Cashmerette Patterns Giveaway for National Sewing Month

I don't even have to say this...y'all know that I absolutely ADORE Cashmerette Patterns. ABSOLUTELY.ADORE! So of course, I asked my girl Jenny if I could have a pdf pattern to give away for National Sewing Month...and being the awesome person that she is...she offered THREE!

Seriously, three...one person will win three pdf patterns from Cashmerette!!!

I honestly believe that this pattern line has given plus-size, curvy, large-busted women the ability to wear a button down shirt or a t-shirt...and several amazing dresses without having to make FBAs, add space or worry about how to fit our bodacious biceps into a sleeve.

The pattern line is sized for women who wear 12-28 with cup sizes C-H.  There are presently 11 different patterns online at Cashmerette.com. If you haven't used a pattern and why haven't you? There are 160 reviews of the patterns on PatternReview to show you some finished garments.

...and I've made a few myself...

I've made the Concord Tee - shown above, several Turner Dresses and a Lenox Shirtdress. Okay I'm embarassing myself by the fangirling! *LOL* 

If you're interested in winning THREE pdf Cashmerette patterns of your choice, please leave a comment below ONLY. The giveaway will begin today and end next Monday, September 18th at midnight EST. All comments must have a name attached to them. If you log in as "Unknown" but don't leave a name with your comment, it will be deleted. Also comments must be left on this post to be considered, any left at bloglovin' are ineligible.  Good luck!

Happy National Sewing Month!

Style Maker Fabrics ~ Second Discount for National Sewing Month

I love Style Maker Fabrics. I love the assortment, the website and how it's organized, the amazing customer service, the quick shipping and Michelle, the owner of Style Maker Fabrics. Michelle and Style Maker Fabrics are participating in my National Sewing Month celebration for the second year in a row. 

I interviewed Michelle last year. You can find the post here if you'd like to learn more about how Style Maker Fabrics came to be.

So hop on over to Style Maker Fabrics and check out through their selection. I know you will find something awesome to purchase...and to help you along Michelle is offering a 10% discount off your total purchase. Use the coupon DIARY17 to get the discount.

I knew when I was putting together the discounts & giveaways for National Sewing Month this year, that Michelle & Style Maker Fabrics had to be a part of the celebration. I really knew my decision was right after a discussion with Michelle this weekend.

Michelle reached out to let me know that everyone who uses the 10% discount offered this week, she will match the discount amount and donate the funds to local charities. Charities that will assist people challenged by both Hurricanes Harvey and Irma. 

If you've been wanting to do something to help the families impacted by the hurricanes, this is a fantastic way!  You can purchase fabric you need or want AND a donation will be made to charity. With the amount of destruction that's been visited upon the families in Houston and parts of Texas, Louisiana, and the Florida Coast in the last couple of weeks, I'm sure all donations are appreciated!

So the 10% discount is in effect from today, Sunday, September 10th until Saturday, September 16th at midnight PST. Let's all shop til you drop for a good cause! 

Happy National Sewing Month!

Week One ~ Discount & Giveaway Reminders

Just a reminder that the 15% off discount for your total order from Emma One Sock expires on Saturday, September 9th at 11:59pm EST.

So if you haven't placed your order yet, surf on over to their website and get shopping! Here's the discount code again: "EOS-FANATIC15-2017"

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  

Presently there are 72 sewists in the running to win a pdf pattern of their choice from HotPatterns. Are you one of them?  If not, why not?  You never know this might be your lucky day! To enter leave a comment on this post only. Don't forget that comments left on bloglovin, aren't eligible for this giveaway. The comments section will be closed at 11:59pm EST on Sunday, September 10th. Winner to be announced on Wednesday, September 13th.

So do you feel lucky?

Finally, a new fabric discount and another pattern giveaway will be announced next week...so stay tuned!

Happy National Sewing Month!

HotPatterns Giveaway for National Sewing Month

Continuing with the fabric discounts and pattern giveaways for National Sewing Month celebrations, the first pattern giveaway is from HotPatterns.

A little about HotPatterns ~
HotPatterns is an independent sewing pattern company, started in 2005, and run by two Londoners who have somehow found themselves living and working in the steamy southwest of Florida.

It's a small family business that enjoys working hard to create the best high-fashion sewing patterns in the world. All of their products are designed and produced in the USA.

