New recycled & organic knits and sweatshirt fleeces!

Because it's 100 degrees out, here is some FLEECE. I know, it's a strange thing to be promoting right now, but this recycled and organic fleece became available and I had to grab it. Our last supply did not last long. There is a nice 8 oz. lightweight style ideal for cool evenings or for travel.

But fleece isn't everything - we have some new jerseys and ribs too. Tip: If the color names are the same (i.e., "Artichoke Green"), you can buy different styles in that color and they will match.

I love recycled cotton because it's good to the environment in two ways. First, it reduces the amount of cutting waste that goes into the landfill. Second, recycling eliminates the need for irrigation, fertilizer, pesticides and dyes. Finally, the fabrics are just plain neat looking because they contain all the yarns and colors of the t-shirts from which they are made. Each run is a little unique.

Click here to view all of the organic and sustainable styles - 42 in all.

Sorry for the dearth of updates here. I have been spending more updating time on the highly-addictive Facebook! So be sure you join us by becoming a fan, as I occasionally post exclusive coupons just for fans.

Visit us at the American Sewing Guild national conference in July, Albuquerque, NM.

Tons of new items have been added lately. I am thinking about what I am going to wear to the American Sewing Guild (ASG) Conference in Albuquerque, New Mexico in July. We will have a booth there.

So this has put the idea of light, cool cotton prints into my head. Thus, there are lots of new cotton knits like the one on the left.

Also, I had the opportunity to procure bra-making supplies for a fashion design class at the Art Institute in Dallas. It was really fun to see what the students are working on and what inspires them.
As a result, I have some new bra-making items such as elastics, and this really lovely new stretch fabric for lingerie. Those of you who liked the "Whisper" fabric will like this. The Whisper mill went out of business but this one is sturdier and I think it has a cooler feel. If it proves to be popular, more colors can be brought in.

OK, so back to the cotton knits. If you are planning to go to the conference, I am thinking gauze. We have some cotton gauze knit fabric that is not flimsy. The prints are very detailed and on-trend, with the major Indian influences we are seeing now.

Rhinestone Buckles under $1

Did you know that lucysfabrics.com has rhinestone buckles for under $1, and many styles that are close to $1? When browsing the rhinestone buckles, be sure to click on the "buy in bulk and save" links to see the wholesale/bulk price discounts. To get these discounts, just place the quantity in your cart and check out. It's very easy!

10mm square - 90 cents for 100 or more!
13mm round - 95 cents for 300 or more!
15mm round (at left) - 99 cents each for 300 or more!

Polartech Power Stretch now available in Spring colors!

Happy Polartec Power Stretch!

For those cool Spring mornings and nights, here is an updated fleece just for you!
Polartec Power Stretch can be found in many high-end athletic wear brands. It has a knitted side and a fuzzy side, and is not bulky. The knit side is normally worn on the outside. It has 4-way stretch, wicking properties and is machine washable. Try it for hoodies, vests, loungewear and more. It's great for travel because it's light and folds really flat.

Check them all out here.

Dress Barn, Double Knit, Michelle Obama and Me

A bunch of us Pit Bull people are going down to Austin to lobby the legislature. Stop #1 was the hairdresser - my overgrown hair that is usually in a ponytail is now a cute layered 'do inspired by Alexis on American Idol. Now, I need something to wear that doesn't make me look like a hillbilly who lives on a sheep farm with 5 dogs. It's going to be a long day, so the ideal thing would be a double-knit or matte jersey dress in a transitional or year-round color or muted print. A knit is a must for a long trip because I want something that stretches and does not wrinkle.

We were in our closest small city for date night, so I dragged my husband into Dress Barn. I can't say it without going, "Dress Barn! MOOO!" I mean, who would place the word BARN in a clothing store for women? Nonetheless, when I need a dress in a hurry I can find something there as the selection is better than the name implies.

