March 12th, 2013 by Meg at Mood
 Blythe silk top available at J. Crew. Do you avoid sewing silk simply because it slips and slides and you end up with wavy, puckered seams? Here’s an easy way to resolve that, courtesy of Michele of Mood NYC’s silk department:
1. Purchase some parchment paper from your local grocery store, or use pattern paper. Kenneth D. King, couture designer and Mood School teacher, likes to use cash register tape (available at office supply stores).
2. Cut paper into 2″ strips, approximately the length of each seam you have to sew. (No cutting involved if you’re using cash register tape.)
3. Place your garment pieces right sides together and pin to paper strips, with the paper being the bottom layer to feed through your machine.
4. Stitch all three layers together.
5. Gently tear away paper from seam.
 Pins and paper help stabilize silk when stitching. We show a roll of Mood’s pink cash register tape here to use for easy paper strips.  Gently tear away the paper to reveal perfectly stitched seams.  Here’s Michele showing you the parchment paper she likes to use when she sews silk. You’ll notice how the paper stabilizes the silk and prevents it from moving while stitching, so your seams are straight and pucker-free. Michele also reminds you that having a fresh needle in the appropriate size for your silk fabric is half the battle.
What about you, readers? Do you have any silk sewing tips you’d like to share here?
Tags: silk, tips
Posted in
Sewing Tips |
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March 6th, 2013 by Brandhyze Stanley
Now I haven’t been to many sample sales…but I recently checked out the Oscar de la Renta sale, and stumbled upon a beautifully embellished skirt — I mean metal embellishments have been everywhere lately, including the runways of this past New York Fashion Week. Inspired, I grabbed a skirt I had made from an old turtleneck (seen here), and some sparkly ornate trim I had been eyeing at Mood, and I married the two. It’s easy. It’s fun…and it takes any skirt from drab to fab!
Supplies: Skirt, embellished trim, coins, scissors, thread, needles, and chalk.
Editor’s note: Beaded trim is also available at MoodFabrics.com.
How-To:
1. Take nickel (any uniform coins) and mark out your desired layout.
2. Removing each coin along the way, mark out where each embellishment will be sewn.
3. With one long and continuous thread, first hand stitch center crystal into place.
4. Then sew in place middle row of embellishments (Note: the two silver pieces are separate pieces).
5. Next sew into place third row of embellishments below the crystal.
6. Then sew into place bottom/lower middle embellishment.
7. Now sew into place the very top row of the embellishments (Note: by doing this one last, you are able to control the height of each cluster, for perfect alignment against other groupings).
8. Working counter clockwise, sew in between each silver piece, the thin gold embellishments. On the last one triple knot the thread on the inside of the skirt.
Brandhyze Stanley is the chief voice of Frugal-nomics.com; a platform designed to share with women how to live and look fabulous on a dime. A DIY girl at heart—Brandhyze has been featured on The View, The Early Show, The Today Show, InStyle Magazine, Essence Magazine, and MTVStyle. A Wilhelmina Model for nearly a decade, with a Business Degree from Loyola University Chicago, Brandhyze is a Fashion & Style Writer and Video Contributor for Newsday Westchester, and provides DIY content to the popular How-To Site, eHow. Brandhyze is a huge thrifter and a lover of all good deals, follow her on Twitter @MyFrugalnomics and on Facebook at Facebook.com/Frugalnomics.
Tags: beaded trim, DIY, ornate, Trim
Posted in
DIY |
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March 4th, 2013 by Meg at Mood
 Bomber jackets found on Net-a-Porter: l-r, Isabel Marant, Maison Martin Margiela, Maje My first sewing obsession of the new year was to make a bomber jacket. Every time I saw a bomber jacket added to Net-a-Porter or read some fashion editorial about varsity jackets as the latest thing, I decided I had to make one for myself.
So, hmm, I knew I wanted to make a black bomber jacket, though I didn’t intend to make a textured bomber jacket. But readers, even though I work at Mood Fabrics and fabric is my business, I GET OVERWHELMED TOO! I was wandering around our silk department, pattern in hand, and I was an indecisive mess. Drool was practically coming out of my mouth, I was in such a stupor over which fabric to choose. But then our wonderful, longtime sales associate America thrust a bolt of newly arrived Marc Jacobs cotton brocade at me and said “Here, this is your fabric.” Actually, I think she just wanted me to quit taking up space on the sales floor, but I grabbed a couple yards of it and scurried back to my office downstairs.
