Border Prints - Why I Love Them

I've written about my love of border prints and how to sew them before.  You can read those posts here and here. This post is about how they've made an impactful appearance in my wardrobe lately.

My latest garments made using border prints

As you can see, I've been on a border print roll lately. Why do I love border prints so much?  Because of the challenge they present when using them...because of the possibility of making something different and unusual...and because they dare me to look at a piece of fabric in a new and interesting way.

I know the most common use of border prints is at the bottom of garments just like the border lays on the fabric. But I love it when you move that border around and place it in areas where you don't normally see a border. I love using garments with several pattern pieces to get the best use out of the border print. And I especially love the puzzle of fussy cutting a border print and how it causes you to think outside of the box!

Border prints aren't easy to find. You have to search for them. Recently they've become more popular but aren't still readily available. You can find them in quite a few different fabrications. I've purchased them in everything from ITY knit, silk and even wool. I've made skirts, dresses, shirts, maxidresses and jackets all using border prints.

Simple skirts ~

An elastic waist straight skirt made from

a poplin border print made in 2010

A pink embroidered border in wool

this one is from 2009

This maxi one made in 2008

In maxidresses ~

At the top and bottom of the dress

Running a border print down the side of a maxidress ~

I even did a series of shirts using border prints.

My collection of border prints run deep in my fabric shelves... 

When I see one I like, I ALWAYS purchase it even if I have no idea what it will become. To me border prints are like 4 leaf clovers ~ magical, mystical and worth searching for. That's why right now I'm working on two more garments using border prints. They will be coming to the blog before the month's over.

So how about you? Do you like to sew with a border print? Do you look for them when fabric shopping? Or are they elusive like a fabric unicorn? Let me know. I'm interested to see if I'm the only sewist in love with the magic of a border print.

...as always more later!

The Confessions of A Fabricaholic

If you've been reading along for any length of time, you know that I LOVE fabric.  To some it's an aspirational goal, to others I'm obviously using my funds wrong and to some people it's a headscratcher. Then to those who love fabric as much as I do, my fabric collection is a lovesong.

I haven't talked about fabric purchases much on the blog lately. Some of it's because I haven't felt like it...though I've still been buying. But it's the end of the year and alongwith recapping my Top 5's (those will be coming up soon), I wanted to talk a little about my fabric collection. Especially since my fabric collection means as much to me as the sewing does. 

In September I shared some new online fabric resources for National Sewing Month. There were several new to me online fabric sites and I have spent time pursuing their sites then purchasing from them. So I thought I would show some of the new pieces that have come to visit Casa de Sewing Fanatico. 

Now I know I work in the midst of the NYC Garment District and I do purchase local too. However, for many of you visiting the District is a special trip, but you can sit at home and thumb through online internet sites. Truthfully, I sit at home and thumb through internet sites too!

So here are a few purchases I've made recently especially after the amazing Black Friday/Cyber Monday sales:

LaFinch Fabrics ~

A Liverpool knit (used in the Rivermont Dress, a dotted chambray for a shirt

and a polyester crepe for a bow-tie blouse)

Blackbird Fabrics ~

A floral rayon poplin and a dark floral sweaterknit

Smugglers Daughter ~

A dark denim cause I'm always buying denim now!

District Fabrics ~

Love the packaging from District Fabric

An embroidered velvet

I have to admit to finding this one on Instagram and purchasing it by calling the store.  They were so helpful and sent it out quickly! I highly recommend following their Instagram account and seeing their lovelies.

Emmaonesock ~

A rayon printed twill

I also bought a few pieces of fabric from Stylemaker Fabrics ~

and 5 yards of white cotton interlock from Organic Cotton Plus. The Stylemaker Fabrics and the cotton interlock were purchased during the Black Friday sale.

There have been a few purchases from Chic Fabrics and Metro Textiles, in the Garment District too, but I've officially made my last fabric purchases for 2017. It's time to stop gathering and to start sewing. I don't know about you but at the beginning of every season, I need to do a gathering or a hunt of fabric for that season. I need to add a few new pieces to the collection to get the creative juices flowing. These pieces may or not be used during this winter season but they do encourage my sewing mojo and inspire me to start new sewing adventures.

So how about you?  Do you need fabric to kickstart your sewing mojo?  Or do you have a lean fabric collection? Maybe you're like me and believe that you should own as much fabric as you are capable of storing? Finally, did you indulge in the Black Friday sales? I know different strokes for different folks but as I said at the beginning of this post I love fabric and it makes me happy!

I may have another outfit post before the Christmas Break but I'm not sure. I am sewing but due to the holidays and everything going on, I may not have a photographer until the New Year. 

As I mentioned above, I will be discussing my Top 5's in another post soon and maybe a wrap-up post of this year and my goals for next year.  

...as always more later! 

I Love Fabric!

I make no apologies for loving fabric as much as I do. To me, fabric is like paint to a painter.  How do you create a masterpiece or a basic without resources? Now I know there are multiple ways to acquire "the raw material" or fabric. I also know that some of us obviously don't need as much variety to create with and to them I say brava.  However, I need more choice plain & simple AND I like having that choice.

It's also been brought to my attention that when I used the word "orgasmic" to describe my feelings about my fabric collection, some thought that I used the word incorrectly. Not to lecture but I like words as much as I like fabric...and I like the various definitions of a word.

Here is how google/dictionary.com describes "orgasmic":
informal - very enjoyable or exciting. Intense or unrestrained excitement.
e.g. "the album is an orgasmic whirl of techno soundscapes"

To me this definitely describes the feeling that fabric ~ the buying of, adding to my collection, and even the using of, gives me which finally brings me to the purpose of this post.

