Resolutions & Free Shipping and an Elephant...

Today is the final day of free shipping. To tempt you we have added some new items to our Sale Page, we have 175 fabrics, on sale today.
Imagine a tapestry fabric for only 3.50 a yard or a beautiful cotton printed pattern by Richloom for only 4.50 per yard? We are also featuring a line of small prints and large damask style patterns, again as low as 4.50 per yard. One of the beauties we have on the Sale Page is a woven upholstery fabric with a contemporary pattern in beige's and deep taupe's. This fabric would look stunning on an Ottoman, Chair, Pillows or even a heavy Duvet Cover. Oh, the best part? Somewhere else you may pay upwards of 30-40 dollars per yard, we are offering this beauty at only 13.98 per yard. If you want to find this specific bolt, log onto the Sale Page and click until you get to number 124, you will not be disappointed. While you are shopping, think about the upcoming year and the projects you have resolved to start and complete. We have much of what you may need. Do not hesitate to "Ask Mary Jo" any question you may have about what we carry and what you are in need of. We are here to help and make your experience the best it could possibly be.
Here is a fun challenge, on the Sale page we have fabric that features a classic Indian style Elephant. So here is the idea, what cool thing can you do with this fanciful printed piece? A Pillow, Tote, or pieces in a Quilt. I am looking forward to some emails with photos of what YOU did with this fun and fanciful Elephant.
Let us be the first to wish you and your family a 2011 that is filled with harmony, happiness, prosperity and plenty of time to sew!

Free Shipping & A Holiday Project...

We are down to the last moments before the big day. Ah yes, Christmas. Big dinners, gifts, family coming in from the four corners of the world. What a busy and fun time of year. The upcoming week between Christmas and the New Year is always a great time to take a moment and enjoy close family and friends. It is also a good opportunity to spend time with you. Doing a few things YOU would like to do for a change, we know this is easier said than done! With January approaching at at rapid rate we need to mention that the FREE Shipping promotion is almost over. So now is a great time to take inventory in your sewing room. Do you have a few large projects you would like to complete in the coming year or some small projects that you still need a bit of this or that for? Our website is open 24-7. Log on, shop, order, click. Shopping could not be easier. At Mary Jo's Cloth we always have a large selection of SALE fabric and frankly our prices on the standard quilting and upholstery fabrics are lower than our competitors. Remember to use the ASK Maryjo button on the website, we are here to answer questions about the fabric we sell.
Today we are featuring a project that was sent in by one proud customer, Shannon Bridges. Such beautiful details and craftsmanship. Her little Miss must be very happy when she wears this beauty.
This is Mary Ellen wearing my Christmas project. This is made from a pattern from Sew Baby. It is neon pink corduroy with cottons by Robert Kaufman and Michael Miller. All from Mary Jo's!
Shannon Bridges
Lincolnton,NC
Thanks for sharing Shannon.

All of us at Mary Jo's Cloth Store would like to take a moment and thank-you for being such a wonderful bunch of folks. We wish you the happiest of holidays. Merry Christmas one and all.

Warm & Bright, Just Right for Quilting...

When was the last time you took a moment for you and spent some time on the "Quilting" section at Maryjos.com? We know it is always an event and an adventure to come into the store and spend hours perusing our 32,000 square feet of fabric. But here is a tip, you could browse around on Maryjos.com and find much of what we have in the store posted and for sale online! Our ladies work really hard to keep the collection online current and filled with most of what you may need.
Looking at the quilting section today was an inspiration. Did you know we have fabrics by some of the top fabric designers and manufactures in the United States? Yes, one of the collections we are featuring was created by Patrick Lose he calls it Marble Mania. It is a magical color saturated fabric and true eye candy. This collection would be at home matched with bold or subtle patterns and really lends itself to the popular colors we are seeing more and more of in this seasons home collections. Oh and the best part is it is only $6.09 per yard and remember free shipping during the month of December. We also have the perennial favorite, 1895 Bali Batiks by Hoffman. So fantastic and so many colors, this collection comes in at only 6.29 per yard. The third we would like to share with you is Palette by Jinny Beyer. Sophisticated this fabric comes in subtle and bright colors, color on color pattern it is a true beauty. You can pick this up online for only 5.99 a yard. Any of these series would also be lovely fabric for tablecloths, backsides of quilts and pillows.
When you are online take an extra moment and log onto our Sale and What's Hot pages. We of course have tons of sale fabric but we are also featuring many pre-made items (Blankets, Tote Bags, even a few large Cowhides), oh yes we have something for everyone and these gifts would be perfect for under the tree.
We look forward to hearing from you, what projects have you been working on lately? We love to get emails from our readers sharing there beautiful, handmade articles of finery. Email us today, we may feature you in an article. Happy Holidays form all of us Mary Jo's Cloth Store.