And this cotton brocade turned out to be a delight to work with. Don’t you just love it when fabric behaves? When a seam presses open perfectly and your stitches disappear into the fabric? We still have some of this brocade available at the Mood NYC store: call 212-730-5003, ask for America (or the silk department) and tell her you want Meg’s bomber jacket fabric; $50 a yard and worth every penny.
Above, a better glimpse of this textured fabric and some of the jacket details. You can see I opted to use elastic encased in silk satin rather than the called-for ribbing at the waist and cuffs. I tested a couple of knit ribbing options first, including a neoprene, but wasn’t happy with them. I do like the contrast of the smooth satin with the textured cotton.
The zippers are pick-stitched rather than machine-stitched; I think that’s a little more elegant. I wish I had gone with a more expensive zipper rather than these ordinary YKK zippers, and that I had played a little more with zipper treatments before going the exposed zipper route, but oh well, live and learn.
I chose not to line this jacket. The cotton fabric would have been fine without a lining but I decided to flatline it instead with some silk organza, just to give it a little wearing ease and a neat appearance when you see the inside of the jacket. (Flatlining is a technique where the fashion fabric and lining fabric are treated as one fabric, rather than constructing the garment first and then attaching the lining.) I basted the silk organza to the cotton brocade pattern pieces before I sewed the pieces together.
Which pattern, you ask? It’s BurdaStyle 7210, and you can buy it from Simplicity.com; yay, no tracing involved! This pattern is very well drafted in the sleeve area and overall. The only adjustment I made to the pattern itself was to narrow the sleeve width slightly (personal preference), and to omit the front and back flaps.
Other construction details:
- Seams are either Hong Kong-finished with satin bias tape or serged.
- The neckline finish consists of a silk satin bias piece that is lined with some neoprene I had around, just to give it some fullness.
- I hate when the zipper tape shows on the wrong side, so I covered it with satin bias tape (handstitched).
- Pockets are made from black silk charmeuse I had in my stash.
Bottom line: Really, really pleased with this jacket, though it ended up being a little more structured in appearance than a typical bomber jacket. I wear it unzipped over a t-shirt or turtleneck, and with jeans or black or tan pants. Sewing construction actually was easy and it all came together fairly quickly. In fact, I’m now working on another interpretation of the bomber jacket, this time in ivory neoprene with lace overlays….
Thinking about making a bomber jacket? Really, the fabric options for this type of jacket are endless. I’d consider lighter-weight fabrics with some body, soft hand and relaxed drape, maybe a medium-weight satin. Take a look at bomber jackets in stores and online and see what fabrics work best, then go for it!
Tags: bomber jacket, brocade, cotton, jacket, Marc Jacobs, silk organza, zippers
Posted in
Fashion Sewing |
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February 27th, 2013 by Meg at Mood
 Swatch is a big one for sharing the bed with his humans. He’s not much help doing the laundry, though. Do your pets insist on sharing the bed with you? Yes, we know that it’s probably not the most sanitary thing to do and we’re aware that pathogens can be spread, but you can’t deny the feeling of contentment that comes from having a beloved pet within reach. Personally, my cocker spaniel makes the best foot warmer on a cold winter night.
Unfortunately, it’s not as though your pets join you in bed after their nightly bubble bath. They leave fur and dirt all over your bed, and aging pets sometimes can be incontinent. Unless you live in Downton Abbey, washing linens and changing sheets every day isn’t a practical option. Solution: Sew a pet-friendly bed scarf.
 Bed scarves are perfect for pets that sleep at the foot of your bed. (Image by Shagreene, from Houzz) Bed scarves—those small coverlets draped over the foot of a bed—first cropped up in hotels but are now going mainstream. My two dogs only sleep at the foot of my bed, so a bed scarf with a waterproof side sounded like a brilliant idea. For less than $20, I made a quick-and-easy bed scarf by taking a cotton flannel (top layer) from Mood NYC that worked with my bedroom decor, and machine-quilting it to some waterproof cotton (bottom layer) I had in my stash.
 Pet bed scarf from Cabela’s. Not bad, but you’re limited to a few colors and it doesn’t come cheap. It’s very simple to make your own pet bed scarf:
- Option 1: Choose an outdoor fabric or water-repellent fabric that coordinates with your bedroom and just finish the edges with a bias trim (one layer of fabric).
- Option 2: Choose a fabric likely to hold up to repeat washings, like a home decor cotton that coordinates with your bedroom. Pair it with a water-repellent fabric, such as treated cotton, ripstop or nylon. (At Mood NYC we have lots of rainwear fabrics in a wide array of colors.) Stitch the two layers right-sides together, leaving an opening to turn. Turn right-side out, press, and topstitch around the edges.
