Holidays, Trends, Colors & Cool Designers...

Family, friends, company, dinners, parties and many celebrations will be taking place during the next 60 days,
are you ready? At Mary Jo's Cloth Store we have been anticipating this season with much joy. We are stocked beyond full with Holiday inspired Fabrics. The patterns this year are rich and vibrant. Velvets, Satins, Taffeta's, Batiks and of course all of the Holiday Prints and Patterns that are just the perfect companions to such finery. What is your look this year? How will you decorate for your Thanksgiving Feast? Will you use the traditional Autumn Celebration of color and texture or be a renegade and choose Mossy Greens and Rich Cranberries that segue into the Winter Holiday season and can be timeless through the long winter days of January and February. Quite a dilemma.
We can help.
It is always fun to share the inspirations of real people. A former floral designer, Chelsea Fuss in NYC has a very inspirational blog called Frolic. Sweet and packed with home and garden style ideas, you will enjoy her point of view and lovely photos. Today we are featuring one of her tables, decked out in a simple plaid and matching napkins with some simple embroidery.
Another gal who is always searching around for cool stuff is Manvi Drona Hildago. Her blog is called Mochatini. Really cool and lots of ideas. Some are fancy and others are drawn from nature, all share her unique brand and love of style. Such talent.

The internet is rich with ideas for any occasion. When you google, "Holiday, Thanksgiving or Christmas Table Decor", the world is your oyster and all of the info is at your fingertips. You will be so inspired that you will be runnin' to Maryjos.com to pick up some of the best priced fabric on the market today. Oh and the selection this time of year, well the sky is the limit. Log onto our website today, be inspired, and save some cash. Remember to send us some photos of what you have been creating, because you could be the featured customer on our blog.
Happy Holidays!

The Costume Winner Is...

Wow, what a response. Our customers are not only talented and creative they are also very clever in their use of fabric. Mixing patterns and prints, weights and sheens. We were very impressed with all of your submissions. We have included our top picks in the slide show; make sure you take a moment to see these beauties for inspiration. You will not be disappointed.

Before choosing the winner we did a slideshow, without names (some of you are professionals) and judged on the clever and best use of fabric, patterns and prints and on the technical difficulty. Our Grand Prize $100.00 winner is Matthew James. The costume we chose was the March Hare. This fantastical interpretation was created for the CPCC’s production of Alice In Wonderland. I made the next one for the White Rabbit for CPCC's Alice in Wonderland. The jacket is lined with the same fabric and has batting inside of every piece to give it that fluffy look. The vest is lined and the pants are high-waisted stretch pants. The clocks are made out of vinyl from Mary Jo's and are attached with velcro so he can take them on and off during the show. I made everything on this one but the headpiece. Truly a wonderful costume created perfectly with a healthy use of imagination and executed flawlessly. If you would like to see more of his work or would like to attend one of Rhapsody Designs, Sewing or Millinery classes click on their Facebook Page.

We had so many amazing costumes to choose from we then created a non-cash Honorable mention category.

First Place Winner is “Mr & Mrs Joker” created by Dee Gosnell of Ocala Fl. Dee wrote, “my son lives in Gastonia and he purchased everything, including the pattern at our store and then mailed it all to her." She did a great job, we are sure you agree.

Second Place goes to “The Ballerina” created by Nancy Gallagher, included in her note, “I made this just last month, but I bought the bulk of the fabric and netting at Mary Jo's about 4 years ago when I attended tutu school with Claudia Folts."

Third Place is “Snow White” created by Jennifer. We loved the collar and the perfect use of Satin. Not a pucker, truly a terrific job. Jennifer writes, “I love to get Mary Jo's fabric especially for my costumes! I have made many Disney ones and you all have the best fabrics with colors like Disney colors!"

We also have a Technical Award", this goes to “White Victorian Dress” created by Jessica Hagens. “This is a Victorian bustle inspired gown. Both the off-white and brocade satin were purchased at Mary Jo's as well as the trim, which was customized by cutting it in half and the cording in the back is 3 braided colors also purchased at Mary Jo's. Essentially all materials minus the pattern are from Mary Jo’s. Thank you for your part in creating one of my best costumes."

