Hey Hey Hey! Many of you have probably noticed I have been talking a lot about D & H Fabrics lately (since I love fabric so much and could possibly be a hoarder at this point, hehe). My eyes are always on the look out for new independent fabric stores! When I saw Tammy’s posts and tagline, I immediately reached out to her to learn more (her tagline says “Offering Sustainable Fabrics to create your wardrobe your way”). As a pattern maker focusing on the “Handmade Revolution,” I just love that tagline and mission so much. Tammy teamed up with me for the Aspen Tank release and we have something super exciting planned for the fall!
Here she is wearing the Tracy Bee Top in the cropped version! Isn’t she fabulous?
Since she is relatively new to the scene (she just launched her shop in June!), I thought it would be great to highlight her here! Being online, we don’t always get to know the ins and outs of a small business. I sat down to ask her a few questions.
S & S: When did you first discover your love for fabric?
D & H: About two years ago my oldest (who is 9 years old) wanted to learn how to sew. I had no clue how to sew btw, but we went on Amazon and bought a 100.00 Brother machine. I figured “How hard could this be”. Oh was I wrong. We tried to sew a backpack and still to this day we never finished it. We were defeated. I put the sewing machine up and we both lost interest. Well 6 months later I really wanted a hobby, so I pulled that sewing machine out, got on YouTube and started to learn how to sew.
With learning to sew came my love for all things fabric: the textures, colors, and the possibilities of what you can create with it.
S & S: So true. Taking that fabric and creating something completely new out of it is one of my favorite things! Do you have a favorite type of fabric, if so, why?
D & H: I love wovens: tencel, cotton gauze, cupros, crepes, anything flowy. These are my favorite because I find them easy to sew with, but also because they feel good when you wear them.
S & S: Oooh that reminds me of the crepe fabric you have that you made into an Aspen tank. It is so breezy and perfect for this hot hot hot summer we are having. What types of sewing projects do you prefer?
D & H: I love to sew garments for myself or my girls.
S & S: That’s so great to hear. So many people just sew bags and accessories and shy away from garment making. What was your first make?
D & H: My first real make was a bag I made for my sister. She wanted something that would fit her yoga mat so she wouldn’t keep bumping people on the train. So I designed her a yoga bag, and to this day it’s still holding up. YAY!
S & S: That’s so awesome. I find that handmade items tend to hold up longer than store bought ones–especially in the day and age of fast fashion. Are there any fabrics you steer clear of?
D & H: I try to steer clear of polyester. I have one fabric in the shop that has 20% polyester in it, and although it’s a beautiful fabric I probably won’t restock it. Polyester is one of the most polluting fabrics out there, and because of all the unnatural chemicals it’s made with, it’s suffocating.
S & S: OOH Good call! What made you want to start your own fabric shop?
D & H: When I first started sewing I found these fabric shops on Facebook and was in awe at how pretty and inexpensive the fabrics were. These were fabrics I was seeing all over Pinterest and online boutiques. I thought SCORE! Boy was I wrong. There is a reason these fabrics are so inexpensive: they don’t last, they pill, fall apart, snag super easy and don’t have a long life of wear. I also was finding these amazing shops in Europe, but the shipping fees to the US were CRAZAY. I was looking for fabrics that were specifically for garments and were as environmentally friendly as they could get. So D&H was born. I wanted to carry fabrics that were natural fabrics, even if they weren’t totally organic, or had a minimal amount of spandex in them. It’s a struggle because there are fabric shops popping up all over the place, but I try my hardest to carry fabrics not everyone else has.
S & S: I think that’s so important. I hate it when I go into shops and they have the same stuff as everyone else. The joys in making your own clothes is creating something original that no one else has. Is there anything you want the sewing community to know about your fabric/shop?
D & H: I don’t only want to be an online fabric shop. I want to be a fabric shop that inspires women through the art of sewing. I want women to feel beautiful in what they create with our fabrics. I want to encourage women to love themselves, and their bodies. To empower women!
S & S: Well, I think you are on the right track! Cheers to girl power and lifting each other up!
Alright, that’s my interview! If you haven’t already, go check out her site. HERE!
I picked up these two fabulous fabrics and I can not wait to sew them up!
1st- Atelier Brunette- Moonstone in Blue- 100% Viscose fabric with European CE Certified Ink
2nd- Skulls and Roses Lawn which is 100% GOT-certified organic cotton lawn.
As always, Happy Sewing!