- Option 3: Use a decorative, washable fabric paired with a moisture-repelling fabric as above, but add a layer of batting between them and machine-quilt to hold the layers together. Finish the edges with a binding like a quilt.
 At Mood NYC you can find bolts of water-resistant fabrics as well as Sunbrella® fabrics (right).  Cute as Swatch may be here, I have it on good authority he snores. Readers, do your pets sleep with you? Do they stick to the foot of the bed like mine do, or do they need to snuggle on your pillow with you? Tell us here, and please share your solutions for co-sleeping with your pet!
Tags: bed scarf, pets, water-resistant
Posted in
Home Decor |
12 Comments »
February 25th, 2013 by Brandhyze Stanley
I’m not sure how many dog lovers we have out there, but one of my favorite pooches to see all dressed up is Swatch of Mood Fabrics. His nonchalant and carefree trot between departments always makes me grin when I’m there. A true sport in a land of endless wardrobe possibilities, Swatch made me want to commemorate some of my favorite looks he’s rocked. From a funny Valentine to biker Swatch, I’m sure I’m not alone in saying that that dog has captured the hearts of SO MANY Mood customers. So with some colorful vinyl and snazzy zippers in hand, I created a way to carry him around with me — without further ado, here’s my homage to Swatch :)
 
SUPPLIES: vinyl, rotary cutter, mod podge gloss lustre, magna-tac glue, iron, measuring tape, thread, needles, straight pins, scissors, pen, transfer paper for dark shirts, zippers, silk, images you want to transfer, and a wash cloth.
How-To:
1. Using the rotary cutter, cut out 2 rectangles from your vinyl/faux leather. (Note: Mine were 11 x 8 inches — 1 inch was added to the length of the teeth of the zipper, and height too. I used purple on the backside and off-white on side where my images would go).
2. Mark out a half inch seam allowance (Note: You will re-mark this when silk is applied).
3. For silk lining, I marked out a 10 x 8 inch rectangle.
4. For less fraying, make a small snip with scissors to begin with, and then I hand rip out the rectangle.
5. Putting right sides together, add straight pins to hold vinyl together.
6. Across the bottom, hand stitch along one horizontal. (Note: For neatness, sew along the half inch seam allowance line you marked out — be sure to bring needle back through, last place you inserted it).
7. Cut off excess.
8. Apply Magna-tac glue to the whole back side.
9. Lay silk directly on top of the glued side.
10. Re-mark out half inch seam allowance along sides.
11. Add straight pins to hold sides together.
12. Flip whole thing onto correct side.
13. Apply damp cloth over clutch, and then iron it to flatten it out.
14. For a center point for the double zippers, mark a mid point on the inside of the clutch.
15. Add straight pins to hold zipper in place, and then hand stitch both into position.
16. Lay clutch on top of back side of iron-on transfer with images already printed on it and outline it. (Note: For printing, follow instructions that come with the paper).
17. Cut form out.
18. Peel off images from transfer paper backing, and lay it on to the clutch.
19. Laying something like a t-shirt on top, iron on the transfer paper images.
20. Using a napkin/sponge, apply Mod-Podge to seal it.
Brandhyze Stanley is the chief voice of Frugal-nomics.com; a platform designed to share with women how to live and look fabulous on a dime. A DIY girl at heart—Brandhyze has been featured on The View, The Early Show, The Today Show, InStyle Magazine, Essence Magazine, and MTVStyle. A Wilhelmina Model for nearly a decade, with a Business Degree from Loyola University Chicago, Brandhyze is a Fashion & Style Writer and Video Contributor for Newsday Westchester, and provides DIY content to the popular How-To Site, eHow. Brandhyze is a huge thrifter and a lover of all good deals, follow her on Twitter @MyFrugalnomics and on Facebook at Facebook.com/Frugalnomics.
Tags: accessories, clutch, DIY, handbag, Swatch, vinyl
Posted in
DIY |
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February 21st, 2013 by Meg at Mood
 The newest draped and pinned dressforms on display at Mood Fabrics NYC.
Our customers love to ooh and ahh over Swatch, but you know what else at Mood NYC earns high marks? Our draped and pinned dressforms. Mood has had many talented in-house designers over the years, and our current designer/silk department team member is JC, a master of draping and pinning.
