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 We know the holidays can be stressful. Oh, how we know -- we're filling orders at work, making things to give away at home, worrying about doing things for others while not overdoing it ourselves, etc. We're right there with you, trying to have a sustainable, enjoyable holiday season!
And because we know what it's like to feel like you're doing all this work for little to no reward, we wanted to give you something back. Something that's just for you, that you don't have to share (unless you want to, of course -- we'll never discourage generosity; we just won't require it!). What, you ask? Well, for each $50 gift certificate you purchase by Wednesday, December 31, we'll give you a $10 coupon good through April 1. The gift certificate goes to a friend, who will be able to enjoy working with our wonderful organic and natural fabrics; the coupon is all for you. Use it to try some of our new colored threads, buy yourself a precut piece of fabric, check out some of our patterns... there's so many ways to treat yourself!
The fine print: Type "$10 for me when buying a $50 gift certificate" in the comment field when checking out, and we'll send you a $10 coupon code for each $50 gift certificate you've purchased. (Make sure to tell us where to send that gift cert!) Offer good through December 31, and the coupon is good through April 1. Gift Certificates need to be bought by Wednesday the December 31st to receive Christmas delivery by email.
Click here to purchase a gift certificate!
 As you know, we've been strong proponents of domestic fabrics since NearSea's inception almost ten years ago. Our belief that locally-grown, -spun, and -milled fabrics (made from organic fibers, of course!) are better has driven our business, and we're thrilled to announce our new site, American Grown•Spun•Milled, which exclusively features "fabric without a passport" ... the fabrics and notions listed on that site are all ones that have never left American soil. The carbon footprint is better, we're keeping jobs here, and we're supporting the creation of a local, sustainable fabric economy. There's a lot of overlap between NearSea Naturals and American Grown•Spun•Milled, but our already-strict sustainability criteria are even more stringent there, as we add in the need for all steps of the fabric creation process to happen right here.
You can also "like" American Grown•Spun•Milled on facebook (just as we hope you've already "liked" NearSea Naturals), where we'll post information about sustainability, current news, occasional discounts, etc.
 AND, because one exciting bit of news per post simply isn't enough, we've also finally found the vibrantly-colored organic cotton thread you've been asking for lo these many years. It's on wooden spools, too, which makes us very happy. Swatches are available, which may help make choosing from thirty different colors a bit easier.
It's cooooold here, and I can't think of a better way to spend my time than sitting in a nice warm room sewing something nice and warm. (Note, please, that I didn't say this is how I actually spend all my time -- just how I'd like to do so!)
Just in case you, also, would like to to be crafting, we wanted to give you a little post-holidays present to encourage your creativity. Through January 31, you can get 10% off all orders that total at least $90 pre-shipping with the discount code JANUARY. (Enter the incredibly difficult to remember code when you check out, in the "discount coupon" field.)
Combine the discount with our already-reduced Yard Sale items, including some great patterns, and you can save a bundle ... and won't that make sewing even more fun?
We're thrilled to announce that Organic Wool Batting is finally back in stock. When the Vermont Organic Fiber Company went out of business (though you can still purchase their wonderful O-wool yarn), we weren't sure if we'd ever find a US company that met our sustainability standards and could produce the quantity of batting (and stuffing, of course) we needed. But we're so happy to say that we've succeeded in that quest. As a celebration, the stuffing is even on sale for the next few weeks.
There are other wonderful fabrics on sale, too -- we tried to pick ones that were good for chilly weather, so we've included flannel, hemp canvas, and just a few of the wonderful fabrics from our brand-new ML Marsh Collection: Organic Designer Fabrics. Expect more fabrics to join the collection over the next couple of weeks, as they arrive from the mill. These fabrics are so splendid; expect to learn more about them, and ML Marsh herself, over the next month.
I thought it was a big deal and a lot of work when our family moved to the Santa Fe area 6.5 years ago, but little did I know. Compared to moving the order fulfillment part of our business, that was a piece of cake. Or at least toast.