We would like to thank all of you for your submissions. We collected the best of the best for the slideshow. Halloween is still a few weeks away. Are you ready? If not, log onto the website which is open 24-7 or stop into the store. We always love to hear from you, send us photos of your latest project. You may be our next blog article. Happy almost Halloween!

Saddlebags So Chic and Fun...

October is just a few days away! How quickly a year passes. Halloween is almost on our doorstep. Are you ready? We have plenty of spooky fabric in stock, maryjos.com just right for outfitting your Princess, Gremlin or Witch. Imagination can take us so many places and the prices of our fabric will keep a little extra change in your pockets! In a few weeks we are doing an article featuring some of the truly inspired Costume's, made by you, our Mary Jo's Cloth community. So here is the deal. Make sure you used Mary Jo's fabric, snap some photos and write a brief description and if you have blogged about it, send us a link. We are looking forward to seeing your creative costume submissions. Email before October 10th to be included in the article and the slideshow. This is going to be fun. Thanks in advance for sending in these wonderful treats!

Are you a horse lover or know someone who is? Today we are featuring a very unique project sent to us by Lisa Bodenhorst. She owns a company called Ivy Run Designs which specializes in Jodpurs and the like, however she recently has been working on a line of Saddlebags. She has used really fun fabric in bright and cheery colors. These may prove to be a very popular part of her "Horse Lovers" line of products.
Lisa writes:
Hello! I have recently (within the past few months) purchased some great fabrics at Mary Jo's! I design and manufacture Saddleseat equestrian riding apparel and accessories. My most recent items are my saddle bags - I've even attached a few pictures. They are manufactured in Lebanon, Virginia and it is in the same industry where Rebekah Cloninger shows her horses! My company is Ivy Run Designs, and can be found online at www.IvyRunDesigns.com. I would love to know what you think.

Lisa, we think these Saddlebags are quite wonderful. Keep up the good work and know that as long as you keep shopping at Mary Jo's Cloth you will never run out of fabric that inspires your creative genius, at a price that just can't be beat.

Do you have a project to share? Please send us an email today, we love to see what you are up to.

Autumn and Cheddar Cheese Bowties...

Autumn is in the air. Are you ready for the upcoming festivities of Halloween and Thanksgiving? We have been busy stocking the shelves with all of your Autumn favorites. We have fabric in all of the beautiful rich deep colors available in many shades and patterns. This collection is waiting for your vision and imagination. We, as always have some screaming deals on our Sale page, just in time for your Halloween projects!


Today we are featuring a very inspired quilter, Bonnie Hunter. She is a longtime Mary Jo's customer and one of the reasons it is hard to keep our "Cheddar Cheese" quilting fabric in stock. She teaches workshops all over the country and is based right here in North Carolina.
One of her favorites, is anything with "Cheddar Cheese", she says she just loves quilts that have this fabric as part of the color palette. We lucked out because she offers a free pattern for "Cheddar Cheese Bowties" on her Quiltville blog.
Mmm hmmm it is all kinds of sweet. It looks hip, modern, old fashioned and artsy all at the same time. This is such a popular pattern we can hardly keep this color in stock!
Here is what she has to say about this pattern:
Every year there is at least ONE quilt that we ALL fall in love with. This year it was a bowtie using a cheddar solid as a background. Do I have to remind you of how much I love solid cheddar? When I look at antique quilts, those with solid cheddar in them are the ones that jump out at me and straight into my heart.

