Confession: I can't sew clothes. I don't even really try. I love quilting and knitting and making softies and bags and all that, but when it comes to gussets and setting in sleeves and calculating ease I just lose my gusto. I know, this is blasphemy in my ...

Before the Sewing & Stitchery Expo this year, I had the joyous pleasure of making four purses for display in our booth. I had SO much fun and particularly enjoyed the transformation that our fabric choice made on Sarah's Bag.

This is a cute, casual bag pattern from Pie Plate ...

Here's the How-To for Anna-Beth's Ric Rac Rose shown in yesterday's Make It Your Own blog post!! Click here if you missed the post.

Materials:

1 yard of Jumbo RicRac.
Thread
A long hand sewing needle. (not a doll or upholstery needle, just a longer needle.)
Scrap ...

My toddler Annika is one of a kind. Her spunk and brilliance amaze me daily, and I like her to be as unique as whe wants to be. So when I found a neon dress with rockstar leggings at Old Navy, I knew they were destined to be hers, but ...

Are you panicked? Did you forget about Easter, too? Well, I didn't exactly forget - it's just that it's VERY early this year! What to do, what to do?! We have some great things in our stores that will make your Easter marvelous, even if it is at ...

by Jennifer Leach, guest blogger

Choosing the right fabric for a photo shoot can be tough.  With thousands of fabrics to choose from, where do you start? In today's post, I'm going to answer that question by sharing some lessons I've learned working as a photographer for ...

 Recently, I just had a blast playing around with the fun projects in this All Sewn Up Book by Chloe Owens.

The design of this book is just fabulous. The colors, the details, the little cartoons of her cat drawn on the pages-I LOVE IT!

So of course I had ...

ONE MORE DAY!!! The Sewing & Stitchery Expo opens tomorrow morning and our crew is down at the Puyallup Fairgrounds putting together our fabulous booth right now!

So, let's talk pillows . . .
(Click on the pictures to see a larger image!)

Eileen, who works in our office, took home some of ...

You know how excited I was about the things I showed you in the first two sneaky previews? Well, I am over-the-top-uber EXCITED now. Just when I think it can't get any better, something else comes in and I'm swooning again!!! Our Sewing & Stitchery Expo Showplex Booth #728 ...

It's the end of my day, but I've just got to get these pictures to you! I've been "sneaking" again and I have more awesome things to show you from our Sewing & Stitchery Expo Booth, #728 in the Showplex. Many of these things will eventually be in ...

We call it the Paycheck Recycling Program around here. That's the part where we all get paid, new fabric comes in, and everything we earned just goes right back into the store - 'cause we've GOTTA have that fabric. And we LOVE it!!! We're all fabri-holics and there ...

Is it raining in your world? That's just a given here in Seattle and while we love the lush green landscape the rain provides, we do get tired of being soppy-drippy-wet. Fortunately, this gives us a GREAT reason to sew and that's always good news!

Have you tried ...

Through December 24th, we will give away one of our favorite books each day. Watch our Facebook page , our Pinterest pins and our blog to find out what ...

Did I capture your mood?!

To make it quick, here are some CRAFT-A-RIFFIC last minute ideas for gifts.

Okay, if you're really, really, really in a hurry OR if you just want to get something any crafty friend will absolutely LOVE, we have two words for you: GIFT CARDS ...

We all procrastinate sometimes and for us crafters, sometimes there's just not enough time in the day to get everything done but these projects are here to save the day!

Anyone can go to the store to buy something but to make a handmade gift for someone means you ...

If you have a kitchen or know someone who has one - you'll LOVE this book! (That includes everyone, right?)

Through December 24th, we will give away one of our favorite books each day. Watch our Facebook page, our Pinterest pins and our blog to find out what the book ...

Oh, we're Ho-Ho-Having fun now!

Through December 24th, we will give away one of our favorite books each day. Watch our Facebook page, our Pinterest pins and our blog to find out what the book is, then leave a comment on the blog, Pinterest or Facebook and we will ...

Let's have some 12 Day fun!

Starting today, December 13th, we will give away one of our favorite books each day until Christmas. Watch our Facebook page and our blog to find out what the book is, then leave a comment on the blog or Facebook and we will ...

Christmas is just around the corner and it may be too late to make a king sized quilt or a knitted sweater but you do have time for these projects!

I've been making a TON of these adorable felt ornaments from the book Fa La La La felt. I ...

This whole post includes projects that are made from panels. That means cut and sew, maybe quilt and embellish and you're done! These panels look like a lot of difficult piecing and hard work but they're easy! And I'm not saying easy as pie because we all ...

 I've never been much of a Holiday Seamstress, nothing really caught my eye, things get too busy, I run out of time-but this year has been very different. There are so many cute books, choices of fabric, easy patterns, I had a hard time choosing which project I would ...

