Hot Deals, Fabric Sale and Spring...

Our website is a treasure trove of bargains. The Sale page (Limited Editions) is loaded with new offerings and the "What's Hot" section is always fun and filled with the unexpected. I was cruising around on the "What's Hot" section and I was not disappointed. I was truly inspired by a fantastic, pre-quilted Paisley fabric (11.99 per Yd.) in hot colors that are reminiscent of


Vera Bradley style fabric.
It would be easy breezy to stitch up a french style Handbag, Overnight Satchel or a Tote Bag for your favorite friend or sister on her Birthday. You may also want to consider updating your everyday Placemats and use the matching companion fabric (6.09 per Yd.) for Napkins, a Tablecloth or even some fresh french Cafe' Curtains. Yes indeed

it would be easy to achieve a true French Country look with this collection of high end, well priced Paisley fabrics. Geez, imagine what this beauty of a cloth would cost anywhere else?

The Sale page is filled with wonderful prints, I was taken by the most amusing print of Elephants and other circus characters and their antics on a pale yellow background (6.98 per Yd.). This would be a cool fabric to use as a quilt backing or a darling children's shirt or dress. You may want to think about using this print and some of our sale priced stripes as companion fabrics in a child's circus themed room. Whimsy does not get much better than this. You will have to click through to almost the last page of this section to view this darling pick, but it is worth the look. Hey, maybe you will spy some other on sale fabric which is only 3.50-6.98 per Yd. Now this should tickle your fancy.

Thanks to all of you who have sent in your projects, your websites, fabric blogs and your creative energy. We always appreciate hearing from all of you.
Sew for now, keep creating!Oh and it is now the official countdown to spring which begins as it always does on March 21st!

Not Yo' Momma's Handbag...

Mary Jo's Cloth Store has been getting ready for spring. Lot's of new choices in the season's hottest colors are in, stocked and ready for you to take home! We have 32,000 feet of floor space, the choices at the store and online are amazing. Log onto the website to check out the newest and coolest arrivals.

Today we are featuring a gal who makes fantastic handbags. Her company is called "Not Yo' Momma's Handbag". She sells on Etsy and posts regular articles about these sweet bags on her blog.
Miss Ellen is an inspired lady. She spends her days creating quirky handbags, photographing, traveling and caring for her family. We know of Ellen because she frequently comments on our Mary Jo's Cloth Design Blog. She is sweet, sunny and writes the word “smiles” often. Delightful. We thought it would be fun to share Ellen’s passion for her funky and creative handbags (she uses Mary Jo’s Fabric for the linings of her handbags and is a fan of our store and the blog.)
These are her words, from her Blog, unedited....
Smiles...that's what I love!
I am a mother, wife, sister, friend, mentor, student, traveler, daughter, and photographer. That makes me an observer as well as a participant in life.
I am constantly amazed and inspired by the talent I find on Etsy....amazing truly amazing how creative my fellow Etsy-ers are...smiles.
For many of us a pair of cut-offs are synonymous with comfortable, casual living...
so, it only made sense that at some point I would do something with that memory.
This is that something...
Not Yo Mommas Handbag is a series of handbag creations
that I have named for the friends, family and mentors in my life...
They are all different, as the women they are named for...
they are tough as nails, but sweet on the inside...

Each NYMH comes with a new name, background description, and a special token of appreciation for the new owner. If you would like to know a little more about my purses, their names, how they are made, I write about it nearly everyday.....
check out my blog.;

this jeans purse thing....
started as a way to make something for me... yep, just for me...
and then, things started to happen.
I would get comments from strangers, saying how much they loved that cute purse...
did you make it?.....where can I get me one of those...? My dear sweet baboo would look at me with those beautiful blue eyes and say "You know....you might want to think about marketing those things...just thinkin'..."
Well...I do just that now. But just in case you have some time... and a creative bent... and need a purse. Here's how I did it;
1. I went to Goodwill .
browsed the children's section, and bought 2 small jeans, one
smaller than the other (slightly).
2. Then I perused the purse section in search of handles that I liked.
3. $6.98 later, I went home to start the assembly.
4. Take the smaller of the 2 jeans, turn them inside out,
and put inside of the larger pair, cut them to "shorts-wearin' length".
5. Sew up the legs of the smaller/inside pair, securely, as this seam
will hold all your stuff in.....
6. Ravel the cut ends of the larger/outside pair so that they remind you of
jeans you used to fit into....(sniff).
7. Take 4 belt loops off the smaller/inside pair
for use in securing your handles to the purse.8. Put the smaller pair back inside the larger, pin the
belt loops/handle loops where you
want them to hold the handle in place,
and then start sewing the whole thing along
the top waistband
(match the gold jean thread as close as possible).
I used some of the left over leg material for the makeup case. The jeans on the inside will provide lots of pockets for your stuff and if you are lucky,
and find a small pair of "carpenter's pants" to use..... you will also have a hammer loop to hold your hair brush (sweet!)
Smiles.

