J&O Fabrics Store Newsletter

J&O Welcomes Back NASCAR !

2008-05-12T09:15:00.000-04:00

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.

Check out our selection of NASCAR fabric here!

Check out our selection of flames fabric here!

Check out our selection of racing fabric here!

Check out our selection of transportation fabric here!

Posts by J&O Fabrics Store

Miracles Do Happen: J&O and ConKerr Cancer

2008-05-06T14:20:00.000-04:00

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 Store

Renew Your Home Furnishings with Fabric from J & O Fabric Store

2008-04-30T13:45:00.001-04:00

How would you honestly describe your home decor? Bold and inventive or drab and staid. If you chose the latter, then your decor needs an overhaul. Where can you find the fabric you need to enhance your home? Look no further than J&O Fabrics!

Maybe all you need to improve your furnishings are some new curtains or other draperies. Following are four bold, eye-catching decorator fabrics that will add plenty of pizzazz to your home. First off is Flower Power Brown (ato00051). This chic designer fabric will lend attitude and style to anything it graces. Curtains, valances, decorative pillows and more can be made with Flower Power. The same can be said for 50's Mambo Bark Cloth Green (bar00008), with its trippy, 1950's Havana vibe.

Shapes Decorative Red (ato00092) and Pop Square Retro (ato00059) and can give any room a retro look. These decorative fabrics might even remind you of all those corny 1950's sci-fi movies.

If your needs tend toward upholstery, then the next decorative fabrics will help. Ambient Chenille (che00059) is a plush upholstery fabric with a deep black background upon which rest flowers and stems of emerald green, ruby red and copper. Dogs Playing Poker Tapestry (tap00006) is a droll fabric that is the perfect companion for family rooms, drawing rooms and libraries. Beltrame Upholstery (cou00007) is a fantastic chenille upholstery fabric. The retro design and colors combine to form a striking print.

After you use these discount decorator fabrics you will undoubtedly have many new adjectives with which to describe your home decor: bold, inventive, fabulous and fun. All of this is possible with a little help from J&O Fabrics!*

*If your inclination is towards quilting instead of upholstering or sewing, then please investigate J&O's vast array of discount quilting fabrics! These fabrics and many more can be seen by browsing the fifty-plus categories of cotton novelty fabrics listed on our online fabric store.

Posts by J&O Fabrics Store

Spring Into 2008 Fabric Fashions with J&O Fabric

2008-04-28T10:15:00.000-04:00

With the cold days of winter behind us and the new life that the upcoming season offers popping up all around us, it’s time to take a serious look at the dark and heavy wardrobe still hanging in our closets and on the walls and furniture of our homes, and give them all a fresh, light look for Spring 08’.

But what color palate should we be working with? What is in and what is out this season? Well, according to the Pantone Color Report, the Spring 08’ palette is, “ defined by classic, versatile neutrals punctuated by splashes of invigorating brights, empowering consumers to explore new and creative ways to combine colors. With vibrant and uplifting shades and flowery deep pink undertones, the Spring 08’ color palate perfectly reflects the cheerfulness of the season. “

Pantone Inc. is one of the most influential authorities on color in the fashion world. The foremost king of color, Pantone is a market leader in providing insider insights into what will hit our designer boutiques, urban markets and most of all, what fabrics and colors will be popular in our stores each season.

One of the keynote colors for spring 2008 is silver gray. Silver gray is subtle, versatile, flattering and elegant. This keynote color replaces the harsh black of winter and balances well with the soft, floral palate of spring. A list of this seasons exciting hues are as follows:

Red/Purple & Pink Family
Spring Crocus
Pink Mist
Cantaloupe
Rococco Red
Green & Blue Family
Daiquiri Green
Snorkel Blue
Yellow & Brown Family
Freesia
Golden Olive

Along with the rainbow of colors and large graphic floral prints that spring 2008's color palate is based on, this season also offers in an array of looks that will fit each of your different personalities. From transparency to tuxedos, togas to disco and airy frocks to safari wear, spring fashions in the trends from all over the map and creates a complete look that is uniquely you.

From head to toe, from ceiling to floor, Spring 08’ ushers in the creative designer in all of us.
For the fashionistas both young and old, the trends of the season give the woman in us the opportunity to mix feminine frocks, fluid fabrics and delicate sequins with gender bending borrowed-from-your-man-or-brothers’-closet suits, trousers and tailored vests. Greco-Roman Aphrodite inspired looks combine with the razzle-dazzle of metallic’s, while global fusion juxtaposes earthly neutrals with exotic ethnic influences for a look of house and home that screams Safari Diva into the sultry days of summer. With such a fabulous color and fashion palate to choose from this season, the inspiration needed to spark your inner creativity is endless.

So go on and ignite the Earthly Fashion Goddess in you and take a moment to visit us at J&O for all the latest color palates as we welcome in Spring 08’ together.