I must admit that I've never thought about where my thread comes from.

I know how important good thread is to the quality of my end product and my sewing experience. You know - things like, cheap thread frays and breaks and balls up in your sewing machine, go with ...

I absolutely love burlap ; its fun to work with, it has great texture, and it works great with fall decor! Pacific Fabrics in Bremerton has an abundance of burlap so naturally, the manager Audrey starts asking around for what Pacific Fabrics staff could think up.

I have seen a ton ...

If you're anything like me, you're a procrastinator when it comes to holidays. I usually wait until the last minute to start stitching up my halloween costume. Last year, I did a pretty amazing job I must say; I decided to be Little Red Riding Hood and I ...

The leaves are changing, the days are shorter, and the air is cool; fall is here! What's better then keeping your hands warm with some crafts?

I decided to put some of the beautiful assortments of felt (some avaliable online, come see us for more!) from Pacific Fabrics to ...

We have fabulous furs at all our stores, BUT the selection at SODO Seattle has just been driven up a notch with the arrival of the new 'SODO Only' furs below. It is now most definitely where the wild things are! (Click on the pictures to see a larger image ...

I just LOVE the Christmas Holiday time, don't you? The hustle, bustle, shopping for hours and hours, fighting the crowds, wondering what to get Aunt Sue and Uncle Johnny and staying up all night to finish making my presents. WOAH! Wait a minute - that sounds awful! And that, my ...

For a bonafide Wool Crafting addict, our stores have been a pretty exciting place lately!

First, I fell totally in love with this new box of Wool Pennies. PRE-CUT (did I say that loud enough), circles in various sizes, colors, tweeds and plaids.

Scrumptious! Now, if cutting little circles is ...

As seen in our stores this week!

From whimsical, local designer, Julie Paschkis, comes the Chickadee collection - a bird lover's delight! Julie's talent for combining rich saturated colors with black and white creates stunning bold prints, borders and panels for fabulous stitching.

Click here to download the pattern ...

Drum roll, please! And the Winner is . . .

Ms. Lisa Campbell who commented on June 18th at 11:04 pm!

Lisa, please email me at annette@pacificfabrics.com and we will arrange getting your autographed Sewing With Oilcloth book to you.

Thanks so much to all who entered our giveaway. This ...

You'll find a wide variety of " oilcloth" type fabrics in our stores, but if you haven't sewn with these before, they can look a bit intimidating. In fact, coated fabrics are quite easy to work with, but there are some tips that will make your experience fun, very ...

It's just a matter of weeks until summer officially begins, but I bet the invitations for graduations and weddings are already arriving and, of course, Father's Day is just around the corner on June 17th. Sooo, I thought you might be coming down with "Gift Overload Flu". The ...

The idea of capturing my vacation memories or favorite places in fabric and stitches has long captivated me. The actual execution of my dreams, however, has always seemed beyond me. That is until I found Karen Eckmeier's marvelous book, Accidental Landscapes . Karen understands that even if we sew and ...

By jove - I do believe it's the Queen's Diamond Jubilee weekend! (How's my British accent?)

With all the excitement surrounding Queen Elizabeth's 60th year as Queen of England, I find myself inspired to participate in this once-in-a-lifetime celebration. That, of course, means a little sewing and ...

Here's a quick weekend project!

Ann Sagawa, the hard-working Speaker Coordinator from the fabulous  Sewing & Stitchery Expo , stopped by our Northgate store the other day and fell in love with a few fabrics. Actually, more than a few, but she was remarkably restrained in her shopping since she was ...

Attention all doll lovers! Young, older or in-between - you MUST drop by our SODO Seattle store for their on-the-wall Dolly Fashion Show. I am loving this because it's right outside my office and even though I am now sort of a "grown-up", I still LOVE dolls. You can tell ...

In July of 2012, the City of Seattle will begin a new phase of shopping. One-time-use plastic bags will be banned by law and owning a reusable tote will take on a new urgency. For a crafty-quilty type, supporting the "no plastic bags" initiative is a great way to take ...

We have gorgeous quilting fabrics on our site, but gorgeous fabrics are not quite as gorgeous in a quilt without good basic fabrics for blending! In the last few weeks, we've added a lot more of these to our web site, so you can shop at home for more ...

Sometimes when you're a Crafty Mom you don't buy some of the things you would really, really love, because there are other things that come first. You know - music lessons for Ashley, Little League fees for Jason, groceries, power bills, car payments, the orthodontist - that kind of thing ...

There's nothing more precious to a mother's heart than something made by her child! So, if you're making Mom a gift this year, I've found a few other things to tuck in with your handmade gifts for the Mom who sews. Take a look!

E-Reader Covers ...

