Fabric.com Blog: April 2010 Archives

The Fabric Maverick says... Happy Birthday to Mother Earth !

April 22nd is Earth Day! Every year there is more awareness of the necessity to conserve and use our resources wisely. Some resources are limited and not able to be replaced. There are new innovations every year to use sustainable resources such as bamboo, renewable energy sources. Green technologies are everywhere! What can the average person do to contribute to this movement? Recycling and re-purposing are excellent ways to start. These habits will become your children's habits. Make it a game as to who can recycle the most!

What are Fabric.com contributions? Check out our eco-friendly ideas at our boutique. Sewing Green is a great book to learn about repurposing old clothing and using organic fabrics. Jean Therapy is another great book for repurposing old denim. Who does not have an old pair of jeans? Check out our new category: Diaper Central. There is a movement to make diapers and diaper covers. It is estimated that for each baby, you can save 1800 disposable diapers from the landfill. Multiply that by the number of babies out there and you can see that this is an amazing number!

Here is a bonus project for teaching your children the effects of an oil spill on our environment!

Project for 2-4th graders

Supplies:

4 plastic bags
4 hard-boiled eggs
Marker
Water
Vegetable oil with food coloring

Mark each plastic bag with a number from 1 to 4. Add 1/2 c. water to each bag. Add a couple of tablespoons of vegetable oil and coloring to each bag. and shake to mix oil and water. Add one hard-boiled egg to each plastic bag. Remove egg from plastic bag marked # 1 after one day and peel the egg. Make notes as to what your observations are. Continue for four days, making observations each day as to what the hard-boiled egg looks like. Imagine how animal and plant life would look like after four days in an oil spill. Working with our children will allow them to look at the world with a fresh outlook. Children are the hope of our future!

By Victoria Bryant on April 22, 2010 8:19 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Deal of the Day - Silk /Linen Blend Shantung 25% off & Tropical Worsted Wool Suiting 30% off

The Deal of the Day for April 23rd is 25% off Silk/Linen Blend Shantung fabric and 30% off Tropical Worsted Wool Suiting fabric. Oh, where to begin...let me start with the wool. Tropical Worsted Wool suiting is a light weight suiting with a very smooth hand. Worsted means the wool has been combed straight and woven into fabric. Fine mens' suits are typically made from this fabric for warmer climates and hotter temperatures. What does this mean for all the women out there? It's fabulous fabric for trousers, pencil skirts, jackets, dresses, anything that can use a little tailoring and a classic finish. Check out the video for more details.

Now, the other deal of the weekend is a fantastic fabric that i have never seen before. the Silk/Linen Blend Shantung has a lot of body and is lighter weight. Lightweight draperies, stunning pillows and duvets are my first thought. The body this fabric has will create large undulating folds on the rod. Then, of course, I figure out how to wear it. I have a couple pattern suggestions here. The Sewing Workshop and Shapes patterns are perfect because they are architecturally inspired shapes. They have clean simple lines that a fabric with body will look best in.

By Kristl Pelz on April 21, 2010 10:49 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Interview with Leslie Gladman of Favorite Things Patterns

Leslie Gladman is the Owner and co-designer for Favorite Things patterns. We have been carrying her patterns for about four years. She has apparel and accessory patterns including the cutest slipper patterns. Her Cute Skirt pattern is our best seller. I think everyone here at fabric.com that sews has made that pattern. Her instructions are clear and her patterns are right in style. We also have an opportunity for you to give Leslie some feedback on her patterns. Please comment below our interview. Leslie is looking forward to hearing from you!

Hey, Leslie! Many of our customers may not know that you are a Canadian and live in British Columbia. Now, we all know more about British Columbia because of the Olympic Games. Tell us about your studio and something that inspires you about your surroundings in the beautiful part of Canada.

Hi Kristl! Thank you for the opportunity to communicate with yourself and your customers a bit about my life, my surroundings, and my business! I live in the southwest corner of B.C. in a farming community called Delta, just 15 minutes away from Vancouver. We live on acreage in a period home that was built in 1898. We did some much needed renovations in 2000 and then in 2002 built our studio on the property. The 2-story 1,500 sq foot studio has wall to wall windows facing all 4 exposures and providing wonderful natural light and views. Enjoying the coastal mountains, farmland and surrounding horse pastures I have every opportunity to be inspired by the beauty of nature and I think perhaps my favorite color scheme of green is due to the many shades and hues that I get to look at every day as I work in here in my studio.

