People ask me all the time how I pick fabric for a new pattern or a client's sewing project, so I thought I'd actually walk you through it this time — because right now, I'm right in the middle of that process for something new.
It starts with a feeling, not a fabric type
Long before I think of colour or fabric weight I ask myself: how do I want someone to feel when they put this on? For the piece I'm working on right now, the answer came fast — cozy enough for a slow fall morning, but structured enough that you could still walk out the door and feel pulled together. Not loungewear. Not stiff. Somewhere confidently in between.
That feeling is what sends me on the fabric search, not the other way around.
Then I test how it moves and looks
I don't just check the price and fiber content and call it a day. I cut a scrap, sew a sample seam, and see how it behaves. Does it stretch too much, loose shape after it's cut? Does it fray or curl? Does it hold its shape at the neckline, or go wavy? For this project specifically, I went through 2 different fabric options for the neckline before landing on the one. Both of them looked good and would do the job just fine. Only one felt right and added interest to the finished look.
And I think about who's sewing it
This is the part people don't always expect — I'm not just choosing fabric for how it looks finished. I'm choosing it for how forgiving it is to sew. If a fabric shifts and distorts the second you touch it, that's a frustrating first project for someone still building confidence. The fabric I've landed on is beginner-friendly and has the potential to look elevated with a few easy added steps.
Something else I'm doing differently this time
Here's the part I'm really excited about — I'm also teaching this pattern using the technique I'm most obsessed with. It's not how most home sewing tutorials do things, and it's going to change how you approach sewing going forward. I'll be walking through it fully in both sew-alongs: written and video. Step by step.
My pattern is not yet ready for it's reveal. But I will say this: it's a piece I think you'll end up reaching for constantly once the weather turns, and it's going to be accompanied by one of the more useful sew-alongs I've put together.
Any guesses what's coming? Drop them in the comments — I'll be dropping more hints over the next couple weeks before the full reveal.
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Stitches & good vibes from Fresh Press Patterns, Joanna 💋