Earth Day 2012 has just passed, but I know we all want to take care of our "home" all year long. At Pacific Fabrics, we come from a long-standing tradition of recycling and thinking about ways to give back. Our roots date back to 1917 and a horse-drawn wagon that ...

Doesn't she look regal?

A few weeks ago, Cathy, our SODO Seattle  Assistant Manager, asked me for some advice about a gorgeous, sheer knit, beaded fabric she was using for a special occasion dress. She appropriately chose a simple two-piece dress pattern that she had made before. Just what ...

I have a couple of fun "child" fabrics for you this week. Although, the second one is so lovely that you'll want it for yourself. Click on the pictures to see a larger image! You'll find these at most of our stores and on our web site soon ...

What do you give Mom when she turns 80? How can you possibly express your gratitude for everything she has given you?

I think Lisa, one of my office co-workers, came up with the perfect gift for her Mom's 80th this weekend. This sweet little clutch will be just ...

It's not too late! We still have lovely fabrics in our stores and you can still make something wonderful for Easter Sunday. Table runners, toppers, pillows, basket liners - all quick projects that will have all your favorite bunnies smiling. We've got just a taste of what you'll ...

When I was young, sewing was a fairly utilitarian thing and still taught in schools. I didn't have to wait, though, as my mother had me start sewing buttons on doll clothes when I was a toddler. From there I progressed to sewing my first dress when I was ...

I was a real "doll" girl when I was young - probably still am, if the truth be told. My dolls were my best friends and I played with them, dressed them, slept with them and spent long hours in conversation with them. My very favorite gifts were the clothes and ...

Crafty Chris has turned into Chef Chris for the weekend and she's serving up terrific tools and tips at our Sewing & Stitchery Expo "Diner" booth in Puyallup this weekend. Click on the pictures to see a larger image and take a look at her fresh cooked demonstration menu!

This ...

I DO not know how it happens, but this weekend's Sewing & Stitchery Expo at the Puyallup Fairgrounds REALLY is better than ever. For instance, you can UPS your purchases back home right from the show - isn't that brilliant!!

There's more, too, but of course, I'm here ...

It's me again! Now known as Sneaky Nette, I've got more pictures for you!!! This time I found some gorgeous things that will be on the Fashion end of our Sewing & Stitchery Expo booth next week. Oh, my goodness, it's coming so quickly - next week - wow!!!

I ...

Okay, sewing buddies - so, the samples that will be in our Sewing & Stitchery Expo booth next month have started to arrive and . . . (shhhh!) I sneaked into Debbie's office and took a few pictures for you. You MUST see these - they are so cool! If you like this, leave me ...

Roses in bloom, sweet violet posies, warm breezes and skies of blue. Rumpled pillows poised for comfort, soft peaceful hues and creatively vintage style. These things and smart thrify finds make up the comfortably imperfect world of Rachel Ashwell’s Shabby Chic.

This week as the cold weather makes us ...

We're in the midst of a severe Winter storm here in Western Washington and I can't get out to a store - or anywhere else for that matter! But . . . I have internet access, so I can still shop and plan and dream. Nothing holds down a creative spirit, you ...

I thought you would enjoy this 'vintage' post from our previous blog today. It was written by Anna-Beth during a snow storm in December of 2008. ~ Annette

There's just nothing like the warmth that handmade touches give to a home, is there? Sweetwater's Simple Home book offers 35 lovely projects that are beginner as well as experienced stitcher friendly and simply quick to make. Designed by Sweetwater's creative mom and daughters trio, you'll ...

It's December 22nd and we're down to counting the hours until Christmas morning. But, yes, Virginia, you CAN still make some fabulous gifts! We'll be posting ideas on our Facebook page and Twitter while we're counting down, so keep watching. Here's a little immediate help ...

Originally published on our previous blog, here's Annette's post on how to top your table with peace and safety!

Do you fear gouges in your heirloom wooden dining table? Are you tired of trying to figure out how to get cranberry and who knows what out of your ...

I like to think of this as the perfect apron for answering the door to trick or treaters - festive, but not scary, and very comfortable. I made it in a night - it's a snap! Click here to see the Amelie Apron pattern I used. You'll find it at ...

If you're like me, sometimes when you sit down to sew a new project, you're just not sure which needle would be best. There's a vast array of choices out there these days, so I thought a little needle-cation might be in order. I turned to our ...

If you haven't been into one of our stores lately, plan a trip for the weekend! We have gorgeous new things for you to see, but you know how it is - the more gorgeous they are, the faster they sell - so hurry in to get yours soon. Here's ...

Here's a tip for those of you who need to make a quick costume but don't have access to a sewing machine. This Cave Woman costume is not sewn together! The seams are all fused with paper-backed fusible tape.

The pattern is Simplicity #2518, an easy to sew ...

I found a class that's just too good to miss and I must tell you about it!

