Blog

Still on the hunt for an easy yet memorable Halloween costume? Fashion Fabrics Club has got you covered! Check out our easy DIY costume guide.

Rosie the Riveter

Channel your girl power this Halloween and dress up as the quintessential female empowerment icon: Rosie the Riveter. Pair a chambray button up with a pair of dark-wash jeans. Add a swipe of red lipstick and a matching bandana and don’t forget to show off your biceps.

Mary Poppins

What you’ll need: a white cotton button up (the more ruffles the better), a red silk bowtie, black double knit skirt, black tights and boots. Don’t forget the umbrella, the flower-embellished bowler hat, and to break out into song at every opportunity.

M&M

This is a great pick for a group costume, everyone picks their favorite color and gets a classic T and matching colored tulle skirt and suspenders. Add white gloves and a giant white M on the front of the shirt and you’re all good to go.

Cher from Clueless

Plenty of plaid and lots of loud, look-at-me colors. That’s what Cher was all about. For the most iconic look, go for the yellow plaid ensemble: blazer, pleated skirt, white T underneath and matching white over-the-knee socks and a whole lot of attitude.

Tina Belcher of Bob’s Burgers

An aqua blue cotton T and black polyester skirt is Tina’s signature look, and happens to be an incredibly comfortable and easy look to copy for a costume party. Make sure you wear knee-high socks, that iconic yellow barrette she always sports, thick glasses and a pair of sneakers.

Valentine’s Day may be over, but Fashion Fabrics Club Online is still spreading the love. 4 free patterns, with links to fabrics to bring them to life (that all happen to be on sale right now). Lovely, indeed.

Fit & Flare Dress

The all-so-flattering fit and flare dress hugs all the right places, offering a shapely silhouette for nearly any body type, especially when done up in a slinky jersey knit (FFC’s favorites: cheetah print, Moroccan print, snakeskin print, shown here). Get a free pattern from sewing blog: So Sew Easy (picture shown is also from their blog).

Wrap Dress

The wrap dress is a girl’s best friend: effortless, dependable, timeless, and versatile. (DVF, we thank you for your design prowess and bringing us this gem of a garment.) This pattern (and picture shown) is from the blog of Confessions of a Fabricaholic, it has the perfect year-round mix of ¾ length sleeves and a knee-length hemline. She used a solid, thicker knit, but in a drapey, printed jersey knit (like a floral print, or black + white rose print ) it would have a more flirty appeal.

Maxi Skirt

Maxi skirts are closet essentials, no matter what time of year. Check out Crazy Little Projects maxi skirt sewing tutorial to craft your own (picture shown, from her site). She suggests a stretchy knit fabric but if you’re looking for something a little dressier (and if you know your way around a sewing machine and can handle more slippery fabrics), try a poly/chiffon fabric in fun print like floral or chevron.

Gathered Top

This versatile top (pattern and picture from the divas at So Sew Easy) would make a great addition to any wardrobe; under blazers, paired with jeans or skirts or even shorts. In order to achieve the best drape from the gathered design, opt for a stretch knit fabric, asymmetrical patterns like FFC’s multi cheetah plaid, or multi oval cluster would work best.

Light but warm, fuzzy but not bulky, the perfect outerwear piece and under layer—fleece is the holy grail of winter fabrics. Check out 4 chic ways to rock the comfort of fleece with Fashion Fabrics Club’s breakdown. (Including a sewing pattern for a very cool pencil skirt.)

Fleece-lined leggings

Leggings are so comfy and easy, they’re tempting to wear all winter, but once the temperatures fall below freezing, the leggings you were wearing all summer just don’t hack it. Instead, upgrade on the coziness by opting for a fleece-lined legging. Same easy, comfy feel, but infinitely warmer.

Fleece Jacket

An athletic-inspired zip-up isn’t the only way to rock fleece in a jacket, thanks to its non-bulkiness it is a great pick for more streamlined or more structural pieces—even the ever on-trend edgey moto jacket.

Fleece Pencil Skirt

Yes, it’s a thing. And it’s as adorable as it is comfortable. Check out this easy sewing pattern by Sugar Bee Crafts to craft your very own, and pick from any number of FFC’s host of fleece fabrics from bright to basic colors or even a fun print.

Fleece Vest

Same as the fleece jacket, this doesn’t need to be the run-of-the-mill zip-up—a fleece vest can be incredibly fashion forward with the right cut and pattern, like this open shawl-like version in fun plaid fleece (tip: adding a trim really heightens the overall look).

