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 When I was a little girl, I would revel in the beauty that surrounded the unfolding of the seasons. From the first snowfall marking the arrival of winter, to the beautiful collage of color and multiple holidays that encompassed the preparation of hibernation autumn brought with it, each coming and going of Mother Nature's cycles vibrated within and throughout leaving me with a well of memories and emotions to pull on over time. One of my most memorable seasons was and still is spring. I remember first, the last weeks of winter. Though beautiful in its own way, over time the cold nights and early ending days had me longing for the return of LIFE! Then spring would come in and transform the naked trees and weary grass into a bountiful foliage full of Robin's eggs and busy butterflies. It would bring laughing Daffodils, joyful Pansy's and ringing Bluebells. Not only did spring conjure up life from below, but from everywhere it seemed. And along with it, came LOVE. From the playful mating sparrows and flirtatious bees, to new teen age romances and renewed marriage vows, spring had a way of reawakening the Earth and all that dwelled within. As we welcome in yet another one, let us embrace all that spring has to offer, even if it isn't your favorite season. Find beauty in the little things, in the moments within the days, and watch Mother Nature unfold. For in this world of uncertainty and unpromised tomorrows, the one thing we are guarenteed is the change of the seasons. Celebrate spring among other things with the hottest designer prints and color palates from your #1 source of top shelf fabrics, J&O! Check out our springy calico fabric here!Check out our intimate collection of Easter fabric here!Check out our large and colorful novelty cotton fabric here!Posts by J&O Fabrics StoreLabels: calico fabric, easter, easter fabric, novelty fabric, spring 2009 fabric, spring fabric
 I remember when I gave birth to my first son over ten years ago. I was a first time mom and unexptected single parent earning a modest living as a designer with no real nest egg set up for myself or my little one. I worried whether or not I would have enough money to buy formula, pay the bills to keep the roof over our heads, or keep him clothed properly when it seemed every day he grew a little more. Without much experience to guide me along, I found myself stumbling on a journey into motherhood with a series of trials and errors that would one day become my Bible. I found financial assistance from various agencies set up for women like myself, continued to nurture my gift of creativity to increase my business profits, and realized the benefits of community....and hand-me-downs! As my little infant grew into a crawling baby and then a walking toddler, I found the benefits of the 'old school' clothing and fabric exchange our parents used to use, to be quite a remedy. After my first initial gifting of brand new baby clothes during my baby shower, I hardly saw 'brand new' again except at special occasions like holidays or my baby's birthday. Surprisingly enough, I never missed it. I made my own children's sets out of the fabric I was given or dressed my son in the outfits I was blessed with. Plus babies grow out of clothing so fast that they really don't have much time to wear and tear. And when you have a community of parents with babies older and younger than your own, it becomes a rhythm of give and take just like the seasons. Before long, my son was reaching into his school years with little to no need for brand new. In fact, aside from underwear and shoes, I can't remember needing for any clothes during his formative years. My point? In these frugal times when priority spending is the name of the game and the security of tomorrow's paycheck is not so certain anymore, there is one thing that is. Community has always been the foundation and salvation of a people, especially during times of struggle, and it still is today. Even if it is just hand-me-down clothing and fabric. Check out our $1.98 or less fabric here!Check out our durable and long lasting denim fabric here!Check out our frugal & fun novelty fabric here!Posts by J&O Fabrics StoreLabels: conservative, denim fabric, fabrics, frugal, novelty fabric, thrifty
 What do The Honeymooners, baseball star Yogi Berra and Yellowstone National Park have in common? If you guessed a large number of fans, you’re only half way right. The actual answer is Hanna-Barbera’s animated cartoon, ‘The Yogi Bear Show’. Created in 1958 as a supporting character in The Huckleberry Hound Show and given his own show in 1961, the personality and mannerisms of this fictional anthropomorphic bear with brown fur and a permanent hat & tie attire were crafted by the popular aforementioned names. The character of Ed Norton from the Honeymooners was said to be Yogi’s inspiration. Yogi’s name was given as an ode to famed Yogi Berra, and the fictional park that the episodes were centered around was named Jellystone Park, a takeoff on the famous Yellowstone. Each half-hour episode was full of catchphrases, rhymes, and overestimated cleverness on Yogi’s part as this funny yet somewhat foolish bear teamed up with sidekick Boo Boo to outsmart ranger Smith for yet another episode of mischievous shenanigans. From Yogi Bear’s Big Break to the 3-part finally Yogi’s Birthday Party, the silly antics and comedic writing of partners William Hanna and Joseph Barbera kept us staying tuned for more. Although though new episodes of the ‘Yogi Bear Show’ are long gone, remnants of his impact linger on. Thanks to his fan following, a line of recreational camp/parks bearing his name are still in operation across the US, celebrities such as Drew Carry have given life to his pencil sketched form through impressive impersonations, and J&O Fabrics has picked up a line of novelty print fabrics in celebration of the bear that was ‘smarter than the average bear’.  