JC, who is studying fashion design at FIT, follows the same process as most designers do when they’re creating a garment or collection. Scroll down to see his process and more of his designs:
 Like most designers, he starts by sketching  Then he pulls fabric swatches to go with his designs.  JC cuts, drapes and pins on the dressforms.  And then stunning original designs result, like this jacket made from silk/wool mikado…  …and this gold brocade gown…  …and this ruched dress of poly satin…  …and this outfit of lace and textured organza. JC makes it look so easy! Don’t you wish you could drape like this? Would you be interested in a draping seminar at Mood NYC? Let us know here…
Tags: draping, dressforms, pinning
Posted in
Behind the scenes at Mood Fabrics |
21 Comments »
February 18th, 2013 by Meg at Mood
Even though New York Fashion Week just ended, we wanted to revisit the Spring 2013 trends from the runways of last September. With warmer weather just around the corner, these are the looks to guide you as you plan your spring and summer sewing:
BLACK/WHITE: Think high contrast and go for bold black-and-white prints, like this DVF dress, or big stripes a la Marc Jacobs. Jason Wu demonstrated that color-blocking in black and white still looks fresh, and we love how Lela Rose used lace appliques to create a flattering silhouette. Mood fabrics for black-and-white sewing include: black ponte knit, silk/cotton voile bold print, off-white ponte knit.
ASIAN FLORALS: If you love prints, be on the lookout for delicate, Asian-influenced florals. You can go head-to-toe floral chic (Etro and Nanette Lepore), or you can limit the blooms to a pair of pants or skirt. Floral fabrics we love at Mood online include: Carolina Herrera taffeta (limited yardage), cotton batiste, embroidered silk shantung.
SHEER TOUCH: There was a lot of peekaboo on the Spring 2013 runways. We adore how just a hint of sheer can take a dress or top from ordinary to chic. How much sheerness you incorporate is up to you, which is why it’s so much fun to sew your own clothes. Sheer fabrics from Mood include: ivory silk organza, blue iridescent silk chiffon, bright salmon sheer georgette.
BRIGHT BAZAAR: Colors were definitely on the bright, borderline-neon side this season. You’ll cast off the winter blahs when you wear a top, dress or skirt made in one of these hues. Some of Mood’s bright-colored fabrics include: bubblegum pink linen, aqua crepe de chine, neon green rayon jersey.
Posted in
Fashion Sewing, On The Runway, Seasonal, Trends |
2 Comments »
February 13th, 2013 by Brandhyze Stanley
So…I picked up a copy of Instyle magazine this month (for leisurely reading AND because I happen to be in this issue –insert squeals of delight — and I noticed that since spring is right around the corner they predicted that a hot color this upcoming season would be pistachio.
I don’t know about you….but it’s sometimes hard to keep up with every NEW color of every season. Well, that is unless you get a little box of dye and some feather trim from Mood Fabrics and do what I did — give a whole new life to an item I already had. I’ve been itching to make an ostrich feather skirt…and I thought this would be a perfect combo — flirty, fun, and fresh. Oh, and if you can’t get to Mood’s NYC store, you should check out their big selection of feather trim online.
  SUPPLIES: An old skirt, 1.5 inch wide ribbon, at least 8 yards of ostrich feather trim (Note: the amount of feathers you’ll need depends upon desired size and length of skirt. I used about 7 yards here for 2 layers on each of the 4 rows), 1 box of RIT dye, hair dryer, thread, straight pins, needles, Magna-Tac glue, scissors, gloves, and a pot (Note: your sink or a bucket will work too).
HOW-TO:
1. Follow directions on box to create dye mixture. Dip whole lot of trim into the dye at all at once for even distribution of color (I advise wearing gloves).
2. Making sure to evenly coat feathers, remove them from solution after no more than 25 seconds (Note: though they turn pretty quickly, feathers appear darker when wet).
3. Rinse feathers in cold water to remove excess dye.
4. Dry feathers.
5. You can either make a skirt from fabric of a similar color, or you can do what I did and use a light colored thrifted skirt I already had. Dip this skirt in dye.
6. Rinse skirt in cold water to remove excess color, then repeat Step 4 for the skirt too (Note: sticking in dryer is quicker).
7. Eyeball where you’ll place each row before you begin — I made 4 main rows in all. Apply glue to trim, and adhere it 3 inches above the bottom of the skirt — each row 2 inches a part. Glue from one side seam to the other (Note: If towards top you’re finding that the rows aren’t as full as you’d like, feel free to glue a sub-row in between 2 main rows for added coverage).
8. Pin row in place and then continue it around the back. Do this one more time around the whole skirt for a 2 total of 2 evolutions. (Note: for a really full skirt, do 3 layers).
