Our Blog Has Moved - Come Visit!

In case you wondered where we went . . . we have a NEW blog! Come visit us on our new web site at www.pacificfabrics.com, then click Blog in the menu on the left side of the page. Or CLICK HERE to go straight to the Blog. Be sure to sign up for the RSS feed, so you can keep up with all the latest. See you there!

~ Annette

We're On the Move!

Hey Blog Buddies,

We've been busily creating a new web site for you and are a bit behind on our blog posts! Our blog is moving to the new site and you will see our first 'new blog' post later today.

Here is the link for our new blog:  http://www.pacificfabrics.com/blog/ Click on over there, hit the 'Subscribe To Our Blog' Button at the top of the page, then watch for our posts beginning later today. That way you'll be able to keep up with anything new and interesting we want to talk about. And be sure to save the new blog link in your favorites, too!

Later on, we'll move some of our posts from this blog, so you can easily backtrack if you missed anything from the past.

Okay - get clicking! We'll be posting on Facebook and the new blog LIVE from the Sewing & Stitchery Expo next week, so I want you to be in on all the good scoop.

See you soon!
~ Annette

Put that Printer to Work! Personalize Your Projects With Printable Fabrics

I just got a little note from Cupid and guess what? Valentine's Day is coming! Those of us with crafty in our blood  can have fun printing our way into our loved ones hearts and I've got a few notes to help you decide which printable fabric you want to use. You'll find a variety of these fabric sheets in all our stores.

Hints First:
1. Printable fabrics generally come in packages containing 3- 5  pieces of 8-1/2" x 11" sheets ready for your home Ink Jet Printer.
2. Notice that I said Ink Jet, not Laser (they get too hot) or Photo Printer (they use the wrong kind of ink).
3. Before you do anything, read, yes, READ the instructions. These fabrics aren't hard to use, but why waste time guessing or messing it up when the package instructions are so great!

There are lots of different kinds! Let's start with one of my favorites, Avery's Stretchable Fabric Transfer Sheets designed to be used on cotton/poly blend sweatshirts and tees. Just right for personalizing a night shirt or tee for a special someone. I think it's so cool that you can make your picture stretchable!

We carry two different brands of Iron-On Fabric Sheets to make your own appliques or for a quick, no-sew project. You'll find June Tailor's Quick Fuse Fabric Sheets (shown) and Printed Treasures Iron-On Sheets to choose from. Both are 100% cotton with a fusible backing you can apply to just about anything. If you want a nice lightweight printed image, use the June Tailor and for a firmer finished product, use Printed Treasures.

If you want to sew your printed image to fabrics, we have two 100% Cotton choices for you there, too. Try fraying your printed picture around the edge, then stitching inside the fringe for a vintage look. You can, of course, turn the edges under or satin stitch around them, too. Again for lighter weight projects, choose June Tailor's Sew-In Colorfast Fabric Sheets (shown) and for a more substantial finish, choose Printed Treasures Sew-On Fabric Sheets.

And, suppose you want the kids involved and want to stay away from irons and sewing machines - you can do that, too! Printed Treasures Peel and Stick Fabric Sheets are the answer here. Kind of like making fabric 'stickers'. They'd be fun on valentines, pillows and tote bags. Plus, you're jump starting some creativity!

One of our newest printable products is June Tailor's Printable Fusible Web. Make your own applique patterns by printing the outline of your design right onto fusible web. Pretty cool stuff and there are tons of ways to use this! You can print images right from your computer, so alphabets are easy and if you want you can use a favorite image as the outline for fabric applique. We're really excited about this and we have June's awesome Printable Freezer Paper in our stores, too.

Now that you're printably educated, thanks to June Tailor, I have three projects for you to download! Top to bottom: Valentine Wall Hanging, Valentine Pillow & Valentine Gift Bags.

Enjoy! ~ Annette

Fluttering By - Butterfly Swirl & Phoebe - NEW in our stores

Click on the pictures to see a larger image, then click here to find the store nearest you.

Butterfly Swirl from Baum Fabrics is a lovely, modern, botanically inspired collection bursting with color. Looking for black and white? Look here. Love the pinks and brights showing up for Spring? Look for that here, too. We love this collection so much that we're putting together combos of flowers, butterflies, dots and zebra for our Sewing & Stitchery Expo booth aprons! I love the way this picture shows prints from the collection bursting forth above the row of bolts. Enjoy it now at all our stores (except Outlet on 4th), or look for it at our 2011 Sewing Expo booth!

Speaking of color - the Phoebe collection from In The Beginning Fabrics is ready to supply you with all you need! I love collections like this - there's a color and style for everyone and they all work so well together. This picture shows a few prints from the pink and blue colorways, but be sure to look for the red colorway, too, at all our stores.