We're temporarily closed for regular orders (though I'm still going to be sending out pre-cut and clearance pieces from our Santa Fe office) while thousands of yards of fabric, scads of buttons, and tons of other wonderful things are packed, loaded on a truck, moved 1500+ miles through parts of seven states, unpacked, and organized. We hope to have the process completed sometime during the week of August 23-27, and will open for regular orders at that point.
I'll post updates about the move's progress on facebook; you can also sign up for an email notification of our grand re-opening. And I'll be holding down the fort in Santa Fe, so don't hesitate to contact me with any questions or concerns.
~Tara
In our continuing effort to reduce our carbon footprint and provide better service, we're moving our order fulfillment to the vibrant city of Asheville, North Carolina. (We're not hiring a third-party organization; we'll still be doing everything in-house. We're simply adding another "house" from which to work. :) Asheville's close to the majority of US textile production, including wonderful mills in both North and South Carolina; we'll be better able to directly interface with these mills and many of the people working to revive the US fabric industry.
We're really excited about this move and have some wonderful surprises in store for you. In early September we will introduce a wonderful selection of new fabrics and colors designed specifically for your fall sewing. You won't want to miss this amazing line! We're also going to greatly expand our wholesale organic fabric program, which should make a big difference for our business customers.
We encourage you to place any urgent orders before the move, as orders placed between August 12 and August 22 will be sent out starting on the 23rd. (Winnie will be spearheading things on the Asheville front, where she'll fill orders in the order they were received during our mini-closure. Tara will remain in Santa Fe, holding down the fort.)
"How much stuffing do I need for a futon?"
That's a question we hear all the time around her, and our typical response is indeed correct, even if it isn't as specific as you might prefer: "It depends on what size of futon, how thick you want it to be, and how tightly packed you want the stuffing to be. You may choose to put natural latex, organic wool stuffing, or another filling material in the futon in addition to the organic cotton stuffing -- these different additions give different properties to the futon and also, of course, reduce the amount of cotton that you need. One option is to find a futon that you like (size, thickness, and overall feel) and weigh it, which should give you a fairly accurate idea of your stuffing needs."
We finally got smart, though, and asked our local organic futon maven, the doyenne of sustainable pillows (including gorgeous organic meditation cushions), Lois Hamamoto of Sachi Organics. Lois generously shared the knowledge she's gained from years of working with organic cotton stuffing, saying:
"we go by height rather than weight. We do, however, have a general and flexible weight for each size, and they are as follows:
twin 38 - 42 lbs
double 55 -57 lbs
queen 60 - 65 lbs
king 110 - 120 lbs
For the pillows, we weigh the cotton batting so this is easier:
standard 2lbs
queen 2.5 lbs
king 3 lbs
I hope this helps!"
Upon further questioning, Lois added:
In addition to the cotton, we add 2 layers of wool (one top and one bottom) to each futon. This adds to the loft and the general height so that the futons come out at 6" in height. Each layer of wool is about 1" thick (will compress to half that height when stuffed) so the total height increases about 1", resulting in 6" overall. The futons will look thicker and will compress down as the casing is put on.
That's a lot of stuffing, isn't it? If the whole project seems a bit overwhelming we do recommend contacting Lois and the rest of the ethical, talented people at Sachi Organics. And if you still want to make your own, you'll need to decide between our Futon-Grade Organic Cotton Stuffing, our more refined Organic Cotton Stuffing/Organic Cotton Batting, and our Organic Wool Stuffing - Bolus. (Yes, you're allowed to use a combination of two or more types; we won't tell on you!)
The article Craft a Trip: Sewing Projects for Camping Comfort, by Fiona Duthie, shows how to "make your own hammock and other accessories, all with organic fabrics." My favorite project is the Utensil/Tool Roll, which is a much more elegant solution to the perennial problem of utensil storage than my generally-chosen "stick them all in a cloth bag and hope they're all still there when you get home" option. There are also roll-up placemats and a hammock made from Let It Grow Twill and Light Green Wide-Width Twill.