9. My skirt had an invisible side zipper, so I glued back the raw edge that would lie right up against the zipper (sort of like a small hem). Here, instead of making a continuous counter clockwise evolution….I started at zipper, went counter clock wise, and when I reached zipper again, I went back clockwise up to zipper.
10. For added security hand stitch each row onto the skirt as you go.
11. Glue raw edge of ribbon down like you did with feather trim edge in Step 9.
12. For a polished look, glue ribbon around the waist band of skirt to conceal top of exposed feather trim.
Brandhyze Stanley is the chief voice of Frugal-nomics.com; a platform designed to share with women how to live and look fabulous on a dime. A DIY girl at heart—Brandhyze has been featured on The View, The Early Show, The Today Show, MTVStyle, Essence Magazine, and TJMaxx.com. A Wilhelmina Model for nearly a decade, with a Business Degree from Loyola University Chicago, Brandhyze is a Fashion & Style Writer and Video Contributor for Newsday Westchester, and provides DIY content to the popular How-To Site, eHow. Brandhyze is a huge thrifter and a lover of all good deals, follow her on Twitter @MyFrugalnomics and on Facebook at Facebook.com/Frugalnomics.
Tags: DIY, feathers, skirts, Trends
Posted in
DIY |
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February 11th, 2013 by Meg at Mood
 That little peek at the neckline is all I can bear to show you of this failed top I recently made. Recently I was talking to a designer who buys fabric from Mood for her collections. Does every garment you make turn out just the way you had envisioned?, I asked her, wanting to know if she ever had failures like home sewers are prone to. She laughed and admitted she still did from time to time, but that she did a lot of prep work to avoid wadders.
“I play with the fabric on my dressform first, making sure it will drape the way I want it to without having to force it,” she explained. “Then I consider all the details. I’ll test first how the fabric will perform when sewn as a hem or a pocket, for example, before I start on my garment.”
And as she said that I knew exactly why my most recent sewing project had failed: I didn’t test the details first. If I had, I would have seen that stitching a narrow hem causes the fabric to become wavy. Instead of the chic and delicate top I’d envisioned, I was stuck with something that looked lumpy and unbalanced.
 Experimenting with shantung for the first time got Cindy sent home from Project Runway this week. Watching Project Runway this week, the moment Cindy said she had never sewn shantung before but was making a dress out of it for Heidi anyway, I knew she’d be the one packing up her work area. It’s funny how often we home sewers fearlessly cut into a fabric that’s new to us and then just start sewing away, fingers crossed for the best.
That’s what I did with this novelty fabric of boucle threads sandwiched between poly organza. I told myself I’m just making a simple little top, what could go wrong. A lot, actually. (Sure, this top is salvageable, but I’m still putting it aside for now.)
The next time I sew with a fabric that’s new to me—and there are fabrics at Mood Fabrics I haven’t sewn yet—I’m taking the time to test the details first. With God as my witness, no more skipping the getting-to-know-you phase with my fabric!
What about you, readers? Do you test all the details, like hems, before you sew? Do you feel you spend enough time getting to know a new fabric? Tell us here!
Tags: novelty fabrics, tips
Posted in
Fashion Sewing, Sewing Tips |
15 Comments »
February 10th, 2013 by Charlotte, Mood Intern
Longing for a bit more color in your life? Look no further than our cotton department. On the darkest, grayest day, you’ll find vibrant florals, elegant classical prints, bold paisleys and everything in between. We’re still batting around our chicken-and-egg question: What comes first, the fabric or the design? When it comes to cotton, we’ll have it any which way!
This time of year, we whip our wardrobes into shape for spring, so we’ve asked the cotton department for a peek into what’s hot at our New York store. The selection does not disappoint!
Going from left to right, we’ve got everything from a bold, graphic floral to a subtle block-printed design and draw inspiration from Prabal Gurung, Christian Dior, Anthropologie and pattern companies.
 Prabal Gurung Spring 2013 Swatch #1: Our first swatch has a border and a block-printed look. Lightweight and airy, it would make a lovely springtime skirt. For border placement inspiration, you can’t get any better than this Prabal Gurung pencil skirt. Care to beat the cold? This Nicole Miller wool ikat border print is wonderful and would make a great dress to pair with tights. You could also lighten things up with this wispy cotton voile from our online store.
 Anthropologie Entomologist Blouse Swatch #2: The second swatch is a darling floral featuring a soft robin’s egg blue. We’re inspired by the floaty, vintage vibe of Anthropologie’s Entomologist Blouse and think our sepia-toned swatch would make an excellent light top. This Marc Jacobs printed eyelet and this rose-printed cotton are sweet alternatives.