Check out our selection of Yogi Bear fabric here! Check out our collection of selected cartoon fabric here! Check out our selection of childrens fabric here!
Posts by J&O Fabrics StoreLabels: cartoon fabric, cotton, hannah barbara, hannah-barbera, novelty cotton, novelty fabric, novelty prints, yogi bear
 What family lives in an adjustable columned house in a futuristic utopia full of sophisticated labor saving devices and elaborate robotic contraptions? If you said the ‘Flinstones’, put down that peace pipe and think a little harder. The answer is none other than the Jetsons; the 1960’s animated television series by Hannah Barbara that ran in syndication well into the 80’s. This half-hour family sitcom projecting contemporary American culture and lifestyle from another time period was one of the few cartoons that got us fantasizing of full course minute made dinners from the palate of the imagination and instant communication with hologram images of friends in faraway places.
Each Saturday morning, young children with impressionable and curious minds gathered their bowls of Life and Honey Combs and plopped down on their colorful bean bags to travel into the exciting yet predictable future where lead character George Jetson was almost guaranteed to either be promoted, demoted, fired or rehired by his boss Mr. Spacely at Spaceley’s Space Sprockets. Young rocket scientists watched in laughter as another one of the child character Elroy’s whimsical invention went up in smoke after robot maid Rosie accidentally tried to turn it on. Parents lingered in the background wondering if the designers of such a cartoon were really predicting the future or just creating a story line full of fictitious ideas and silly imaginings. Whether we were fans or foes of this labor-challenged and happy go lucky family, one thing is for sure; if any of us could order, change, create or eliminate an object or idea with the push of a button, most of us would gladly jump at the opportunity. In fact, with the modern technologies that exist today, most of us already do. We welcome you to take a journey with us back into the future with our nostalgic and fun selection of The Jetson's novelty fabric right here at J&O.
   Check out our selection of childrens fabric here!
Check out our selection of novelty fabric here!
Check out our selection of Disney fabric here!
Posts by J&O Fabrics StoreLabels: cartoon, futuristic fabric, hannah barbara, hannah barbera, novelty fabric, the jetsons
 Since I was able to spell my name, I have been drawing. I would sketch for hours, just disappearing into myself. Consumed by the look and feel of fabric, I would sketch images of women in clothing of my designs, right down to the microscopic details of their trim. From the recesses of my imagination, would come creations inspired by the world around me. I would absorb beauty from the swaying trees and the still flowers. I would soak in ideas from the sun and the rain. The simplicity and perfection of my ideal perspective uplifted and inspired me over and over again till I had created my own little world of splendor around me. Fire, water, earth, air and most of all LOVE, were the elemental canvas from which I drew upon and nurtured into each piece of art that would become the portfolio of my intimate relationship with fabric, fashion and mother earth. Today, as I look around at all the various bolts of material that surround me here in between the walls of J&O, I am touched by the unique characteristics that each textile possesses. From the raw and rough texture of burlap, to the soft and sensuous feel of suede cloth, these beautiful fabrics are symbolic reflections of life itself. To look upon the pictorial scene of a seashore tapestry or follow the intricate embroidery of a silk brocade and not appreciate the creative imagination at work is almost a sin.
So I will gladly take these inspirations and shape them into the masterpieces of my own making for all the world to see. I will express the uniqueness that is me, and smile quietly at my expressions made manifest for they are simply reflections of the most High herself. And I will graciously invite you to do the same.