Trudy does the designing, pattern drafting and all of the creative stuff.  She's been in the garment trade for a long time, and is just a little bit obsessed with fashion.  Jeremy is the brains of the outfit; he deals with the business side, as well as keeping an eye on the production schedule. Trudy & Jeremy work with a small team of helpers, or Folding Fairies as they like to be called, plus random sample makers, and pattern testers.

...Info is from the HotPatterns website

I've followed HotPatterns from their inception. I love that they have always interpreted the latest fashions and made them into patterns for the home sewist. I own quite a few of them in my own pattern collection. The patterns are very popular since there are over a 1000 reviews of them on PatternReview.

The Giveaway ~
The HotPatterns team is offering one pdf pattern of your choice from their pdf pattern selection, click here for USA/Canada & Mexico and here for the rest of the world. All you have to do is leave a comment on this blog post only by Monday, September 11th at 11:59pm EST, stating which pattern you'd like to win and why. Responses left on bloglovin' won't be included! This giveaway is open to all my blog readers. I will be announcing the winner of the pattern on Monday, September 25th.

Good luck and Happy National Sewing Month!

First Discount for National Sewing Month is from Emma One Sock

As an introduction, I've been shopping from Emma One Sock for at least a decade. I love Linda's beautifully curated collection. While it's a little more expensive than some of the other online sites I shop, the quality of her fabrics is unbeatable. The customer service is OUTSTANDING, she ships quickly and is available to answer questions promptly via email. You can't go wrong with a fabric purchase from Emma One Sock.

I thought I would do an interview with Linda so that if you've never shopped at Emma One Sock or didn't know the proprietor behind this online fabric shop you would get to know her a little better.

1. I've been purchasing fabric from your online store for years now. For those who are just becoming acquainted with EmmaOneSock would you please share the story of how Emma One Sock came to be?
That's a long story!  Yes we were one of the first online fabric stores, having started out about 17 years ago.  To make a long story a bit shorter...my college training was in music (piano performance and music theory, back in the dark ages, ha ha) and after a career as a musician throughout my 20's I finally settled down and got married (to Eric!) in my early 30's.  I have always enjoyed making things, and taught myself to sew, knit, crochet, etc. when I was in high school.  When my kids were born (they are now in their mid to late 20's) I was inspired to make them little hand knit sweaters and sewn outfits. This quickly developed into a children's clothing line that was sold all over the US (Emma One Sock, named for my daughter Emma and my son Aaron, whose nickname as a baby was "one sock").  It was all produced locally with upscale European fabrics. After six years and lots of growth, I decided to close that business (it was quite exhausting), and had lots of beautiful fabrics left over. We began selling off those fabrics on eBay, but when we realized that there was a potentially huge market for the fabrics to which I had access, we developed our own website (thankfully Eric is a computer programmer) and over time it grew into a thriving business.  I couldn't bear to change the name so we are still known as Emma One Sock!

2. What do you love most about running an online fabric store?
Well, I do love fabric, obviously!... so being blessed with immediate access to so many wonderful fabrics is something that continues to excite me. I also very much enjoy the challenge of running a business, and striving for perfection. Our business is almost like a huge art project that Eric and I are constantly tweaking.  We are very old school ~ we both have a rather entrepreneurial spirit. There was nothing else out there when we started, no instant website programs that now make it easy for anyone with an idea to start an online business.  Our website was designed from scratch and continues to be our unique creation, complete with an internal management, messaging and inventory system, etc. etc, (all thanks to Eric).

3. What is the most important thing you've learned from running an online fabric store? 
Not sure I can narrow it down to one thing. People still want the experience that they used to get in brick and mortar stores, so we do our best to provide an online experience that is clear, visually pleasing and detailed, and we send out hundreds of swatches (for free) every week so that people can handle the fabrics. People definitely appreciate great customer service and fair prices. With any business, greed can destroy a company ~ we've always aimed for slow and steady growth and so far it has worked out well for us.

4.   What is a typical day like? 
We start out early here! I'm usually at my desk by 7 AM at the latest, and our wonderful staff starts arriving shortly thereafter. They cut and ship orders, check in new shipments, fill swatch requests, handle customer questions, and when they can come up for air they straighten up and post lots of roll ends. 

Brenden, Monica and Anita

Chrissy

Heather

I do a mix of posting new fabrics, updating the website, ordering fabric, handling customer emails, etc. Just recently Monica has taken over the photography, and that has been a big help to me! We are in the process of updating our photgraphy set up ~ just got a new camera and lighting. We're also looking into some other ways to improve the photos on the website, as well as other website functions. Eric does all of the website upkeep and programming, billing, ordering of supplies, etc. We have a small studio and everyone gets along well considering the tight quarters!