So why am I telling you this? Well, firstly because I love the idea of making a hammock, which for some reason I'd never really considered before. And it looks so easy, too! Secondly, because even though the article recommends using our Thicker Organic Cotton Cording as the hammock cords, we're not convinced it would work well as is. (You might want to consider braiding it, to add strength, or putting the cords much closer together so there are many more cords supporting the hammock, like you'd find in a Mayan-Style Hammock. Except, of course, made with cloth for the body and not as floppy thanks to the dowel. But still...) And thirdly, because we think it's pretty cool that we're the source listed for the various fabrics used throughout the article. That always makes us happy!
(You can find Living Crafts Magazine online, though you need to buy the magazine to get the actual article.)
Alternate title: one of our favorite suppliers is closing. In business since 2000, Vermont Organic Fiber Company made some of our favorite organic wool items. These include:
We're working to replace the fabrics and batting, though it may take a while to do so. In the meanwhile, if you've been considering any of our organic wool products you may want to buy it before it's sold out. We do have a fascinating new version of organic wool stuffing that I should be adding to the site next week, so we'll have at least one option available and we'll expand that as possible.
(And yes, we're incredibly sad about Vermont Organic Fiber closing -- we've worked with Matt Mole and the wonderful folks there for years, and have valued that relationship, the products they made, and the ethics they lived by. Their company made a difference in the world of sustainable fabrics, and they will be deeply missed.)
For everyone who's been asking, we're thrilled to announce that we received a delivery of our Natural Softest Wide-Width Sheeting this morning. There's about 50 yards to begin with, and we're expecting more fairly soon ... but last time it was in stock, we sold out within two days. So if you want organic cotton sheeting, you might want to buy it now...
I've mentioned this on our Facebook page multiple times, but in light of Saturday's earthquake in Chile following the devastation in Haiti, I wanted to make a little plug for one of my personal favorite relief groups. Medecins Sans Frontieres/Doctors Without Borders is "an international medical humanitarian organization working in more than 60 countries to assist people whose survival is threatened by violence, neglect, or catastrophe." They were already on the ground in Haiti before the quake; they were in Chile the day after. They have portable field hospitals that they take to some of the most dangerous places in the world, places other organizations are often unwilling to go, and they stay there long-term. So if you're looking for an organization where your donations will really make a difference, I definitely recommend MSF/Doctors Without Borders. I know many of our customers want to create items for people affected by the most recent natural disasters -- I can only encourage you to start crafting now, but to realize that anything you make won't necessarily find a home in Haiti or Chile anytime soon. So make things, with love, and save them until the time is right to send them.
It feels wrong to turn to business after talking about a natural disaster, but I did want to let you know that I added three glorious new fabrics today -- two splendid fleeces, in creme de cassis and fern, and our perennially popular naval stripe -- on a white background. Don't miss any of them. And definitely check out the new yard sale items, good through March 16. There are many green and lavender fabrics -- St Patrick's Day, anyone? -- and some other goodies as well.
The public radio show To The Best of Our Knowledge interviewed Carl Honore, author of In Praise of Slowness, about the Slow Philosophy and its growth worldwide; you can find the show here. I found his comments about the speed pendulum very interesting, how the world's quest for the future had led us to go faster, faster, faster over the past century and we're now working to reach an equilibrium in which we're valuing the right speed ... what musicians call tempo justo.
Honore spoke about how "slow" isn't just a speed -- that might be obvious, but sometimes what should be obvious isn't -- it's a mindset that can incorporate the entire lifecycle of a product, an action, or an idea. So people aren't simply making something to be thrown away, using slave labor, or flying to another country for a whirlwind weekend trip; they're paying someone fairly to create an heirloom object, or enjoying the journey as well as the destination. The parallels for sewing using organic fabric are obvious, are they not? So very many of our customers, both businesses and home sewists, are involved in the sustainability movement ... which is, I think, another name for the Slow Movement, the Green Movement, the Eco-Friendly Movement, etc. We're all working to end up in the same place, regardless of the name. (Long-time readers of our blog are familiar with our comments about Slow Money and Slow Food, of course, so really this is just more of the same!)
Learn more about slow movements at slowplanet.com. I particularly like the Slow Parenting concept; it resonates with what my children and my family need -- and with our planet's need for less driving, too. Of course, when I was young we just said we were too poor to participate in lots of activities, but I guess everything deserves a fancy name nowadays!