Extend the life of fall favorites well into the cool, crisp winter months. Just bundle up with a few knitted accessories and you’re ready to battle the wintery elements. Check out Fashion Fabrics Club’s top knit picks for this season.

The Beanie

From slouchy to streamlined, there’s a beanie for any style. To maximize warmth, opt for a thick boucle knit.

The Scarf

Whether you need a thin wrap for a more formal event, or an everyday heavy, chunky scarf to battle the icy elements, a variety of knit scarves are an absolute must to make it through the winter.

The Gloves

Fingerless, short, full-arm length, chunky, thin, cotton, wool, rayon. Knitted gloves come in many shapes, sizes, and colors, and you can never have too many.

The Boot Warmers

For those especially chilly days when tall boots and denim just aren’t cutting it, add some knitted boot warmers to the mix. Such a simple and easy addition that brings incredible warmth, texture, and style, to a look.

The Poncho

Such a versatile piece, a knitted poncho can be worn as a top layer or as an added layer of warmth under a topcoat. It’s such an easy toss on and works with dress up or casual wear, especially when it’s in a solid, neutral shade.

No matter what your Valentine’s Day plans have in store, a killer, unforgettable getup is essential for setting the right precedent for a romantic evening. Whether you’re getting wined and dined by a new love interest, enjoying a romantic night at your favorite spot with your long-time valentine, or boycotting the entire scene and going out with friends, one of these dresses will be sure to fit the bill.

Luxurious Lace

Lace is one of the most sultry of textiles making it a great option for a sexy Valentine’s Day ensemble. A short, formfitting, slinky red lace sheath dress like this look by Free People would be the perfect piece to wear for a romantic evening. It would wear just as well with heels and decadent jewelry for a swanky date night as it would paired with booties and chunky accessories for a less dressy night out.

Sexy Satin

Satin, with its seductive sheen and coy ability to hug and highlight the curvaceous female form, is an obvious pick for a Valentine’s Day getup. Try a romantic dark red satin like tulip red satin in a perfectly tailored dress like this Karen Millen design for a sophisticated-sexy look.

Charming Chiffon

If you are one of the lucky ones who happen to live in an area where you don’t have to battle the cold weather elements on Valentine’s Day, you could opt for a lightweight, flowing bright red chiffon dress. This flirty, charming, easygoing look says that you’re a no-muss, no-fuss kind of girl that is up for anything.

Velvet Vixen

Often associated with romance and opulent spectacles, velvet is an incredibly comfortable and luxurious looking fabric that clings sexily to the body. For a classy Valentine’s Day evening, try a dark burgundy stretch velvet dress for a sumptuous look.

Jaw Dropping Jersey

The perfect combination of comfort and sex appeal, a bright red jersey knit dress exudes just the right amount of jaw dropping seduction without being over the top. This look is perfect for impressing a first date, or for enjoying a night out with friends.

As the warm weather of the summer months give way to cool autumn breezes, summer garb gets put in storage in favor of heavier-weighted and fuller-length garments. The good news is that there are plenty of sewing patterns for fall looks that are easy enough for even a sewing novice to tackle, and Fashion Fabrics Club has the perfect on-trend fabric to help you construct these fashion-forward fall designs. Here are five fun, easy and on-trend fall patterns complete with links to the perfect fashion fabrics to make them!

• McCall’s Pullover Tops and Dresses with Shawl Collar and Toggle Closure

This pattern from McCall has easy-to-make semi-fitted pullover tops and dresses with a fun and sophisticated shawl collar and a variety of sleeve options from sleeveless, to three-quarter length, to full length and the option of a one-toggle closure design element. Use a medium weight double knit with a trendy design like black/hot pink diamond double knit and cream/black animal print double knit, or a lightweight tweed like brown/teal tweed wool suiting to create a stunning and fashionable design from this pattern.

• McCall’s Simple Tunic with Collar Band and Convertible Sleeves

This simple tunic pattern by McCall’s is perfect for fall, complete with the ever-popular convertible cuff sleeve that allows sleeves to effortlessly go from long to short – a useful design detail for those transitional weeks between summer and autumn. Use a lightweight, solid colored jersey knit like pewter grey jersey knit, cranberry red jersey knit, or vibrant purple jersey knit for a breathable, super comfortable flowing top.

• Vogue’s High Waist Full Skirt

This flirty bias skirt pattern by Vogue Patterns is labeled “very easy,” it has a side zipper, raised waist and has options for varied skirt length as well as a high-low hem shape option. Perfect for medium weight fall fabrics – for example, stretch knits like sandy tan double knit and eggplant purple double knit, stretch wovens like black linen, and stretch wool flannels like pale green wool flannel twill and smoke black flannel.

