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 Dear Netfah, What is corduroy material and how do I determine its wale?-Heather, Chicago Il Dear Heather, The long, parallel cords formed by the twisting and weaving of fabric fibers creates the corduroy pattern that is synonymous with the durable and lasting material itself. The thickness of the cords, known as the 'wale' of the corduroy, adds warmth and texture to the fabric, making it popular for use in winter garments and upholstery. The width of the 'wale' often determines what kind of project the corduroy is best suited for. For instance, corduroy with a narrow wale is usually softer to the touch, less durable, and often used for shirts. Corduroy with a wide wale is usually used for making heavier pants and furniture upholstery. When it comes down to the wale count per inch, there are usually three categories they fall under; the classic wide wale, lightweight and velvety pin wale, and the ultra fine micro wale. The width of the cord usually carries a thickness of 1.5 to 21. The lower the 'wale' number per inch, the thicker the width of the wale (i.e. an 8-wale is much thicker than a 21-wale corduroy fabric). While images of corduroy fabric usually conjure up memories of scratchy material with a stiff hand, the corduroy selection of today is anything but. Now that you have a little more information on this versatile fabric, have fun shopping!Check out J&O Fabrics great corduroy fabric here! Check out J&O Fabrics dress fabric here! Check out J&O Fabrics warm wool fabric here! **Send in your Ask Netfah questions to info@fandofabrics.com** We'd love to hear from you! Posts by J&O Fabrics StoreLabels: corduroy, corduroy fabric, corduroy wales, frugal, frugil, wales
 January 20, 2009 will go down in U.S. fashion history not only as the day the first African-American stood before millions to take his official oath of office at the 44th President of the United States, but also as the day his wife, First Lady Michelle Obama, took her silent and UN-official oath to represent savvy diva style for all the smart, elegant, feminine, yet powerful women of the seasoned bunch. If you were brave enough to weather the cold and stand in the melting pot of many to catch a firsthand glimpse of the Inauguration ceremonies and celebrations, then you probably couldn't help but be taken back to the days of the Kennedy's and the fashions inspired by then First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy. Donned in a simple yet sophisticated lemongrass sheath made of Swiss wool with an overlay of lace, Michelle was a symbol of warmth and optimism as she took her rightful place beside her man. Backed with netting for warmth, and lined with pashmina and french silk, the First Lady appeared stylishly comfortable and confident despite the biting cold and arduous schedule of events of the day. Later that night at the Neighbor's Ball, Michelle would be swept off her feet by her knight in shining armor as the two affectionate lovebirds joined hands on the dance floor to Beyonce's "At Last". Draped in an ivory colored one shoulder floor length Jason Wu original made with silk chiffon and embellished with hundreds of Swarovski crystals and fabric petals, the First Lady reflected purity and hope as the majority of Americans watched this time, not from the wintery streets of Washington D.C., but from the comforts of their living rooms, bar stools, churches and gathering places; all in support of the handsome White House couple on their monitors and TV screens. To create your own elegant look, search no further than J&O Fabrics. With hundreds of dress fabrics to choose from and a plethora of designs to express the uniqueness that is you, J&O Fabrics is your #1 source for the perfect fabric to bring out the beautiful Lady in you!  Check out our silk chiffon here! Labels: 44th president, barack obama, frugal, frugil, inaugural ball fashion, jason wu, lace, michelle obama, michelle obama fashion, pashima, silk chiffon, swiss wool
Hailed as one of the most sought after contemporary artists in Britain today, designer Faye Whitaker just can’t help but take us back to an age of innocence and sweet surrender with her Friendship by the Sea line of designs for Elizabeth’s Studio. From the moment you rest your weary eyes upon her works of seaside inspired art, the stress lines and worry wrinkles of a life far too hectic, start to quietly fade away. You are instantly transported back the days of your youth, where sunsets seemed never ending, and the ocean would sing you her sweet lullaby until the sandman swept you gently away. Born just north of England and equipped with her own distinctive palette of colors along with a romantic eye that never lost sight of the age of antiquity, Faye brings her interpretations to life here in her design for Elizabeth’s Studio simply called ‘Friendship Beach’. With her watercolor medium and contemporary style, we watch as little children float handcrafted toy sailboats, splash playfully in the cool waters, and dream of visiting the place where the big blue sea meets the orange colored horizon. Printed against a sky blue canvas on a soft 100% cotton fabric, ‘Friendship Beach’ carries with it not only a 15 ¾”h x 7 ¾” v repeat, but all the internal peace and tranquility one could dream of in the days of innocence and youth. For all the reasons I child’s mind can see, Faye Whitaker’s ‘Friendship Beach’ is our pick for the fabric award of the week.  Posts by J&O Fabrics StoreLabels: beach, childhood, college cotton, fabric of the week award, fabric tradtions, faye whitaker, friendship by the sea, frugal, frugil, innocence, J and O Fabrics welcomes Canada customers, jo fabrics