Check out our beautiful selection of dress fabric here! Check out our fun selection of novelty fabric here! Check out our elegant selection of upholstery fabric here! Check out our scenic selection of tapestry fabric here! Check out our great selection of cultural fabric here! Posts by J&O Fabrics StoreLabels: african fabric, dress fabrics, Fabric, fashion design, novelty fabric, tapestry fabric, upholstery fabric
 Some know it as ‘The Main Street of America’. Others refer to it affectionately as ‘The Mother Road’ or the ‘Wil Rogers Highway’. But what is it about this infamous Route 66 that has people knocking down the doors of J&O, scrambling for whatever yardage they can find, and jumping for joy once their package of cherished fabric has been received? Tell me please.....what is it about this original federal U.S. route that inspired the 1946 song “Get your Kicks on Route 66”, which was written and composed by jazz performer Bobby Troup and later performed and made popular by a slue of musical artists such as Nat King Cole, Depeche Mode, Chuck Berry, Van Morrison and The Rolling Stones? Maybe it’s the scenic views that inspired the nostalgic 1960’s TV show by the same name or the highway’s own mystical and romanticized reputation that has people singing its tune in the form of a sad country song and in between the pages of a good love novel. Even Kmart has a clothing brand in ode to the road. Since the Dust Bowl of the 1930’s, Route 66 has served as a major transportation route for Americans traveling from the east to the west. Back then it was in the hopes of settling down, starting a trade and raising a family. In the 1950’s, it was the main highway for vacationers and tourists heading to LA. Today, it remains only partly intact as a symbol of the American-dreamer in all of us. Originally spanning from Chicago through Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California before ending up in Los Angeles, Route 66 ran for a total of 2,448 miles and passed through numerous small towns and beautiful landmarks such as the Painted Desert and the Grand Canyon. With the growing traffic on the highway, this slab of black gravel helped create the rise of mom & pop businesses like restaurants, service stations, teepee shaped motels, Indian curio shops and craft shacks alike. If a road could talk, one could only imagine the stories it would tell. Although Route 66 was an easy number to remember, and pleasing to the ear as its originator had intended, it would become a treasured memory less than 30 years after the first bucket of tar had formed its borders. By 1956, with the signing of the Interstate Highway Act, President Dwight Eisenhower decommissioned the road and Interstate 40 took over the largest chunk. 
While the original Route 66 may be gone, it is surely not forgotten. It can be found right here between the evergreen forests and sunny beaches of J&O. All you need is a bit of creativity, and this little piece of Americana can be your big piece of heaven. Check out our route 66 fabric here! Check out our route 66 tapestry fabric here!
Check out our full selection of novelty fabric here!
Posts by J&O Fabrics StoreLabels: Fabric, fabrics, mother road, novelty cotton, novelty fabric, route 66, route 66 fabric, southwest fabric, travel, us route 66, wil rogers highway
 The first documented socks were manufactured in 1890 by a Swedish immigrant named John Nelson. He was the owner of The Nelson Knitting Mills in Rockford, Illinois and his sturdy and comfortable work-socks were sought far and wide mainly by farmers and factory workers who wear on their feet all day. In 1932, The Nelson Knitting Company added the soon to be trademarked red heel to their original sock design. This red heel would later become the distinctive mouth of the iconic sock monkey. It was around this time, that desperate yet creative mothers, feeling the effects of America’s Great Depression, started crafting their husbands red heeled work socks into cute and entertaining toys in the form of sock monkeys and other animals for their children. By the early 1950’s, the knitting company discovered that their socks were being used to make these popular monkey dolls, so they started putting patterns for the home made toy into each package of socks they sold. How strange this sock monkey phenomenon. Who would have thought that such a manly piece of clothing apparel would become the craze for little snot nosed children far and wide when the Sock Monkey was born. To this day, Nelson’s original red heel sock and the homemade sock monkeys remain in demand. In fact, the Sock Monkey is seeing a renaissance of sorts across the U.S. and in little children’s shops in big cities and small towns everywhere. From the mass produced yet largely unfavored modern sock monkeys, to the hand crafted, custom made ones, sock monkeys are all the rave. The continued popularity of the sock monkey even encouraged the city of Rockford, Illinois embrace the doll as a part of its history. In 2005, Midway Village and Museum Center in Rockford held it’s first "Sock Monkey Madness Festival", while simultaneously opening an exhibit highlighting the industrial, legal, and creative history of the Nelson red heel sock and the sock monkey. The festival has since become an annual event. To get your sock monkeys, you don’t have to go farther than your laptop or PC. We have them right here at J&O in a plethora of prints and colors for your crafting pleasure.Bring a little piece of nostalgic American history back to life for your son or daughter, and you!    Check out J&O Fabric's store sock monkey fabric here!Check out our selection of novelty fabric here!