• Vogue’s Lightweight Lined Jacket with Contrast Collar and Sleeves

Lightweight fall jackets are a necessity. This easy Vogue pattern is for a semi-fitted lined jacket complete with flattering princess seams and fun design elements like two-piece sleeves with shaped lower edging, and contrast collar band. Pick a lightweight crepe or lightweight gabardine for this pattern and use synthetic leather for the sleeves and collar to make the look even more fashion-forward.

• McCall’s Semi-Fitted Dress

A semi-fitted, full-skirted dress is the perfect go-to fall garment. This pattern from McCall’s has a sexy back zipper, the option of a V or bateau neck and a range of sleeve options from sleeveless, to short, to three-quarter length. Make this fun flirty pattern in a medium weight woven like challis, crepe, or gabardine.

Summer is great time to practice your sewing skills, fabrics are lightweight and manageable and there are plenty of simple patterns from summer dresses to shorts that even a novice could pull off. Here are some simple dress, shorts and skirt patterns that are perfect for summer and easy to execute along with easy-to-sew, yet super trendy fabrics to construct them from.

Skirts

This semi-fitted skirt has a contour waist and yoke, pleats and a back zipper and is a very easy sewing pattern. The beauty about this pattern is that not only is the shape flattering on nearly any body type, but it can be adjusted to be any length. For a full, professional look use a stiffer, sold woven fabric like sandy tan rayon gabardine or light brown twill, for a bouncy, flirty effect use a lightweight fabric like challis or a Tencel. A super lightweight, flowing feminine skirt style like this extremely easy-to-sew pattern is a great summer piece; it’s breathable, cool and easy to pair. It can be made in a maxi length, above the knee and in shaped hem variations both front, back and side high-low. This style is particularly flattering in patterned crepe fabrics like white/pink crepe de chine and beige/black chevron crepe de chine and various linens.

Shorts

Everyone needs a pair of comfortable elastic-waist cloth shorts to throw on for those super hot days and luckily, these are one of the most basic sewing patterns for a garment. Use a terry cloth for a pair you can wear to the beach, linen for a versatile dress up or down style or a silk for a super comfortable style with a dressy appearance. These loose, above-the-knee, fly-front, semi-fitted, straight leg city shorts are another easy sewing project and are a breezy, comfortable style for summer wear. A perfect style to be made from a lightweight denim like smoky black denim or khaki tan stretch twill for a casual look or fabrics like, sterling twill stripe twill or navy blue fine line twill for a dressier, more professional appearance.

Dresses

The wrap dress is a super simple pattern with very few components and a variety of styles can be made from one pattern ranging in collar type, sleeve and skirt length. For summer, opt for a short sleeve or sleeveless style in a lightweight woven fabric like pale lavender shirting or sterling pewter grey denim or a lightweight jersey. Stick to a woven fabric if you are a beginner, as jersey is much more difficult to manipulate. The simple tank top sleeve jersey sheath dress is a summer wardrobe staple and a super easy sewing project, so why not save some benjamins and make your own this summer! With one pattern you can get 6 different styles including scoop neck, V-neck, maxi length, short, slit and even the trending high-low seam. This summer, multi-colored, lightweight jersey fabrics like tan/brown jersey knit are ever popular for this dress style.

You’ll find soft and dreamy dresses for every day, from long sleeved bib styles to flirty tanks. Plus, look for simple tops and pants! These patterns are from the April 2011 issue of Burda Style magazines.

Fabrics from left to right: Champagne beige twilled satin; Black pink floral chiffon; Violet blue stretch satin; White floral chiffon.

The look of this sheer Chiffon Shirt Dress over our Satin Slip Dress is simply perfect for this time of year. We love the look of a sheer patterned overlay for the shirt paired with a complimentary under fabric to keep the look bohemian. For a more neutral look we suggest sewing the the slip in a champagne twilled satin, and the overlaid shirt in a nice floral chiffon like this one that has great drapability. For a more springy colorful style sew up the shirt dress in a bright white floral chiffon with multicolored flowers and pick a tone within the pattern to make the under slip in. We think the beautiful blue is a great color to work with so try cutting the slip in this violet blue stretch satinwhich will give you a tight fit while still feeling comfortable.

Fabrics from left to right: White/red stripe shirting; Light blue batiste; Periwinkle blue floral lawn.