Check out our selection of new spring 08'fabric here!
Check out our upholstery spring 08' fabric selection here!
Check out our spring 08'dress fabric here!
Check out our spring 08' decorative fabric here!

Posts by J&O Fabrics Store

What the Nose Knows.

2008-04-22T08:50:00.000-04:00

According to Dr. David Stewart (aroma therapist, author and lecturer), smell is the only sense directly connected to the central brain, rather than the frontal lobes. Because that part of the brain deals with nonverbal and emotional functions, he says, "our first response to anything we smell can be emotional rather than rational." In other words, scents…including oils, can also bring about emotional healing and increase spiritual awareness in ways we can't fully understand.

This theory explains why certain scents bring on thoughts of nostalgia that can transport us back to our childhood or a specific time and place in our lives. These momentary recollections often times come complete with not only the smell of the event, but with the depth of emotion as well. Some good, some bad. Like the scent of your grandmother’s favorite perfume, your child’s hair, or the whiff of fresh sap from a maple tree on a warm autumn day. These are sometimes all we need to offset the stress and strain of our 9-5, and bring us to a place just outside the present…..if only for a moment.

The aromas we experience in our lives stir our desires, activate our salivary glands, and soothe our aching hearts. But what if we could bottle up those scents to use whenever and wherever we desired. What if the sweet vanilla cookies your mom used to make to cheer you up and remind you that you were loved even when the rest of the world seemed to let you down could be at your disposal each time you needed that extra nurturing? Or that sensuous cologne, you know, the one that your husband wears every day just because he knows you like it? What if you could get the same scent, without all the chemical base products, to spray on your sheets each night he is out of town on business to make your dreamtime just a little sweeter?

Scents carry not only thoughts of nostalgia in each drop, but can even heal and uplift an aching spirit and weary body. The most potent and natural of these scents comes in the form of organic essential oils. Organic essential oils are plant oils extracted by distillation. Though the principal uses of essential oils serve as flavoring agents and as therapeutic remedies in aromatherapy applications, they can also be used to sweeten your laundry, brighten your clothing, balance energies within and around, and keep unwanted pests away. Specific essential oils have therapeutic qualities that when applied to clothing or bedding, can offer you additional protection against negative energies and toxic emotions. While many are found in commercial perfumes and scented air fresheners, the organic base of these wonderful extracts from nature are best applied and utilized in their natural oil state.

Below is a list of some of the more popular organic essential oils, their properties and their usage. When using essential oils (homemade or store bought) please adhere to the following guidelines to reap the full benefits of the oils. The fabrics in your home and in your closet will thank you for it.

Safety Guidelines

1. Always use pure oils with no alcohol or chemicals added. Read labels carefully, and look for the words ‘essential oil’. Many oils on the market today are highly diluted. Some contain alcohol or other chemicals which kill the essence of the plant.

2. Remember that these are scent oils. They are used by inhaling the fragrance. It is not wise to ingest any plant oil regardless of how diluted they may be. Honor the plants, the Creator and your body and use aromatherapy oils as they were intended.

3. Because pure oils are so strong, you must take care to avoid contact with your eyes or other mucous membranes. Always dilute a pure plant oil with olive or other pure carrier oil before applying it to your skin as it may burn. Also be aware that many plant oils can stain fabric if not properly diluted. So use caution and common sense when handling essential oils.

4. Remember that animals have much more sensitive olfactory capabilities than humans. Also, they tend to ingest any substance that touches their bodies. Do not spray room misters near your furry, feathered or finny friends.

5. Wash your hands after handling oils.

6. Keep oils away from direct heat or flame.

7. NEVER ever mix oils with rubbing alcohol or other chemicals.

8. Use only pure plant oils.

9. Essential oils should never be used at full strength on your skin.

10. Always use pure oils with no additives. Many oils on the market today are highly diluted. Some contain alcohol or other chemicals which may harm the essence of the plant.

Application Guidelines

Spray

Fill a plastic spray bottle with pure (not tap) water. Add a few drops of the essential oil of your choice. Shake vigorously and before each use. Spray on upholstery, window treatments, car interiors, bedding lingerie drawer sachets or clothing, for that personal touch. Custom made quilts for friends and loved ones are made a little more special when hinted with a tranquil chamomile or other selected scent of choice. Can also be sprayed on curtains by an open window to energetically cleanse and bless a room.

Cotton Ball

Scent a cotton ball with crushed and dried jasmine, cinnamon or ylang ylang essential oils. Place in the corners of your fabric piles , linen closets or wherever you keep your fabric craft projects for at least 24 hours. This will leave a sweet and harmonious energy on the fabric for you and your friends, clients or loved ones to enjoy.

Laundering

Add a few drops of rosewood, peppermint or patchouli essential oils to the last phase of your rinse cycle to sweeten your laundry. Add a little lemon oil to freshen the load.

Add a little lavender or cinnamon to your unscented dryer sheets for a softer, more aromatic load with a hint of calming residue on your garments, bedding or other fabricated item.

