Welcome to my shop. I'm Sandra and I live, work, and sew in an awesome little shed in my backyard in Fort Worth, Texas.
At 10, mom taught me the sewing basics. With the exception of a particularly creative period in my 20's in the mid-1980's (which is another story entirely), I'd never really done much with it. But I've always loved fabric. Ask any seamstress and they'll tell you they likely have at least a small obsession with fabrics - their colors, their textures, their vibe.
In 2012, at the estate sale of a couple ladies for whom quilting was a passion, I came upon an enormous room dedicated to their craft - chock full of fabrics, tools, books, and templates. The supplies were interesting but it was the fabrics drew me in. Their tastes reflected a love of travel, textures, and color and I bought a ridiculous amount that day - and returned the next for half-price on more. Why? No idea.
Several months later, I made a attempt to start yoga again after several years. I wanted a bag for my mat but your standard off-the-sports-store rack mat bag would not do for me. When I couldn't find a unique bag, a very dear friend (who later came up with my shop name and has inspired me in countless ways) said, "Why don't you make your own"?
Umm. Yeah? Why not? After an initial prototype and some changes over a few months, I found my happy pattern. I apprehensively joined Etsy in 2013 and off I went.
What about the upcycled bags? Not long after joining Etsy, I found myself at another estate sale. Now that last comment makes it sound my appearance at an estate sale is an unusual occurrence. Um no. That's another obsession... right after fabric. As the quilting partners above had fabric, this lady had clothes. Closets. Of. Clothes. Cool outfits in African and Indian prints, wacky graphics, bright colors. In the last hours of the sale, I was able to get bags of her amazing clothes for practically nothing. Since that day, I don't look at a skirt or jacket as just an article of clothing. It's also a source of fabric. Awesome, magical fabric.
I deconstructed those first clothes to harvest the fabric and began making upcycled bags. Not long after, I was recognized with a two page spread in a national magazine called Altered Couture, which featured all manner of upcycled clothing and accessories. I eventually got around to trying my hand at upcycled clothing, starting with skirts made from t-shirts and marketing those as cover-ups to wear to yoga class.
After getting several requests for longer, fuller, skirts, my second Etsy shop, Fadoware, was born. I've since added tops to the line and have tons of ideas in the old noggin.
Between my two shops, I've had over 400 sales and I hope you, too, will find something you love here or at Fadoware. And if you don't, maybe you'll consider a custom order so that I can make something uniquely you.