5.  Is it important to offer international as well as domestic shipping? 
Yes, we have hundreds of international customers, repeat customers ~ it's a huge part of our business, and we are very grateful for their loyal patronage! We do our best to find the best shipping rates and our international customers seem to appreciate our efforts.

6. Why has online fabric shopping become such an important experience to sewists? 
Like everything else, the convenience of ordering online has unfortunately put a lot of brick and mortars out of business, so in many cases people have no choice but to get used to ordering online. Some others enjoy having a curated choice ~  anyone can find an online fabric store that suits their taste these days, without having to leave their home! It seems pretty clear that our lives have moved online in every respect. There are many fine online fabric stores out there; people find their favorites and learn who they can trust.

7.  How has social media changed the day to day running of an online fabric store?  
It hasn't really changed anything for us in terms of day to day, although I did notice a boost in sales when I started an Instagram account this past January. As I said, we've been around a looooong time, and we keep running our business the way we always have; our customers seem to appreciate it. I do keep up with Instagram and Facebook, and enjoy figuring out new things to post each day. But I have to keep from getting totally distracted by my iPad, posting photos and checking everyone else's!  It can be a huge time eater, and I try hard to keep it under control so that I can get my work done! :-D

8.  What are your hopes/goals for the future of Emmaonesock? 
Well, I hope we continue to grow and flourish! Eric and I are in our (early) 60's, and while we are still going strong at this point, we are thinking ahead and giving our staff more and more responsibility. The fabric world has changed dramatically over the years. There are probably hundreds of online fabric stores now, whereas you could count them on one hand when we started. We just keep going with the flow, providing the best fabrics we can find, and the best service we can muster, to our cherished customers. 

Now because we're all sewists and love to know more about other sewists sewing machines, fabric collections, etc. here are a few sewing related questions and answers.

a.  I know that you sew but what type of garments do you like to sew? 
Honestly I haven't bought an article of clothing in a store in maybe 5 years or more! I make my whole wardrobe, but often opt for quick and easy knit projects, due to time contraints and the ease of sewing with knits.  Most recently I am working on patternmaking though, and am trying to tell myself to be patient and not to only make things that I can finish in a couple of hours.  That gets boring after a while. So, I'm turning my attention to working with wovens, perfecting fit, perfecting my basic patterns, so that I can make more tailored garments that may take a much longer time to complete. I hope to learn more about draping too, so that I can design more innovative garments.

b.  Do you have a dedicated sewing room? 
Yes! When my daughter moved out, I moved in…to her room. 

c.  What type of sewing machine do you use?  Are you a brand loyalist? 
I just upgraded about a year or so ago to a Bernina 710 (discontinued but similar to the 720) and a Babylock Imagine overlock. I chose Bernina after doing a bunch of research, and bought a floor model 810 which happened to be half price at the time (!), but I'm sure there are other great machines out there.  It also makes it easier when I go to Kathryn Brenne sewing workshops because all of her machines are Berninas so there's no period of adjustment. I do love it. The differential feed is a huge plus ~ I had it on my old machine (Pfaff) and wasn't willing to give up that feature. I gave my old machines to my daughter so they have a good home and are being used!

d.  Who or what inspires your personal sewing? 
I'm inspired by all kinds of things… I'm often inspired by what my customers make, by some of the amazing sewists who I follow on Instagram, and of course by my colleague Kathryn Brenne. Often I wake up sewing and designing in my head…I'm obsessed! I'm definitely inspired to strive to be less "slap dash" and more refined and meticulous by working with Kathryn. There is so much help and inspiration online now, and there are so many sewing retreats, workshops, schools…I have way more plans and ideas than I will ever have time to execute. Inspiration is plentiful, but finding the time can be a challenge, as I'm sure is the case for everyone!

Here are Emma One Sock's social media sites ~
Fabric Store
Instagram
Facebook

Now to the part everyone has been waiting for the discount. Linda is offering 15% off your total order from today, Sunday, September 3rd through Saturday, September 9th, 11:59pm EST. To get the discount, use this coupon code "EOS-FANATIC15-2017"  

Please remember that Linda will apply the coupon code when she bills your credit card and she doesn't bill it until after the fabric has been cut and is ready to be shipped. So if you place your order and don't see the discount that's why!