Essential Oils

Frankincense or Bergamot- Frankincense has been used for hundreds of years in many different religious traditions. It protects against negative energies and helps to cleanse the mind of depression and heavy emotions. Bergamot relieves anger and anxiety, and assists in elevating our spirits.

Honeysuckle - A sweet, lighthearted scent credited with expanding joy. Good to use if you you're feeling grumpy, old or weary.

Chamomile- A soothing and relaxing oil good for calming energies within and around.

Eucalyptus- Historically used as a germicide, this oil is also commonly used for medicinal purposes, as it works great to alleviate a nagging cough. Spray on bedding pillow for a more restful night’s sleep.

Gardenia- A feminine scent with a hint of mystery, said to enhance a woman’s innate kindness.

Jasmine- Uplifting scent that for some is sexually stimulating. Spray on lingerie or bedding for enhanced energies.

Lavender- Calms, soothes, settles the nerves, flea repellent. Great essential oil to place on dryer sheets when laundering bedding for your frisky pet, colicky infant or spa upholstery.

Lemongrass , camphor & citronella– Spray these oils on your outdoor fabrics for additional protection against summer pests. All three have insect repellent properties.

Orange- Instead of the little artificially scented tree that loses its scent the moment you roll down the window, spray a little orange essential oil dilution on the vinyl seats of your 65 Mustang for a more natural and long lasting air freshener.

Vetivert-Relaxing and helps with insomnia. This essential oil carries a very unique scent which some people find unpleasant. Place a few drops in a water diluted spray bottle for a light spritz on your bedding before bedtime.

Oregano -Useful as a fungicide and assists in balancing out personal insecurities. Place a few drops of this oil on a cotton ball or two and place in the same storage area as your fabrics for a clean, fungus free environment.

Patchouli , Pine or Rosemary – Helps fight against fatigue. Lightly spray on clothing when your energy is depleted.

Sage– A protective essential oil. Good for cleansing the mind, body, spirit & home of negative or heavy energies. Spray around your house, dap on your clothing, spritz gently on upholstery.

Marjoram or Ylang Ylang- Good essential oils for alleviating the discomforts associated with PMS. Spray lightly on garments, bedding , and on fabric wrapped heating packs when required.

So the next time you pick up your Amy Butler cotton, Satin L’more, or Retro upholstery to make that one of a kind quilt for your favorite grandmother, birthday lingerie for yourself, or cozy love seat for you & your wife’s 50th wedding anniversary, take a moment to baptize your craft with the perfect organic essential oil to make it complete….naturally. With a little help from J&O, you can turn your creations into truly unique reflections of the senses.

Check out our NEW fabric section here!
Check out our complete fabric section here!
Check out our collection of quilting fabric here!

Check out our upholstery fabric here!

Check out our decorative fabric for bedding & home accent pieces here!

Posts by J&O Fabrics Store

Homemade Bikini Contest

2008-04-14T14:50:00.001-04:00

Last Friday after work, my fellow co-workers and I went out for ladies night at a local hang out where we were guaranteed to have some good food, good laughs and a good time on the dance floor. While we were sitting in the lounge checking out the parade of young adult and middle aged fashionistas, an advertisement on the club’s monitor caught my eye. It read:

“Best homemade bikini contest next week!”

A picture of a model-like playboy bunny posed scantily in a hot white patent leather bikini trimmed with pink feathers was all that it would take to spark a curious excitement in some, and plant a seed of creative ideas in others. Without knowing all the particulars of the contest, one thing I did know for sure was that J&O was definitely the place the soon to be contestants needed to come for all their bikini crafting needs.

From low hair faux furs, lame' and pima dotted cottons, to cute Betty Boop, organic hemp and crushed velvets, the ideas that could get you first place are endless. A short trip to your J&O fabric scrap pile and trim bag is all that you will need to make your homemade bikini complete. Use all your fabrics up and nothing to spare? Have no fear. With fabulously new fabrics coming in to J&O every week, you can design and create a swimsuit masterpiece that will go down in history as the hottest homemade craft this side of the Delaware.

I can see it now, young girls’ repping their college team colors and mascots’ in cute two pieces , diva’s in glittery sequence with beaded ties, and Go-Green advocates in natural organics trimmed with fauna leaves and recycled fasteners. If I shed another 20 lbs and freshen up my seamstress skills, I may have a chance for fortune and fame with all the left over Christmas tree decorations in my overstuffed closet. I’d fashion assorted ornaments, strings of popcorn and a few red bows to my green sequence bikini fabric and call it Christmas in April. I’d even place a star upon my head and be the light and life of the party as I receive my award for most festive!

For those of you living in the surrounding area, it’s not too late! If you got the time, we got the place. Stop in and pick up your homemade contest fabric and trims today. With a little money and creativity, your little hand crafted polka dot bikini could be your next claim to fame.

Check out our hot new fabric selection here!

