When I started building a handmade wardrobe, I grew increasingly interested in the fabrics I was sewing as well as the patterns themselves. I would spend hours browsing fabric shops and would notice that some retailers sold wovens, knits, and even deadstock fabric.

It seems like adding natural fiber deadstock fabrics to a wardrobe made with intentionality goes hand in hand. You can give new life to fabric that was once made for a specific purpose. You can create garments you love to wear from high-quality affordable materials, and you can feel good about keeping that fabric out of a landfill.

So when Yardblox reached out and offered to gift some fabric for a collaboration, I knew I wanted to choose something that fit naturally into the kind of sewing I’m already interested in.

I chose this beautiful black gingham cotton deadstock fabric, and I’m going to turn it into a matching Lea tank and skirt by Silversaga Patterns.

Yardblox kindly gifted me the fabric featured in this post as part of a collaboration. All opinions and experiences are my own.

About Yardblox

For this project, I partnered with Yardblox, a fabric shop that offers a selection of deadstock and surplus fabrics.

Yardblox is a company based in Hong Kong, and they ship internationally directly to your door from their Asia-based warehouses. They offer a wide range of high-quality fabrics that are from top producers in the fashion industry, including Reformation.

While there is a wide offering of synthetic fiber fabrics, Yardblox offers many natural fiber deadstock fabrics as well. From cotton silk blends to linens and more, you’ll be sure to find something suitable for your next project, whether you’re a home sewist or a brand just starting.

You can find the fabric I’m using here:

Shop the Gingham Cotton at Yardblox →

The Fabric: Black Gingham Cotton

The fabric I chose is a classic black gingham in a woven cotton. I’ve had my eyes on black gingham fabric for years now. Finding a gingham in deadstock seemed like a no-brainer. While the fabric I chose from Yardblox is not listed as deadstock, you can find specific designer deadstock fabrics here.

Here’s a little bit about the fabric I chose:

• Fiber: 100% cotton
• Fabric type: Plain woven
• Width: 57″ / 145 cm
• Weight: 120 gsm
• Weight category: Lightweight
• Stretch: Non-stretch
• Color: Black
• Pattern: Gingham

When I first received the fabric, I was immediately drawn to the softness and quality. It was evident that the cotton used in this fabric is high quality. I really believe it will make for a great sewing experience.

The gingham is the perfect size, and I think the black-and-white color combination will be so versitile with the handmade garments I already have in my wardrobe.

You can check out Yardblox’s extensive collection of designer deadstock and find the perfect natural fiber fabric for your next project.

What Is Deadstock Fabric?

If you’ve spent any time shopping for fabric, you’ve probably come across the term “deadstock.”

Deadstock fabric is the leftovers from warehouses, brands, or retailers. These fabrics were made for a specific purpose but have since been unused. Either too much was produced, or there may be a flaw or quality issue.

There are pros and cons to deadstock fabrics.

• Pros:
  • Keeps fabric out of landfills
  • Reduces the need for raw materials
  • Gives home sewists the ability to use high-quality fabrics at an affordable price

• Cons:
  • There might be limited stock, so once a fabric is gone, it’s gone
  • Possibility of flaws in the fabric
  • Fabric content could be unknown

Deadstock fabric is a great option for anyone interested in sewing their own handmade wardrobe. You can find deadstock fabric in many different forms, patterns, and colors.

You can learn more about deadstock fabric below:

Why Natural Fiber Deadstock Is Important to Me

Adding natural fiber fabrics to my wardrobe has been a high priority for me for the last several years. So, when I invest my money and time into sewing a garment for my wardrobe, it’s important to me to choose fabrics made of cotton, linen, wool, or even a combination of them.

I love the idea of using something that was made with a specific purpose in mind. Many designer deadstock fabrics feature fun patterns and colors that you don’t see in fabrics that are produced regularly. These unique fabrics feature colors and motifs that were probably meant to fit cohesively into a certain fashion line.

photo credit: Unsplash

Deadstock and a Handmade Wardrobe

One of my favorite things about sewing my own clothes is that I get to slow down the process. I get to be intentional about the pattern, the way I sew a garment, and most importantly, the fabric I choose.