We've swapped out our sale items, by the way; you won't want to miss the goodies we have on sale for you now. Since Valentine's Day is in February, we thought you might want a headstart crafting. We thus chose some popular romantic fabrics and notions ... enjoy them! If you're not celebrating Valentine's Day this year, it's the perfect time to stock up on these fabrics anyway (they're wonderful for other uses -- nobody said they have to be used for holidays!).
 We've added the line of Sew Liberated patterns to our site. Designed by a mom and former Montessori teacher, these patterns run the gamut from adorable kids' clothes to marvelous reversible aprons, stopping at a couple of crafts like the Mischievous Gnome Messenger Bag. If I had a daughter I'd so be making Twirly Skirts galore!
We've had a lot of requests for 25+ yard purchases lately, so I wanted to remind everybody that our Fabrics By The Roll Page is a marvelous place to get large quantities of single fabrics at spectacular prices. These deals aren't limited to wholesale customers, either -- everybody can play!
Since it's getting chillier every day in our part of the world, we've been shipping out many packages full of our warmer fabrics. Though it's new, our Deluxe Natural Velour has proven particularly popular; its soft coziness is incredibly appealing. We clearly got flannel back in stock just in time (in both natural and whitened versions), as it's been flying out the doors! Keep your eyes open, for we're hoping to have an even heavier, softer flannel within the next month or two -- how exciting is that??? Our Collegiate Stripe is also splendid -- it's nicely comfortable and so very eye-catching.
We've swapped out the freebie for our facebook friends, so make sure you join us there to see what the goodies are this month. We're also posting various gift ideas -- charities, discount offers for eco-friendly stores, crafts you can make, and more. What fun!
First, for our business customers, I wanted to draw your attention to Southwest Creations, an Albuquerque "contract manufacturing business with an ambitious social mission: to end poverty and create intergenerational wealth." They offer domestic production and manufacturing services for wholesale and retail businesses in the US, performing custom and contract sewing as well as other artisanal and industrial services; they can also manage packaging and shipping. With a minimum of only 250 pieces per style, they're able to work with smaller businesses, and from what I've heard of their skills you'll be very pleased with the results. We definitely recommend talking with the people at Southwest Creations Collaborative if you're looking for a cut-and-sew facility.
And secondly, I know many people are out there looking for Black Friday deals, but you're not going to find anything special here. Why not? Multiple reasons, really. First, we want our employees to spend time relaxing and recuperating Thanksgiving weekend, instead of going crazy -- we're thankful for everyone who works here, and they need a break! Secondly, even though we're a business and we dearly love and appreciate our customers (and we truly do!), we think there's a very good point behind Buy Nothing Day. Our business is built around sustainability -- we're encouraging people to think about what they buy and make and do, and we know that's what our customers do; you don't need us to be your conscience! But Buy Nothing Day is built around the idea that just for a day, one of the busiest shopping days of the year, what if you refrain from buying anything? Do it in solidarity with the millions of people who have no choice, or to end up without a retail hangover the next morning. Do it just to prove you can! Adbusters, who founded BND, encourages you to "not only stop buying for 24 hours, but to shut off your lights, televisions and other nonessential appliances. We want you to park your car, turn off your phones and log off of your computer for the day." Go for a hike, read a book, sing a song, feed the birds ... we'll still be here when you come back online, and we'll have some marvelous fabrics and goodies waiting for you!
(Oh, and did you know that shopping online is greener than driving around to do your shopping? And that study didn't even take into account a business's eco-friendly practices, which should make you feel even better about buying from us!)
First, some business: we've changed out the sale items, so you'll want to see what goodies are in store for you now. My current favorite sale fabric? Superfine Crepe - Zinnia, a splendidly bright (in an autumnal way), incredibly light, thoroughly complex fabric that's chosen by many designers.
Next, do keep in mind that our Clearance Super Sale ends at the end of November, so now's definitely the time to stock up on clearance fabrics. We don't have sales like this often, so don't miss this opportunity!
