Crafty Mary Jo's & Special Shipping...

Are you a Crafter or a Scrapbooker? Whether you create wonderful items to sell on Etsy or make them for yourself and friends, we have what you need at unbeatable prices.
Pillows (embellished and plain) Dolls, Book Covers, Tote Bags, Zipper Pouches, Computer and Gadget covers or Vests?

Mary Jo's can be your "One Stop" Crafting headquarters. We have an entire department devoted to Trims. Sequins, Tassels, Buttons, Ribbons and much more. Remember, we have 32,000 sq ft, devoted to Cloth and Trims, for your sewing and Crafting pleasure! Later this month we will also be launching our newest edition, "A Sewing Center" with Sewing Machines, Sewing Cabinets and Sewing Classes. Many of our Beginner Sewing and Quilting Classes will be offered at NO charge! Yay.

We have been working really hard on expanding our Paisley and Ikat collections. These prints seem to be flying off the shelf! We also have yards and yards of SALE Fabric available online. We are posting on our website nearly everyday. The selection changes over rather quickly, so if you see something you would like to use, do not wait, especially in the SALE section on our website, it does not last for long.

If you are shopping online at maryjos.com, we have a shipping special. We are offering this deal for all of our online orders at a $7.99 flat rate. NO matter how large your order, your shipping price will be $7.99. The more you order, the better the deal. We have a vast selection of Fabrics and Trims on our website. Remember if you have questions, click and "ASK" Mary Jo. We will get back to you directly!

We are very interested in what you are selling online with fabric purchased at Mary Jo's. Send us the
web address of your Etsy Store and a few lines telling us what you do. We will pick the top entries and they will be part of an upcoming, Blog Article, "Mary Jo's and Etsy"!
So take the time and Email us TODAY!

Mary Jo's Wins Top Fabric Store Award...

Yes! Charlotte Magazine gives out the BOB (Best of the Best) awards every year. We were voted the Best Fabric Store for 2013! We are so excited. Mary Jo's works hard at giving folks, not only 32,000 sq.ft. of Fabric to choose from, but great selection and unbeatable prices. Our staff is comprised of people who love to sew. They love fabric and they love talking about it any chance they get. If you have ever been to our Store you know what I mean! Those gals really know their stuff.
Are you from away? Have you only shopped Mary Jo's online? Here is an idea, when you are planning your next getaway, a road trip or a shopping adventure, think about coming to Mary Jo's Cloth Store. We are a quick 20 minutes form Uptown Charlotte.
Did you know every year we host Tour busses filled with Quilting groups form all over America? You should see our Batiks and other Quilting fabric fly out the door!
Think about us, when you have any project that involves, Fabric, Trim and other notions. We really do have it all.
Remember we are opening our new Sewing Center. We will be offering Classes, Sewing Machines and Cabinets as well as a new line of Rowenta Irons, form Germany.
If you live too far to be able to come in, you can always log onto our website, maryjos.com. We offer a wonderful selection of Fabrics, for Quilters, Home Decor, Costumes, Weddings, Purses & Totes and most anything else you may be creating with fabric.
Yep, at Mary Jo's Cloth, we got it goin' on!
Looking forward to seeing all you all, sometime soon.

Thanks to YOU & Our NEW Sewing Center...

Before the Sewing Center news, we wanted to say Thank-YOU. Thanks for all of your notes, letters, thoughts and concerns over the New Sewing Center at Mary Jo's Cloth Store. We rely upon YOU to help us create the kind of store that truly has exactly what you are looking for most every day, in the store and online. So, a big thanks to

all of you who responded!
 Gosh, we have big news. As you may have heard we are working on getting our new Sewing Center up and running. We are stocking Baby Lock Sewing Machines and we even have several styles of sewing cabinets to choose from. We will also, by popular demand be carrying Rowenta Irons, the ones made in Germany, per your recommendations.

Also, hold on, we will be offering Sewing Classes! Basic to very Advanced. We are working on our full schedule of classes at this time, we will be posting our entire schedule within a few weeks. Our first classes Basic Sewing and Basic Quilting will start in May, we are offering these classes at NO Charge! Do you know someone who would love to learn to sew? On May 13th, 3:30-6:00, we will be offering Sewing 101 which is our Basic Sewing Class. This Class will run for four consecutive weeks. Our Basic Quilting Class will be held May 23rd, 1:00-4:00 and will run for four consecutive weeks. Each class has a size limit of 12 participants, so make sure you get on the list for these FREE Classes. Email Miss Lynn today to get in, on these classes!
Lastly, We are looking for instructors for the sewing Center. From Basic to Applique, Specialty Quilting and Costume making. The list is as long as your talents. Email your resume today to Miss Lynn, she is waiting to hear from YOU!
Fabric Department: Today we are featuring The Home Decor Department on our Website and in the Store. Are you the kind of person who loves how things are trending in Home Design? Do you read the latest Home Design Magazines? Some of the hottest looks in Pillows, Curtains and Throws are Ikat, Woven Linens, and almost anything with the dyed Hombre color schematic. The look of cool tamped down shades of Blues and Greys with dashes of Greens and splashes of Red are showing up in home stores and magazines. A very interesting color palette, modern but with a nod to the past. Designers are also mixing old with new. A continuing trend is to find antique and interesting chairs and recover them with an interesting Ikat or rich Velvet. A two page article on Sofas in the current issue of House Beautiful tells the story best. Cover your couches in neutral colors, Greys, Blues, Browns and Taupes, then punch it up with some colorful and patterned Pillows. Are you a lover of some of the new Paisley's or Bold Florals? Wow, do we have some fun choices, click to see a collection on our Pinterest page. We also have bolts and bolts of heavy duty, wonderful textures and woven tone on tone patterns waiting for you to discover. A new look for your Sofa is only 10 yards away! Log onto maryjos.com or pop into the Store. You will not be disappointed, only delighted.