Check out our array of cotton novelty fabric here!

Check out our fabulous dress fabric section here!

Check out our festive holiday fabric section here!

Posts by J&O Fabrics Store

Fabric Yo Yo's! Great Ideas for Remnant Fabrics

2008-04-08T09:20:00.000-04:00

Yo Yos

With the arrival of this year's spring, it is time to begin exciting new sewing projects so that we may delight in the unfoldment and blossoming of their creation. Many of you could very well be faced with the dilemma of how to make best use of the samplings from your J and O fabric scrap compost heap, rich in the nutrients of novelty design. Others could simply be thirsting for a new avenue of application for recently acquired prints. In any case, alleviate all of your anxieties surrounding this issue for you are now being presented with the time honored solution of the yo-yo. Yes, this circular disc shaped toy used since ancient times now has the additional modern use of being a fabric crafter's or sewer's design element. Rather than tying and wrapping a string around a hard circular material as done with traditional yo-yos, sewers worldwide are now using their fabric and and thread to make disc-shaped flat pouch-like creations.

They can be applied in a variety of manners. Some of these include use and embellishment for sewing projects such as making quilts, interesting applique features on handbags, clothing, backpacks, etc. The powers of your imagination are really only the limit here. If you wish to acquire more information about the construction of these yo-yos, please refer to the short tutorial provided below, and also be sure not to forget to check out our new lines of novelty prints on our website which is updated daily. Have a refreshing as well as pleasant spring time and may the sewer's knowledge of the yo-yo be with with you!

How to sew a basic Yo-Yo:

Step 1:

During this stage, you are going to be gathering up the materials needed in preparation for the yo-yo construction. You will need the following:

*Fabric - old clothing, scraps around the house, anything you can think of but it must be of medium to light weight so that the yo-yo will gather and layout smoothly

*A Circle Template - this template must be double the size of the your intended finished yo-yo, you can cut this out of cardboard, purchase a circle template at your local craft store, or use any circular object that can be found around the house such as jar or can lids, cups, bowls, etc

*Marking Tools - quilting pencils, or tailoring chalk

*Well Sharpened Scissors

*Hand Sewing Needles

*Quality Thread

Step 2:

Once you have all that you need, you will first begin by laying out your fabric. If you desire to cut multiple circles at once, it would be a good idea to layer your fabric. Next, place your circle template on top of the cloth, and then mark its perimeter with your pencil or chalk. At this point, if you intend upon cutting multiple circles, you might want to pin all of the layers together so that they remain anchored while you cut. Go ahead and cut out the circle(s).

Step 3:

It is now time to start sewing your yo-yo. Thread your sewing needle, and be sure to make a knot at the end. While working with the wrong side of the fabric toward you, begin to turn under the edge of the circle. This under turned edge should be approximately 1/8 to 1/4 inches. Insert your needle on the folded edge of the wrong side of the fabric so that the knotted end will be inside the yo-yo. Sew a running stitch around the edge of the circle, and turn it as sew stopping just short of where you began.

Step 4:

Hold the thread and needle in hand, and pull the string through to gather the circle. Gather the thread until you have an almost closed circle. Use this extra thread to knot the end stitch at the closing multiple times. Trim the thread close to the knots, and then hand press the yo-yo flat with resulting hole being in the center.

Congratulations, you have just completed your first yo yo! At this point, you may now apply your yo yo to whatever, sewing project you wish, simply leave it as is, or continue to make more of them. For those of you interested in joining multiple yo-yos together, please continue along with the below.

How to Sew Yo-Yos Together:

Step 1:

The first important thing to do it to arrange the yo-yos in a sequence that you find to be most aesthetically pleasing. This sequence can be as simple as a row of them lined up side by side or as elaborate as a lot of them used to create a variety of shapes in a pattern based on color combinations. The choice is yours, play experiment, and remember to have fun!

Step 2:

Once you have the pattern in place, begin by gathering two of the yo-yos together. Then take multiple whipstitches along one side with backstitching at start and end of the seam to help anchor it in place. You can make a knot at the at this point if you wish.

Step 3:

To attach the rest of the yo-yos, repeat step 2 by successively adding on more yo-yos until you have completed your row or pattern.

Happy Sewing!

Fabric supply link:

J & O Fabric Center - jandofabrics.com

Posts by J&O Fabrics Store

J&O's Final Four! College Fabric For All!

2008-04-02T08:45:00.000-04:00

Four schools, one national championship….the NCAA’s Men’s Final Four is upon us as this year’s March Madness continues underway in a frenzy that’s sweeping the nation for yet another season!

