image courtesy abc7_ny
Adorning one’s head with a hat of flowers, fabric, and fantastical additions in celebration of Easter has been the culture and pride of many New Yorkers as far back as I can remember. And now after a 2-year pandemic hiatus, the tradition of showcasing the artistry and creativity of the Easter bonnet has made its come back
With Jerry Jones, issues with the American Anthem, and Donald’s politics ‘Trumping’ much of the fan’s love for NFL football last year, the 2018-19 season has got to be a better one…or does it???
After several debates and confusing calls surrounding the new Helmet Rule, many fans and players would say otherwise. In fact, in addition to some of the other ongoing issues within the league, polls suggest the soap opera drama of the 2018-19 NFL season has just begun.
As we celebrate Black History Month and the invaluable contributions of both African and African-Americans in areas of technology, entertainment, science, mathematics and the arts, we are reminded of their traditional roots in African textiles as well. From their colorful kente cloth from Ghana, bògòlanfini (mudcloth), and richly colored adire (indigo fabrics) from Mali, to their African lace of Nigeria, East African Kitenge and Egyptian cotton, African fabrics were hand-woven, painted, and dyed in tradition and meaning that sustains itself today. As well, we celebrate the symbolic Adinkra symbols of West Africa, storytelling wovens of Ghana, and abstract geometric shapes of the continent itself that can be found on printed cottons in many fabric stores and infused into the latest fashions.
As our Facebook Fan page continues to grow, more and more of our crafty customers are showing off their cool creations for our J&O family and community to view, share and comment on. One such fan is Karen Jordan of Jenny’s Angels, a line of custom made aprons and christening outfits designed in honor of Karen’s best friend Jenny who passed awaiting a kidney transplant. For Karen, all babies are angels, and since her line is named for Jen, a portion of every design sold is donated to the American Diabetes Foundation in her name . Jenny also loved butterflies, so on all of Karen’s custom christening gown designs there is a butterfly somewhere. Since Karen is a religious follower of our J&O Fabrics 
acebook page, she is constantly replenishing her fabric stock with cool prints from our store and has this to say about our fabulous collection of Michael Miller prints and more…
It’s been a while since we’ve shared the talents and creativity of one of our crafty customers with you, but we’re back on track with a young woman from Watertown, NY and her handcrafted dolls too.
At J&O Fabrics we are constantly running coupons, sending out gift cards, and even giving away free fabric. As such, one of our lucky customers became a recipient of a $50 gift card that she won through a cool giveaway we ran on our Facebook page. With it, Connie Lawton Andrade purchased several fabrics along with enough yardage to make a fun Bucket Bag for the summer to add to her already creative inventory of Isidora Designs bags found on Etsy. When asked what inspired her recent manifestation, Connie had this to say.
mini apron / bag sets
It never ceases to amaze me, the amount of raw talent and creativity that exists in all of us. Yes, all of us. To one degree or another, whether nurtured 110% or simply left to play with now and again, the ever flowing creations that our imagination manifests into this reality reflect the power of the mind in truly amazing ways indeed.
Every now and again one of our crafty customers shoots us an email sharing a pic or two of projects they’ve completed with the help of our wide range of fabrics. One such lady is Pearl Hinz.
Mrs. Hinz sent us a Nebraska Corn Huskers themed quilt she created for her nephew using our collegiate cotton material featuring the popular team logo and mascot in a red, black and white color theme. Using several square cuts, she overlaid black framed Husky prints quilted in a similar fashion creating a beautiful heirloom for her sister’s son to have for many years to come. Workmanship like this is truly a labor of love.
So did it make you cringe to see the word ‘Winter’ in the headline? Fear not—these fabric winter wreath ideas will take a bit off the chill off and add some warmth to your home! This year, I am loving the ice blue– it is a bold and bright hue in an otherwise drab time of year! It is important to surround yourself with bright colors during the long grey months of winter, find your favorite color combinations in our online fabric store and get started on your winter wreath this instant! (After you make a mammoth mug of hot cocoa with marshmallows, that is!).