Happy Sewing!

Irons and the New Sewing Center...

Irons. Remember we asked you to weigh in the brand of Iron we should be carrying? 9 out of 10 of our customers who responded said the would like us to carry Rowenta Irons. But only if they were manufactured in Germany. You liked the big Steam and turn off feature and the fact that a Rowenta Iron that is made in Germany is the premiere Iron for that company. So we thought you would want to know that your opinion matters. Thanks for weighing in. We are also thinking of carrying Baby Lock Irons as well.
The fabric featured in this article can be purchased on our website. You can view and click to buy on our  Mary Jo's Pinterest Page.

We have been working very hard to pull our new "Sewing Center" together. We will be featuring state of the ART, Baby Lock Sewing Machines. Once you have tried a Baby Lock, be careful, you may just never own another brand again! We will be featuring these machines in our New Sewing Room, where we will be teaching all kinds of Classes. From beginner to advanced. The list of classes will be released in the next few weeks, so you will have plenty of time to sign up. We will keep you posted. If you are a maryjos.com customer and have never been to our store this will be a fun incentive for you. Think of it as a "Sewing Getaway" to Mary Jo's Cloth Store where you will see our 32,000 feet of Fabric in person! You will have one heck of a good time, that we can promise.

Does your Sewing/Quilting Guild hire a bus and take field trips? Consider talking to your group and signing up for special technique classes in the "New Sewing Center" Your Group or Guild could sure have some fun! Most everyone loves coming to Mary Jo's Sewing Mecca.

Have you been thinking of a new spring project? Now is the time. We have truckloads of amazing fabric at truly unbeatable prices. Log onto www.maryjos.com today or stop into the store. We are looking forward to helping you in anyway we can! Remember to check out our  Special SALE Page. Today we have over 187 items listed.Log on and start saving now.

We are still offering a 5% discount on all orders and 7.99 shipping.

We Need Your FEEDBACK...

A few important things. We need to know about Irons, which brand is your favorite and why?
We will be carrying them along side our Sewing Machines. We know how important a great iron can be. So do not hesitate, send us an email, with your opinion today! We cannot wait to see what Iron is rated the best, by you, our Mary Jo's Cloth family. We thank you in advance.

Also remember that for the next short while we are offering 5% off All ONLINE Orders and $7.99 shipping. WOW. You could save some money, shop early and often, as we are always adding new stock to our website. Do not forget to check the SALE Page and the Seasonal Specials. You will be happy that you did. www.maryjos.com

In just a few weeks we will be carrying Sewing Machines in the Store! We also will be hosting a wide range of Sewing Classes. From begining to very advanced.
The Sewing Machine brand we will be stocking is Baby Lock. They have a wide range of options and are easy to use.Here is what the company has to say about Baby Lock.
"At Baby Lock we understand that every sewing enthusiast is different. That's why we have a wide selection of innovative sewing machines to choose from. Whether you prefer to sew garments or home decor items, you'll find a Baby Lock machine to help your creativity shine. Plus, Baby Lock sewing machines are so versatile, that many also have built-in embroidery designs and specialty stitches perfect for quilting, too!"
We are so excited to be a Retailer for these oh so sweet, Baby Lock Sewing Machines!

Do you have a project to share? Send it in today! You could be our next article. Home Decor?  Quilting, Costuming, Party Dresses, Upholstery? Send us  your Photos and links to your websites.

New Pinterest Postings. More of the new HGTV line of Fabric by Waverly. Very cool, Great colors and patterns, you are going to love it!

Shop ONLINE & Save Some Cash...

Save 5% on ALL Online orders + 7.99 Shipping!

So this is today's big news! You can save some cash if you shop online at Maryjos.com. We have been posting many new lines of Fabric.

Our Home Decor has some wonderful heavyweight Ikat and Paisley patterns, just right for some big pillows or recovering a chair. You can freshen up the look of a room in just a few hours.