The vertically UNchallenged, quick footed, fast handed, 3-point throwin’, movin-and-a-shakin’, boppin-and-a-dunkin’, flyin’-through-the-air-like-Mike men of college b-ball have rounded up their teams from the four regions of the country for a month long trek across rough terrain and jungle-like environments in a journey that would lead only the strongest of the strongest to the oasis of the Alamodome. In the heart of Texas these ambitious athletes fight through sore muscles, pulled tendons, and fractured fingers for the long awaited and eagerly anticipated rights to the war trophy that would grant the best team the privilege to bear the title of “NCAA 2008 Champions” and earn them the rights to private and public gloating until next year’s march to madness starts all over again.

Basketball fans, ball players and tall athletic men admirers will be on hand to experience this most exciting showdown in NCAA basketball. From miraculous buzzer-beaters to unforgettable upsets, nothing compares to the Madness of the Final Four. And the fun doesn’t end there. The road to the final championship game is paved with award ceremonies, block parties, concerts, tournaments, clinics, rallies and the annual Hoop City and Big Dance events. It all culminates on April 7th in a testosterone filled arena where the doors to the Alamodome open to a sold out crowd of screaming spectators garnished in their teams colors and branding the mascot logo’s that mark them as #1 fans. From Kansas Jayhawks seat cushions to Memphis Tigers custom made infant outfits, the final four teams (UNC, KANSAS, MEMPHIS & UCLA) will be represented across sports bar and living room flat screens nationwide. The young, old and wildly fanatic will be fighting for victory and rooting for their favorite college teams as the blow of the empire's whistle marks the beginning of the end for the weaker team, and the rise to glory for the next 2008 NCAA National Champions.

Only two of the final four teams will take center court in the days to come; and while the team colors of those that have fallen may start to fade as the process of elimination gets underway, J&O Fabrics promises to keep their name and team spirit alive in our selection of college team cottons, fleeces, and vinyl prints long after the last cheer has been shouted and the last confetti has dropped.

March with us into the madness

When: Monday April 7, 2008

Game time @ 8:21pm

Where: San Antonio, Texas Alamodome

Why: To see all J&O College fabric fashionistas ...of course!

Check out our selection of college basketball cotton fabric here!

Check out our selection of college basketball fleece fabric here!

Check out our selection of college basketball vinyl here!

Check out our selection of novelty basketball fabric here!

Check out our selection of NBA cotton fabric here!

What Your Fabric Color Says About You!

2008-03-28T13:30:00.001-04:00

Color is ubiquitous. It is everywhere and in everything. Color is mood altering, energy balancing, absorbing, radiating, enhancing and subduing. And while different cultures place symbolic attributes and meanings on specific colors, scientific research in neurology, psychology & ophthalmology have preliminary evidence that the effects of color do not solely depend on cultural associations, but more importantly, are based on the fact that the human eye perceives color through sensors that are sensitive and responsive to light. This explains why both sighted and blind respond to the color blue, as well as why both adult and child with different nationalities are easier to lose their tempers when in a yellow colored room.

Several findings indicate that color and light have even been used as a source of healing since the beginning of recorded time as well. When you absorb color energy, it travels through the nervous system to the part of the body that needs it. Each body has its own optimum state of well being and is constantly seeking ways to maintain or restore a balanced state. Utilizing color is one way to help our bodies maintain this harmonious state.

In ancient Indian, Chinese & Egyptian cultures, health related treatments were based around the theory that health was not only contingent upon balancing our physical needs, but our emotional, mental and spiritual as well. And color application helped to do that. Feng Shui, chromo therapy and colorology are a few other healing arts based around aspects of the same theory.

Color and light have the ability to balance the energy wherever a person’s body may be lacking. In the ancient Indian healing art of the Kundalini System, colors affect specific energy centers in our body temples that help our seven chakras open & flow freely. These energy centers govern specific organs in our body temples and vibrate to specific colors that can be reenergized through visualization and application.

Crown /Head chakra violet
Third Eye chakra – indigo
Throat chakra- blue
Heart chakra- green
Solar Plexus chakra-yellow
Sacred Plexus chakra-orange
Root/ Base chakra-red

Color has the same ability when applied to the paint & décor of a room. Whether it’s the color of the walls, a piece of upholstered furniture, the window treatment, or a whole décor theme, color gives a room its look and feel and will therefore bring a positive or negative emotion to the person who enters it.

In the ancient Asian concept of the Feng Shui Five-Element Theory, every color is represented. These five elements are fire, water, metal, wood, and earth. Reds, oranges, brilliant yellows, pinks, and purples represent the element of fire, aligning with passion, danger, and a high energy level. White, gray, silver, and gold colors relate to the metal element and should be used as an accent rather than a main color, as they represent clarity and balance. The colors blue and black are associated with the water element and call forth freshness and abundance. Black in used in moderation when decorating a child's room because of its absorbent properties. Green and brown colors relate to the wood element and provide qualities of health and prosperity. Pale yellows and beige colors are related to the earth element and provide a strong, steady, and stable atmosphere. While it is mindful to pay attention to the use of these strong colors when creating or diffusing energy in your home or office, pastel colors can be used more freely. Pastels are moderate colors that do not represent any energy inhibiting dangers.