Our Everett store is offering you a great chance to have the best Halloween costume ever this year. On Sunday, October 2nd, Ashley Sevald, a costumer who also works at the Everett ...

For my project I used:

• 3 yards of 6 colors of tulle (for a child ...

We have a great book at the Bellevue store where I work. It's called Design-It-Yourself Clothes - Patternmaking Simplified. I wanted to learn how to draft patterns, so I took my measurements and then followed the book's directions for the first project, an A-line Skirt.

My family is gone ...

I love crafting! Creating things by hand gives me a feeling of accomplishment and pride. I have only recently embraced technology in crafting and I have found it helps me to get more time for the hobby I love.

This month at Creative U, I am having so much fun ...

I love being able to walk into my sewing studio, look through my fabrics and start designing without having to leave the house. This is only possible, of course, if I continually feed my fabric stash!

Here are my 5 hints for keeping a "well-fed" stash:

1. When you see ...

This is the pattern for an apron I made for Aaron & his day-care giver. It's called the Child's Honeycomb Apron.

The honey-comb stitch looks smocked but it's much easier and quite fast.

Close up of the honey-comb stitch, yo-yo (flower-like w/ red button) and the itty-bitty scotty ...

Earlier this month, I had a chance to try Frixion Gel Pens from Pilot. I used them to mark the quilting lines in a project that I was machine quilting. They wrote so smoothly and clearly!

After I was done quilting instead of washing or rubbing with a damp cloth ...

Some days, I just can't stand the thought of cooking. Know what I mean? But, then I think about new aprons, new hot pads and other perky things I can make for my kitchen and that really lights my cookin' stitchin' fire again. Just a little project goes a ...

Crafty Chris has morphed into Chris Claus for Christmas in July this month and she's very busy corraling elves, so I thought I'd do a tip for you today. It's pretty simple - go to one of our Christmas in July events, plan your gifts and start making ...

Pie. What's not to love? Juicy fruit encased in flaky, lovely pastry arranged in aesthetically pleasing lattices and twists. 

So when we got a pattern from Seams Like Fun for Grandma Dot's Fruit Pie Hot Pads, I was the first to take it home and make myself a ...

Many of my inspirations come from fabric. I LOVE fabric - good thing I work in a fabric store! I am always looking for reasons to buy some new print that I've fallen in love with and lately my eye has been drawn to the repeating stripes often featured in ...

Many years ago I worked for a fabric store that sold sewing machines and our most common complaint was: "My thread keeps breaking!" I learned to ask a few basic questions and found that the machine was rarely the actual problem. Since I know how frustrating this can be, I ...

We've had warm weather in our area this week and it makes me think of BBQ and outdoor cooking on the grill! So, using the Man'z Domain pattern, I decided to make my hubby a new BBQ Apron and a couple of matching Mitts for Father's Day ...

I remember fondly how pleased my husband was the year I made him a Hawaiian style shirt for Dad's Day. I'm not sure he liked the print or style, but he wore it proudly for quite awhile. It wasn't the shirt that meant so much, it was ...

I'm a little late because of the holiday, but I've got a great thrifty tip for you this week! While working on table runners this month as I was preparing for our June Creative U, "Table Top Treats", I tried to use up bits of quilt batting I ...

If you're looking for a little texture for your sewing or quilting project, I highly recommend Texture Magic! I've been working with Texture Magic for quite awhile now and I really love it!

Simply sew the Texture Magic fabric to the back of your fabric, steam it and ...

Making baskets and bags from fabric strips is fun and so easy using patterns from Aunties Two (like the Biscuit Basket shown above) and CRAF-TEX Stabilizer.

CRAF-TEX is a stiff, heavy-weight stabilizer that is great for sewing and crafts. I've used it in the bottom of tote bags and ...

Some fabric came into my house not long ago and was washed, dried and carefully folded and stacked.

Then I got busy cutting and matched up pieces in combinations that I liked for something I've never made before.

Next, it was time for a bit of late night and ...

Is Spray Starch one of those quilting "tools" that you have a love/hate relationship with?

Dodi Poulsen

At the Sewing & Stitchery Expo a few weeks ago, I picked up a great tip while attending one of the seminars presented by Dodi Poulsen of Two Sisters at Squirrel Hollow. You ...

I'm headed for the last day of the Sewing & Stitchery Expo at the Puyallup Fairgrounds. The show is open from 9 to 4 today - come on down! My pictures weren't loading well, but here are more of my favorites with my best descriptions:

Fabric is 20 % off in ...

Hey Sewing Buddies,

Are you coming to the Sewing & Stitchery Expo this week? Did you know that the party isn't over when the Sewing & Stitchery Expo closes each night? If you've been to our Puyallup Store's Famous After Hours Party then you know what I mean. If ...