What is Batik fabric, really?

New: Direct link to Batik fabrics at our online webstore! (under construction, but getting there ... Webs.com is having technical difficulties.)
http://www.terrycrawfordpalardy.com/apps/webstore/products/show/7138653

Batik is an unusual fabric, and customers seem to either love it or ignore it. I began stocking Batik this spring, and had to learn how to order it. Fortunately, the salesman from WilmingtonPrints  Fabric introduced me to the idea of having fabric collections that tell a story... and so I looked at dozens and dozens of fabrics before I began to choose.

The rational part about buying lots of fabrics at one time is spreading the deliveries out over a season, and so the batik bolts began arriving seven at a time... but the challenge was in the fact that the colors didn't arrive in coordinated color groups. But this beautiful pink and blue floral was in the first delivery, accompanied by some brown and orange bolts ... nevertheless, the day they arrived, a friend and loyal customer immediately bought a few yards from the bolt! So my initial thought of tucking them away until the coordinated colors arrived was banished, and Rick built us a new set of shelves to hold them.

Click here to order Batiks from our webstore online, via Paypal

By the end of summer, the bolts had all arrived, and arranging them on the shelves has been delightful. A collection of coordinating charm packs arrived with the last shipment, and those include 5" squares of the many, many bolts that I could not afford to order all at once. 

Click here to order charm packs from our webstore.

Each company producing Batik fabrics has their own individual patterns, and the prints used are applied by hand. The stamps are developed by hand as well. Hoffman fabrics produced a video available at youtube that lets us see the workers skillfully creating the stamps, and then applying the colors and patterns to the fabric yard after yard after yard. Click here to view the video.

Come in to Quilters' Quarters to see which bolts whisper a story to you. And watch for our future kits and patterns that will be featuring these fabrics.

Let me know which colors or styles or patterns most appeal to you, or most suggest a quilt or project that you've been thinking of beginning.

Another of our frequent customers came in today and bought some of the blue collection, as she plans to make quilts for family friends in return for their generosity and kindness. Quilters are like that!

And remember, pre-cut packs like the 5" charm packs add a great variety to your new stash of Batiks ... it may take us a while to collect enough to include something for everyone, but give us a chance and we'll do our best!

Remember: when I get a deal, you get a deal!

And one last comment on Batiks: they are as clear and beautiful on the reverse side as they are on the 'right' side ... in other words, there is no 'wrong' side! Sometimes silk, sometimes, cotton, but always beautiful ~ all of the fabric at Quilters' Quarters is 100% quilt quality cotton ... tell your friends to come and check out our shop ... we'd love to see you and them!

If you've received this in your email, thank you for following our blog. Please invite your friends to sign up at the top of the page so they will receive updates from Quilters'  Quarters!

Terry's email and online webstore for our distance customers: 

• needlesandpens@comcast.net
• http://www.terrycrawfordpalardy.com/apps/webstore/

Rick's email, online webstore and blog: 

• woodentoyandgift@comcast.net
• www.woodentoyandgift.net
• http://WTandGNews.blogspot.com

August Has Arrived!

This summer is flying past, but not swiftly enough to generate a cool breeze. Still, the weather board suggests cooling ahead, beginning today.

August, though, means the summer is half-over here in New England, and the Row by Rowers have no doubt lost a few days to the oppressive heat we've been experiencing. North of Boston, we've just come off a nine day heat wave of 90+ degree temperatures, with humidity up there in the 60's ... but we're putting that behind us now. Time to think of easy quilt-as-you-go 6 inch x 36.5 inch Row by Row™ rows and their free patterns in quilt shops! Much cooler than working with a full quilt in your lap.

Our " Patch Puppy Paradise" row kit is  priced at $10.00, and comes with the free pattern of easy to follow machine applique using fusible interfacing (or basting spray, pins or a simple glue stick) to temporarily hold the four dogs and their houses on the row. Simple or decorative top stitching and echo or free motion quilting will make our row POP on your 2016 Home Sweet Home quilt. And, if you want extra Dalmatian pups, or a line of trees along the horizon as embellishments, we have those in the shop, too.

We still have new fabrics arriving almost daily ... batiks, holidays, patriotic colors ... cut from the bolt panels, pre-cut jelly rolls (2.5" strips), charm packs (5" squares) and layer cakes (10" squares) ~ sounds like a bakery, doesn't it? The variety of colors, prints and textures in any of these pre-cut packs is what makes them great additions to your growing stash.

Borders for your row by row quilt?

Williamsburg Fabrics!

more Williamsburg Fabrics
in different color settings

Wilmington Prints and Quilting Treasures
play nicely together!

Strips and Rolls of all sorts!

Westrade 108" backings

batiks, patriotic fabrics, and more!

batik charm square packs

digital nautical print - new technique!

horizontal panel with 
coordinating layer cake pack

new Ink and Arrow (I Spy) fabrics for the holidays

Quality companies like Quilting Treasures and Wilmington Prints now have smaller packs (numbering 24 rather than 42 cuts in a pack) bringing the cost of such variety in line with our own lower prices($23.00 rather than $42.00.)  And always, when we get a wholesale discount, you get the same percentage as a retail discount! That's why you'll find quilt quality name brand fabrics at Quilters' Quarters for as low as $4, $5, $6 and $7 per yard! We do also have the $11.50-12.00/yd bolts, but are always willing to cut those into fat quarters or chubby eighths for you ~ just ask us.

Quilters' Quarters "Feel Good Shopping" promotion continues to delight shoppers ... we've garnered quite a few Five Box Cards in our sewing cabinet drawer ... and several are approaching the Special Fifth Friday 20% Off All-You-Can-Fit Loyal Shopper bag! Re-read the details at this special page if you need a reminder of how this can help you save A LOT OF money on back to school and holidy projects.

We look forward to seeing you and helping you find just the right fabric for your next project.  We have threads,pins, needles and other tools, too!

If you're reading this in your email, thank you for following the blog. If you found us at our Facebook Page, go ahead and click the "follow by email" link at the top of the right margin, so you won't miss any special events or offerings.

Quilters' Quarters 2016 fabric plate is $5.00!

Don't be shy - visit the many pages listed in the table of contents of this blog (in the right margin.) And as always, please feel free to share this email with your friends and family so they, too, will benefit from our local quilt shop experience.

Remember, we have our own shop hop starting at the end of September ... pick up information at Quilters' Quarters, and buy your $6.00 Adventure pass that comes with this special bag and more details about Humble BeginningsAdventure!

Helen and Henry (and Rick and Terry) look forward to your next visit to Quilters' Quarters, and are happy to share all that we have to offer.

For Quilters' Quarters online shopping: http://www.terrycrawfordpalardy.com/apps/webstore/
For Wooden Toy and Gift online shopping:
http://www.woodentoyandgift.net/
Our shop hours for Quilters' Quarters and Wooden Toy and Gift are posted at the top of the right margin: please check there for any holiday change announcements.