Share with us some things about your design partner, Kimberly Gladman.

I'm delighted to be able to share with you about my design partner Kimberly! You will notice we share the last name! Kimberly has been a part of our family since she began dating our son Jordan back when they were young teens. Early on in the friendship it became apparent to me that we had many similar interests and when Kimberly began her training in Fashion Design at a local university college I was excited with the possibilities for Favorite Things. Kimberly began sewing during the summers while she was still in school and came on board full time with Favorite Things in 2006 shortly before she and Jordan tied the knot. I love what she brings to the design table: she is right on the pulse and heartbeat of the current trends and fashion. Not only do I love working with her but I believe our strengths complement each other well.

How did you start your pattern business?

Initially, in the earlier years of FT I would have described our style as whimsical, romantic and feminine. As it has emerged and grown I would also include the words trendy & fashionable. Our designs include wonderful new sewing shortcuts that eliminate many of the time consuming details of many traditional patterns. We've always done our best to cater to the mature woman in designing fashions that would be figure flattering and in recent years we've also focused on designing hip young fashions that will appeal to the many girls and young women who are discovering the exciting world of sewing.

Do you have a favorite pattern in your line?

My personal favorite pattern is: A Safe Place. This is our earliest wallet pattern and still one of our best sellers. It's easy to sew, cute and practical. Another favorite is...Cute Skirts as it is such a versatile and comfortable skirt to wear and make.

Do you have a hobby or pastime you enjoy/indulge in outside of the sewing world?

Now that's a tough question...where do I begin? I love to garden! I've enjoyed working on my home garden and at our cottage, which is on the Pacific Ocean in Point Roberts, WA. I've helped my friends and family plan and design their gardens too. I have 4 grandchildren that I adore and that keep "Nana" young and active! They keep me busy with answering questions, planning sleepovers, trips to the cottage and all those good things! One more interest I'll share with you. Last year I traveled to India and was profoundly moved with the needs I encountered there. I recognized how much opportunity there would be to help women there and so along with some friends of mine, we have started up a group where we get together as women to bring awareness and fund raising as to how we can be a help. I've started with a project of designing women's T-shirts. I designed a logo using India's national bird the peacock. Our group beads the T-shirt and then we sell them to raise funds. Our first project goal is to build a vocational center for the Dalit (Untouchables) women in a village in central India. We have been very excited by the wonderful response to this project

Do you have a question you have been dying to ask your customers? Now's, your chance! We'll have them comment here on the blog.

Hmmm...now that you ask, yes I do! We love to receive feedback from our customers about what they like in our patterns, what they'd like to see changed, what kind of patterns are they wanting to find but not finding. We're open to all your thoughts and thank you all in advance for your suggestions!

By Kristl Pelz on April 15, 2010 8:27 AM | Permalink | Comments (6)

Deal of the Day - Faux Leather 20% off

The Deal of the Day for the weekend of April 16th is 20% off Faux Leather fabric. This is actually faux leather and faux sequins vinyl, and it's got a lot of potential. The traditional colors of the faux leather in the different skin textures lends themselves to home decor projects with a Ralph Lauren or Hemingway flair. It's traditional with an edge. Then you have the metallic skins and the sequin textures. Think glam; think retro; think fabulous when you consider these. Simple shapes are needed to really show of these textiles. Speaking of simple shapes, a clutch style handbag like the one from Hot Patterns couldn't be better to transform this vinyl into pure fashion. Check out the video for more details!

By Kristl Pelz on April 8, 2010 1:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Deal of the Day - Cotton Woven Swiss Dot 60% off

The Deal of the Day for April 14th is 60% off Woven Cotton Swiss Dot fabric. I'll say it again, ''The dots are really woven into the fabric!'' I love this fabric for spring and summer. It has a retro/modern feel no matter what you make. Blouses, dresses, fuller skirts, they all will make you look crisp and light and keep you cool. The base fabric is white, so you will probably need a cami or slip to have your garments look their best. It's soft and has nice drape for a 100% cotton fabric. Check out the video for more details.