I hope you will head over to Emma One Sock's online fabric store and check out her amazing wares.

Happy National Sewing Month!

Happy National Sewing Month!

Happy National Sewing Month!

I know I'm a day late but I wanted to participate in the #sewphotohop that's currently happening on Instagram.

I guess I'm starting an annual tradition of celebrating the art of sewing during National Sewing Month! Last year's celebration was pretty involved for me. There were a bunch of giveaways, some fabric discounts, special guest bloggers and interviews with some of my favorite sewists.

While I'm celebrating this year, because who wouldn't celebrate an artform that we love so much, I've scaled it back a bit. This year every week will give you a discount at an online fabric store and the ability to win either a pattern or sewing tool.

That's what I have in store for the blog.  I hope you'll check back in tomorrow to see the first online store fabric discount being offered.

...as always more later!

The Summer of Wow Sewing Recap

I think I've finally found my groove and my summer sewing reflects that. Here are my makes for Summer 2017 - which I've included in "The Summer of Wow Sewing!" tag. I really wanted my sewing this spring/summer season to have a Punch or Wow factor to it. I think I achieved that with these garments!

I only made seven garments during the months of July & August but they are some of my favorites. 

Flowy Shirtdress ~

New Look 6340 Dresses ~
Made in a floral linen, a printed linen and a border print

Red Cashmerette Concord Tee Maxi ~

Style Arc Marilyn Dress ~

Cashmerette Tee & Wide Legged Pants

Conclusion ~
I've tagged everything under "The Summer of Wow Sewing" if you click on the link, I think you will get a more comprehensive view of my sewing and the spring/summer wardrobe I created this year. I may add another piece or two to this collection because it's still quite warm in September in these parts. However, I'm pivoting to fall sewing. I'm ready.

...as always more later!

A Quick Note...

I've been thinking about this for awhile and was spurred to write this post after a comment left about giving out sites for assistance with Hurricane Harvey. To whomever left the comment, please don't be offended because I'm not upset that you left the comment.  It actually moved me to post something on Instagram and to start a series of my own donations.

However, almost all of us have some other social media outlets, be it Facebook, Instagram or Twitter that keeps us updated or bombarded daily with the news of the world. And lately the news within my own country honestly scares the shit out of me.

Many readers who come here daily don't share my political views or even understand how my race affects how I process what's happening around me. AND I've come to the conclusion, that there doesn't to seem to be much changing of opinions lately...it seems we are living in a "us" or "them" society, a "morally right" or "morally wrong" society...that there is a great divide in this country that I really don't know how it will be breached.

So I'm saying this to say, that this is my last post about politics, current events, or anything much besides sewing on my blog. I need a safe place from the craziness of my country and the world. I need a place where I don't have to know if you voted for 45 and if you hate black/brown/muslim/LGBT people. I don't want to have to look at you cockeyed as you excuse the "craziness" and the moral ineptitude of the leader of the United States. I don't wanna...

I'm also closing the comments because I just don't want to discuss this and I would appreciate you not leaving comments about such on any other posts because they will be deleted.  My blog/my home so my rules. For once I will even be monitoring bloglovin.  Comments there will also be deleted. There just seems to be very little respect for one another in America now and it saddens me greatly.

Because lets face it, we all seem to come together in times of crisis, but the flood waters will recede from Houston. The rest of the country will move on and Houstonians will continue to deal with the effect of the Hurricane for months and years to come, think Katrina and the people in Louisiana who still deal with it. We Americans will move on to whatever happens next still a very divided nation.

Now I know this sounds cynical but until you have to worry about your children being stopped by the police and killed for driving while black.  Or until you have to listen to your baby cry because he or she has been called names or told to go back to Mexico at school.  Until you have to worry if your gay or transgendered child will be kicked out of the Armed Services, or if your friends will have health care because the Affordable Care Act is being destroyed...let's not even talk about clean air or global warming...or the many other programs that are being dismantled by this administration...until the madness stops...this is a sewing site only.

September is National Sewing Month, so I will be kicking off a month of celebrating sewing...the one thing that binds all of us who visit here together. So sewing will be the focus going forward and I hope you will swing back by to celebrate it and our artform then.

...as always more later!

Sewing for Fall

The September Fall Fashion Issues have arrived and I've pawed through them. The fall patterns are in the pattern catalogs and the calendar is ticking towards September. It's time to start thinking about sewing for fall.