Free Shipping...

Free shipping! What better way to thank you, our customers for your continued business. During this very busy time of year you can pour a cup of tea and snuggle up to Maryjos.com day or night. No driving, finding a parking spot or fighting with those pesky Christmas crowds. So the deal is this, buy as much as you want, with a minimum purchase of $50.00 we will ship it to your home or business for FREE. This special offer will continue through-out the entire month of December.
Now is the time to think strategically. Are you a Quilter? We have so many new prints, patterns and colors all just waiting for you to snap up and turn into a fabulous piece of creative genius. We know many of you own businesses that depend on Mary Jo Cloth for your fabric. Take a look and check your shelves, now is the time to order for next year. The prices of course are great and the shipping is free. It is always nice to capture a bit of income on the back end, now is the time. Designers, Upholstery Professionals, Costume Designers and Dress Makers we have loads of specials, closeouts and sale fabrics. Sweet deals just in time for the holidays.
Have you checked out our "What's Hot" section of the website? We have some cool instant gifts. We are carrying a line of Shopping Totes by Patty Reed, we have many different designs and colors, 15.5 x 15.8, for only 4.99 and it gets better they are created out of recycled bottles! We also have the very popular gift, "Snuggie". Perfect for curling up and watching the game! We have many popular teams in a variety of school colors. These quick pick up gifts are only 16.99 each, oh and we will ship them to you for free during the entire month of December.
Do you have project to share? We would love to see your work please take a moment and send an email with a few photos, we would delight in featuring you in an upcoming article. Happy Holidays.

Ho, Ho, Home for the Holidays...

Alright, the Turkey is finished, family and friends are back home and if you have kids, they are in school. Four weeks until Christmas and only one week until Hannukah, gulp. December arrives every year and it is always seems to somehow sneak up on a person! OK, now is the time to think of all of the holiday projects on your list. Let's start with some easy projects.
Christmas Stockings. Have you pulled yours out of the storage area yet? Maybe this is the year you go all out, think of the magic you could create in just one afternoon. Mary Jo's has Velvet, Satin, Taffeta, Tapestry, Linen, and Faux Fur. As always you can create just about anything with fabric from Mary Jo's.
Today we are featuring a Sweet Stocking designed by Fabric Designer Linda Lum DeBono. She is one talented gal. You can check out her very inspired work on her blog Scroll down to her Sweet Stocking Article to download a template (PDF) for this fun and interesting Christmas stocking.
Sweet Stocking [approx. 12" x 22"]
You will need:
1/2 yard lime green for the stocking front and back exterior
1/2 yard of your choice for the lining
2 fat quarters of different stripes
batting
1/4 yard red fabric for the ruffle [NOTE: I MADE THE RUFFLE FAIRLY WIDE. THE MORE THAT I LOOK AT IT, I THINK THAT A SHORTER RUFFLE MAY LOOK JUST AS CUTE. YOUR CHOICE!]
coordinating thread
stabilizer
ribbon

Cutting:
From the lime green fabric, cut:
1 stocking front
1 stocking back [reverse the stocking template]

From the lining fabric, cut:
1 stocking front
1 stocking back [reverse the stocking template]
From the red fabric, cut:
1 ruffle, 6 1/2" x 42" - then trim in half lengthwise to yield two strips, 6 1/2" x 21"


Directions:
Fold your exterior fabric together, selvage to selvage right sides together. Cut out the stocking template. Do the same for the lining fabric.