 With stocks loosing value, rising food costs, a recession that doesn’t seem to be leaving us any time soon, and an added $700 billion dollars in additional National debt that those most in need will never see, some are finding it hard to find reason to celebrate this New Year’s Eve. On the flip side, many Americans are looking forward with hopeful anticipation to the possibilities 2009 and a new U.S. President can bring. Here at J&O, our customers are part of the optimistic bunch that have decided to use  their artistic gifts to create the future they want to see; not only in the world around them, but with the crafts and designs they carefully form in their minds and manifest with their hands. Beautiful works of art in the form of garments, quilts, window dressings and more pour out of their living rooms, small workshops and kitchen countertops and into the welcoming hands of thankful receivers. Visions of love and life, dreams of world peace and joyful rebellion, found in between the repeat of a colorful novelty print or within the intricate designs of an inspirational tapestry; a mixture of creativity and fabulous fabric right here inside these four walls of our magical enclave. 
So asthat big hand on our clocks makes it’s way around for one last time to signify the end of 08’ and the beginning of 09’, let’s turn our stumbling blocks into stepping stones, our obstacles into opportunities, and throw up our party hats and balloons in honor of another year gone by. You’re still here, and that’s reason alone to celebrate. So let the party begin!
Check out our great selection of celebration fabric here! Check our our selection of novelty fabric here! Check out our fabulous selection of other holiday fabric here!
Posts by J&O Fabrics StoreLabels: balloon fabric, frugal, frugil, new year, new years day, new years eve, new years eve celebration, party hats, Party-Fabric
 2008 began a whole new cycle according to the Chinese Astrological Calendar. It was the year and the time for planting the seeds for the next twelve years, assessing our dreams and goals, and asking ourselves some really hard questions about what we want and who we want it with. The year of the Rat required us to look ourselves in the mirror, breathe a deep breath, and take those calculated steps forward without looking back. And that we did. In 2008 Michael Phelps stepped up to the podium at the Olympics in Beijing and received his eight record winning medals with a smile of accomplishment and pride only a few months before governor Barack Obama ascended the stage before millions of viewers worldwide and became the first African American president elect of the United States in what many would call a monumentous event marking not only a shift in the consciousness of Americans from various ethnic and economic backgrounds, but in the future generation as well. Auto drivers across America saw an increase in gasoline prices that reached some of the highest in history topping out at almost $5.00 per gallon, while stocks dropped to some of their lowest points as individuals and families fought to make their way through an increasing economic recession, wondering when they would get their $700 billion dollar bailout from Bush. As global warming and sustainable resource issues found their way into the conversations of both the young Gen X crew and the older Baby Boomers of the 40’s and 50’s, India set a world record by sending ten satellites into orbit in a single launch, and frozen water was found on Mars. But as 2008 comes to a close and 2009 welcomes in the opportunity to meet our challenges with fear that will destroy mother Earth and her people, or with love that will ultimately cleanse the planet of all negative influences and help us to make the kind of choices that will bring us peace and joy, Americans contemplate their choices with a little more thought. 2009 is the year of the Ox and in that year; babies will be born possessing great leadership qualities including patience, strength, and organizational skills. Those who have been quiet in the past will now feel the urge to speak and they will have profound things to say. Visionaries will be the ne w celebrities and we will welcome their messages of faith and hope for the future. As we remember our brothers and sisters who left legacies behind in 2008, memorable names like South African songstress Mariam Makeba, Swiss explorer Jacques Piccard, comedian Bernie Mac, Chess Grandmaster Bobbie Fisher, and French Fashion Designer extraordinaire Yves Saint Laurent forever remain in our minds as reminders of the power of one. Uniting mankind together to learn about the true meaning of what it means to be human and part of a universal collective for the good of all will be our true test if we are willing to look ourselves in the mirror, breathe a deep  breath, and take those calculated steps forward without looking back. I know we can do it, just as we did. From all of us, to all of you, keep believing, keep creating, and keep moving forward. The dream of tomorrow is worth it.  Check out our new fabric prints for 2009 here!
