Illumination Fine Fabric

06/13/2026

Yes, construction 🚧 in the medical district as well as more people trying to squeeze in is tough. Pencil in 2nd Sundays of summer for fabric squeezing. Let’s see how this goes, maybe it will keep going into fall

06/03/2026

By (abundant) request: a quilted coat class- for a confident beginner to experienced sewer! ✏️ Sign up soon ✏️You'll have a fantastic experience with Annie (recently hosted her home for the Fairmount Home Tour- a home beautifully decorated with her quilts 💗 and all things vintage- it was divine)

Spread out over 3 sessions (8 hours of in class instruction).

Sign up here:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/quilted-coat-workshop-with-annie-tickets-1990733141415?utm_experiment=test_share_listing&aff=ebdsshios

or check the shop website

Annie is a taskmaster 👯‍♀️👯‍♀️🧑‍🩰 so you're going to GET IT DONE and want to do more in time for the fall.

05/28/2026

Immediately after unpacking the boxes. I laid down. Aren't these so pretty?

Thank you (you all must have big muscles 💪🏼)

05/22/2026

05/15/2026

Labor of love 💕 When you create something (with your ❤️ and 🤲🏻) for your family, friend, neighbor. Grammie Monica O. makes wonderful things for her grandsons. Blessings for the new one on the way 🙏

I LOVE 💕 what she has done here with denim. Olsen. “These relaxed fit woven overalls are sure to be a year round staple in your wardrobe! Olsen features shortall and pant lengths, tons of pocket options and enough mix and match features to make a pair that’s just right for you”. But….the BEST part is the embroidery of sweet flowers on denim!

Monica’s tip: Magcubic projector. Not super pricey but definitely worth it. She projects her pattern onto the fabric and voila. No 50 pages and half a cartridge of ink to tape together.

No AI here. We are real sewists. With our own hands and creativity 👯‍♀️👯‍♀️👯‍♀️

05/04/2026

The absolute cutest mom and daughter ❤️ .maynard sewed up the perfect matching dresses using Lumiere Retro (which will arrive again soon along with several restocks and the new Cottage collection). The colors on this one are amazing 🤩

You could do this dress using the Sydney Graham Skyline pattern (designed for a confident beginner) Wear it alone or layer over a white tee/ tank.

A certain special day is coming …. wanna make something? 🤗

04/27/2026

is a sponsor of the 44th Annual Fairmount Tour of Historic Homes! Annie K, one of my ❤️FAVORITE❤️quilters, will open the doors of her home to welcome you in for a peek; 🧵I’m sure you’ll spot a lot of and ! Her house is on Alston Ave. Buy your tickets and enjoy touring through these 6 interesting homes, most are built in the early 1900s like Illumination (1917!) Back then was developed as a streetcar suburb. So much history here- if you love architecture and history it’s fun to peer in and see the cool details and restoration. It’s definitely not a boring cookie cutter neighborhood- be prepared to be intrigued and inspired.

On Saturday the 9th there is an Art and Vendor Fair 10am- 3:30pm in Fairmount Park (artists, vendors, food trucks).

Illumination is inside a house from 1917. There was some whacky ancient electrical, but fortunately it is modernized now. You can still find heavy original pocket doors, windows and flooring. Thankfully it’s not haunted 😆 Who knows, maybe it’s chillin’ in the stacks.

Link for tickets in comments.

04/25/2026

Hot topic this week: making pants and shorts. Kristin made fabulous pants of the (now sold out) black nippon hickory stripes.

Kristin, a Studebaker enthusiast, likes to work in the garage, but we 🩷 love when she makes the drive to Fort Worth for fabric.

I know how intimidating pants can be, but it helps to have the right pattern and fabric. Twill fabric- 6-8 oz- is strong and not too heavy for the summer. We have 30 colors to choose from. Search Kobe, Ventana, Gabardine light, or Hickory.

Two great patterns: Pietra and Dani!

The Pietra Pants & Shorts are the best of both worlds: a flat front, high-waisted silhouette with the comfort of an elastic waist in the back.

The Dani pattern is an elastic waist short or pant with inseam and rear pockets, a small paperbag waist, and a cuff

Let’s pick one and do it!

04/15/2026

03/23/2026

Lightweight cottons 😍 Easier to sew and so breathable for warmer temps. Whether it’s a man’s shirt 👕 or little ones 👗 these are fantastic.
1) Liberty 🇬🇧 tana lawn. 54” wide. $39/yd
2) Fableism 🇺🇸 watercolor wovens. 44” wide. $13/yd