Follow manufacturer's directions and fuse the candy canes to the front of the stocking. Stitch around the candy cane applique with a zig zag/satin or any other decorative stitch. Make sure that you have some stabilizer behind the applique when you're doing this step.

Next, layer the front of the stocking with a piece of batting on the wrong side of the fabric. Quilt the stocking as desired. Swirls, loops and circles are always fun! Repeat for the back of the stocking. Trim excess batting away.

Fold the ruffle strip in half lengthwise with wrong sides together and press. Open up the piece and fold in at each end 1/2". Stitch the ends with a 1/4" seam allowance. Use a needle and hand-stitch with a large running stitch at the raw edge of the strip. Pull the thread and gather to form ruffles. Repeat for the other red strip.

Pin the ruffle to the top edge of the stocking with the raw edges aligned 1/4" in from each side edge. Stitch together with a scant 1/4" seam allowance. Repeat for the back of the stocking.

With right sides facing, pin the front of the stocking to the matching lining. Repeat with the back of the stocking. Stitch across the top edge of the front of the stocking and lining. Repeat for the top edge of the back of the stocking and the lining.

Open up the stocking/lining pieces. Pin the front/lining piece with the back/lining piece with right sides facing. Stitch all around and leave a 4" opening for turning. Turn right side out and hand-sew the opening closed.

Push the lining back inside the stocking. Stitch a 1/4" across the top of the stocking body.
Hand-stitch the ribbon to the inside of the stocking. Overlap each end of the ruffle from the front and the back ruffle. Sew a small black button or just a plain stitch to hold the front ruffle to the back ruffle. Repeat for the other side of the ruffle.
There you have it! Your very own candy cane Sweet Stocking!

There you have it. Super simple and oh so sweet. Have fun and remember to surf around the internet to discover other new and different ideas to create a whole new pile of Christmas stockings this year. During this busy time of year, save yourself some time and log onto Maryjos.com. Our online store is open 24-7 and you don't have to worry about the weather or parking your car. Getting what you need could not be easier.

Not Your Mothers Apron Strings...

Aprons, fun to wear and a time honored tradition. With Holiday Dinners, Entertaining and Crafting in full swing maybe it is time to pop on your apron! Our Moms and Grandmothers were always big fans back in the day. We have collected a few stories about the history of Aprons and a few ideas on Aprons you can create yourself. Mary Jo's Cloth Store has fabric just waiting for your inspiration. On our Sale Page we have some cool Dr. Suess fabric, cheap to buy and fun to wear. When you are online, check out our collection of fun retro prints, you are going to love them.

A gal named Emily has a cool blog called "The Open Pantry" she has a sweet take on Aprons and their history. I don't think our kids know what an apron is.The principal use of Grandma's apron was to protect the dress underneath, because she only had a few, it was easier to wash aprons than dresses and they used less material, but along with that, it served as a potholder for removing hot pans from the oven.
It was wonderful for drying children's tears, and on occasion was even used for cleaning out dirty ears.
From the chicken coop, the apron was used for carrying eggs, fussy chicks, and sometimes half-hatched eggs to be finished in the warming oven.
When company came, those aprons were ideal hiding places for shy kids.
And when the weather was cold, grandma wrapped it around her arms.
Those big old aprons wiped many a perspiring brow, bent over the hot wood stove.
Chips and kindling wood were brought into the kitchen in that apron.
From the garden, it carried all sorts of vegetables. After the peas had been shelled, it carried out the hulls.
In the fall, the apron was used to bring in apples that had fallen from the trees.
When unexpected company drove up the road, it was surprising how much furniture that old apron could dust in a matter of seconds.
When dinner was ready, Grandma walked out onto the porch, waved her apron, and the men knew it was time to come in from the fields to dinner.
It will be along time before someone invents something that will replace that 'old-time apron' that served so many purposes.