Have you ever noticed how certain colors make you feel? How that certain dress or suit seems to make your face glow a little brighter? How brown wall paneling or red drapes affects your mood? Color truly does affect us more than we know. But the more we understand how we process and view color, the more we can manipulate its usage through our choice of fabrics.

Below is a list of some of the more common colors found not only in nature and the man made world around us, but in the fabrics that we purchase for the purpose of creating the very look or feel we are speaking of. When you think of it, fabric can truly be used to convey a wealth of energy and information into a garment or home décor. From its color and texture, to its print and design, fabrics speak volumes without making a sound. Hopefully with this additional knowledge and deeper insight into the vibrations around each color, your next fabric selection will hold a deeper purpose and meaning.

Red

Red is an emotionally intense color, evoking energy and desire. It represents the life force contained in our physical bodies. Red attracts attention whether draped on a female form or coveting your plush sofa cushions. But be careful, red can make you appear heavier and raise your blood pressure as well.

Exam: red cars, red shoes, red light district, red stop signs, seeing ‘red’, painting the town ‘red’, red devil

Orange

Orange is an anti-depressant and appetite stimulator. It vibrates with our emotional sides and is reflective of a warm hearted disposition. Many fast food industries effectively use this color in their marketing strategies for this very reason.

Yellow

Yellow is the most difficult color for the human eye to take in, yet it stimulates our minds and helps us to focus, boosts our memory, and enhances our concentration. Maybe this is why legal pads and post-its are marketed by the industry on yellow paper. While some say that yellow is an optimistic color (as in the yellow ribbon put out when soldiers are at war) adults and babies have been documented to lose their temperatures more in rooms coated in this color.

Green
Green carries a harmonizing and relaxing energy. It is the color of nature, fertility, creativity, wealth and good fortune. For women especially, it serves as a womb rejuvenator; stimulating the energy flow of the chi force. Because of greens calming effects, it is the color of choice for most doctor scrubs, hospital waiting rooms, and the green rooms that performers use prior to putting on a show.

Blue
Like the many shades of green, blue also has a calming and tranquil affect on the mind and body. And while studies have found that people tend to be more productive in rooms painted blue, it is synonymous with a peaceful state. Fashion stylists recommend wearing shades of blue to job interviews because it symbolizes loyalty (as in the phrase, he is a ‘true blue’ friend). Many interior designers make use of the many shades of blue and green in their bathroom and spa decors.

Purple
Purple is a very powerful color. It is the color or royalty and the finer things in life. It reflects a high sense of self both mentally and spiritually, and nurtures creativity.

Exam: purple heart of honor

Turquoise
Turquoise and silver metals are synonymous with the Native Americans who used their natural qualities of protection and dedication for symbolic purposes in many of their jewelry pieces and body adornments. Turquoise stirs the imagination and stimulates concentration as well.

Pink
While red is the color of desire, pink is the color of love void of this desire. It is romance and affection and symbolic of universal love. Pink is flirtatious, yet carries a calming effect on our overall disposition. A case study done in a state prison years ago found that when the bright orange colored uniforms the prisoners wore, were replaced with pink ones, the number of fights and overall level of aggression was reduced. In western culture, pink is symbolic of girls mainly because of the sweetness little girls were conditioned to possess.

Black
Though not truly considered a color, black is still considered very symbolic in many cultures. Most notably symbolic of things dark and mysterious in western cultures, black is often worn by funeral attendants and those in morning. Black is also the color most associated with power and authority. In the fashion industry, black is considered a stylish and timeless color that has not only a thinning affect on the body, but is great for subduing undesirable physical attributes. Because it absorbs energy and light strongly, one must be mindful when furnishing or garmenting too heavy in black.

Exam: black tie event, black magic

White
In many cultures, white is the color of innocence and purity. On the color spectrum, it is considered a neutral color and reflects light as well as energy. In many eastern cultures, it is worn to funerals and other spiritual ceremonies. White is a very revealing color, and as such, requires an attentive eye when used to upholster, garment and window dress.

Brown
Brown is an earthy color representing the natural qualities of Mother Nature. It is considered to be a conservative color and a favorite of many men.

Grey
Grey is the symbolic color of compromise. It denotes renunciation and suppression; this may explain why older depictions of monks and nuns show them with grey colored robes on. If you are looking to liberate yourself from a certain way of thinking, doing or experiencing, grey is the last color you want to surround yourself with.

Lavender
Lavender symbolizes vanity and ultra-femininity. A perfect match for the female essence in all little girls and seasoned women.

What do the primary colors you choose to garment your body and home with say about you?

Check out our selection of novelty fabric here!
Check out our array of solid colored dress fabric here!
Check out our selection of upholstery fabric here!
Check out our array of colorful broadcloth solids here!

Check out our selection of colorful decorative fabric here!

Posts by J&O Fabrics Store

Hillary and Barack in Black & White.

