it hits the light the roses appear. I love to make things much harder for myself than they need to be. My favorite seam finishing technique, especially for a fabric like a linen, is french seams. They’re so neat and I don’t have to worry about anything unraveling, it’s all neatly tucked inside itself. What I didn’t consider was how tricky french seams with neck facings would be. I had to pick out several seams multiple...

This project was one of necessity. Over the past two years, I have worn various 15th-century court gowns, and every time I run into the same problem. Around 4 pm, I start overheating and need to make a quick escape.  So I thought I would make a loose gown that I could wear over my foundation garments and still look dressed. Essentially it would act like a very fancy dressing gown. I made one of these garments a few years ago as a fur-lined coat. And while I am absolutely in love with it, it's not practical to wear when I am already too warm to function. So in choosing the fabric for this project, I looked for a lightweight linen that I could line with an equally lightweight silk. This would give me everything I would want and more.  I chose to alter a doublet pattern so I could skip most of the patterning process and get straight to the construction. With a few quick decisions on where to start adding fullness and how to support the collar, I was onto sewing. All of this was d...

Hi everyone! I am back with my last summer blog of 2024. One of my favorite things about sewing is the ability to create higher end pieces for a fraction of the cost. I find that we are now in a place where we are creating more of these duplicate pieces. When making these “dupe” pieces that I find on Pinterest, I change some factor in them, so they will not be an exact replica but close to. When I saw this jumpsuit I immediately fell in love with it & I knew I had to recreate it.  Fabric Mart had the most beautiful red linen fabric & I just knew it was the perfect time to create it. I have such a love for linen! It is extremely easy to work with; it sews really well & I love natural fiber clothing. The hardest part about working with linen is the wrinkles. Linen is so easy to wrinkle & I find that even when it is pressed a lot it will still wrinkle of the course of time. I put a little bit of starch on it to keep it from creasing as easy. I had to search high & ...

For as long as I can remember, I have worn jeans almost daily, in and out of the office. But recently, the Miami HEAT – the real summer hot burning sweaty heat, not the basketball team – has me considering other options. Now that I have tried light, breezy, and wide linen pants, I cannot go back to skinny jeans. I must add that I love dresses, but I work in a freezing office and need my long trousers and closed shoes. So, I basically dress every day for two opposed climates: the scorching desert outdoors and the North Pole indoors. This pattern, the Emerson Pants by True Bias , checks all the boxes. In the realm of woven pants, there is nothing more comfortable than wide legs and elasticized waistbands. These pants have that, but also feature a flat front waistband and pleats that turn it into a casual yet elegant outfit. The pattern was originally made for shorts or cropped pants, but I opted to add 5 inches to the bottom and make them long. It is more my style, and it reminds me of t...

Dee & Dory are back on the Fabric Mart blog, and they've got some fresh Fabricista Makes to share with you! Dive into their latest video to catch all the details on their fabric picks and how their projects turned out. It's a cozy chat filled with sewing tips and inspiration – just what you need to spark your creativity! Click play and join the fun! Dee: Summer calls for a bright white Jacket and a colorful top!  I used a waffle weave double knit for my fabric for this summer wardrobe essential!  The fabric from Fabric Mart was wonderful as always. This medium weight fabric laundered easily and was a breeze to sew on. The pattern I used was Simplicity 1073 view D, with three-quarter  length sleeves and a one button closure on the front. The pattern itself was an easy sew, with two small pleats on the front bodice  at the shoulders and a box plate in the back. For the colorful summer top, I  used a polyester with lyrca. This fabric also laundered up wonderful...