Another happy and creative blogger posted her very cool Apron, from a pattern called "Emmeline". Ta Da.It was fun and fairly simple to make. The most tedious part being the bias tape (making it). I love this bright colorful fabric from Alexander Henry. I think my favorite color combination right now is this red and aqua.The contrasting fabric is red and white polka-dot. Those tiny dots are hard to photograph. Photo credits go to Emma. I made her take a bazillion and yet we still didn't get very good ones. I did not hand sew the bias tape on. I used the machine and if I were to make this apron again (surely I will) I would make that same decision again. Next time I will use thread that is the same color as the trim. I was trying to be all artsy fartsy and I used an aqua thread-- it is far too revealing of my lame sewing skills. The reverse side is a little blue dot pattern. You can see it in yesterday's post (it was the liner in the little clutch I made.)

This apron is pretty cute on, especially flattering in the area that I am, ahem- lacking. Now its your turn. Get the pattern.Emmeline Apron Pattern

The Emmeline Apron is the one you’ve been waiting for - modern, stylish, and fun to sew. You’ll never want to take it off! Best of all, Emmeline is completely reversible, so it’s like two aprons in one. It can be tied in the front or back. Make it for yourself, your mother, your grandmother, and your friends. It’s guaranteed to add some spice to your culinary adventures!
This pattern includes easy-to-follow photo tutorial instructions and full-sized pattern pieces. It is suitable for advanced beginners. It is now available for $11.95.


Lastly a blogger named JCaroline weighs in with her take on Aprons and their functionality. May 14th is National Wear an Apron Day. Don't know who came up with it, but I felt compelled to participate by making an apron on Saturday. The Anna Griffin's Calorie fabric from the Elsie collection was just made for kitchen and dining accessories. The pocket is out of the coordinating Red Double Dot fabric. The ties in the back and the top are 7/8" Lemongrass grosgrain ribbon.


My mom made the pattern, which I will put on our how-to's this week. The apron took about an hour to make and takes 1 yard of fabric for the apron and you can vary the pocket size based on how much fabric you have. Great gift idea!
The instructions and pattern are on the web. Click here.)

If you are not inspired yet, cruise around on our website, find some fabric that really grabs you and stitch up an old fashioned, time honored Apron, some traditions are fun and worth keeping.
Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at Mary Jo's Cloth Store.

Fabric, Family, Friends & A Feast...

Thanksgiving is just a few weeks away. Daydreaming of that special day is hard not to do. The house will be filled with the aroma of roasting Turkey, and all of the side dishes. Just thinking of who will be gathered round the table or maybe even how many tables will be full, is part of the fun! Laughter fills the air, oh yes it will be a good day. This yearly tradition of feasting and being with family and friends is a ritual worth to holding onto.

Here at Mary Jo's we have been helping our customers with Tablecloth and Napkin fabrics for almost 60 years! Our shelves are full of beautiful Heavyweight Cottons, Woven and Printed patterns as well as lovely Damask-style patterns that wash well and always look like a special event! Log onto maryjos.com or if you are close enough pop into the store, we would love to see you.

Speaking of the holidays, the next biggie is only six weeks in the future. Yikes. We have many new styles of Holiday Prints and colors to choose from.
Did we mention the Trim Department? In a few weeks we are featuring an article on "Trimming The Halls". You will be amazed to see the fantastic array of trims we stock. Golden & Silver Braided Threads, Shiny and Brightly Colored Beads, Painted Baubles, and plenty of over the top Baroque-style Tassels. That is a short list of the trim possibilities, cheap enough to by by the Spool to easily decorate your home for the Season.

If you have moment during this busy season could you snap a few pics of the holiday finery you have created and email them to us? It is always a delight to share our talented customers beautiful work.

Gear Up For The Holidays, Mary Jo Style...

It is the time of year to turn back the clocks, sunnier mornings, darker earlier. Hmmmm, fall back, maybe it is not such a bad idea after all. The plus side is we have more time indoors before suppertime and possibly a bit more time to get into the sewing room and create some magic. The seasonal checklist includes, New Tablecloths and Napkins for holiday dinners or maybe a new Tree Skirt for your Christmas tree. A few more simple ideas could include Christmas stockings, Holiday style Aprons for looking your best while creating your holiday feast. Holiday Guests will be arriving soon, this is the perfect time of year to consider recovering a sofa or chair, stitching up some new pillows for a fresh look or you could even top off your decorating project with some new curtains. Yes, as always the possibilities outweigh the time you may have available but the benefits are a gift that will keep on giving.

