Winter Blues? Rejuvenate A Room...

Have you shopped the Upholstery Department at maryjos.com lately? We have a wonderful collection of Fabric available online. All of the hip and cool colors and patterns you are seeing in the latest Home Collections are ready to be shipped to your door.
Neutrals, Pale Aquas & Celadon, Creams and Browns. It is a lovely, sophisticated toned down color spectrum with fantastic possibilities. These fabrics go well with dashes of Indigo's, Spring Greens and even a dash of Paprika. If you surf around the internet looking for ideas (check out The Pottery Barn, Restoration Hardware and Horchows) you will be inspired.
This week we are featuring two of our Mary Jo customers. One gal recovered a chair with "French Script" the other used a "Modern Pattern" to cover a Headboard. Both of these gals are part of the current trend and found what they needed at Mary Jo's.
Read on:
French Script Chair...
Hi MaryJo's
I just saw your request on FB for photos using fabric purchased from you. I have attached one of the two vintage chairs for my little eat in kitchen. I used this french script fabric I purchased last January (sorry I don't remember the real name of the fabric). I LOVE this fabric and have had several people ask me where I got the fabric once they saw my chairs. I happily directed them to your store. I hope you like what I did.
Cheers,
Gail Schmidt
www.shabbycottagestudio.com
Gail, you are one talented designer and we loved your website, thanks for sharing. Keep up the good work and keep in touch.

Modern Fabric Headboard...
Hey! I am a huge MJ fan and love shopping your store for a little inspiration! I saw the post on FB about sending in pictures of your winter projects and wanted to share this with you... using MJ fabric (and crib batting) I recovered my original (DIY) headboard and gave my room a completely new look and statement price for about $20!
Thanks :)
Melissa Fuller

Melissa,
Thanks so much,you did a terrific job and only 20 bucks! You can't beat that with a stick.

Do you have a project or a Mary Jo's story to share? We are always interested, please send us an email today.

Mary Jo's Cloth Store, 60 Years and Counting...

Holy smokes, time flies. Mary Jo is celebrating her 79th Birthday and the Anniversary of the 60th year of her beloved Mary Jo's Cloth Store. Our annual trip down memory lane is in order during this very special anniversary week!

First a bit about YOU.
We are blessed to have the MOST wonderful customers. You are talented, fun, bright and man can you sew. Thanks for sending us photos of your projects along with your sweet stories. We love to hear from you and it is always a pleasure for us to post your beautiful work, made from our fabric. So a big thank-you, to all of you, for showing up, logging on and buying your fabric from us. We know you have a choice and are so happy you have chosen us.

Mary Jo & her Cloth Store, the story...
In 1951 when Mary Jo's Cloth Store first opened, Mary Jo made a promise to keep prices affordable. Her original goal was to be able to serve a Grandmother making a dress or quilt for her grandchild or a young Mother who needed to make affordable clothes for her children. Since the beginning Mary Jo has held tightly to this philosophy. Over the years her business has grown, the location has changed and people come from all corners of the globe to shop. "Mary Jo's Cloth Store" has been doing mail order for many years and has now launched an online component that will serve her customers easily and still be very affordable. It is important to Mary Jo that she continues to bring her customers the highest quality fabric at the lowest price.

Mary Jo's Cloth Store, Inc. was opened on her 19th birthday in 1951 by Mary Jo (Margaret Colien Cloninger) in the back of her father's grocery store in Dallas, North Carolina. She began by selling unbleached domestic (muslin) and later added other makes of fabrics.

Throughout the years, the business prospered, outgrowing the Gaston Avenue grocery store. As business progressed, Mary Jo's relocated to a site at the corner of Trade Street and Gaston Avenue, whereby the adjacent buildings were eventually purchased and incorporated into Mary Jo's Cloth Store, Inc. However, on December 18, 1981 this location was destroyed by fire, resulting in another move to the vacant Ben Franklin Store at Windsor Center on Highway 321 located outside of Dallas.


Working with an inventory of salvageable goods, Mary Jo's reopened at its Windsor Center location on February 17, 1982. The store at Windsor Center was 22,000 square feet. By the spring of 1986 Mary Jo's had outgrown this facility and in August of 1986 the company moved to 32,000 square feet in the Gaston Mall.

Through the years, the Cloth Store's reputation has come to be widespread. Because of the varied selection of goods, at the best possible prices, and the assistance of a very knowledgeable staff, the Store's reputation has grown, servicing customers from within a 250 mile radius on a daily basis.

We now sell fabric to folks all over the world. The website Maryjos.com is open 24-7. So no matter what your schedule is you can shop for the fabric you want at a time that is convenient for you.

If you would like to send us a "Mary Jo's" story or a recent project made from your Mary Jo cloth, please drop us an email today.

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.