Retro Pricing Plan!

Soooo....the economy sucks. We've all heard this a million times over. And we're all sick of hearing about it. And while the economy keeps going down, down, down the price of cotton keeps going up, up, up. The average price of fabric is now $10.50 - $11.00 per yard! Kind of annoying, huh? So we've decided to create the Retro Pricing Plan and apply it to every single fabric in the shop. Older collections. Brand new collections. Japanese imports. Everything.
What's the Retro Pricing Plan, you ask? Well, we miss the days when quilting fabric was $9 per yard or less. I know it wasn't that long ago (maybe two years) and that it's not really "Retro" but I just thought it sounded cute! And I think it will get the point across. I hope it does......
But we decided to go even a little lower than the "old fashioned" $9 per yard. Every single fabric in the shop is now $8.75 per yard or less. If you find a fabric that is more than $8.75 per yard please let me know.....It just means I missed that one when I was lowering all the prices. And if I can have a moment of radical honesty here let me tell ya something.....it was a HUGE undertaking to do this. It took just a wee bit longer than I thought it would! And by "wee bit longer" I mean that I thought I would be making this announcement in November or December!
And I should also mention that this is a semi-permanent price change. This isn't going to last for just a few days or weeks or months. I plan on keeping this around until the economy starts getting better. And then I'll slooooowwwlllly start raising prices back up. No sudden or big jumps here.
And what are all these pretty fabric photos, you ask? Well, one reason they're there is because I think a blog post with no photos is boring. But the more important reason they're there is because these are the new collections that have been pouring into the shop during the last two weeks. In order of appearance (on this blog post) they are: Fly A Kite, Breeze, Backyard Baby and Lush. And yes, they're all $8.75 per yard.

O.K. I'm going to stop talking about this now. I hate talking about businessy stuff in the blog. And I hate sounding sales-pitchy on the blog. But I just had to take a moment to let you all know the great news.

Soooo, Happy Sewing and Happy Shopping,
Jenny

Flower Sugar

Everyone....this is Flower Sugar. Flower Sugar.....I'd like to introduce you to everyone!

Huge boxes from Japan arrived last week full of these gorgeous fabrics by Lecien. Unfortunately, at the time I was still too sick to open them so they just sat there....and sat there.....and sat there. I was staring at them and they were staring right back at me. Finally I couldn't take it anymore and dragged myself off the sofa to dig into those boxes full of fabric that were calling my name! It was love at first sight!!! Oh Flower Sugar.....where have you been my whole life???
Each bolt I pulled out seemed to be prettier than the last. But I'm really, really, reallllllyyyyy fond of the Polka Dot Roses in Green.....
And Polka Dot Roses in Pink. You know I love anything pink!!!
And as I was cutting the Fat Quarter Bundles my mind kept wandering away.....In my mind this is the story of these fabrics.....I've just walked into a beautiful seaside cottage that I'm renting for the summer and it has white beadboard walls, wood floors and French doors opening out onto a huge porch overlooking the ocean. There's a pitcher of pink lemonade and seashells on the table and a beautiful vintage quilt made with these fabrics is draped over the sofa. And I think I should be wearing a sundress made with one of the Polka Dot Rose fabrics that I love so much, right? Are you still with me? Or has my mind wandered too far yet again???
Anyway.....back to reality now. The most important point I'm trying to make here is that we now have the entire Flower Sugar Collection in the shop! I hope you love it! And I hope it makes your mind wander to a happy place too!

Happy Sewing,
Jenny

Hello Ruby!

Everyone.....I'd like you to meet Ruby. Ruby....this is everyone.....
This gorgeous collection by Bonnie & Camille for Moda Fabrics arrived last night. I was so excited that I dragged John into the fabric room to show him the fabrics and point out which ones were my favorites. And then I asked him which ones he liked the best.....and he actually gave me an answer! But shhhh.....don't tell the other fighter pilots that he did this. It might get him in trouble! Anyway, these are John's favorites....
He liked the Aqua Sublime and the Ruby Swoon because he thought they looked very Hawaiian. And he liked the Grey Dots because they're very classy.

And here are my favorites.....
I plan on using the Grey Sublime, Grey Quirky and Ruby Sundae to make this Short & Sassy Handbag (grey floral on the bottom, grey swirl will be the band at the top and the red scallop stripe will be the ruffle, button and straps).....
How cute will that be???!!! The pattern for that bag should be arriving in the shop very soon along with some of her pattern friends. I'll obviously let you know when she arrives.
Sooooo.....which ones are your favorites and what masterpieces are you planning on making with Ruby???

Happy Sewing,
Jenny

Memory Lane

Preppy Plaids by Moda have arrived and they are sending me on a long trip down memory lane.....and making me long for a "real" autumn and winter that we just don't get in Florida!
Whenever I look at these they make me think of college days in Ohio and falling leaves and caramel apples and bonfires and snuggling up by fires on chilly winter nights and sipping hot cocoa....basically I'm completely warm, cozy and nostalgic when I look at them.
The first time I saw them I was immediately reminded of a pair of plaid, flannel pajama pants from J. Crew that I LIVED in during my freshman year of college. They had a different plaid on the front and back of each leg and they looked sort of like this....
Do you know the pants that I'm talking about? Did you have a pair too? I think I might need to re-create those pajama pants as a Christmas present to myself! And maybe I should make a pair for John too so we can look like matching fools!

Then I was reminded of a Christmas dress that I made for myself in the 6th grade using a fabric that looked just like this Navy Plaid......
It had a drop waist, a knee length pleated skirt, poofy long sleeves and a cream, bib style collar. It was the height of fashion at the time and I was the envy of all the girls at school!

Do these plaids bring back any happy memories for you? What are you thinking about making with them? And are you loving the fall weather as much as I am???!!!

Happy Sewing,
Jenny

P.S. These fabrics are brushed cotton. They feel like a cross between quilting cotton and flannel. You could think of them as being like a lightweight flannel. Soft and slightly fuzzy but not too heavy.