At Mary Jo's Cloth Store we have everything you will need for your holiday sewing binge! Our shelves are stocked to overflowing and have an array of holiday inspired prints and colors that will make you swoon with delight. The upholstery section has heavy weight fabrics that are durable and affordable. Some of the woven styles that are as much as 40-60 dollars per yard in other fabric stores can be had at Mary Jo's Cloth for 20 dollars and under per yard! Yes you can really pick up high quality fabrics for less.
We have a beautiful collection of fabric for all of your curtain/drape needs. Lovely and inexpensive, it just does not get any better.
Log onto the website and as always check the sale section for some extra special bargains.

A few weeks ago we featured several costumes created by some of our Mary Jo's sewing community. We recently received a few more pics from some of our MJ Blog readers. We love the Wizard of Oz crew. So sweet and well done, so happy our fabric can be turned into beautiful costumes and memories, Dorothy and her motley crew never looked so sweet! A creative Mom stitched up a viking costume for her toddler. Cute as a bug.
Thanks for sending in your photos, we are always so proud to be able to share your beautiful work on our Fabric Blog. Do you have a project we could share? Drop us an email with a photo today.

Fabric At Scary Low Prices...

There is nothing more fun than finding a great bargain. The recession seems to be hanging on and at Mary Jo's Cloth Store we are diligent about having a generous amount of "SALE" fabric. Online you will find it on the sale page and at the store, in the bins located at the ends of aisles.
We have heavy weight upholstery fabrics online for as low as 4.50 a yard. We also have fabric featuring dynamic colors, textures, patterns, weights and styles that will blow your mind.
A few of our favorite online picks, today, are a beautiful rich Paisley in a Forest/Autumn color schematic and at only $4.50 a yard it is an inspiration to think of all of the different ways this lovely material could be used. Another gem, for only $4.50 per yard is a fun cotton print which sports the cheerful palette of Blues and Yellows. This could brighten up a room, be paired with like colors for a quilt or you could even stitch up a few napkins for your next dinner party.
As always we encourage you to cruise around the SALE section of our website, we are always adding new choices. Remember the selection changes often and the supply is limited.
Do you quilt? If so please send us a few pics of your latest project. We would love nothing more than featuring your fine work. We thank you in advance.
Happy Halloween!

Halloween Costumes & The Possibilities...

The final countdown to Halloween, only 5 more sewing days. We have 32,000 square feet of fabric, log onto the website or shop the store we are sure to have what you are looking for.

A few tips:
The trim section has everything you will need from Pirates to Princesses and Super Hero's. Looking for a cozy and warm costume? Shop the flannel department and stitch up a cute costume that can then double as a sweet pair of PJ's! The Bridal and Formal Department has all of the lace and fancy fabric you will need for any lacey confection you are about to create! We have Camo, Sports themes, Animal prints, Spooky prints and loads of patterns. Now is the time to put on your thinking cap and let your imagination run wild. If you are having trouble finding something specific, please go to the website and "Ask MaryJo" or pop by the store and any one of our employees will be more than happy to help you out.
Happy Halloween and eat alot of candy!
In the last few weeks we have received a few pics from our customers. So a special thanks goes out to Cristin Donley (Tree Frog) and Kimberly Connelly-Willner (Hippo & Rabbit) for their oh so darling costumes, what a pleasure to feature them in this article.
If you have a moment please send us a photo of the costume you made this year, we would love to feature your beautiful and imaginative work.

Presidential Fabric, West Africa & The Peace Corp...

Our customers are incredibly talented and what they do with Mary Jo's fabric is nothing short of amazing.
The story you are about to read comes from a proud Mama, stateside (N.C.) and her darling son who is far way, in Cameroon, West Africa. What this generous hearted fellow did with the fabric, sent to him, is one sweet story. Wow, 10+ Yards of "Obama" fabric goes along way!



