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.

State Fairs, Blue Ribbons and Quilting...

Our Mary Jo Cloth friends on facebook have been sewing up a storm!We recently put a call out for your sewing projects and have received many beautiful photos and descriptions of these labors of love. The stories are always wonderful. Thanks so much.

Today we are featuring Lisa Bryson, she has some award winning talent.
Read on...
What I have been up too lately....

I live in Statesville, NC and our county fair is always the first weekend in September. Three years ago I was working on my very first full size quilt and was encouraged by coworkers to enter it in the fair for judging. I had to rush to finish it in time by Sunday, 5pm deadline to enter. ( I got there at 4:15) I had no idea which category to enter it in and the older lady working there said it was a "pieced" quilt . So that is where it went. I could hardly wait until the following Tuesday to see if I had placed and won a ribbon. I DID! I won a first place blue ribbon! I was so excited you would have thought I just won the lottery.

Well that got me hooked! I've entered several quilts and craft projects since then.
This year I enter a mini quilt from the book, "The Underground Railroad" by Eleanor Burns. It was done in Civil War Fabrics with six inch blocks and sashing. The finished size was about 22" square.
I received a blue ribbon on that! I was rather proud of this one.

One of my other entry's was a batik wall hanging that hangs in my office at work. I received a blue ribbon as well! You may have seen this back in January as it was featured on Mary Jos blog "A Snowstorm, A Quilt and A Lasting Love"

My husband asked me the other day while I was sewing... "Are you having fun?" Heck yea! To be able to sew something I enjoy making and then getting paid for it! Who wouldn't be having fun!

Lisa Bryson
aka www.QuiltingKrazy.blogspot.com
Statesville, NC 28677


Wow, Lisa you are some kind of special with all of your Blue Ribbons! Congratulations from all of us at Mary Jo's Cloth. Keep us posted on your projects.
Dear readers, do you have a project you would like to share? Now is the time, send an email today. We can't wait to hear from you.

Above and Beyond, Read All About It...

We thought we would share the perfect example of how Mary Jo's Cloth Store is not only a place to buy fabric, for incredible prices but that we also go "above and beyond". It warms our hearts that we have made such a big difference. Remember fellow sewing friends, at Mary Jo's we all are passionate about sewing, so talking and giving advice is a pleasure. If you cannot make it to the store, log onto www.maryjos.com and click the "Ask Mary Jo" button and someone will get back to you as soon as possible. Lisa Ramsey Burgess sent in this sweet story and the happy ending she shared with her daughter, the Bride!
Having only sewn small projects such as sun dresses for my girls as children, a few window treatments and baby quilts I am by no means a seamstress, but when we found the perfect dress for my daughter Holly’s beach wedding I quickly became one. The dress, a vintage Grecian style was about 3 inches too short for my daughters 5'6" frame. Having grown up in Dallas with a mother who has sewn numerous wedding gowns for family and friends and whose eye sight and nimble fingers have given way to age, I knew a trip to Mary Jo's was in our near future. In the bridal and finer fabrics department I was greeted by Melanie, one of a set of twins who works for Mary Jo's. I had brought the dress along and explained our dilemma and she quickly set out to ease all my worries. Taking a small piece of brown craft paper form her table she drew and cut out a small version of the skirt I needed to make. With all the calculations done, fabric selected and measured, and with Melanie’s assurance that I “could do this” I was off to my second hand machine to begin a frightening task. I must admit the scariest part was taking apart the dress whose skirt had a total of five layers. Melanie had shown me how to use the original skirt as a pattern and how to add the needed inches. In no time the new pieces were ready to be sewn together and reattached to the dress top. Boy was I nervous, I called on my Mom for some encouraging words and after saying a prayer I begin to pin and hand stitch the layers and then one by one my machine stitches were in place with the final stitch attaching the new skirt to the top in less than a few hours. WOW! I impressed my self, it was amazing. If you did not know the skirt was original you would have no idea that it had been changed out. My daughter was thrilled, and so was I. I could not have done this for my daughter with out the help of Melanie, I can tell you numerous times over the years where the wonderful folks at Mary Jo’s have answered questions for my mother and I and have always gone above and beyond your typical customer service to assist in our projects. Thank you so much for your continued service and sewn on.
Lisa Ramsey Burgess, Dallas NC

So happy we could help, Lisa. In the store or online at Mary Jo's we can assist you with sage advice and steer you to the fabric that is just right or even help you to try and find those items you just can't find anywhere else. Thanks for shopping with us we appreciate your business.

Do you have a Mary Jo Cloth story to share? No time like the present, send us an email today. We look forward to hearing from you.

Calico, What's Old Is New...

Calico, we associate this style of printed fabric from the time of the Civil War and Pioneers heading West. Did you know this style of cloth was actually created in India in the 12th Century. Yes, this versatile and homey cloth has been around for eons. Let's fast forward to the Calico's of today. The biggest change is the dyes that are used and the machines that create this very special cloth! At Mary Jo's Cloth Store we carry many manufacturer's styles of Calico. In colors that range from the Historical Series of the Civil War to the modern bright and interesting color combination's that meet the needs of today's busier lifestyle. Some Calico's are treated to be Permanent Press or even Stain Resistant. Calico's are always a classic choice for Quilts, linings of Handbags and Shopping Totes, sweet summer dresses, Napkins, Tablecloths and even informal breezy curtains. Calico's come in a range of amazing colors and prints. We have AISLES of this style. Oh and just an aside, did you know much of the fabric used in several movies including The Patriot & Cold Mountain were purchased at Mary Jo's Cloth Store? The Costumers found most of the historic fabrics they needed for these movies that were set in the Revolutionary War and the Civil War Era's.

Take a moment and check out our vast selection of Calico's online at maryjos.com or stop by the store for a real WOW moment. Many Calico's have seasonal color combination's. Autumn is particularly stunning, with rich Russets, brilliant Blues, Butternut Golds and the ever present lush Olive Greens. It is truly easy to be inspired by this humble fabric print called, Calico.

Do you have a story or Project to share? We are always interested in you, our sewing community and what you are doing wit the 1.25 million yards of fabric you bought in 2009. Send an email today. We appreciate the effort.