Posts by J&O Fabrics StoreLabels: novelty fabric, novelty prints, sock monkey, sock monkey fabric
 You’ve waited and prayed long enough, and slowly but surely your prayers are being answered. The endless calls you’ve had to make to manufacturers, distributors and retail stores, looking for your favorite NASCAR drivers and NASCAR racing materials are coming to an end. There is a light at the end of your dark tunnel, and it is the light of J&O.
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) is the largest sanctioning body of motorsports in the United States. The organization sanctions over1,500 races at over 100 tracks in 39 states, Canada and Mexico. With its roots grounded in the entertainment sector of southern USA, NASCAR has grown to become the second most popular professional sports in terms of television rating inside the U.S. With over 75 million fans worldwide, the sport of car racing has become a very popular and extremely lucrative business. Over $3 billion dollars in annual licensed products have been purchased by the ever growing viewers and as a result, Fortune 500 companies sponsor NASCAR more than any other governing body. With these stats and facts out of the way, lets take a moment to give recognition to some of the great car riders both past & present that are in hot demand today. If you were brought up south of the Mason Dixon border, then you are a fan of NASCAR racing and know these speed demons whether you like it or not. If not, here are some names you won’t soon forget.
The Late Dale Earnhardt – 2000 Winston 500 Champion, four-time IROC Champion, 2002 Motorsports Hall of Fame Inductee, 2006 International Motorsports Hall of Fame Inductee, Sprint All-Star Race III, VI and IX Winner, NASCAR’s 50 Greatest Drivers Rank #2
Dale Earnhardt, Jr.– NASCAR Sprint Cup / 2006 Crown Royal 400 Champion and driver of #88 Mountain Dew AMP/ National Guard Chevy Impala SS Car.
Jimmy Johnson- Current defending NASCAR Sprint Cup Champion and driver of #48 Lowes Chevrolet Impala SS Car.
Tony Stewart- NASCAR Winston Cup, Nextel & Indy Cars championships and driver of the #20 Toyota Camry & #20 Old Spice cars.
Jeff Gordon- Four-time NASCAR Winston Cup Series Champion, three-time Daytona 500 winner, and driver of #24 Chevrolet Impala.
[ NASCAR Races ]
Sprint Cup, Nationwide Series, Craftsman Truck Series, NASCAR Canadian Tire Series, NASCAR Corona Series, Regional Racing Series.
For all our NASCAR fans young and old, we thank you for your patience, your calls and most of all, keeping the fabrics commemorating this great American sport in demand. Your voice is being heard. Keep checking in at our site for the latest new prints as they roll off of the press, out of the mills, onto our site, and into your hands.
  
Labels: car fabric, car fabrics, car racing, nascar fabric, novelty fabric
 When was the last time your local fabric store donated any fabric to you? After practiced begging and pleading in front of your bathroom mirror for that perfect line and doe eyed look, most outlets would soon put a price tag on a seemingly useless ¼ yard scrap than give them away to a striving designer or seamstress for free. But low and behold, miracles do happen. At least for some of us. Recently, one of South Jersey’s oldest and most recognized fabric stores, became the answered prayer for a local woman with an ailing son. This spring, Cindy Kerr received over $1000 worth of assorted novelty cotton fabrics from J&O Fabrics of Pennsauken in an effort to help make her son Ryan more comfortable during his chemotherapy treatments. Cindy has a non-profit company called ConKerr Cancer and with the beautiful selection of materials, she was able to continue creating fun and colorful pillowcases for not only her son, but for other young patients at various local hospitals battling Cancer as well. With the help of J&O and various community groups, over 18,000 pillow cases have been made and donated to these children in an effort to bring some smiles to an otherwise cloudy day. From Sponge Bob to Scooby Doo, from race cars to kitty cat prints, there is a pillow case to tickle every child’s fancy both young and old. Even teens have their selection of pin up girls, retro designs and popular skull prints to choose from to make their stay a little more pleasant. Every once and awhile the generosity of people will surprise us. And every now and again, it shows up in bags of heaven sent material, sprinkled with love , forming the fabric of life. To see some of the wonderful fabric Cindy crafted for the local hospitals, watch cable channel CN8 Wednesday at 7:30pm EST.