2008-03-25T09:30:00.001-04:00

The latest consensus in the Presidential Campaign between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama seems to come down to a power struggle between black & white……..clothing that is.

In the matter of color, there is something to be said about the energy that colors carry and omit. Colors have symbolic meanings depending on various theorists and cultures. In the world of fashion and interior design, colors play an intricle part in enhancing or subduing our assets and flaws. It can shape the mood of the wearer, as well as the environment it covets. Most importantly, specific colors have been conditioned in our minds to be viewed as a source of power and influence, molding the perceptions of both the individual and the onlooker. Such is the case with black & white.

Let’s take black for instance. Black is the ultimate dark. It is considered to be a conservative and conventional color. It can be serious and sophisticated, yet sexy and mysterious. On the streets, black is the sign of the rebel. In the corporate world, it connotes a sense of a very important person. For most, black is undeniably the power color of choice. And in the western battle of good vs. evil….black is always depicted as the bad guy.

When we see Hillary or Barack in black, we tend to see them as serious contenders in the fight for the win. We experience through our senses, their strong, confident and protective armor of black at work. Depending on the media portrayal of the debate at hand, black can have a positive or negative effect on the nation’s image of the candidate. And they know it too.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, we have the color white. As Americans, we have been conditioned to believe that white is the color of everything innocent, honest and pure. Doctors, healers and sages wear white, as well as first time brides. White is considered brilliant and angelic and for some, a power color that invokes confidence and assurity on all levels. In the western battles of good vs. evil…..white denotes the good guy, and good guys always win. Hillary and Barack know this as well and wear it strategically when necessary.

Color is everywhere, and image is everything. As we watch the debates, view highlights leading up to the elections, and Google Hillary and Barack in our attempts to catch up with the latest news in this history making moment of time, take a second to check out the number of occasions, and location of events, that they choose to wear their black or white. I am sure they are as consciously aware of their choices, as we are subconsciously aware of the affects those color choices have on our perceptions of each of our potential Presidents, as well as the in the world around us.

What is your power color?

Check out our full selection of fabric here!
Check out our selection of new black fabric here!
Check out our selection of new white fabric here!

Check out our selectionof black wool suiting fabric here!

** For more on colors and their symbolic meanings, qualities and energies stayed tuned......

Posts by J&O Fabrics Store

Easter Around The Town. Happy Sewing!

2008-03-19T16:30:00.000-04:00

Just as Santa Clause represents Christmas, a hopping life-size bunny with a basket full of colorful eggs is the quintessential image of Easter.

But how did the Easter bunny and egg hunts become synonymous with Easter anyway? And how are these various images connected to the Christian version of the holiday? Aside from the historical findings that the hare, eggs and the Prophet Yahshua’s resurrection from the dead are all symbols of ‘fertility and life’, I cram to see any other relation.

In fact, my earliest memories surrounding Easter period, remind me of a haute couture fashion show on the runways of the House of God. The biggest question was not whether or not today would be the day you asked for forgiveness for the time you cheated on your math test, but whether or not today would be the day you wore your new royal crepe back satin dress with the coordinating clasp styled hand bag. Between the spirited cat walks up the isles from the young ladies in their embroidered brocades, silky chiffons and elegant furs, to the young men in their raw linens, suiting fabrics and stylish suedes. The after service gossip overshadowed the sermon this Easter Sunday. Even more important was whether or not Sister Victoria’s Easter bonnet would outdo Sister Evelyn’s for the second year in a row. It never ceased to amaze me how she was able to keep that two-foot wide lilac gingham check printed hat with floral trim positioned so neatly while catching the Holy Spirit at the same time. I wouldn’t be surprised if TV celebrity Tyra Banks began her modeling career and got the inspiration for her current hit show ‘America’s Next Top Model’, while sitting in the pews of this very church as a child.

Whether this holiest of Christian Holidays finds you decorating baskets for your yearly Easter egg hunt, decorating your dinner table for the traditional family Easter dinner, or finding just the right sparkle organza to match that brand new pink lame fabric you bought for your special Easter Sunday dress, let J&O be your #1 source for the perfect Easter holiday fabric.

Check out our Easter fabric here!
Check out our selection of Religious fabric here!
Check out our dress fabric collection here!
Check out our novelty fabric section here!

Posts by J&O Fabrics Store

MLB Fleece is a Hit!

2008-03-18T08:30:00.000-04:00

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

20th Century Designers Rule! Vintage Fabric Rocks!

2008-03-10T09:30:00.001-04:00

Mid 20th Century art meets fabric with these legendary artists and designers. If you’ve recently reupholstered your sitting room chairs or engaged in the arduous yet fulfilling task of selecting fabric for a long overdue window treatment, then most likely you have met some of our fine textile designers along the way…..at least on fabric.

Geometri Lilac, Quatrefoil Violet, Circles Khaki, and Pavement Rust; better known as Verner Panton, Alexander Girard, Earnes and George Nelson. And while we may not be able to introduce you face to face, we’d like to take a moment to give you a little background history on our famous upholstery and decorative designers.