And finally, it's appropriate -- albeit completely coincidental -- that we are celebrating Neil's eleventh birthday during Prematurity Awareness Month. NearSea Naturals started small, just like Neil did, and both have grown perhaps bigger than we'd ever imagined. (It's very difficult to look at an under-two-pound baby and visualize a pre-teen, or at least it was for me!) Do let me again mention how much of a difference your hand-crafted items can make for people in precarious situations (health-wise, facing natural disasters, etc); I wrote a blog post with some links to sources earlier in the year and there are many more online. We still treasure items Neil was given while in the Neonatal Intensice Care Unit, some of which were made specifically for him and others that were made for "any preemie." And preemies are easy to craft for; they're so small that they require hardly any material!
 We've swapped out our sale items, adding new fabrics that should work wonderfully for holiday crafting or for making yourself some special goodies. I'm particularly loving Cosmopolitan, a great new Hemp/Silk print, and Red Fish/Blue Fish Interlock, which is lots of fun.
We also have a special on our Clearance Page through the end of November: we've put certain first-quality pieces up at 40% off. These are fabrics we'd cut, folded, and boxed for a trade show we ended up not attending, and now we need to clear them out to make room for other fabrics. Some of these pieces are fabrics we no longer carry, which makes them extra-special: fabrics like Wintry Forest Stripe, Light Rich Flannel, and Chestnut Pointelle (one of my favorites) may never be offered again except for on this clearance page, and these are amazing prices!
And last but not at all least, make sure you're a "Facebook Fan," since we have special goodies for our fans each month and the upcoming ones for November are extra splendid.
We're absolutely thrilled to have heavyweight (8 oz/sq yd) organic cotton flannel back in stock just in time for winter. Woven in the United States from US-grown organic cotton, it's available in Natural and Peroxide-Whitened. Soft already, the fabric becomes positively luscious when you wash it. I'm so thrilled to have this material available again; it took a long time to find another US mill who would make it for us, and we're hoping to have it available for a long time! (Truthfully, I think these are much nicer flannels than any we've had before, which is wonderful.)
To celebrate flannel's return, both versions are on sale through the 26th of October, along with some other splendid fabrics -- be sure to check them all out.
We also encourage you to check out Friends of Slow Money. After attending the Slow Money conference last month, Winnie and I both came away very inspired that this is a movement that truly can and will make a difference. Friends of Slow Money is aimed at getting 5,000 people to donate $5 and sign the manifesto this week ... won't you join us in doing so?
Did you know that September is National Sewing Month? If you didn't before, you do now! This year's contest from NationalSewingMonth.org is the Reuse, Remake, Restyle Challenge; it's all about repurposing.
In honor of National Sewing Month we have a freebie for our facebook fans. So head on over there and see what it is -- you won't want to miss out.
Oh, and we've swapped out the sale items, and there are now some wonderful cool-weather fabrics, a couple of marvelous prints, and more. They'll be on sale until October 6, so you have time to request swatches now, receive them, plan your projects, and still get your yardage order in before the sale is done. As long as you actually do get started right away!
 Thanks to our amazing computer guru (I can say that, since I'm married to him), we now offer a selection of fabrics by the full roll. These rolls aren't just for wholesale customers -- anybody can buy them, so they're great for buying clubs, co-ops, and people with larger projects in mind, like the following:
- upholstery, curtains, and other home dec ventures
- tipis -- if you want to make a 16-foot tipi, you'll want somewhere around 40 yards of fabric, give or take a bit
- gifts: sew everyone in your family and/or social circle a decorated tote bag (with your kids' handprints, with ribbon flowers, freezer-paper stencils if you're okay with the waste, or some other crafty way to make it unique), a warm throw blanket or quilt, a set of of kitchen towels, cloth handkerchiefs and a holder, aprons, ...
Continue reading "Organic fabric by the roll, and pre-cut pieces for extra savings!" »
As promised, we've changed out our sale fabrics; my two favorites of the new offerings are:
- Natural Herringbone at an unbelievable price. This is my go-to fabric when I want to make something sturdy that looks good, from kids' clothes to stunning adult business attire; it also works well for home dec projects, everything from casing for pillows and mattresses to being used as upholstery by itself. Try dyeing it, too, or adding an applique if you want a bit more visual interest.
