Every week from now until Christmas, I will be featuring a small business! A lot of these small businesses are busy mothers with families who work out of their homes/shops.
This Week’s Featured Business is Sew Basic Dresses, and 3 online fabric stores — Just A Sew, Elegant Threads, and County Home and Fabric.
If you know my love for sewing and custom tailoring you will know why I am featuring these products. When it comes to sewing there is nothing better than having a pattern that works well and these patterns are just wonderful to use.
As a young girl I made my first doll clothes before I went to school. I took a scrap of fabric and hand sewed a cap for my doll. I still remember what the fabric looked like and ho I made it. By my teens I was making all of my dresses and loved to sew. For quite a number of years after I was married I pieced quilts, pillows, ect for my parent’s store, Snyder’s Furniture. In the more recent years I have been custom tailoring men’s suit coats along with my regular sewing.
Sew Basic Dresses Patterns

Sew Basic Dresses are pattern that have been designed by my friend Michelle, who is a wife, and mother of 6 children. She has designed simple basic patterns from Girls Sizes 1 to 16, Ladies Sizes 34 to 48, and a pattern to sew kit pullover dresses for girls Size 1 to 12. You can find these patterns on Michelle’s Etsy Shop. What I love about these patterns is that they are printed on heavy paper which makes them very durable and they sew together so easily. If you are a beginner seamstress these patterns are for you. Try them you will not be disappointed.
Michelle is giving a $25 credit to her Etsy Shop for a Giveaway! Here is how to enter…
- Follow both her FB page and mine.
- Tag 3 friends who you know would love this gift!
- Winner will be chosen Tuesday, November 10th, at 8:00am!
Girl’s Knit Dress Pattern Sizes 1-12
These patterns are specially for knit dress featuring a band similar to tee-shirts. My daughter loves when she can just pull a dress over her head and she doesn’t need to bother with a zipper. A a mother —I love the ease at which this dress goes together. It is easy and quick!

This is the newest dress pattern from Michelle…don’t you just love it!

Girl’s Dress Pattern Sizes 1-8 and Sizes 10-16
This is the pattern I use when I am sewing denim, polyester, knits, and cotton fabric and want to put a zipper to open the dress in the back. They are my favorite and best of all I can give a pattern and fabric to my 12 year old and she can cut a dress out all by herself!
This pattern features a gathered and fitted skirt and a gathered and fitted sleeve. You can decide which you want to use when you sew!


Isn’t this cute little Size 1 dress perfect for fall! This dress features gathered sleeves and a gathered skirt.

There are so many ways you can use this pattern…below you will find it dressed up by a lace overlay and a belt.

Ladies Patterns Size 34-48
Have you ever wanted a modest dress pattern? This pattern is so easy to use and you can make the dress three different ways. The cape can be omitted and a facing used if you would like.

Here Michelle, her daughter, and her niece model the three ways you can make this pattern.

Fabric Stores online!
If you are like me and live in an area where there simply isn’t fabric stores or places to buy notions, you learn to appreciate online stores. I am giving you three options for fabric and notions.
Country Home and Fabric -John and Laura Smucker
County Home and Fabric owned by John and Laura Smucker is located in Madras, Oregon. This online store features all kinds of fabric, notions, and some household items. Below is just a few pictures of what their store has to offer. You will find all kinds of knits, polyester, fabric blends, thread, zippers, etc. They do have a Face Book Page and a web site Country Home and Fabrics where you can place your orders.

Just a Sew – Angela Sensenig
Angela Sensenig, Stevens, Pa, has on online store where you can purchase all types of print and plain fabrics. She is offering a 10% off code when you make a fabric purchase through this link. I have bought fabric from Angela since she lived just a few miles from our previous home. Check out her fabrics at Just A Sew.

Elegant Threads – Bethany Higgins
This Fabric Shoppe in owned by Bethany Higgins. If you are ever in the York, Pa area she is open at her physical location by appointments and the first Wednesday and the third Saturday of each month. You can order her fabric online with new fabric being added the beginning of the month.



If you really want to learn to sew these patterns and these fabric stores should be a help in finding the correct patterns and the fabric you need. These woman will be more than willing to help you with any questions you may have!
Here are the links again to the patterns and fabric sites.
Sew Basic Dress Patterns — Patterns
Elegant Threads — Fabric
Just a Sew — Fabric
Country Home and Fabric — Fabric and sewing supples