Verner Panton (Feb 1926 – Sept 1998) is considered one of Denmark’s most influential 20th century furniture and interior designers. During his career, he created innovative and futuristic designs in a variety of materials and vibrant colors. Panton’s most well-known furniture models are still in production today.

In the late 1960’s and early 1970’s, Verner Panton experimented with designing entire environments. Creating radical and psychedelic interiors by combining his hand crafted curved furniture, wall upholstery, textiles and lighting, he utilized circular patterns and cylindrical furniture that he became famous for in the years after his death.

George Nelson (1908-1986) was one of the founders of American modernism. He was born in Hartford Connecticut and studied architecture at Yale University where he received his bachelor degree in the fine arts. He went on to become a writer and would often times argue with ferociousness, the modernist principles that often times offended industrial designers of that time.

By 1940, George Nelson had drawn popular attention with several innovative concepts including the “family room” and the “storage wall”. He designed under Herman Miller for many years after, and was said to be one of the most eloquent voices on design and architecture in the USA of the 21st century.

Alexander Girard (1907-1993) was one of the foremost designers of American textiles in the 20th Century. His work is characterized by lively, bold and colorful geometric patterns. He created fabrics for Herman Miller that were used on the designs of Charles and Ray Earnes.

Charles and Ray Earnes were a husband and wife design team full of boundless enthusiasm. Their unique synergy led to revolution of sorts and a whole new look in furniture. Lean and modern, playful and functional, sleek, sophisticated, and beautifully simple summed up their signature pieces. It was the ‘Earnes look’.

That look and their relationship with Herman Miller created what would later become the world renowned Earnes lounge chair. Charles and Ray achieved their monumental success by approaching each project the same way: Does it interest and intrigue us? Can we make it better? Will we have "serious fun" doing it? They loved their work, which was a combination of art and science, design and architecture, process and product, style and function. "The details are not details," said Charles. "They make the product."

Each of these architects and designers from the Mid 20th Century has transferred their artistic talents and gift of eye to the fabric textile industry, creating simple yet modern prints and designs for both upholstery and decorative collections. At J&O, we are proud to offer these timeless prints from truly remarkable artists with innovative ideas and vision.

With an Alexander Girard or Verner Panton designer print, you are not only getting top shelf fabric, you are taking home a piece of art and history as well.

Check out our Verner Panton fabric collection here!
Check out our George Nelson fabric collection here!
Check out our Alexander Girard fabric collection here!
Check out our Charles and Ray Eames Fabric collection here!

Posts by J&O Fabrics Store

"There's No Place Like J&O." Wizard of Oz Fabric.

2008-03-04T08:30:00.001-05:00

In the 1939 American musical fantasy film The Wizard of Oz, Dorothy is accompanied 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 only 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.

Check out our Wizard of Oz fabric collection here!
Check out our Novelty cotton fabric here!
Check out all our new fabrics here!

Posts by J&O Fabrics Store

New Licensed Tom & Jerry Fabric Prints!

2008-02-28T10:15:00.000-05:00

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?

Check out our new licensed cartoon fabric here.

Check out our selection of cotton novelty fabric here!

Posts by J&O Fabrics Store

"The Raving Reds of the 2008 Oscars!"

2008-02-25T13:50:00.000-05:00

The carpet wasn’t the only one wearing red at this years’ Oscar’s. Notable film and television favorites came dressed to impress in what some say was just what the Oscar’s needed to jolt the dreary energy of a lingering winter, and the weighted residue from the pending writer’s strike.
The lovely ladies of stage and screen came out to warm the blood of men and stimulate the senses of all in their one of a kind, custom made and right of the runway designer gowns from such fashion icons as Valentino, Galliano, Escada and Kevan Hall. From the legendary Ruby Dee , suited in a ruby red satin gown complete with rhinestone belt, to new comer Miley Cyrus, in a red chiffon bow backed number, it was clear that red was the undisputed color of choice, and these diva’s worked their fashionable garments as only they could.

Check out our collection of taffeta here!
Check out our collection of sequined fabric here!
Check out our selection of chiffon here!

Actress Helen Mirren donned a garnet satin dress, while Anne Hathaway adorned herself in a crimson red satin one shoulder by Marchesa complete with rosette embellishment. Kathy Heigl looked liked she walked right off the set of a Harlequin romance in a beautiful silk georgette column dress with a draped and pleated bodice. The red affair was completed with a haute couture red silk taffeta bustier gown by Galliano that was strutted in true runway style by none other than super model icon herself, Heidi Klum.

With prom season right around the corner, and J&O right at your fingertips, you can take a little bit of creative inspiration and glamour from the red carpet today!

Check out our full section of dress fabric here!

Check out our full section of decorative fabric here!

Check out our full section of satin fabric here!

Posts by J&O Fabrics Store