- Topiary in three different colorways -- olive, skookumchuck (which may be my new favorite word), and roasted pepper: This high-end fabric has a splendid pattern that reminds me of Frank Lloyd Wright. I want it all around my house -- and so does Winnie, so luckily we can order more! Take advantage of the sale price, and get enough for multiple projects. You won't be sorry.
After many requests and much dragging of the feet, we've finally put up a facebook page; become our fans, won't you? (Doesn't it seem silly for us to be asking for fans? It does to me!)
And on yet another completely unrelated note, I wanted to mention MPSDigital printing, who print *paper* labels (not fabric labels for your clothes, but paper labels for other items -- maybe hangtags? I don't know). They talk about helping "clients turn their packaging green" and might be worth talking to if you're looking for a labeling solution that includes FSC or recycled paper. They're at mps4digital.com
My "baby" turned seven last month (and yes, we did go camping), so I'm fairly detached from the world of cloth diapering. Luckily I have many friends who are in the thick of it, as it were, and they keep me very up-to-date with the latest changes. Aren't I lucky? It amazes me how much cloth diapering has changed since my kids were babies, though -- and in saying so I sound like my mother, who used to wash my diapers in the stream near the house she and my dad were building and many years later marveled at the innovations her grandkids benefitted from!
 Some of the best new concepts in organic diapering are directly attributable to fabrics that are now available organically that did not exist previously or were simply far too expensive to be used for anything but couture garments. Fine knit organic wool is a prime example of this. When my kids were little, diaper wraps were almost exclusively made of vinyl, PUL, polyester fleece, or a thick knit wool (often hand-knit, like the splendid patterns we have in our Diapered People section). The organic wool jerseys and interlocks available now, once washed to remove shrinkage (you don't want to go through all the work of making a cover only to have it end up fitting a field mouse), make splendid diaper covers that I only dreamed of with my little ones! And with wool you only need a few covers per size. They don't need to be washed after each use -- just air them out when damp and the lanolin will generally take care of any smell. Wash them only when soiled or if they really need it. (When you do wash, though, make sure to use a wool wash that contains lanolin or you'll lose the water-repellent properties!) Wool's an amazing fabric in so many ways, and it's splendid for diaper covers. See? Other people think so too!
Continue reading "Sewing organic diapers, diaper covers, nursing pads, and cloth pads" »
 We've been working like the busiest of bees to bring you the good stuff, and what a lot we have! First of all, check out our newly-renamed High-End Printed Fabrics category, which we're slowly populating with a whole bouquet of different, fascinating choices. Created by upscale designers on a variety of materials, these are the fabrics you'll want to reach for when you have a really special project in mind. I added seven organic hemp linens (GOTS-certified through ECOCERT) yesterday, in a variety of designs, and there are quite a few more coming over the upcoming weeks -- hemp linen, regular linen, organic cotton, and more, in all sorts of different prints.
Next, a breakthrough I've been awaiting for quite a while: organic washable wool jersey and interlock. These are amazingly soft fabrics that I just don't want to stop touching, and the ability to machine-wash them makes me so very happy! The Featherweight Washable Black Wool Jersey is so incredibly light and thin that it should be illegal (okay, maybe not, but I'm continually amazed by what truly talented fabric producers can create!), and the Mediumweight has so many applications that I want to get started sewing now instead of writing this blog entry... The interlock, an absolutely glorious fabric, is available in both before-the-storm grey and black. Simply stunning fabrics -- don't miss them.
 After far too long of a hiatus, we're thrilled to finally have Tickled Pink back in stock. This splendidly enjoyable print of scampering ladybugs was incredibly popular when we carried it last, and we're pleased to be the only source for the fabric. Get it while it lasts -- this is a good one!
We've also added a really nice Hemp/Organic Cotton Twill. Natural in color, so your imagination can flow while working with this classic fabric. And if you do use my pillow idea -- and I so hope somebody will -- please share the results. I'd love to see pictures!
 Have you seen our wide selection of organic cotton lace? We've added many more, intricate styles lately -- absolutely beautiful, the perfect accent to so many creations. And we're pleased to announce that we're the worldwide representatives for Eurolaces, so if you want to place a wholesale lace order for your business we're the people you need!