I've been attempting to decrease the amount of fabric I purchase, being fully aware of just how much I have. I'm also aware of how much storage space I have to store it in and that my collection is approaching the limit of my storage capabilities. So my purchases are definitely more well-thought out now and there are less of them. With those thoughts in mind, here are some new additions to the collection:

One of the fabrics that I don't own much of is denim. I didn't really need it in my previous life so I had only a few pieces in the collection. Those pieces were quickly sewn up once my lifestyle changed. Therefore, lately most of my purchases tend to be denim related.

It's easy and quick to collect the basic denim colors - shades of blue, black and lighter hues and I have quite a bit of that. However, I also like the prints, stripes and patchwork pieces of denim, too. So here's what I recently added to the collection.

A Digital Rose Print on a Ltwt Denim from Fabric Mart

I bought 4 yards of this and it's on sale this weekend - 60% off!

It's a stunning piece - IMHO!

3 yards of the Lace Overlay Stretch Denim Indigo/Blue from StyleMaker Fabrics

4 yards of Designer Denim Patchwork Multi from StyleMaker Fabrics

This was from the StyleMaker Fabric's Selvage Yard Section

It's a 1 yard piece of a Corded Floral Lace Denim - that I want to use for accent pieces 

I've linked to the pieces that are still available for you to purchase. I mean if you're interested in adding a little more denim fabric to your collection. *LOL* However, I'm thinking I need to rearrange a shelf in the fabric wall so that I can display all of the denim fabric I've bought lately and make it easier to find.

I'm finishing up one more button down using my TNT shirt pattern and made from a ltwt. cotton floral fabric recently purchased from Fabric Mart's brick 'n mortar store...I just got distracted by the amazingly Julyish weather we had here in the Tri-State area this week!

...then I'm using this denim combination to make another Lenox Shirtdress.

The white selvage denim with the floral denim 

That's what's been added to my fabric collection and what's on my sewing table. What's on yours?

P.S. ~ Don't forget to leave a comment on the Lenox Shirtdress post, if you want to be entered in the give-away for either a printed or pdf pattern!


...as always more later!

Fabric Finds #3

One of the comments that I received at #wineandcheesewithKashi was that I will make something from a particular fabric and either the fabric has sold out or they couldn't see the potential in the fabric at the time I posted it.

Potential - I can't really do anything about except say trust me...and that's a really big trust when it's concerning your money!  But sold out fabric I can change...so here are a few pieces that IF I was fabric shopping and not sewing from the collection I would purchase.

Here's your chance to see what I'd buy and if you can see it's potential!

First from Emmaonesock:

This is a knit called "Italian Ancient Rome Bordered Panel"

It would make an awesome McCalls 6886!

Houndstooth wool blend sweater panel

which would look great in any number of cardigans

Then from Fabric Mart - who is currently running a pyramid sale with 40% off $50, 50% off $100 and 60% off $150:

Black 'n White Broken Chevron ITY knit

Broken houndstooth ponte

(swoon, swoon, I'm still trying to justify not purchasing some of this!)

A cupid print blouseweight twill that would make a really cute blouse!

From Gorgeous Things ~

You can use this ponte to make a copy 

of my McCalls 6559 dress

This fabric is called Medallia Mania Reversible 

Cotton Brocade in a very pretty navy color

Nuit de Toile Silk Charmeuse in a tan & black medallion print

Finally if you have champagne wishes and cavier dreams try this piece from Elliott Berman.  It's a rose print on a boiled wool! Just awesome.

These are pieces that I would add to the fabric collection IF I was buying fabric! *LOL* I hope you find something to be inspired by!

...as always more later!

Fabric Finds #2

My fabric collection is not an accident. It is a deliberate curated collection. At the beginning I bought a lot of basics...alot of basics in a lot of different fabrications...because I always wanted to be able to make a black pair of pants or skirt.

Lately though, since the collection is so well established, my purchases are more focused. I went through a period of buying pontes in all colors and prints because I loved sewing with it so much. Recently, any interesting pleather or faux leather has found its way into the collection.

My newest acquisition is this wool flannel purchased out of season cause you know this won't be around come fall ~

Yeah I know beautiful right! This is from Emmaonesock and there is still some left on the site. These are the types of purchases I've been making lately. Gorgeous pieces of fabric, sometimes bought out of season, because they will enhance the collection. 

So this is fabric is being highlighted for Fabric Finds #2. Hop on over and purchase a couple of yards...and like me save it for fall/winter if you're in the Northern Hemisphere or use it now if you're in the Southern Hemisphere.

...as always more later!

Fabric Finds #1

A few of my friends, after visiting the cave, suggested that I give shout-outs when a great piece of fabric appears that I would buy...so this is probably the start of something quite a few of you are going to regret! *LOL* Also, I apologize that this one is late...because the offer expires in a few hours...

Update:
The fabric is on sale right now for $3.60 a yard! If you want some pick it up now!!!

Here's the fabric from where else - Fabric Mart

...and here are my designer inspirations for some amazing new pieces...

On Pinterest

Net-a-Porter

Don't be put off by the designer pics, because this will make a great cardi with solid black bands that can be worn both professionally over a skirt and/or dress OR over a pair of jeans in a more casual situation. Like I said its on sale for $3.50 a yard for only a couple more hours so hurry on over and pick some up. As for me, yeah I already own this fabric! *LOL*

...as always more later!