 Christian Dior Resort 2013 Swatch #3: Striking and graphic, the yellow rose print in the middle would be a chic statement dress. Christian Dior takes a similarly bold floral and tones it down with solid orange. We think a touch of yellow cotton peeking out from underneath the yellow-and-black floral would be captivating. If you love this yellow floral, we think you’ll enjoy this pink, pixelated rose print. Looking for linen? We have a rose-printed number that’s sure to please.
 Victory Patterns Anouk Swatch #4: We love the retro feel and warm color palette of this lightweight cotton print. The classical pattern reminds us just a touch of paisley. A three-season tunic or lovely dress is in this fabric’s future. Victory Patterns’ Anouk tunic would the perfect complement. If you’d prefer silk, we have a rich silk paisley that is positively breathtaking. Keep the light autumnal vibe going with this medium-weight cotton poplin.
 BurdaStyle 5-2011-122A Swatch #5: The fifth swatch has a certain va-va-voom to it with its large floral and vibrant color scheme. Resort or weekend, this fabric can handle it all. We see this as BurdaStyle’s 5-2011-122A, which is similar to the pattern from Gertie’s Bombshell Dress course on Craftsy. We have a floral cotton sateen that is this print’s more subtle counterpart.
See anything you like? Send us an email at info2@moodfabrics.com and we’ll be sure to help.
What would you do with these fabrics? Separates? Work wear? Weekend? We’d love to hear from you!
Tags: cotton prints
Posted in
Fashion Sewing |
3 Comments »
February 6th, 2013 by Brandhyze Stanley
So I was recently poking around the trim section at Mood Fabrics — so much to choose from — and I absolutely fell in love with this jeweled trim. Not sure of what I was going to create, but assured I had to have it….I immediately snatched up the last 2 yards and headed home. A clutch? Bling up a pair of shoes — there were so many options. But after pulling out this thrifted J. Crew cashmere cardigan, I knew it was a colorful match made in heaven.
Supplies: Cardigan, Heavy Duty Thread, Needle, Trim, Tape Measure, Glue, Straight Pins, Sharp Nosed Scissors
How-To:
1. Cut jewels from trim.
2. Section off the area you want to jewel with straight pins.
3. I recommend playing around with the layout of the jewels so as not to have adjacent colors.
4. Dab a little fabric glue on the back of each jewel and adhere it to the sweater.
5. Using one long continuous thread, stitch the jewels onto the sweater for added security.
6. Using the first side as your guide, measure out the placement on the remaining side.
Brandhyze Stanley is the chief voice of Frugal-nomics.com; a platform designed to share with women how to live and look fabulous on a dime. A DIY girl at heart—Brandhyze has been featured on The View, The Early Show, The Today Show, MTVStyle, Essence Magazine, and TJMaxx.com. A Wilhelmina Model for nearly a decade, with a Business Degree from Loyola University Chicago, Brandhyze is a Fashion & Style Writer and Video Contributor for Newsday Westchester, and provides DIY content to the popular How-To Site, eHow. Brandhyze is a huge thrifter and a lover of all good deals, follow her on Twitter @MyFrugalnomics and on Facebook at Facebook.com/Frugalnomics.
Tags: DIY, Trim
Posted in
DIY |
2 Comments »
February 4th, 2013 by Charlotte, Mood Intern
Come January and February, home sewers can get a hankering for spring. If you can’t quite bring yourself to break out the gauzy, flowy warm-weather fabric, how about sewing up some transitional pieces? What better place to start than wool? Jackets, work-ready skirts and even a sassy cape could see a wardrobe through spring and be prime for use again in the fall.
We are still wild about designers’ pre-fall collections, so we’ve asked the wool department for a little help. They’ve pulled some swatches of hot fabrics from our New York store. With a little bit of inspiration from runways, retail and pattern companies, we think we’re well on our way to a chic 2013.
From left to right, we have swatches one through five: bouclés and coatings and abstract patterns that defy seasons.
 Chanel Fall 2012 Swatch #1: We’d love to see this elegant, gray-and-black wool bouclé paired with a classic designer jacket pattern. Who does a more recognizable bouclé than Chanel? Not only is this a coat, but the bouclé acts as trim on the collar and hem of a sequined cocktail dress. Color us inspired. Can’t make it to the store? This charcoal wool bouclé is absolutely heavenly and this Oscar de la Renta lightweight wool blend is elegance itself.
