I may not be a sewing expert but I can tell you about the best places to find sewing patterns and fashion fabrics. My creative fashion design ideas have led me to pursue sewing and garment construction. If you are just starting out (like me) this post will help you navigate the best resources for sewing patterns and sourcing fabrics.
Sewing Patterns
I followed the Patina Blouse Pattern from Friday Pattern Company to create the orange-floral blouse featured above. This pattern is rated for confident beginners–I can’t say I’m a confident beginner so much as a naive novice but I found the instructions to be manageable and clear.
Sew Along Tutorials
The best part about sewing a pattern from The Friday Pattern Company is their sew-along videos. These are step-by-step tutorials that make the sewing process less intimidating for those that aren’t used to fabrication lingo.
Also, I recommend checking out Mimi G’s free sewing tutorials. Her patterns are found in the Simplicity Patterns found at Joann’s Fabrics as well as on her website under Shop PDF Patterns.
Sourcing Fabrics
The fabric I used for the blouse is a Mood Exclusive Scarlet Greenhouse Gala Sustainable Viscose Woven blend. The fabric is light and cool to the touch with a smooth hand. No lining was required due to the opaque nature of the fibers. Mood Fabrics has one of the widest selections of floral fabrics in silk, linen, cotton, and other natural fibers (Note: check the site around the holidays for flash sales of 25% off). You are sure to find a promotion going on and Mood Fabric’s shipping is quick and effortless.
In addition to Mood Fabrics, try Morex Fabrics based in California, and Black Bird Fabrics. Both have low minimum order quantities and a wide selection of quality fabrics—that won’t put a hole in your pocketbook!
Happy creating!