On her blog she features this quote…
Success means having the courage,
the determination,
and the will
to become the person
you believe you were meant to be.
-George Sheehan
Keep up the great and inspired work Ellen. We appreciate your enthusiasm for sewing and for living a creative life!

Did you know we have been posting some great new "Sale" fabric on our “Limited Edition” page? Wow, the bargains are amazing. Take the time to really click around, today I saw some incredible tapestry fabric, cheap! It could be just the right choice for recovering your dining room chairs, a pillow or even a table topper. Take the time to look carefully, you will save a lot of dough!

A Snowstorm, A Quilt and Long Lasting Love...

What a great week. It seems like it always Valentines Day around here. All of you who are sending your love notes about your visits and experiences here at Mary Jo's make our work special. The stories you have to tell are heartwarming, fun, fantastic, poignant and just plain fun to read. The Mary Jo Sewing Community seems to be growing at a fast clip, please keep forwarding these postings to your friends & family and continue sending us your beautiful photos and notes of all that you do with your cloth from Mary Jo's. We appreciate it.

Today I am featuring a story from a gal out in Statesville. She is funny and ambitious and a talented Quilter. We will be watching for her at the store in the near future!
These are her words, we have not edited her story.

"February 1, 2010!
On Dec 23 my husband had major back surgery and so my time has been spent at work or taking care of him since he is unable to get around on his own yet. If you know men, they are such babies when they are "ill". They think they can't survive without you! He "misses" me during the week so he thinks I should spend my entire weekend with him. Don't get me wrong, I love him, been married since 1984, but he just doesn't get that "need for fabric" that I have! hehe

My step-daughter gave me a Gift Certificate to Mary Jo's for Christmas and it has been burning a hole in my wallet since she gave it to me December 19th! Unfortunately I live in Statesville so I can't just up and run down to Mary Jo's and be back in an hour. Heck if I ever get there I will spend the entire day just getting my "Fabric Fix" so it will last awhile.

So I spent hours on end at their website trying to choose Civil War fabrics my my Underground Railroad sampler I want to do. Since computers are not picture perfect in giving true colors it took me forever to choose each piece of fabric, about 15 different ones. When I finally made the decision and hit the submit order button, I was so excited! I couldn't wait to get my fabric and get started. But the following Monday I received a phone call from Mary Jo's saying several of the pieces of fabric I choose had been sold out! I was devastated!!!!!!!! I asked them to just cancel the order for now and maybe one day soon I would be able to make a trip down there. So far, no trip yet.

So as I was pouting, I began to look through some quilting magazines and came across a wall hanging pattern I fell in love with. Stepping Stones from American Patchwork and Quilting, Oct 2009. It was done in Batiks which I have never really cared for that much. But maybe if I tried this project using batiks it would change my mind. I also had just read a blog on the website about a lady and her husband buying wonderful Batiks at Mary Jo's.

So I thought about the upcoming Quilting Extravaganza this past weekend in Statesville. I could get new fabric there. YEA, I was going to get my "Fix" after all. But then the "SNOW" decided to show up and ruin everything. (So I thought)
I needed that "Fabric Fix" something terrible and the thought of not begin able to go because of the road conditions was not making me happy. So I begged and pleaded with my boss to leave work a hour and half early on Friday so I could get my much needed Fabric Fix!

Well I got there at 4pm and they closed at 5pm plus the snow was on it's way fast and furious. I paid my way in and had to make a mad dash around to every booth trying to see who had batiks in fat quarters that I liked. Then I had to hurry and choose my colors. OH MY GOSH! I don't ever recommend trying to choose fabric colors in that much of a hurry.
Well I did get my fabric fix and used batiks! Well now I am hooked! I have decided when I do get to Mary Jo's I will choose more batiks and make this project for Christmas Presents for 2010! Not to mention by having to wait so long in being able to get to visit Mary Jo's, my tax return will be soon. What does that mean...
A BIGGER $$$ FABRIC FIX from Mary Jo's!
See you soon!!!!!!! one way or the other!"
Lisa Bryson

Thanks Lisa, you are super. Keep up the beautiful work and thanks for sharing. You may want to consider using your gift certificate online, we have a ton, literally, of fabric to choose from. Think about it, no driving, parking or time being wasted. The "Online" Mary Jo's Cloth Store is open 24-7!

Do you have a Story, Blog, or Fabric Project you would like to share? We would love to read about you and possibly feature your story in a future blog posting. Email today!