You’ll love the cut of this extra Long Blouse to go with all your leggings and skinny jeans. The tapered shape is feminine, but you can get a menswear look with this red and blue striped shirting. A solid color fabric like light blue batiste looks cute with patterned bottoms, like floral shorts or skirts. Or, keep all the interest in the cute top and its gathered neckline with a periwinkle blue floral lawn.

Fabrics from left to right:Khaki tan stretch fabric; Coral pink canvas; Taupe cream stripe linen.

Cover up those sundresses with our lightweight, unlined summer Cropped Blazer in a straight shape with covered buttons. To keep this jacket lightweight and wearable we suggest sewing it in medium weight canvas with or without stretch like this khaki tan stretch canvas or add a pop of color with this coral pink canvas. To add some dimension to the blazer you can even sew in a printed fabric like this taupe cream striped linen.

Fabrics from left to right: Aqua green/orange plaid chambray; Raspberry pink chambray; Ivory/bright red floral challis.

What’s more springy than a little Gathered Crop Top with a sweet gathered neckline? Ring in spring with a floral, like this ivory and bright red floral challis. You could also give this versatile tank a country vibe with a lightweight plaid. Green and orange plaid chambray has unexpected color for summer. Or, make it trendy with a little preppy style in solid raspberry pink chambray with high waisted white shorts and boat shoes.

Fabrics from left to right: Ivory bright red floral challis; Ivory crinkled lawn; Pale yellow floral stripe lawn.

This Dress is a modern prairie classic with a short collar, full skirt and frayed hems. It is perfect sewn in printed fabrics and especially florals like this ivory bright red floral challis or yellow floral stripe lawn. If you are not into the colorful florals try making this dress in a textured fabric like this golden ivory crinkled lawn.

Fabrics from left to right: Aqua blue zebra silk georgette; White/green silk chiffon; Black/pink floral challis.

Tiptoe through the tulips in this lovely Floral Wrap Dress with a tie belt and cuffed sleeves. Wrap dresses work so well to showcase fun spring prints. Make it modern and a little wild with a aqua blue zebra silk georgette. This fabric skims the body and we love the bright color. If animal prints aren’t for you, we recommend an abstract print, like this white and green chiffon. The confetti print is such a fun pop of color against rainy skies. A darker floral like this black and pink floral challis can take this style into the fall with black tights.

Fabrics from left to right: Ivory batiste; Apricot beige floral linen; White denim.

These Floral Flared Pants have a retro look with a little romance. We love that they have a seventies style with the bootcut and waistband. This apricot beige floral linen is a great floral fabric to sew these pants in and it has a great crisp hand. If you want a neutral pant you can use fabrics like ivory batiste and even white denim!

Fabrics from left to right: White stretch satin twill; Orchid purple silk georgette; Champagne brown satin; Pink/blue silk crepe de chine.

Diaphanous fabrics are dreamily romantic in this Sheer Wrap Dress with a kimono shape and little cap sleeves. For a demure look, make it in a solid pastel with pearl buttons, like this orchid purple silk georgette. So timeless! You could even make it in a rainbow of pastels for bridesmaid dresses. We also love the look of this 80s style pink and blue silk crepe de chine. This dress is meant to be sewn in sheer fabric, so get extra coverage with the Stretch Slip Dress in champagne brown satin or white stretch satin twill.

Filling up our closets with spring florals and pastels is one of the best things about warmer weather! We hope these fabric picks give you a little extra inspiration for all those fun dress patterns.

Happy sewing!

This blog post was originally featured on BurdaStyle.com

I used to work in design at St. John Knits—a brand where women’s suits were king. Or, queen, rather. Boucle fabric weaves, in particular, were a favorite of businesswomen all over the world. Now, when I see the nubby fabric, I think of ladylike skirtsuits and blazers with pretty gold buttons and precisely frayed edges.

While the tactile textile makes me instantly envision the likes of Jackie O with white gloves and a string of pearls, the fabric is surprisingly versatile. It can be fancied up for the office or it can simply give your weekend wear a luxe feel. Make an upscale impression in a structured tweed jacket or herringbone topper; get cozy in a waterfall cardigan or zippered coat; and go super-feminine in a speckled pencil skirt or cocktail-worthy dress. Believe it or not, it can even create a sporty effect, particularly when you mix it with a contrasting fabric like leather or canvas.

Tips for sewing with boucle fabric? I’ve got three for you.

1) Steam, don’t press, the boucle if you want it to keeps its wonderful 3-D texture.
2) In the same vein, you’ll want to avoid iron-on interfacing and stick to the sew-on kind. Or, better yet, go without any at all to get a softer result.
3) An exposed zipper might be one step to help prevent snagging any loops while closing, but an even smarter step would be to bind your edges with an alternate fabric. Or, for a playful and particularly festive option, buy a matching frayed trim and go sans closures or simply sew on some elegantly hidden hook-and-eyes.