To find out more about ConKerr Cancer click here! To find out more about J&O Fabrics click here! To see our selection of novelty cotton click here! Posts by J&O Fabrics StoreLabels: conkerr cancer, jandofabrics, novelty cotton, novelty fabric
  Take me out to the ball game.
Take me out to the crowd.
Buy me some J&O fabric.
I don’t care if we never shop anywhere else ‘cause it’s the best fabric store in the world!
With opening day less than 20 days away, and the cold weather still lingering in the midst, MLB (major league baseball) fans are eagerly gearing up for another round of submarine style pitches, sneaky stolen plates and out-the-park home run hitters from their favorite teams. With all the excitement of the spring season ahead, it’s easy to overlook some of the simple things that will make the long innings on hard stadium seats a little more comfortable.
It's root, root, root for the home team.
I don't care if they loose.
Whether you’re rooting from the plastic seats of the ball park or from the soft cushions of your favorite couch, our MLB fleeces can offer that extra bit of softness and warmth to go along with the rooting fans and the foot-long hotdogs that make a day at the park all worthwhile.
At J&O, we carry some of the coolest MBL fleece fabrics for our baseball fans nationwide. With a few yards of material and a little creativity, your team spirit can be expressed in the form of a simple logo filled craft project to carry or wear when the pitcher takes the mound.
If you’re a New York Mets fan, make great seat cushions for the ‘fanny’ in you. If you are a diehard Philadelphia Phillies fan, gather your family and lay a home-made fleece throw across your laps or around your shoulders to keep the nippy nights under the big lights a little more special. And if you’d rather be watching dare devil men speed around and around the Nascar track as screaming fans cheer on instead, but you have a knack for crafts too, then gather a yard or two from each teams fleece to make unique gifts for friends and loved ones that they will surely cherish even after the last game has been won.
Yes it's one, two, three strikes you’re out, at the ole ball game!
Out of fabric that is, if you wait too long.
Hurry before it's all gone.
Order your MBL fleece today!
Check out our full MLB fleece fabric section here!
Check out our baseball novelty fabric selection here!
Check out our other fleece fabric here!
Check out our full novelty fabric section here!
Posts by J&O Fabrics Store
Labels: baseball, fleece, fleece fabrics, fleece throws, mlb fleece, novelty cotton, novelty fabric, novelty fabrics
In the 1939 American musical fantasy film The Wizard of Oz, Dorothy is accompan  ied by a heartless scarecrow, a brainless tin man and a cowardly lion on her way to the Emerald City in search of the magical remedy that would fill the self perceived voids within her and her new friends, and transport her back home where a loving and protective family awaited her. Each character believed that what they desired to obtain most for themselves, could onl  y be granted and given to them by another. When in truth, each individual was whole and complete within themselves….if only they believed. The Wizard of Oz became one of the most beloved films of all times, with the movies’ theme song, Over the Rainbow, becoming a memorable song of inspiration and hope for the dreams and aspirations of Americans around the country  . And now this wonderfully symbolic and culturally significant work of art can be yours to fashion and recreate with the same imagination that spirited this wonderful movie, as only you can. The Wizard of Oz has history and tells a story, encouraging a strong mind, a giving heart and a  courageous nature respectively.
What story does the fabric you have on hand tell about you?
And how does it symbolically reflect various aspects of your spirit and personality?
Stay tuned .......
To find out where this path leads, just follow the yellow brick road.
What your favorite selections say about you may be deeper than you know.
In the meantime, you don’t have to wait on a fairy princess and ruby reds to make your fabric wish come true, with the click of a button you can check out all the magical fabric we have to offer right here at J&O.