Check out our great celebration fabric here!
Posts by J&O Fabrics StoreLabels: 2009, americans, barack obama, celebration fabric, economy, frugal, frugil, george bush, michael phelps, new year, new years eve, president bush, president obama, recession
 With Christmas less than a few days away and Kwanzaa soon following, why not pull on your creative juices and save a little money at the same time with great fabric gift wrappings and bows? For most crafters and designers alike, fabric scraps from botched projects, incomplete projects, and projects with more fabric left over than used, often times accumulate into colorful mountains of textured material eagerly waiting to be recycled and put to good use. Many times the end result is a funky reconstructed shirt, festively trimmed greeting card, or cute little fabricated doll for the holidays. But what about using that beautiful fabric as an inexpensive and easy substitute for actual store bought wrapping paper for use during the holidays and any special occasion. Since fabric can be cut to size just like regular paper, wrapping a gift box in your child’s favorite Disney character or your wife’s favorite material is a great say I love you with an added flair! From Dora and Sesame Street prints, to brocade dress fabrics and Pima dot cottons, the perfect fabric wrap for that special someone is right under your nose. With the added benefit that recycling your fabrics can bring to our ecosystem and in turn, humankind itself, this single craft idea alone contains one of the greatest gifts you can give our planet. That same fabric you used to wrap a gift for your sister is the same fabric that she will use to make a patch for her son’s pants, and the same print her husband will transform into sellable bookmarks for the holiday. It’s the gift that just keeps on giving. To start utilizing your fabric scraps to their fullest, the following instructions are helpful. In as little as 1-2-3, your fun and fabulous fabric wrapping will be garnishing dull shirt boxes in no time. Well, what are you waiting for? Christmas is almost here! Supplies · pinking sheers · fabric scraps · ribbons, twine Instructions Lay your scrap fabric out on a flat surface. Place the gift in the center of your scrap fabric and check the fit to see if you have enough to cover all the sides once cut. Leave about a 1-2” surplus for complete coverage. Fold the corners and sides up together to get a visual measurement then cut your fabric accordingly using your pinking shears to create a nice decorative edge. Wrap the gift box with the fabric. Secure it closed with scrap fabric ribbons, twine, or fabric tape. 
Check out our great selection of Holiday fabric here! Check out our large selection of novelty cotton fabric here!
Posts by J&O Fabrics StoreLabels: back to school crafts, christmas crafts, christmas presents, consumer savvy carol, frugal, frugil, frugile, holiday crafts, holiday fabric, holiday fabric crafts, special occasions
 At J&O Fabrics, we are constantly meeting customers much like yourself, who have tapped into their fabulous inner wells of creativity and manifested their unique imaginings into beautiful works of art. From cute and lovable cloth dolls made and sold mostly at craft festivals, to intricate hand-made bags made and purchased by high society elites, our customers are some of the best originators and designers around.
For instance, take Mary and Marie, better known by the staff at J&O Fabrics as simply M & M. These two lively and lovely 'seasoned' women have been tapping into their creative feminine juices for many years now, and have no intention of stopping. Creating cute and fun crafts as a way of nurturing their Goddess given talents and fulfilling their philanthropic side is what feeds their spirit. And of course our selection of diverse and funky fabrics found within the walls of our brick and mortar might have a little something to do with their source of inspiration as well. Novelty prints, calico, African fabrics....each visit they make is fun for us all, and the little craft gifts they leave behind are cherished memoirs that leave smiles on our faces for days to come.
M & M's latest gift…..beautiful floral magnets made from various fabric scraps. Created in an assortment of different prints and colors, these cute little magnets keep spring alive year round and never wilt away. Crafted with less than ¼ yard of fabric, these reflections of nature make great refrigerator securing devices for your little one’s art projects or mom’s grocery list. This is a great gift idea for friends and family. Customize with cool novelty prints at great prices found right here at J&O Fabrics. Mary and Marie have done it again by utilizing their craftiness to bring these cute and handy flower magnets from their imagination to life.
Check out our novelty cotton fabric here! Check out our calico fabric here! Check out our breast cancer awareness fabric here!
Posts by J&O Fabrics StoreLabels: breast cancer fabric crafts, christmas crafts, fabric crafts, floral fabric crafts, flower crafts, frugil, handmade crafts, handmade gifts, novelty fabric craft, scrap fabric, scrap fabric crafts
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