If you’re stumped on what crafty/creative/sentimental presents to get your loved ones this holiday season, I’m pretty sure I have an awesome solution for you. Fleece fabric. It’s super cuddly, easy to work with and apropos for this time of year.

While it’s simple to cut long strips out of a couple yards of fleece for some no-sew scarves (yay for clean fray-free cuts!), the edges are where you can really take things up a notch. Bust out your serger for a straight finish, or use it to create a lettuce edge like I showed you here. Hand sewing with a blanket stitch would also be a beautiful solution. Here’s a great video tutorial if you need a refresher.

Now for the fun part! Let’s go over some ideas to make each fleece fabric scarf unique:

1. Double up with two different colors or prints. Maybe plaid on one side, with a solid color on the other.
2. Sew on some tassels or fringe.
3. Or simply cut tiny strips in the edges for fleece tassels.
4. Embroider someone’s initials or perhaps a cute word like “love.”
5. Go for the unexpected! Fleece polka-dots are one of my faves.
6. Sew the ends together to make it an on-trend infinity scarf.
7. Or cut out cute hearts, dolphins, owls, to applique on the ends (great for the little ones!).

Here are a couple darling fleece scarves I made for some inspiration. Enjoy!

I’ve always been drawn to the ethereal look and feel of transparent textiles, be it organza, chiffon, or a delicate rayon. They hold so much potential, from dreamy eveningwear with floating trains to sophisticated blouses layered over camisoles. But, admittedly, it takes a bold soul to bring them to a sewing machine.

Since the final product is, well, see-through, every part of your construction must be flawless. No pressure! Fortunately, there’s a go-to technique that will get you beautiful results inside and out: French seams. It’s basically a seam with a casing on the inside to hide any raw edges. In fact, sometimes I even use this tactic on fabrics that aren’t sheer, just to get a professional finish.

How to do it:

Step 1: Factor in extra seam allowance for your pattern. Generally, this means you will double your standard seam allowance, then add ⅛” of an inch to that. Yes, it takes slightly more of your precious fabric, but is totally worth it.

Step 2: Face the wrong sides AKA the insides of your fabric pieces together and sew your standard seam allowance. This will look, at first, as if the seam is on the outside of the garment.

Step 3: Trim off any seam excess, but don’t get closer than ¼” to the sewing line.

Step 4: Iron the right sides AKA the outside of your fabric pieces together.

Step 5: Sew a second seam encasing the original.

Viola! You have a flawless closure to any unsightly interior seams, making sheer fabrics a breeze to work with. Bonus: This trick is especially helpful for any fabric with the tendency to fray like crazy.

For a visual, check out this super helpful Youtube tutorial.

Take a look at these gorgeous high-end items on the market now that utilize this technique:

When it comes to sewing with knit fabric, you either love it or hate it. Fortunately, I’m in the first camp. In fact, I learned to sew in high school using stretch fabric that I would drape and pin on myself to make my homecoming and prom dresses. And I have to say—despite my lack of formal training—the results were pretty fantastic. I loved how forgiving it was in the fit department, if I made my gown a wee bit too small no one would be the wiser, not even myself. Anything woven, on the other hand, would have told a different (probably Frankenstein-y) story.

One of the first steps to conquering the pliable textile is to work with its unruly behavior. Often, it’s a battle to hem a knit dress, but luckily when you stop fighting it, the outcome is quite beautiful. This particular trick works best with a serger, but will also work with a regular sewing machine. While hemming, simply pull the fabric lightly and you will create a lovely lettuce leaf effect that’s perfect for scarves or whimsical frocks. Try it with a strip of fabric to see what I mean. Note: The harder you pull the more intricate the curled edges will be, but don’t pull so hard you break your needle!

Not a fan of the effect and hoping for a streamlined finish? Don’t fret, there’s a simple solution for that, too. Hit up your nearest gifty retailer and stock up on tissue paper. Next time you’re about to face off with a slippery neckline or armhole all you have to do is place a sheet under the fabric. It’s seriously miraculous. Bye-bye wonky uneven edging!

Soon, you’ll fall in love with that stretch as much as I have! If you’re looking for inspiring ways to test out your skills, first take a look at these fab fabric options, then turn to the queen of knits: Diane von Furstenberg. Here are a few of my recent favorites from her collection:

Swoon-worthy, right?