We decided that this year we would use this quilt as a Leader/Ender project --- not to be completed by this time next year necessarily, but to at least show how far we could get in a year if we used these pieces strictly as leaders and enders in between the seams of other lines of chain piecing on current projects.
Click here to read the step by step explanations fully photographed directions for making this beauty.
Her website is warm and wonderful, filled with her quilting stories, workshop schedules and her philosophies about quilting, life and the books she has written.
Bonnie’s favorite motto? “The Best Things in Life are Quilted!!” of course!
If you would like to learn more about Bonnie or peruse her workshop schedule, her website is filled to full with information and inspiration.
Bonnie has also written three books on quilting and she generously shares great tips and tricks and patterns for your next quilting projects.
1. Adventures in Leaders & Enders: Make More Quilts in Less Time,
2. Scraps & Shirttails: Reuse, Re-purpose, Recycle! The Art of "Quilting Green"
3. Scraps & Shirttails II
Bonnie, thanks for shopping at Mary Jo's and sharing your lovely story with us. Good luck with all of your Quilting endeavors. Although with all of your hard work and great planning, you do not need luck! Go girl!

Do you have a story or project to share, maybe a Halloween costume made with fabric from Mary Jo's? Please send us an email, we love to feature our very creative customers. You inspire us!

Happy Happy Day, Quilt Day That Is...

Quilting is a longtime tradition in our culture. Modern quilters are inspired by nature, colors, prints, patterns and history. If you are a quilter you can hardly pass a pile of fabric and not think what your big imagination and sweet skill set could create. We recently had a call for quilters, and we had a great response. To all of you who submitted, know that you will see your quilt in upcoming articles. Thank-you for sharing, we love to see what all of you amazing quilters are up to! However today we are going to feature an organization that is all about giving the quilts they create.
They are the non-profit organization called Bright Hopes.
Here is their story...
Deborah Fischer had a dream, Quilt Giving.
Deborah’s Story: My mother, Eileen, taught me to sew on her portable (like an elephant is portable) Kenmore sewing machine when I was young. I have always loved to make things. Anything. But sewing was always one of my favorites. I sewed dolls, clothes, bags, but never a quilt. My mother was the one who made the quilts. Back then she cut the patterns out of sand paper, traced around them on the fabric, added the seam allowance, and then cut the pieces out with scissors. In 2002, Deborah writes “I was fortunate enough to be accepted for a 3 month artist residency in Wisconsin. I brought a quilt with me that was made by my husband’s aunt for our wedding. I was living in a strange town, in a strange house, with other artists I didn’t know. Putting that quilt on the bed made it feel like home. After doing a lot of thinking on the 17 hour drive home, I asked my mother, “Hey Mom, do you want to make some quilts to donate?” If putting our wedding quilt on a bed in Wisconsin could make it feel like home, then: What would happen if we made quilts for people who had no permanent home at all? Maybe a bright, beautiful quilt could give them a piece of home, a sense of place, to carry with them wherever they go. And so it went. My mother asked the nicest people she could find to join us. No sewing experience necessary, they just needed to be nice. And, since I had never made a quilt before, I fumpfed around, bought some quilting fabric, figured out how to use a rotary cutter, and started making one-of-a-kind quilt kits to be assembled by our fabulous members.”

If you would like to learn more or be inspired to give to your community,click and go to BrightHopes.org there is no time like the present. Some folks need a little extra in these hard times. Gather up some friends and start a group of givers in your town or city. Your community and the recipient of your loving work will be most appreciative. Be the change you would like to see. It starts with YOU. Thanks to Deborah Fischer for being a most inspiring Quilter and member of our Quilting community.

Mary Jo's always has a great SALE selection and our regularly priced items are always less than other fabric stores. Top quality and in a store that is 32, 00 square feet. We have most everything you would want, log onto our website for great deals or stop into our store in the newly remodeled shopping center in Gastonia, North Carolina.
We would love to hear from you, what are you creating? Send us an email today and thanks in advance.

End of Summer Sale...