In the last couple of years, I've planned what I NEEDED to sew for my work wardrobe due to my current situation. However, this year I'm thinking about what I WANT to sew. How I can get creative with some patterns that I've already used, as well as sewing some new patterns.

Last September I sewed for the grandbabies. I'm skipping that this year, though I will be making them some jean jackets for fall. I'm concentrating on upgrading my fall/winter wardrobe. I've discovered that I love sewing blouses/shirts. I've added some more shirting fabrics to the collection to use for new versions of my TNT pattern mashup. I'm also on the hunt for some fabulous white shirting for a couple of white shirts. 

Planned are more denim dresses and a few shirtdresses made from fall fabrics, worn with tights or leggings and shoe booties or sneakers. I've finally broken the "corporate dress look" block in my head and I can see casual dresses in fabrics that fit better in my current work atmosphere. So I have a few ideas that I'm very excited to sew up.

I collected quite a few interesting fabrics for jackets & toppers last year. I didn't get around to using them but I definitely want to sew some of them this fall/winter. I used McCalls 7481 this spring and I want to work on a couple versions this fall. There was another Tamarack Jacket on my early spring list that needs to get made this season too. It will work for fall so that's on the list too. Especially since I wear my Kantha Quilt version ALOT in the deep winter on Monday mornings because our office is so cold.

Here's a look at the patterns I'm thinking about using for my fall sewing...

I've made a short list of items I want to sew because those short lists seem to be working for me. I think I only left three unsewn items on my summer list of 16 - not bad.

So it's the last week of August and Labor Day weekend is approaching. I have 3.5 days off to sew this weekend, plus the 3.5 days I had last week, so I've started working on my fall list. How about you? Are you thinking about fall sewing?  Have you started planning yet or are you riding out summer and waiting until you have to start wearing fall clothing? Cause it will be fall and cold before you know it!

It's gonna be a minute before finished garments show up here because I'm burrowing in and sewing! 

...as always more later! 

Do You Fit As You Sew?

I've made quite a few garments lately using new patterns.  I made alterations to some of them before cutting them out based upon my measurements. Cause I'm not a muslin/toile kinda woman. Not to say that you shouldn't use them if that's your thing...I just know that if I made a muslin, I would never sew the final garment.

I've always tried garments on my body as I sewed them. Sometimes sitting in my undies waiting to sew that last seam to throw it on my body for a quick fit.

Lately though, I've been using the timer on my iPad to take pics.  I can see length better...get an overall feel for fit and take pictures of problem areas to look at and analyze.  Many times while constructing the garment I send pictures and video to Gaylen asking her opinion.

Also, I can step away from my machine and the garment. Pour over the pictures to make sure that not only am I solving my fit issues but also if any design decisions I've made are working.

So my Question of the Day is, "Do you Fit as you Sew?" Or do you rely on the changes you've made to your muslin/toile? Or your flat pattern measurements? Or are you really brave and construct the entire garment and then try it on? Also, how do you figure out what length works for you?

Talk back to me because I'm really interested in what your process is and if pictures are involved. Because since taking pictures and videos, I feel like my fitting and sewing process is improving.

BTW, I know quite a few of you read blogs on readers like bloglovin' and feedly. However, may I remind you once again that I don't flip into either reader very often so if you leave comments or questions there, they are basically going unread. I usually stumble upon them days or weeks later...just so you know!

...as always more later!

Fabric Shopping in Jackson Heights, Queens

I know we all know about "The Garment District" in midtown Manhattan but fabric shopping spots exist in other places in New York too. I know Sheila, who authors the blog, Sheilaz-CTK, regularly shops in Brooklyn for fabric. There also use to be quite a few fabric stores in downtown Manhattan. I honestly don't know how many of those still exist so if someone knows please feel free to drop a note in the comments section.

The trip to Jackson Heights came about through a discussion at the first Sewcialists Last Tuesday of Every Month Meet-up. Kristen (blog: JinxandGunner and IG: jinxandgunner) and I were sitting next to each other and she told me that she buys most of her fabric locally in Queens. I was intrigued as she described several stores in a 4-5 block radius that she walks to and purchases beautiful fabric.

So Syreeta (IG: Syreeta Briana) and I begged her to take us fabric shopping in Queens and the #jacksonheightsfabriccrawl was born.

I have to tell you fabric shopping in Queens was something I really wanted to do because it was a 3 hour trip each way on public transportation! But it was a beautiful day and there were some amazing sewists who turned out to shop.