I was delighted to find a sheath dress in my best selling rayon-poly-spandex double knit but the style wasn't for me. The sales lady said that they had a lot of Jackie Kennedy-type sheath dresses in and I said something about how Michelle Obama must be driving up demand for those. Then the lady said, "Ugh, Michelle Obama. I wish someone would teach her how to dress! She doesn't dress like a First Lady."

Oh, here we go. Once again, I am going to get in trouble for gushing about the Obamas while too close to the Red River. "Michelle is the best thing to happen to the fashion industry since 'Sex in the City.' It's been a long time since the general public has even been interested in fashion. Besides, she's young and fit and wears it well."

Well, the sales lady and I probably came to an impasse but hopefully I gave her some thought about which side her bread is buttered on.

I tried on a dress but it hit the fattest part of my knee, so the search continues at the outlet mall down in the big city. But my quest has given me more appreciation for our gracious First Lady and her impact on the industry. Even though, in almost-Oklahoma-Texas, Michelle's impact might never be fully recognized or appreciated.

Announcing Lucy 3.0 - Now offering Free Shipping!

Monday morning, the third iteration of Lucysfabrics.com launched and we are up and running at full speed. Credit cards and PayPal are working via secure server. The only thing not hooked up yet is Google Checkout. However, we will be happy to send a Google Checkout invoice to anyone who wants to use it.

We hope that you will find the checkout runs much faster and more smoothly.

We now offer FREE SHIPPING!

On orders of $75 or more to the Continental USA.

$150 or more to AK, H I, PR and other Islands handled by USPS.

$200 or more to Canada.

There are several new features:

• Wish List.
• Ability to get RSS Feeds for new products.
• Deeper volume discounts for rhinestone buckles.
• Automatically saves your account at checkout if you choose. Your account includes all order info and communications from us.
• Save your shopping cart for much longer (but don't save it too long in case it sells out!).
  
• Better navigation - easy to get back to previously viewed products.

I could go on but I will go ahead and let you try it out!

If there are any questions or glitches please do not hesitate to contact us.

You asked for it! More Stretch Mesh Fabrics!

A new shipment of power mesh in various weights and glissenet has just arrived.
The mill I used to work with had gone out of business, so our selection had run low, but I am happy to bring you several new styles and colors including a really nice, neutral, non-orangey fleshtone (far right).

So, now there is a good supply of it, but what is it used for?

Power mesh fabric is a stretch mesh with tiny but visible holes. The stronger varieties are good for bra backs. Read the descriptions for more details, since many differ from one another. Power mesh is also great for panties, thongs, and as an embellishment for day or night. I have seen many t-shirts with strips of power mesh around the neck and/or sleeves with the edges left raw (it does not ravel). Customers use this a lot for sleeves. And, I bought a skirt from Max Studio that has it sewn along the lining so that it peeks out at the bottom.

Glissenet (Glissenette, Glistenet, stretch illusion) fabric is very sheer and has holes that are basically invisible. It is like pantyhose, but stronger. You see this a lot on dance costumes, skating costumes or bridal dresses to fill in a low back or neckline for modesty. I don't know how they do it but I have many customers who make stockings for fashion dolls out of glissenet! Any of these meshes would be good for doll clothes and a variety of crafts. I use my scraps to make gift bags or bows. And finally, customers have used the stretch mesh fabrics to make wings for costumes - you can stretch them nice and tight. Some have dyed the white but honestly I am not sure how they did it, so you will need to experiment with a dye that can be used on a 100% synthetic fiber.

Check out all the mesh fabrics here.

Needles for Knit Fabrics

It is not the most exciting thing I have ever bought, but for your convenience we now carry Schmetz needles for stretch knit fabrics. Twin needles too! They are on the Notions page.

When sewing with knits, it is important to use new, ball-point needles. Synthetic fibers are especially hard on needles and you will find yourself going through them pretty quickly. Otherwise, you will experience skipped stitches, needle holes, snags and runs. So next time you order some knits, pick up some extra needles, just in case.