 Lanvin Pre-Fall 2013 Swatch #2: A beautiful rich red with flecks of soft blue, this wool would be perfect for a transitional item. Let’s think outside the box and try a bold, belted coat dress, like this one from Lanvin. In love with the color, but want a coat for the cold? Online, we have this brick-colored wool coating flecked with tiny bits of marigold and violet and an absolutely scrumptious cashmere-blend coating that would also fit the bill.
 St. John Pre-Fall 2013 Swatch #3: We think this bold black-and-white wool calls for a design with simple lines and infinite grace. What better than a light coat? Brass buttons and light black trim balance a bolder pattern. For online alternatives, try this stunning Italian wool with its chic irregular plaid design or go for full-on luxury with this cashmere houndstooth suiting.
 Style Arc Clover Cape Swatch #4: This wine-and-black wool is guaranteed to turn heads. Pairing it with a strong design will make it sing. The Style Arc Clover Cape would make for an especially lovely combination. Swap out the deep red for a perfect purple with this plaid tweed or use this Oscar de la Renta double-face wool.
 Kate Spade Judy Skirt, via katespade.com Swatch #5: Colorful and fun, this Missoni wool would be a stunning, g0-with-anything pencil skirt. We were inspired by this Kate Spade skirt’s clean silhouette but funky color scheme. From our online store, this blue tweed would make an excellent alternative. Care to take this style to next level with coating? Marc Jacobs brings us this gorgeous pink-and-green wool coating that would be smashing.
Questions about any of the fabrics we’ve shown here? Send an email info2@moodfabrics.com, and we’ll be sure to help!
Tags: wool
Posted in
Fashion Sewing |
3 Comments »
January 31st, 2013 by Meg at Mood
Show that you sew with Mood fabrics and you could win a $200 gift card from us!
We borrowed this blog badge idea from our friends at Lion Brand Yarn. In return for showing everyone you sew with Mood fabrics, we’ll enter you in our random drawings for $200 Mood gift cards. To be eligible to win, all you have to do is:
- Display this badge above on your sewing, home decor, craft, DIY or fashion blog in a prominent spot, and link it to MoodFabrics.com.
- Send us an email at info2@moodfabrics.com, with “blog badge” in the subject line, letting us know you are displaying the badge. We will keep an active list of all bloggers displaying this Mood badge.
Beginning in March, every other month we will randomly pick a blogger from this list, who will receive a $200 gift certificate to MoodFabrics.com*. The winner will be notified by email and via Mood Fabrics’ Facebook page. Repeat random winners are allowed.
Dates of drawings in 2013:
March 1, 2013
May 1, 2013
July 1, 2013
September 3, 2013
November 1, 2013
Questions? Send an email to info2@moodfabrics.com.
*excludes dressforms and all items beginning with PV. Gift certificate can only be redeemed online and not in any Mood store.
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Tags: blog badge
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January 30th, 2013 by Charlotte, Mood Intern
Here’s a chicken/egg question for you home sewers: Which do you decide on first when you’re thinking about your next project? The fabric or the design? As home sewers ourselves we find we split about 50/50 on this one. Sometimes a really great fabric will catch our eye (a daily occurrence when you work for Mood), and sometimes we’ll lead with a design or pattern. No matter what the starting point. dreaming up the next sewing project is always fun.
Right now we’re thinking about sewing for spring. So we asked our silk department here at Mood NYC to pick their five top silks of the moment, and then we paired them with suggested looks. Read on!
From left to right, we have everything from floaty silk chiffon to a more substantial textured metallic lame. Our inspiration comes from from the runway to retail to sewing patterns:
 Giambattista Valli Blouse, via net-a-porter.com Swatch #1: Seashell pink and cool beige in coloring, our silk chiffon is just begging to be a flowing tunic or caftan, don’t you agree? This Giambattista Valli blouse has just the right lines for our look. Online, we have a lightweight double chiffon with a sandy, faux bois print. You could also turn up the volume with a bold ikat print, like this pomegranate-colored Oscar de la Renta organza.
 Carolina Herrera Spring 2013 Swatch #2: Dress it up or dress it down, this plum-colored silk is to die for. It could be anything from a work-ready blouse to a cocktail ensemble. The metallic stripes remind us of this orange dress hot off of Carolina Herrera’s Spring 2013 runway. If you prefer a bit more shimmer, we have this iridescent silk chiffon which goes from mulberry to gold. For something a bit more solid, try this gorgeous purple silk shantung.
