Shannon Fabrics « The Backroads to Road to California

Posts Tagged ‘Shannon Fabrics’

Learning To Sew With Cuddle Fabric

Friday, October 13th, 2017

Cuddle fabric (sometimes referred to as Minky ) is a special type of plush fabric that is often used to make baby blankets, baby clothing and baby accessories. The high quality of Cuddle fabric prevents its colors from fading and its warmth from decreasing over time. Produced by Shannon Fabrics, Cuddle fabrics have become their signature collection. While Cuddle fabric is a super soft and plush fabric, it can be very tricky to sew with until you are familiar with it. Road 2018 is offering three classes by a Cuddle expert, Sheila McKay, to help take the mystery of sewing with this type of fabric. Along with her two daughters. Sheila owns McKay Manor Musers, a place for all things crafty. Their tagline is ‘Inspiration is everywhere … unleash your inner artisan’ The three classes Sheila will be teaching are:

Thursday Night 4063C Fun With Painters Tape

Friday Night 5066C Diagonal Sew and Flip

A quick and easy way to build a quilt right on the batting, and on

Sunday 7008C Mixing Gauze, Knit and Cuddle

Tips and tricks to sewing with these notoriously difficult fabrics

Why does Sheila like to teach? Because she loves watching “the light bulbs come on.” Sheila shares that most people really don’t enjoy sewing with Cuddle fabric or with gauze and even knits. She is looking forward to giving enough tips and tricks so that most people can walk away with lots of new ways to make sewing on Cuddle and these other fabrics so much easier.

What is Sheila’s favorite sewing tool? “By far, it is the needle threader on my sewing machine!! I am lost when it doesn’t work. Apparently, I need to admit that I need glasses.” Her favorite sewing tip is one she picked up from an instructor that taught a class at the Houston Quilt Festival. She showed her how to make a perfect mitered corner when you are doing binding by just using a sticky note folded in half to make a triangle. In addition to teaching her classes, Sheila and McKay Manor Musers will have a vendor booth. Look for them to be selling all of their full-size patterns and template packs. Sheila and her daughters have designed almost everything in their booth. The template packs are appliques that can be put on the top of the quilts or anything else like purses, pillows or backpacks. They also offer kits for many of the patterns so customers don’t have to go out and find their own fabrics. Most of all, Sheila adds, “We offer a smile – stop by and see us.” ]]>

Tags: Cuddle Fabric, Mckay Manor Musers, Minky, Sewing Tips, Shannon Fabrics, Sheila McKay, Unique Fabric
Posted in classes, Road to California 2018, Vendors | No Comments »

Do You Know Cuddle Fabric?

Thursday, April 7th, 2016

Shannon Fabrics had a big presence in Road’s 2016 Marketplace. Featuring their signature “Cuddle” fabric collection, Shannon Fabrics showed guests why they have become a household name when it comes to plush fabrics and how they are Making The World a Softer Place™. In their booth, they were able to demonstrate a variety of tips and techniques using Cuddle, as well as how all their fabrics can be used alone and together with other fabrications, including quilting cottons. A huge hit with Shannon Fabrics booth were all the Cuddle Charm Packs they gave away. Their charm packs were a great way to be introduced to using Cuddle Fabric and are perfect for making a baby blanket or a baby pillow. During the show, one of the $5.00 Lecture classes featured Quick Quilts With Cuddle. The class was taught by Cuddle experts Pat Wodskow and Cindy Surina. Pat and Cindy shared tips and techniques on how to work with Cuddle fabric. The first thing they pointed out was why Cuddle is a superior fabric to Minky. While Minky was the first plush fabric, Pat remarked how it has a thinner backing and is a cheaper quality. That is why you can find it at Wal Mart and JoAnn’s. Cuddle has a higher weave backing along with a higher, thicker, and longer pile making it more stable than Minky. As Pat noted, “Cuddle is the good stuff.” [caption id="attachment_3951" align="aligncenter" width="593"] Pat Wodskow and Cindy Surina being introduced in their class by Randy Graves. Photo by Brian Roberts Photography[/caption] What were some of the tips Pat and Cindy Shared?