By Kristl Pelz on April 6, 2010 11:36 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Deal of the Day - Moda Spring Fever 25% off

The Deal of the Day for April 13th is 25% off Moda's Spring Fever collection. This collection of springtime prints in springtime colors has a lot of options depending on the prints you choose. Despite the prints with baskets of flowers, there are some cute florals and a couple of retro prints that would make a great blouse for spring and summer for grown-ups as well as little girls. These are a few of the quilt kits still available as well! Check out the video for more details.

By Kristl Pelz on April 6, 2010 10:29 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Deal of the Day - Slub Knits 30% off

The deal of the day for April 12th is 30% off slub knit fabric. This slub knit is a lightweight knit with short horizontal lines of texture running throughout the knit. It has nice stretch and drape, so it's perfect for tops, T shirts and cardigans. These knits are also great for layering. You can create a very interesting detail on a garment by cutting long strips about 2'' wide from the scraps and create a braided detail. Just tug on the strips to roll the edges on to themselves and start braiding. Sew strips together before you tug on them to create a braid that will go around a neckline or down the front of a cardigan. Check out the video for more details about the slub knits.

By Kristl Pelz on April 6, 2010 9:41 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Deal of the Weekend - Outdoor Fabric 25% off

The Deal of the Day for April 9th is 25% off all Outdoor Fabric. We actually call this category Indoor/Outdoor Fabric. It's made from a spun polyester which makes it very durable and spot resistant without feeling too boardy. You can use it high traffic rooms like the family room or the playroom, as well as in outdoor settings. Create cushions and outdoor draperies as well as slip covers and draperies indoors. It has 500 hours of fade resistance in the direct sun, so we recommend storing them whenever possible. The fabric is mildew resistant, and if you use a 100% polyester thread, the items you make will also be mildew resistant. It's the cotton that covers the Dual Duty-type thread that the mold grows on. Check out the video for more details!

By Kristl Pelz on April 5, 2010 10:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (5)

Deal of the Day - Jadore Crepe 60% off

The Deal of the Day for April 7th is 60% off Jadore Crepe fabric. This medium weight crepe has a sophisticated look and feel. Create fluid trousers and jackets that resist wrinkling and stains. I know how that sounds, but really, this is not your grandmother's polyester crepe. I love to make pants out of this kind of fabric for work and going out. In fact, I can wear them to work and then go out with a top change and still look fresh. Pencil skirts are also totally fab in this medium weight fabric, although you will lose the advantage of the fluidity in such a structured garment. Check out the video for more details.

By Kristl Pelz on April 5, 2010 9:53 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Deal of the Day - Blue Bouquet 30% off

The Deal of the Day for April 6th is 30% off Blue Bouquet from Clothworks. This 100% cotton, 45'' wide collection of fabrics is in a classic quilter's color way - blue and yellow. As usual, I suggest also thinking about apparel when looking at these well coordinated collections of cotton prints. This collection inspired thoughts of little girls playing in the spring flowers wearing classic cotton dresses. I also thought of warm nights and cool nightclothes. The classic nightgowns from Kwik Sew reminded me of a favorite sleepwear designer with a Victorian flair. Check out the video for more details!

By Kristl Pelz on April 5, 2010 9:35 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Deal of the Day - Wool Melton Fabric 25% off

The Deal of the Day April 5th is 25% off Wool Melton Fabric. We have been out of wool for a long time. We have found some beautiful wool melton and wool suiting, so this core fabric is back in stock. Wool melton has a felted feel, almost brushed. It does not ravel when it's cut, so not only can you make fantastic coats, jackets and vests, but there are all kinds of craft possibilities as well. one of my favorites is needle felting. We have all the supplies you need to embellish anything you make out of the wool melton.Cutting shapes out of the melton and attaching them to pin backs or directly to your garment or bag as an applique is another great option. Check out the video for more details!

By Kristl Pelz on April 5, 2010 2:41 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Deal of the Day - Dupioni Silk Blends 25% off

The Deal of the Day for the weekend of April 2nd is 25% off Dupioni Silk Blend fabric. Silk is blended with polyester to create a dupioni fabric that has all the sheen and body of the 100% silk dupioni, but for a smaller price tag. All these fabrics have a cross weave which means there are different colors of fiber in the warp and the weft of the fabric to create an iridescence. This type of fabric is very versatile in that you can make draperies, duvets and pillows or jackets, dresses and skirts. it's also perfect for crazy quilting. Check out the video for more details!

By Kristl Pelz on April 1, 2010 4:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)

April 2010 Archives