Category: Facts

15 Delightful Facts about Denim and Jeans

I used to teach French (fabulous job to have, by the way) and so I always heard that denim was connected with France. I just read a terrific blog post about the origin of “being under the weather” so I decided it was high time I researched the origin of the word denim. Here are... Read more »
By Kathy Mathews,
November 21, 2017 at 8:04 am • 

11 Glorious Facts about Gingham

My very first sewing project on my own was created from gingham. It has a fond place in my heart that was awakened recently while watching The Wizard of Oz with my grandchildren. It was their first time and they were fascinated. I was having a ball watching them and I impulsively mentioned to Zara... Read more »
By Kathy Mathews,
October 5, 2017 at 8:07 am • 

12 Capricious Facts about Corduroy

I miss corduroy, I really do. I was reminded of it when I heard from a colleague who would wear a corduroy suit long after it was in style. I remembered various projects I had made from it and I realized I didn’t know much about it. Now we are all going to learn some... Read more »
By Kathy Mathews,
August 17, 2017 at 8:09 am • 
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12 beguiling Facts about Batiks

Recently I visited Michigan State’s Museum and since it is an intimate space I was able to visit every exhibit there. Nearly all of it was fascinating but of course my eye caught a display about batik fabrics. I use batiks in my quilts but don’t really know that much about them. After reading just... Read more »
By Kathy Mathews,
July 10, 2017 at 8:58 am • 

7 fantastic Facts about Folk Art Quilts with examples from the International Quilt Festival Chicago

There were many fascinating collections at the International Quilt Festival in Chicago this year. One which I very much enjoyed was the group of quilts in the Primitive/Folk Art Quilt section. They appealed to me, probably because we had copies of Grandma Moses’ paintings in our home growing up. The style was familiar but I... Read more »
By Kathy Mathews,
June 8, 2017 at 7:53 am • 

12 Illuminating Facts about Art Quilts

I do not sew art quilts. It’s not because I do not like them but because I love comfy quilts which you can wrap up in. I also like those kinds of quilts which you can put on the wall to warm up the room. Since I do not make them, I do not know much... Read more »
By Kathy Mathews,
May 30, 2017 at 8:10 am • 
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Facts about Dear Jane quilts and examples from the International Quilt Festival Chicago

Dear Jane quilts have been popular for over twenty years. However, I have always viewed them from afar; I was in awe at the workmanship but filed them under “quilts I will never make.” Because of the International Quilt Festival I am motivated to know more about them. I decided to learn more about them and share some... Read more »
By Kathy Mathews,
May 11, 2017 at 7:46 am • 

12 Useful Facts about basting

I am a lover of words and of all things textile. Sometimes the two come together when I ponder words used in the creation of quilts or textile art. Recently I was surprised when my granddaughter demanded to know what a turkey baster was. I became a bit fixated on the word and decided to... Read more »
By Kathy Mathews,
February 14, 2017 at 7:35 am • 

12 smooth Facts about Velvet

Velvet is a rich sounding word and it conjures up the softness of the fabric. I have not sewn a lot with velvet myself. I can remember making one skirt in High School and having to be very careful with the nap and the fabric in general. I was thinking about making a velvet dress for... Read more »
By Kathy Mathews,
January 17, 2017 at 7:41 am • 
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9 Festive Facts about Holiday colors

When I sew for Christmas, wrap gifts or plan outfits for December parties I inevitably think of red and green. I like both those colors and sewing with Christmas fabrics used to be easier for matching. Lately I feel that every year they add in teal or change the shades and it’s harder to mix... Read more »
By Kathy Mathews,
November 28, 2016 at 7:13 am •