When Cutting Cuddle

Cuddle does not fray but you will get some “Cuddle dust” when you cut it.
For shorter fiber Cuddle fabrics, use a rotary cutter. For the longer fiber Cuddle fabrics, draw a cutting line on the backside of the fabric and cut through the backing only with scissors. Pull apart and place in dryer to control the “Cuddle dust.”
Check the nap before cutting each piece to make sure it is going in the right direction.
The best pattern pieces should be sturdy. You can iron tissue paper patterns to the waxy side of freezer paper. Cut all pattern pieces out first before using them on the fabric.
Do not use pins to secure pattern pieces on fabric layers. Instead, use pattern weights. Soup cans, coffee cups or tuna cans also work well to keep pattern pieces in place. [caption id="attachment_3950" align="aligncenter" width="512"] Photo by Brian Roberts Photography[/caption]

Assembling Cuddle Pieces

Spray adhesives work great for holding batting, backing, and fabrics together for “sandwiching.”

Sewing Cuddle

Be aware of the straight of grain and stretch. Cuddle is way more stretchy on the cross grain. Never put cross grain and straight grain together.
Use a Walking Foot.
Use a size 90/14 ballpoint (stretch) needle for more stability
Lengthen the stitch length to 3-3.5 mm
Sew straight edges.

Caring for Cuddle Projects

[caption id="attachment_3953" align="aligncenter" width="553"]

Photo by Brian Roberts Photography[/caption]

Machine wash in cool water. Tumble dry low heat. Take out of dryer just before it is completely dry and hang.

For more information on how to use Cuddle fabric, visit Shannon Fabrics website or their You Tube channel for demonstrations. ]]>

Tags: Baby Pillows, Baby Quilts, Cindy Surina, Cuddle Fabric, Pat Wodskow, Plush Fabrics, Shannon Fabrics
Posted in Road 2016, Vendors | 1 Comment »

Meet Road 2016 Marketplace Vendors: Shannon Fabrics and Clover USA

Monday, January 4th, 2016

Last year, Road introduced Marketplace where top manufacturers in the quilting industry shared their knowledge and expertise directly with our guests. Located right in the center of the main show floor, Marketplace is the destination for innovation and inspiration on the latest and most popular quilting products. This year, there will be 6 companies in Marketplace. This post features two more vendors: Shannon Fabrics and Clover-USA

If you are familiar with plush fabrics, then you must know Shannon Fabrics. Shannon Fabrics was founded in 1995 by Ebrahim Pairavi, a Persian immigrant. A few years later, his son, Arvin, joined him to help manage and grow the family business. Together, they saw an exciting opportunity, and in 2005 Shannon Fabrics entered the quilt market. The company is well known for carrying the largest selection of high-quality Cuddle (minky) plush fabric. They also offer Cuddle Suede, Embrace (100% cotton double gauze), Terry Cloth, Faux Fur, Tissavel Faux Fur, Solid Silky Satin, kits and precuts. In addition to a licensing agreement with Robert Kaufman, Premier Prints, and other industry leaders, the company works with independent and in-house designers to develop and create some of the best fabric collections available in the industry. Shannon Fabrics is an innovative and creative market leader, regularly introducing new colors, styles, and products.

Shannon Fabrics is excited to be returning as a Marketplace exhibitor for Road 2016. In their booth, they will be demonstrating a variety of tips and techniques, as well as how their fabrics can be used alone and together with other fabrications, including quilting cottons. They will also be displaying numerous finished samples made from some of their kits and precuts. Their booth will have lots of tip sheets and free patterns as well as other helpful information. A highlight at the show will be their newest Embrace double gauze collection, featuring brand new prints and solids. With its signature “Cuddle” collection, Shannon Fabrics has become a household name and is Making The World a Softer Place™. To learn more about their company, please visit their website.