All the while, saving big money. Now is the time to stock up. 5% and 7.99 shipping, any size order. Go ahead, fill your cupboards with your favorite fabrics, at a savings that just cannot be beat.

Quilters, are you busy with projects and need just the right Batiks to fill out your patterns. We are always on the look out for new colors and designs in the Batik fabric line. We have a super selection, click onto Pinterest to check out a few new top picks.
Also we are now carrying a collection of the new HGTV Line of fabric by Waverly. If you would like to see the entire collection, log onto maryjos.com and type HGTV into the search box in the  upper right corner of the webpage. Easy, you will be inspired.

The last bit of news... We will be opening our Sewing Machine Department and Classroom soon. Stay tuned for a list of classes. We are very excited for this big change. We will have classes for all skill levels. This is going to be fun. We will keep you posted on new developments.

Have you "Liked" us on Facebook? Please do, then you can be in the Mary Jo's Cloth Store loop!
Also do you have a recent Home Decor Project you would like to share? We will be doing a few articles this Spring about Curtains/Drapes, Pillows, Tablecloths and Re-upholstering Chairs. You could be the featured Project!  Email some photos of  your Project, made with Mary Jo's Cloth today.

Ombre Hand Dyed Quilts...

Today we are sharing a "Preview" of Fabric line that will soon be in the store and at maryjos.com . (We will keep you posted) "Ombre Hand Dyes". You are going to be delighted with the possibilities of this new line. Marcus Fabric Company has always been on the cutting edge of design trends. The variations of color in this fabric are beautiful and painterly. They have always been on the cutting edge of design trends. The variations of color in this fabric are beautiful and painterly.

Ombre effects continue in popularity across all style categories, either used as they are, or creatively cut and re-pieced. These gorgeous hand-dyed batiks are mirror-imaged across the width, with deeper shades at both selvages, gradually tapering toward the lightest tint at the center.

PLEASE NOTE: The variations in color and occasional dye spots are inherent in the fabric. These should not be considered as flaws; instead, they give the fabric its unique quality. In addition, the Ombre Hand-Dye Strip-It bundles are hand-cut and may vary slightly in width. Our three easy projects are designed for creativity, and very accommodating for any slight variations. Log onto Maryjos.com to see our newest line of Ombre, Hand Dyes. Fantastic and beautiful.
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A STITCH OF A DEAL!

WE ARE OFFERING A 5% DISCOUNT
ON FABRIC AND NOTIONS ORDERS!

$7.99 SHIPPING FOR GROUND ORDERS SENT
WITHIN THE CONTINENTAL US
PLACED ON OUR WEBSITE

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For a PDF version of this project with photos, click on this LINK.
Ombre Hand Dyes Quilt
Fabric Requirements
Finished quilt size: 45” x 55½”
One Ombre Strip Roll #ST02
½ yard binding fabric (quilt shown uses Centennial Solid, Blue Coal #2214)
3 yards backing fabric (quilt shown uses Centennial Solid, Orchid #0042)
Supplies
Neutral thread in tan or grey
Spray Starch or Sizing
Ruler with 30 and/or 60 degree marking
Sewing
1. Randomly sew together four of the 2 ½” strips. Press seams in one direction.
Starch and repress. This will help to stabilize your strip sets and minimize stretching
of the bias edges. Repeat for a total of 10.

2. On your ruler, locate the 30/60 degree line. On some rulers it is marked as 30
degrees, on others it is marked as 60 degrees. It is the same angle, so as long as
your ruler has one or the other, you will be able to cut the triangles needed to make
this quilt. Align the 30/60 degree line on your ruler with the left edge of a strip set. Cut.
3. Shift the ruler so that the 30/60 degree line is aligned with the right edge of the strip
set and the ruler intersects the cut angle on the left. Cut.
4. Pivot the ruler so that the 30/60 degree line is aligned with the left edge or the strip
set and the ruler intersects the cut angle on the right. Cut. Continue cutting triangles
in this manner until you have a total of 78 triangles.

5. Layout the triangles in six vertical columns of 13 each. Don't over think placement.

6. Sew together triangles in vertical columns; then sew together the columns, matching intersections.
7. Press well, re-starching if desired.
8. Trim top and bottom of quilt.
9. Stay stitch around edge of quilt to minimize stretching.
Finishing
1. Cut backing into two equal lengths. Sew a 1”seam along the selvedge edge.
Trim off selvedges and press seam open.
2. Layer top, batting, and backing. Quilt in an all-over pattern. Note: quilt shown
was quilted with a variegated thread.
3. Cut fabric for binding into six 2 ¼”-wide strips. Sew together end-to-end and
press in half. Bind quilt. Note: in the quilt shown, extra
bits of leftover strip sets were cut into 2 ¼”-wide strips and randomly sewn into the binding strips.
Who can bear wasting any of the gorgeous fabric!

Do you have a Quilt or other Sewing Project made with Mary Jo's Cloth you would like to share with us? There is no time like the present, send us an email today, we always love to see what you are up too!