The Fabric Maverick: October 2008 Archives

I sometimes feel like a woman dying of thirst and water is within my reach but I cannot drink. Everyday beautiful fabrics pass by me. I fall in love with most of them. There is no way in the world for me to even start all the projects that are in my mind. When I have time, I have no money. When I have money, there is no time. Well I am going to help you visualize a few projects to get you started. I found this great quilting magazine called "Easy Quilts". It professes to help you make a project in a weekend.

I have always said you should start in July to make a Christmas quilt, but maybe I will have to adjust my thinking. Here is a photo of a completed quilt from the Winter 2008 issue:

This quilt is made from the Secret Santa collection. Take a panel and add some coordinating fabrics. I can see this done in my mind.

Don't want a Christmas quilt. Try a great child's quilt. How about Yogi Bear and Boo Boo. For someone older, how about The Beatles.

If you don't want a quilt, there are some great pillows.

Check these out. These are made from the Taxi collection and the Lindsay collection.

Now as a sweet treat to get you started, we have marked down Christmas Fabrics 30%. Now is a good time to create that holiday vision you have. This magazine gives you the time, we will help with the money! Enjoy.

Some of you are sitting there thinking "Who the heck is Waldo"? Waldo was a funny little man usually dressed in a red and white striped shirt. He was always hidden in a large scene. The trick was to find him. Sometimes it took a long time. I think about Michael Miller that way sometimes. Recently I was reading my Southern Living magazine. I have my own formula for reading a magazine. I look at all the pictures first. I earmark what I plan on reading. I then look at all the gardens. Someday my yard will look like that. This is after I win the "LOTTERY" and hire a full-time gardener. I, then, read all the recipes. Lastly I read the articles I earmarked earlier. In other words, I looked at this magazine and the picture of this nursery several times before it dawned on me that most of the fabric in this nursery is Michael Miller fabric. In this article it does not say anything about Michael Miller.  The bumper pads are definitely Frog Chow Mud:  Now is this not the most unlikely fabric for a nursery? It works so well. The huge polka dots must be 'disco dots'. I am working on getting this into our store.  

I love the way Michael Miller just shows up with no fanfare. It doesn't hit your senses all at once. One of the most informative websites for new ideas and projects is the Michael Miller website. I credit Kathy Miller and her staff for this. I have since seen several rooms that have Michael Miller fabric in them. So this is my challenge to you:

1. Find a room with Michael Miller fabric. It cannot be a Michael Miller advertisement or from the Michael Miller website.

2. The first 10 people who send the Fabric Maverick a picture, I will give a $10.00 gift certificate.  Remember the Fabric Maverick has a tiny budget unlike the US government. Please email your pictures to victoria@fabric.com. I am asking her to cover for me while I take a mini vacation.

Where's Michael?

P.S. If you click on the picture above, you can find Waldo too!

This is not an opinion about the economy. Thankfully, it will eventually turn around. The holiday season will soon be upon us. Andrea was so on target with her fall fashion forecast; she has offered to provide her talents to guide us who are less wise in the right direction as to what is fashionable for the holidays. I hope that she realizes we need more bang for our buck! I am thinking about tightening that belt so tight that I might have a waist again. The least I can do to help is to provide some tips on sewing some of the special occasion fabrics.

Tips for working with sequin fabric:

1. Choose a simple pattern with little construction. This will show the sequined fabric to its best advantage.

2. Know how the sequins are constructed. If the sequins are synthetic, do no dry clean because the sequins will dissolve in dry cleaning fluid. Fabric should be hand washed and air dried. If the sequins are glass, the fabric can be dry cleaned.

3. Treat the fabric as a directional fabric or napped fabric. In other words, the pattern pieces must be laid out in one direction.

4. Use a pair of old scissors to cut the fabric as the glue and sequins will blunt the blade.

5. Use a soap sliver or chalk to make marks on the fabric.

6. Because this fabric can be scratchy to the skin, plan to use bias tape or coordinating fabric for the neck and armholes.

7. Use nonfusible interfacing, because heat will melt the sequins.

8. Use a size 75/11HS if a knit is used as a base fabric for the sequins.  Use a 70/10H needle if the base fabric is a woven fabric. You will need to use several needles as they will dull very quickly on sequined fabric.  Glue may build up on your needle. Clean with alcohol.