 Donna Karan, via Bergdorf Goodman Swatch #3: This lightweight, gunmetal silk gives the illusion of texture, but is really just printed. How cool is that? Blouses, dresses and scarves would all make this fabric shine, but we think that this Donna Karan open topper is just perfection. Our swatch has a bit more of a fluid, shawl-like drape. Want some shimmer and stretch? Try this lightweight metallic jersey. If a lightweight silk-blend is more your speed, we have a versatile woven that’s sure to please.
 Salme Pleated Front Dress Swatch #4: The fourth swatch is a vibrant orange-and-brown organza that is so very beautiful. We’d make a look that will seamlessly transition from day to dinner with Salme Patterns Pleated Front Dress. Get a similar look with this Oscar de la Renta turquoise and rust organza from our online store. If you’d like to walk on the wild side, make a flowy blouse with this animal print silk chiffon.
 Vogue 8729 Swatch #5: As soon as we saw this saw this lovely, pale pink silk organza we knew it was destined to be evening wear. Use it as overlay for a ball skirt or a full-length evening gown. We’re partial to Vogue 8729, which has both options. Online, we have this lightweight silk organza whose pink is just a touch more vibrant. If you’re looking for a bit of oomph, this Isabel Toledo silk organza has a pronounced texture that wows.
Questions about any of the fabrics swatches shown here? Shoot us an email at info2@moodfabrics.com.
Tags: chiffon, inspiration, shantung, silk
Posted in
Fashion Sewing |
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January 24th, 2013 by Brandhyze Stanley
SUPPLIES: Leather, Fleece, Fabric Glue, Velcro, Heavy Duty Thread, Regular Thread, Upholstery Needle, Tape Measure, Needle, Rotary Cutter, Straight Pins, Wash Cloth, Scissors, Iron, and a Sewing Machine.
HOW-TO:
1. You are going to create two rectangles. For the first, pin a piece of leather and felt together, right sides facing each other. My Macbook Pro laptop is 13 in x 9 in (length x height), so I want to make this first rectangle 14 in x 17.5 in (Note: I added an inch to the length for the seam allowance, and then added 8.5 in to the height to account for the flap).
2. Cut it out.
3. Take the first rectangle which is 14 in x 17.5 in, and make a chalk mark 10.5 in from the bottom for the fold line.
4. Make a second mark one inch above the fold line (So it’s 11.5 in from the bottom).
5. To create my top flap, I made a chalk mark in the top center (For me, directly at 7 in).
6. I want the point of my flap to be 9 in in total, so I made a chalk mark 4.5 in on either side of the center line I created.
7. From the 11.5 in mark you made along the side, draw a diagonal up to the 4.5 in marks you made on the left and right side of the center mark.
8. Sew just around the edge of the top flap and about a half inch down the straight away of the sides.
9. Here’s what Step 8 looks like; now remove pins.
10. Turn this flap to the correct side.
11. Measure the desired length of the velcro, add glue, and adhere it to the inner flap.(Note: I add glue to hold it in place, and then later hand stitch it for added security, or sew it on with the machine with the regular thread).
12. Now you grab two more pieces of leather and felt, rights sides facing each other to create a second rectangle –this one will be 14 in x 10.5 in and will serve as the front of your laptop case.
13. Take this second rectangle and sew along the diagonal on one side as pictured (Note: Right sides are still facing together).
14. Step 13 will look like this.
15. Turn this second rectangle on the right side.
16. Take a damp wash cloth and lay it on both pieces to iron out any bulges.
17. Take the second rectangle and pin it to the front of the first rectangle (well…now, it’s more of a trapezoid); right sides together. Be sure to pin it 1/4 in below 11.5 in mark you made (So that’s in between fold line and this second line).
18. Sew the whole thing together on both sides and the bottom.
19. So you are certain you place bottom piece of velcro in just the right place; insert your laptop, stick bottom velcro onto top velcro every so lightly, apply glue, and press it into place. Let dry for a few minutes before removing laptop — I advise stitching it on for added security.
Brandhyze Stanley is the chief voice of Frugal-nomics.com; a platform designed to share with women how to live and look fabulous on a dime. A DIY girl at heart—Brandhyze has been featured on The View, The Early Show, The Today Show, MTVStyle, Essence Magazine, and TJMaxx.com. A Wilhelmina Model for nearly a decade, with a Business Degree from Loyola University Chicago, Brandhyze is a Fashion & Style Writer and Video Contributor for Newsday Westchester, and provides DIY content to the popular How-To Site, eHow. Brandhyze is a huge thrifter and a lover of all good deals, follow her on Twitter @MyFrugalnomics and on Facebook at Facebook.com/Frugalnomics.
Tags: DIY, leather
Posted in
DIY |
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