Summer is drawing to a close. The kids are going back to school and the older ones are heading off to college. What will you do with a bit more time on your hands? Well, at Mary Jo's we are celebrating a YOU moment. We have our everyday low prices on the stock quilting fabrics these can be found on the website at Fabrics, "The Main Floor". Yes, you could go to a "Quilt Store" but you will pay 2 or 3 dollars more per yard, depending upon the fabric you are purchasing. We do have all of the historic prints you have come to love as well as the popular lines by Marcus Fabrics and true beauties by popular designers. We also have over 100 items on our SALE page. Many are newly posted. We stock a wide variety of glittery sequins, brightly colored cottons, muted modern prints and some heavier fabrics that could become a new slipcover, table cloth or some really cool pillows. Take a minute and click on the "What's Hot", we have plenty of other choices all on sale.

Have a look at the Fabric section of the website, we are constantly updating and posting fabric online. We have all of your favorites and some you did not even know you could live without. The cool thing about online shopping is no driving, parking or gasoline costs and you can shop in your own home! We also have a button on the website "Ask Mary Jo". This is a special feature that lets you ask a question and know that you will typically receive an answer within 24 hours, Monday-Saturday. We are there to help you find what you need in the quantity and time frame that you need it. You can also call the store, someone is there Monday through Saturday to help you.

For all of you college parents & grandparents we have many of the University & State College fabrics available. How fun for your son or daughter to have a quilt, comforter, laundry sack or??? use your imagination even more special because it was made by someone who loves them. Certainly a much appreciated part of a care package.

The end of summer is also the start of Drama, Theatre, Ballet and other performing arts programs. We have all of the Glitter, Tulle, Velvet, Brocade, Animal Prints and shiny reflective fabric you will need for costumes and set design. Shop here first you will be happy you did.

We love our customers and we are here to help. Do you need something special ordered or some extra advice on how to do something? On the phone, in the store and on the web. Log on or stop by soon. We look forward to seeing and hearing from you. Do you have a project, story or an event to share? Please email us a few pics and the details, you could be the next blog story.

Thanks for shopping at Mary Jo's Cloth Store and enjoy the last few weeks of summer.

Steampunk Cool, Fabric Off The Rack & On The Wall...

Our Home Decor department is filled to full with incredibly beautiful and inexpensive fabric choices. Mary Jo's Cloth beats the prices of those "Chain Home Decor" shops. We have many of the patterns, weaves, weights and fabric manufacturers but here is the difference imagine paying 18-20 dollars per yard, instead of 38-45 dollars? The savings are substantial, the quality is top notch and the possibilities are endless. So if you are looking for some Drapery, Upholstery, Bedding, Pillow or Shade fabric, this collection is for you. Think of what you could do with the money you are going to save?

We are lucky to receive emails & photos of our customers imaginative creations. Just the other day our inbox had a clever project from a gal in Virginia.

"Hello!

How much financial and marital trouble would I be in if I lived in Charlotte? Being the crafty gal I am, I would say a LOT. Because I would live in Mary Jo's. So be very glad I'm a resident of Fredericksburg, Virginia as I'm sure no one would want to open up a store to find a squatter, no matter how charming the DIY tent was. Instead, I save my pennies for trips to see my parents so I can show up at Mary Jo's armed with a list and a ridiculous crafty vision that sometimes turns out to be something fabulous!Which brings me to my latest and greatest ridiculous scheme and wonderful Mary Jo's purchase. I thought I would share a few pictures. For three years we've been staring at a very large and empty wall in our living room trying to decide what the heck to do with it without spending a small fortune. Thanks so some AMAZING fabric I found in your fine establishment, my wall is no longer bare and my living room looks awesome. Well, at least I think it looks awesome which is great because I'm the one who lives here!

To read the how to and full story, one can check out my bloggy blog: anothercrafyday.

Thanks again for being so full of amazing prints. Mary Jo's is truly the place to find anything and everything and I can't wait to see you on my next trip!

--
Meghan A. Berney

Thanks Miss Meghan.
You must have so much fun with your creative home projects. Life is short, keep decorating and blogging!

Do you have a project to share? Quilts, Clothes, Costumes, Weddings, Parties, College Dorm Room or Home Decor? We would love to see what you are doing with all of your Mary Jo Cloth, please send us your projects. Happy Summer!