Because deadstock fabrics can be available in limited quantities, we can’t always assume that we can buy it again. Deadstock fabric allows us to be more intentional about the pattern we use to make a garment.

If I only have a few yards of a beautiful fabric, I want to use it for something that I’m genuinely excited about. I would make sure that it fits into my wardrobe seamlessly. I would make something that felt exactly like me.

I don’t want my handmade wardrobe to become a collection of projects that I made simply because I wanted to try a new pattern.

I want it to become a collection of clothes that I actually reach for.

The Pattern: Lea by Silversaga Patterns

For this fabric, I decided to make the Lea Tank and Lea Skirt by Silversaga Patterns.

The Lea is a multi-view pattern that includes a tank, top, pants, and skirt, which immediately appealed to me because I love patterns that can become multiple wardrobe pieces. These types of patterns become instant staples in my collection.

For this project, I’m making the tank and skirt so that I can wear them together as a matching set, but also separately with other pieces in my handmade wardrobe. I really think they’ll become instant staples that I can wear throughout the year.

photo credit: Silversaga Patterns

Things to Think About Before Cutting into Fabric

Before starting the project, there are a few things I’m paying attention to.

First, I’ll be pre-washing the fabric before cutting. Since this is a 100% cotton fabric, I want to account for any changes that happen during washing before I make the garments. Cotton fabric tends to shrink if washed and dried at hot temperatures, so order a little more than you think you’ll need.

I’m also going to pay close attention to the gingham when cutting. It’s important to think about how the gingham pattern will look when the pattern is sewn together. I want to be intentional in pattern matching when I lay the pattern pieces onto the fabric before cutting.

I’ll save the process of cutting, sewing, and creating my garment for the next post in this series.

What I’m Hoping for From This Fabric

Going into this project, I’m hoping this cotton will make a comfortable and versatile addition to my handmade wardrobe.

I’m particularly curious to see how the lightweight 120gsm fabric sews up in the Lea tank and skirt.

I’m hoping for:

• a versitile garment that fits perfectly into my wardrobe
• a skirt that fits well and is easy to layer
• fabric that performs well in multiple seasons
• a matching set that is uniquely me

And I’m especially interested in seeing how the fabric feels after washing and wearing. A fabric can look beautiful online, but the real test is what happens once you actually turn it into clothing.

What’s Next?

This is the first post in a three-part series following this project from fabric selection to finished garments.

In the next post, I’ll be sharing a closer look at how this cotton fabric from Yardblox sews up and becomes a handmade garment. I’ll also share my experience cutting, sewing, washing, and wearing it.

Then, I’ll finish the series with a full Lea sewing pattern review, where I’ll focus specifically on the pattern itself, including sizing, instructions, construction, fit, modifications, and whether I would make it again.

Final Thoughts

I think deadstock fabric has a really interesting place in a handmade wardrobe. It isn’t automatically a perfect or completely sustainable choice, and I don’t think it needs to be. Deadstock fabric allows sewists to create a garment that is uniquely them.

What I like about it is the opportunity to work with something that already exists and turn it into something useful, personal, and hopefully long-lasting.

While the fabric I chose from Yardblox isn’t listed as deadstock fabric, the catalog they have is extensive, so you’ll be able to find a fabric perfect for your next sewing project.

Now I’m going to turn it into a Lea tank and skirt that I hope will become pieces I reach for again and again.

And I’m very curious to see how it performs.

Project Details

Fabric: Gingham Cotton Plain Woven RT01552
Fiber: 100% cotton
Weight: 120 gsm
Width: 57″ / 145 cm
Stretch: Non-stretch
Pattern: Lea Tank, Top, Pants & Skirt by Silversaga Patterns
Views: Tank + Skirt
Fabric source: Yardblox

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