 Labels: cotton fabric, cotton fabrics, Fabric, fabrics, licensed fabric, novelty fabric, quilt fabric, quilting fabrics, wizard of oz, Wizard of oz fabric
 In the game of love, there are those who like the chase. Then, there are those who like to be chased. None a love affair was ever so revered and watched with curious amazement than that of our famous cat and mouse duo of Tom & Jerry. After almost 65 years, they are still playing the game they made famous….the game of cat and mouse. And they are playing it just for you. Hanna Barbera’s famous cartoon characters of Tom & Jerry are now available on 100% cotton fabric for our nostalgic viewing pleasure. Each print captures a scene of love vs. war that these two became known for, as we watched day in and day out for the cat to not only catch, but eat the mouse he so aggressively sought to destroy. But through all the mayhem and destruction, Tom never did. And what seemed even stranger, was that when the two finally did find themselves in the stranglehold embrace of one another, they almost seemed, well, ….friendly. So why did Tom chase Jerry? Was it a false sense of duty instilled by his full-figured, overly stressed and frustratingly unidentifiable owner of earlier years? Was it the response to a normal feline/rodent enmity? Or were they merely being paid to act out these violent & theatrical gags that never produced blood despite their mutating affects, for the entertainment of curious and bored little boys and girls looking to live out their frustrations of life vicariously through the maniacal duo? As children, we came to the simple conclusion that this is just what cat and mice did. They chased, to chase another day. Tom was clever, yet stupid and Jerry was an instigator who liked taunting Tom. And it was funny and it was make believe. And in the end, they were friends just doing their job…no harm, no love lost. As adults we look back and laugh with a sigh of relief for all the deadly reenactments we didn’t choose to commit on siblings, and the nostalgic memories of a simpler day left behind. The only question remaining: Who did you vote for, Tom or Jerry?   Labels: children fabric, Fabric, fabrics, NFL Licensed Fabric, novelty fabric, novelty fabrics, tom and jerry fabric
The Dance of Death was a recurring subject in Medieval culture, particularly art, depicting a round dance with Death as the instigator of the festivities. Oftentimes, people from all strata of society - from nobles to peasants - were shown engaging in the dance. In Germany the Dance of Death was known as the Totentanz, while in France it was called the Danse Macabre. In Spain these scenes were called Danzas de los muertos. Besides paintings, textbooks were printed with short dialogues between Death and its invitees. One such textbook, printed in Germany circa 1460, relates Death's call to an emperor:
- "Her keyser euch hilft nicht das swert
- Czeptir vnd crone sint hy nicht wert
- Ich habe euch bey der hand genomen
- Ir must an meynen reyen komen"
- "Emperor, your sword won’t help you out
- Sceptre and crown are worthless here
- I’ve taken you by the hand
- For you must come to my dance"
In another scene, Death receives the following response from a peasant:
- "Ich habe gehabt [vil arbeit gross]
- Der sweis mir du[rch die haut floss]
- Noch wolde ich ger[n dem tod empfliehen]
- Zo habe ich des glu[cks nit hie]"
- "I had to work very much and very hard
- The sweat was running down my skin
- I’d like to escape death nontheless
- But here I won’t have any luck"
The Danse Macabre has also served as an inspiration for subsequent generations. The 19th century composer Camille Saint-Saëns composed an orchestral piece titled Danse Macabre, complete with the orchestra mimicking the sound of rattling bones.
Franz Liszt transcribed this same piece for piano solo. In addition, he composed a series of variations for solo piano and orchestra on the Gregorian plainchant melody Dies Irae, which he titled Totentanz. Other composers that have composed Dances of Death are Benjamin Britten, Modest Mussorgsky, Dmitri Shostakovich, Arnold Schoenberg and Viktor Ullman.
At J&O Fabrics, some of our customers' favorite fabrics are those that depict skulls, living skeletons and other similarly macabre themes. What is the attraction that so many feel towards these ghoulish quilting fabrics? See for yourself.
 Bandana Skulls and Crossbones: Red
 Catacomb Skulls: Black
 Danse Macabre Skulls: Black
 Paseo de los muertos: Red
 Skulls Infinity: Red/Black
 The Rose Tattoo Fabric: Tea Dye
With our selection of skull and skeleton fabrics you will be able to perform your own danse macabre while adding a morbid flair to your fabric projects. Liberate your fabric projects from the mundane with all of the exciting novelty quilting fabrics found at J&O. Labels: crossbones, novelty fabric, quilt fabric, quilting fabric, skeleton, skull, skull and crossbones fabric
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