L-R:  Syreeta, Grace, Amanda, Carol and Kristen our amazing hostess!

Our Itinerary ~

First we visited two Sari shops. The fabric offerings in both shops were vivid, colorful pieces purchased in either matched sets or 6 yard pieces similar to the lengths offered in the African fabric stores. I will admit that I was overwhelmed with color and choice in both of these stores. I think you have to go into these stores with something specific in mind because there is a little of everything. However, I will remember it for the next trip (yes I'm going again) and be better prepared.

Next up was M&J Fabrics ~
7917 37th Avenue
Jackson Heights, NY  11372
Phone:  718.426.2181

In my mind, this was Kristen's favorite store. This is also where I bought the majority of my fabric because the proprietor 

had amazing rolls of challis fabric and some great rayon crepes.  I also bought a couple of border prints from him and now I'm regretting now buying the black floral border print...*sigh* The rayon challis were $4 a yard. Yeah, $4 a yard. I bought one lone rayon crepe for $2 a yard.

This is where we spent the most time. I would have dropped alot more money than I did at this store because the selection was that good. BTW, I had a few guidelines for this trip ~ I couldn't spend more than a set amount of money and I had to be able to cart it home on public transportation. It really helped rein in my inner fabric piggy.

Since I checked out first, I had time to take pictures, so a few shots of my fabric shopping sistahs...

Liz Discount Fabrics was the second fabric shop stop ~
8323 37th Avenue
Jackson Heights, NY 11372
Phone:  718.426.2121

This shop is tiny and crammed to the brim with fabrics, laces and sewing supplies. I loved that you could find everything you needed to complete a garment in one place. Thread - check. Lining fabric - check. Sewing notions - check...all stuffed into a small space.

Syreeta and Carol sporting her Morgan Jeans

Loved the laces hanging from the ceiling reminded me of some of the trim stores that have disappeared from The Garment District

I bought this fabric here.

It's a navy & white striped ponte with a bonded (interfaced) back. I love to collect these types of fabrics and this one already has an idea attached to it. So it will probably not stay in the collection long, cause Fall is coming!

Value Fabrics third on the fabric store tour ~
8413 37th Avenue 
(but it's moving so check the store window for new location)
Jackson Heights, NY  11372
Phone:  718.457.9488

This one was as small as the prior store and while I didn't buy anything here, Grace and Kristen found some cute pieces. Again beautiful pieces of fabric, sewing notions and sewing laces, another wonderful neighborhood resource. 

I took no pictures at this stop or the next one probably because I was shopped out at this point!

Jackson Fabrics NY Inc was the last stop.
84-30 37th Avenue
Jackson Heights, NY  11372
Phone:  718.424.6989

We kinda breezed in and out of this one.  Our fabric bags were heavy and we were ready to sit, eat and talk. Well talk more!!! I don't even have a good impression of this store, which is sad, but it is another local resource so that's a good thing.

The great thing about neighborhood fabric shopping is that the restaurant was one block down the street. I am not a foodie and when Kristen first said "Peruvian" I was like what? She was like give it a try you will like it and she was right.  It was the perfect stop after a long day.

Urubamba
8620 37th Avenue
Jackson Heights, NY  11372
Phone:  718.672.2224

photo credit: newyork.seriouseats.com

The food was fantastic.  The conversation was great and as the group shot below shows, we had a wonderful day together.

We headed back to the subway after that and three hours later I walked into my home...tired but very satisfied from an amazing day. It was worth the trip and I will definitely do it again!

Here is the rest of my fabric haul ~

Black 'n White Midweight Rayon Crepe 

$2 a yard - bought 4 yards

Ltwt. Rayon Challis - $4 a yard - bought 4 yards

Large rayon sateen border print

$4 a yard bought 4 yards

Floral rayon challis - $4 a yard bought 4 yards

When I got home I realized that I have a rayon crepe knit 

in this exact print from Fabric Mart

Ltwt. rayon challis border print

This was the first thing I touched & it started the rayon challis spree

$4 a yard - 3 yards

Conclusion ~
Most of what I added to the fabric collection was rayon challis. I don't have much on hand and loved what I found. They will be great for next summer's garments and are worth stashing because they were purchased at an amazing price!

I just want to give one more shout out to Kristen for arranging the day. It was well thought out and fun! I'm sure she will announce the next one on Instagram, so look for it there if you're interested in attending.

...as always more later!