9. Sew the seam with a small zig zag stitch between .5mm width and 2.5mm length. Top stitching is not recommended.

10. If pressing, use only very low heat on the wrong side of the fabric.

11. The best hem finish is to use 1/2 inch strip of  Steam A Seam light to the wrong side of the fabric. Remove the paper tape and finger press the hem upwards. Using a pressing cloth, press again with a low heat, dry iron. Hold in place for 10 seconds. This will make an invisible hem.

Now you are ready to add some glitz to your wardrobe. Go party!

 P. S. Some of these tips are mine but many are from Sandra Betzina. She certainly knows her way around a sewing machine.

I do not think that "Breast Cancer" really hits home until you are the one diagnosed or a friend or family member is diagnosed. Before then, it is an uncomfortable thought which we sometimes push to the back of our minds. I admit to being somewhat nonchalant about getting a mammogram. It was inconvenient, it hurts and no one in my family has ever had breast cancer. These are all feeble excuses.  Make the time. Yes, it does hurt.  You may not have a family history of breast cancer, but that does not mean you will not be the one.

Within the last several years, I have had a sister-in-law die from breast cancer. Last year I had a friend diagnosed with breast cancer. Even though I could not share her pain, I could be there for her to talk to. I think breast cancer is the most frightening disease for women. Our ego is tied into an image of our body.  Besides the pain, we are locked into a fear of disfigurement. Will we lose our hair! We, as women, have been the foundation for our families. They bring their problems to us and we try to "kiss and make it better".  Who will be our rock! If we are lucky, our families will support us in our time of crisis or we will have good friends who will listen to our fears and concerns. Hopefully, they will guide us at a time when we are not sure what to do.

First of all read all the information you can, so you can ask your doctor about your treatment. A great source of information is the American Cancer Society or the Susan G Komen for the Cure. Pantene offers free wigs made from real hair to cancer patients. At a time when you have just had your life shatter, you have to figure out how to pay for treatment. The American Association for Cancer Research is a good resource to use to find additional funds. Another important factor is your doctor. Can you talk to them or are they detached from you? Find a doctor that you are comfortable with. You are trusting this person with your life!

For those of us who do not have cancer take an active role in your health management. Check out the websites above for the latest information. Be an advocate for you! Donate to charities, participate in activities, be a volunteer, make a difference! Many companies donate a portion of their sales to breast cancer research including several fabric manufacturers. Check our Breast Cancer Awareness fabrics!  A portion of the price per yard is contributed to breast cancer research.

Above all, take care of yourself. We will miss you if you are not here!

I cannot imagine that anyone who quilts does not know the name Thimbleberries, but if you do not know this is a designer whose real life name is Lynette Jensen. This is Thimbleberries' 20th anniversary as a designer. I credit Lynette Jensen for getting me interested in quilting and teaching me the basics of quilting.

I think what drew me to her designs was the rich, warm, dark country colors. She combines country colors with a traditional twist. I have never seen anyone duplicate her. She is not known for her pastels! After using one of her patterns I was hooked. A beginning quilter needs to build confidence. When she makes that first project, she is trying to achieve the same size as the project indicates. Often you are frustrated wondering why your project did not turn out the same size as indicated on the pattern. I had purchased one of Ms. Jensen's books and selected a placemat pattern. I thought it might be a little above my skill level, but I wanted to give it a try. My confidence soared when I was finished! The placemats were the exact measurement as indicated in the pattern! One of the things I admire about Thimbleberries' designs is that the instructions are clear, concise and well written. Her books always have sections about the basic steps to quilting and her color theory. You do not need to read the directions 5 times to understand them.

I have tried for several years to have Thimbleberries added to our designer list. I have finally succeeded! Our first adventure is "Cover Story III". This is a series of nostalgic prints combined with just three coordinating fabrics to create a quilt. The complete instructions are printed on the panel. Do you sometimes say to yourself why didn't I think of that? This creates a whole new term- convenience quilts! A project that has virtually no complicated piecing. You just add borders, batting and backing to build your quilt. Quilt it and bind it for a completed top.  You are done!

COMING SOON! --PUMPKIN PARTY