Read on:
Hi to all the lovely ladies at MaryJo's!
Our son (Daniel)is serving in the Peace Corps in Cameroon (in Western Africa). He's been there 2 years now, and will be coming home by Christmas.
He told us how excited everyone in his village was after Obama's election so when I saw the Obama fabric in your store I bought a few yards and sent it off for the 3 month mail journey to him. Before it arrived I told him it was coming, and he was so excited that I went back to the store and sent him another 10 yards. You can see from picture what happened to it! He is shown below with his friend, Djawe they "save" their Obama outfits for special occasions, and our recent visit qualified!
We just had a week visit with him and were able to see for ourselves! (He's looking a bit tired in some of these photos as he got malaria when we were there - fortunately he's recovered!)
The Cameroon people have bright fabric for sale everywhere, and the women wear them even when out working in the fields. I noticed that the men tend to wear solid, often pastel colors. The women use every bit of fabric, not even removing the printed selvage edges - nothing goes to waste.
So I'm attaching a few pictures.
One night we stayed in a mission, as there are no hotels in that village. We took a panel of nativity fabric from Mary Jo's and the priest was planning to use it on the altar at Christmas. So this Christmas, when hundreds, perhaps thousands by Dan's estimate, of people gather at the mission for Christmas service, they will be seeing the fabric on the altar!
Maeve Archibald
Belmont, NC
Thanks to our neighbor Maeve, in Belmont for sharing her very interesting story.

Mary Jo' Cloth is ready for all of the Halloween, special fabric you may need. Log onto to the website and start imagining all of the possibilities. If you have a moment send us a few photos of your ghoulish creations. We would love to see what you are all up to.

Hummingbirds, Fresh Air and Good Friends...

Imagine a retreat center, nestled in the rolling hills of Louisville, Kentucky. This magical place is filled with fresh air, peace and quite, plenty of hummingbirds and a fair amount of nature. Hummingbird Hills Retreat Center is the perfect place to book for a relaxing "Quilting Retreat" with your Guild or group of quilting friends. Connie, a longtime Mary Jo Customer, was kind enough to drop a line about her long time dream, that is now her reality. Read on...

I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself to you. My name is Connie Koenig and I have opened a new retreat center for women who quilt, scrapbook, do bible studies, crafts, cardmaking, etc. This has been a dream of mine for quite a long time.
We have finally located a house that is perfect for this situation. It’s located ½ mile off a main highway on a country road. The view is beautiful from the upper back deck.
During 2010 this home will be able to accommodate up to 12 people (minimum of 8). The cost is $45 per night with a 2 night minimum. It has a fully equipped kitchen so you can prepare your own meals or you could use one of many local restaurants.
At the beginning of 2011 we will be able to accommodate up to 18 people with the same minimums. The work area is in a large walkout basement with an additional bathroom. Everyone will get a 5 ft table and chair on wheels for their workspace. We will also have a circut station available for scrapbookers and cutting and ironing stations for the quilters. We also provide the cutting mats and rulers.
There is a sunroom on the main floor where there is space for a massage therapist if you choose. Easy access to get your supplies in and out is a plus.
If you are interested in seeing photos or would like more information, please visit www.hummingbirdhillsretreat.com or you can send an email.
Connie Koenig
Hummingbird Hills Retreat
502-599-2967
Do you need some new inspiration? The seasons are quickly transitioning to Autumn, the days are getting shorter and chillier and the colors of the leaves are magical. Apples are dropping from the trees and, yes, it is time to be thinking about Jack-o-Lanterns and spooky costumes to outfit your little tricksters. Mary Jo's Cloth has Autumn colors galore and tons of Halloween fabric, all just waiting for your clever ideas and artistic abilities. Log onto the website today, we surely have most anything your heart would ever desire in the world of fabric. Oh, and did we mention, our prices are terrific and it always is a good deal for you to cruise around on the Sale section of our website for some screaming deals.
Do you have a story or a project to share? Please email us today. We cannot wait to hear from you.