And if you love In The Beginning Fabrics (and who doesn't?), plan to treat yourself to a visit with Sharon & Jason Yenter, the designing mother/son duo behind this fabulous locally owned company. The Yenters will be appearing at our Puyallup Store After Hours Party on Thursday, March 3rd after the Sewing Expo closes. We'll be making a very special announcement at that time, too - you'll love it! Stay tuned to our newsletter and web site or stop by our booth for the details. It's going to be great!

~ Annette

Kaleidoscope Surprise - a quilt you can learn to make

Three years ago, I attended the Outdoor Quilt Show in Sisters, OR and took a Kaleidoscope class from Judy Johnson. Judy lives in Central Oregon and is a math teacher who loves quilting. You can see Judy's Kaleidoscope quilt by clicking here. Recently, I discovered  that the ruler we carry in the Bellevue store for my Night and Day Quilt class was perfect for this Kaleidoscope project, too. 

When I want to finish a project, I just design a class around it. It's my little secret to getting my projects done! And, so my Kaleidoscope Surprise Quilt was born. I started with this wonderful seashore theme fabric which, unfortunately, sat in my sewing room too long and is no longer available in our store. My apologies, but I did want you to see what I started with. Don't worry - we have many, many other equally suitable fabrics in our stores!

I used lengths of the basic fabric and a couple of coordinates for my backing, so it's pretty, too. Currently, I have 5 fellow staff members who want to take the class, so I'm scheduling another class just for them. We've had some really interesting fabrics picked out for this quilt. I can't wait to see them! Right now we have an all blue Asian print, a second multicolor Asian print in maroons and golds (and a little lavender) and the vintage Chevy's. I REALLY can't wait to see that one!

And here is my quilt!!! My "regular" Kaleidoscope Surprise class is scheduled for March 18 & April 1. I left a week in between so that you could learn the basics of aligning the fabric and cutting and sewing the octagons the first week and continue with adding corners and layout on the second class. Sign up now - I expect the class to fill with "real" customers now that the sample is up at the Bellevue store!!

~ Alice

(Alice Schultz, an extraordinary quilter and all around nice person, works and teaches at our Bellevue Store.)

Choose Your Melody! Blue Skies or Rhapsody in Bloom - NEW in our stores!

Click on the pictures to see a larger image, then click here to find the store nearest you!

Blue Skies shining above, nothing but blue skies from now on.
Here's a collection so appealingly lovely, that I think the words of the old Willie Nelson song are decidedly apropos! Blue Skies from Fabri-Quilt has everything I look for in a collection. Beautiful colorways and gorgeous designs that blend together in an enchanting way. Quilts? Definitely! Clothing? For sure! Home Decor? Absolutely! Whatever you sew, Blue Skies are ahead for you! Available at all our stores except Outlet on 4th.

Is that a Gershwin tune I hear playing?
Rapturous bursts of rose bouquets grace this aptly named Maywood Fabrics collection. The charming rose buds and vibrant blossoms of Rhapsody in Bloom would be delightful stitched into a sweet baby dress or ultra-special nursery suite or wondrously romantic in lush curtains, pillows and quilts for the bedroom. Choose your passion and bloom! Available at our Everett, Bellevue, Northgate and Puyallup stores.

Choose your melody, plan your stitching, and enjoy!
~ Annette

Sewing & Stitchery Expo Tickets Are Here!

Here's an update you'll love - all of our stores now have Sewing & Stitchery Expo admission tickets for you to buy! They're just $10 per day if you purchase them before the show begins on March 3rd. At the Expo gate, tickets will be $12 per day, so get yours now!

An excited crowd of sewists at the Pacific Fabrics booth.

What's a Sewing & Stitchery Expo? Just the largest, most fabulous sewing show in the whole country! And, if you live in Western Washington, you'll be pleased to know that it's held at the Puyallup Fairgrounds. Practically right in your own back yard!

One of the 8:00 am entry lines on the first day of last year's Expo.

Do you live outside of Washington State? Don't let that stop you! Sewing enthusiasts come to the Sewing Expo each year from all over the USA and Canada. It's so fun to meet everyone and see what their wearing.

An embroidered jean leg seen at last year's Expo.

Click here to visit the Sewing & Stitchery Expo web site and see what it's all about. You'll be SEW glad you did!

After Hours Party guests making a free craft project at last year's party.

Right up the hill from the Fairgrounds, you'll find our famous After Hours Party on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights at our Puyallup store. It starts after the show closes and goes until 10:00pm, so that you can enjoy free cake, free make 'n takes, door prize drawings, special guests and sale prices.
By the way, on the Sewing & Stitchery Expo web site home page, the picture of someone tossing a fat quarter out into the crowd is from our booth last year, too. That's Pat, the Assistant Manager of our Everett store, and she's always a party. See, I told you it would be FUN!

See you there!
~ Annette