Clover’s history dates back to 1925 when it was founded by Mr. Toshio Okada at the age of 26. The name of their company originated when Toshio Okada was attending college. He would study in the park and use clovers to bookmark his pages. When Mr. Okada founded the company, he remembered the hard work and dedication it took to succeed in his studies and all the clovers stuck between the pages of his books that accompanied him through his journey. In 1948, Clover officially became the brand. Clover began as a wholesale company of needles and handicraft accessories. Soon after, Clover became a manufacturing company, with the use of machinery designed to capture the vision of the engineers to create the wonderful tools we know and love today. In 1983, Clover USA was established in Los Angeles. Clover USA was given the name-Clover Needlecraft Inc. selling Takumi Knitting Needles. Later, the US line grew to patchwork quilting tools and sewing notions. With the support of their parent company, Clover USA has become a substantial brand in the artisan world of North America. At their booth, Clover will be demonstrating several of their products including the Wedge Iron, Press Perfect Collection by Joan Hawley, Felting, Tassel Makers & Handy Thread Twister, the Standing Oval Knitting Loom and Nancy Zieman Notions. Mark your schedules now to attend one of the workshops they will be hosting:

Crochet with Fabric- Thursday, Jan 21, 7-10PM

Felted Scarf-Thursday, Jan 21, 7-10PM

Wrap ‘n Fuse Round Up-Friday Jan 22, 7-10PM

Bead weaving on Mini Beading Loom-Friday Jan 22, 7-10PM

Weaving Sticks Scarf-Friday Jan 22, 7-10PM

Nancy Zieman E-tablet-Saturday, Jan 23, 6-10PM

Mini Flower Loom- Saturday, Jan 23, 7-10PM

Yo-Yo Centerpiece-Saturday, Jan 23, 7-10PM

Learn more about Clover USA on their website. ]]>

Tags: Clover USA, Cuddle, Marketplace, Plush Fabrics, Quilt Vendors, Shannon Fabrics
Posted in Marketplace, Road 2016, Road to California | No Comments »

Road 2016 Faculty: Meet Cindy Surina

Monday, September 14th, 2015

Cindy Surina will be teaching 1015C Cuddle! on Monday. ***Note: this class was recently added to the teaching schedule.

Like many people, Cindy Surina got into quilting accidentally. On a whim, in early 1980, she bought a brand new Bernina 830 with the intention that she would sew cute little dresses for her three year old daughter. She was intrigued with the machine applique projects displayed in the store, so she enrolled in a beginning machine applique class. She was immediately “hooked” and sought out every fun pattern that she could find. One thing led to another, and she began teaching at The Fabric Patch in Upland, California (a store once owned by Carolyn Reese and her mother, Marie White) as well as designing machine applique patterns. There are other people in Cindy’s family who sewed and quilted that had an influence on her. Cindy’s mother, like many women in the 1950’s, made the majority of Cindy’s clothes. Her mother also had dabbled in many areas of handwork, including crochet, embroidery, and needlepoint. Cindy has a full size, hand pieced and quilted Grandmothers Flower Garden quilt that her mother made from various prints from the 1930’s and 1940’s that were scraps from dresses that her mother had made. Cindy’s daughter, Stacy, helps Cindy in her booth at retail shows, including Road to California, and also works at her local quilt shop. Cindy will also be a vendor at Road 2016 for Cuddle by Shannon Fabrics. She discovered Cuddle at Fall Quilt Market in Houston six or seven years ago. She loved the colorful but simple projects they showed in their booth. And, like everyone else, she really loves the way the fabric feels. Cindy has been fortunate to have developed a close working relationship with Shannon Fabrics and has created some of the patterns that they include in their kits offered to shops across the country.

In her class, Cindy intends to teach students how fast and easy it can be to create cuddly, attractive quilts. Each student will have the opportunity to complete a small baby quilt and have the confidence to move on to many other projects.

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Tags: Cuddle Fabric, Road to California 2016 Class, Road to California 2016 Vendor, Shannon Fabrics
Posted in Road 2016, Road to California, Vendors | No Comments »

Marketplace: No Middleman Here

Tuesday, January 20th, 2015

In most retail situations, the consumer has no choice but to talk to a middleman seller when asking questions about a particular product or service. What would happen if the middleman was cut out and you, the consumer, could learn directly from the wholesaler about the product you were interested in?

Well, that is exactly what Road’s newest feature – Marketplace — is all about. Carolyn Reese has come up with a way for guests at the show to meet and ask questions directly with top manufacturers in the quilting industry. And it gives the wholesalers a chance to meet their buying public face-to-face, share their techniques and introduce what is up and coming with their product line.

Eight exhibitors will be stationed in the Marketplace which is located at the front of the Exhibit Hall, right where Road’s guests first come in. Exhibitors that will be in the Marketplace include:

Robert Kaufman Co., Inc.