These laces are made in Slovenia, Europe, by Old World lace artisans who have been making lace for many, many years. Benefit from their talents with our wide selection of lace, and keep checking back as our selection expands!
 Just in time for more sewing fun, we have several new colors of knit fabrics made from pure organic cotton to inspire your creativity! Check out our Creme de Cassis Cotton/Spandex Jersey and matching jersey, our Mellow Rose Cotton/Spandex Jersey and matching jersey, and our Pacific Blue Cotton/Spandex Jersey and matching 1x1 Rib Knit. You'll also appreciate our Cloud Cover 1x1 Rib Knit, which matches our Cloud Cover Jersey.
We've also brought back some old favorites: Turquoise 1x1 Rib Knit (which matches our Turquoise Jersey), Petal 1x1 Rib Knit and matching Petal Jersey, and Hazelnut Canvas.
There are, of course, more goodies to come, so keep checking back...
 Have you seen the Spring 2009 issue of Living Crafts Magazine? Winnie and I wrote an article in it, entitled "Going Green With Organic Fabrics." (On the cover, it's optimistically called the "Complete Guide to Organic Fabric," which I think may be just a tad optimistic for an eight-page article, but I'm not complaining...)
I'm not going to say it's entirely comprehensive -- there's only so much you can say within the word constraints of a magazine article -- but it is a decent introduction to the concept if I do say so myself. We were able to talk with some people who have been innovators in the field for many years while writing the article, including Sally Fox, Matt Mole, Barbara Filippone, and Daniel Sanders, and the piece immediately after ours shows how to sew an organic doll quilt in an afternoon (written by Meryl Ann Butler, whose 90-Minute Quilts book is invaluable if you want quick projects for gifting or just need a nice, easy introduction to quilting). It's a fun magazine, especially if you have small children -- if you don't already subscribe, you may want to pick up a copy of your own.
(We'll also be giving out copies of the magazine at our booth at the Denver Green Festival, May 2-3. As if you really needed a reason besides our shiny happy faces to stop by and see us!)
We're in that in-between stage right now, where it's not quite spring but it feels like it. Of course, it could snow any day and probably will, but it also might not ... so we have to be prepared for changeable weather, with sweaters and coats one day and t-shirts the next. The fabrics I added today are perfect for a New Mexico February, with a little something for almost everyone and every weather condition.
If you're cold, you'll definitely want to cuddle up in our brand new Inky Black Heavy Fleece. It's so soft and cozy, heavier than our other fleeces and so splendid to wrap up in on a chilly winter's day.
For the chilly-but-not-cold days, our Subtle ColorGrown Green French Terry and White Thermal will keep you warm; they're both wonderful for the whole family, too. (The black fleece, now, I want to keep for myself -- I'm a bit possessive that way, especially when I'm cold. I might let them snuggle up WITH me, but I much prefer to not end up cold myself!)
Apparently Easter isn't too far from now, or so people tell me when they're ordering fabric for beautiful Easter outfits -- something I don't have to worry about, thank goodness! For those of you who are getting ready for spring or enjoying warmer weather, we've added Cloud Cover and Lilac Cotton/Spandex Jerseys and a beautiful Charcoal/Rose Stripe. (By the way, Easter is April 12, 2009, in case you needed to know that. Yahoo! told me so. And because Winnie asks, Daylight Savings Time begins Sunday, March 8, 2009.)
You may have already seen our gorgeous Organic Cotton Ribbons, but we now have pictures of all the currently-available colors; we've also added a couple new colors of our Churro Yarn. If you're in a crafting mood, these are wonderful to work with!
Multiple people recently have asked if we sell organic fabrics by the yard, which surprised me as I thought we make it fairly clear. Just in case there's any question, I wanted to come right out and say it. So here goes: Yes, we sell organic cotton fabric by the yard. We sell organic wool fabric by the yard. We sell hemp fabric by the yard (it's not organic, but it is very, very sustainable). We sell peace silk by the yard (and it's incredibly gorgeous, too!).
We also have a limited wholesale program for our business customers who need large quantities of organic fabric by the roll (contact us for more information), and have a marvelous selection of sustainable yarns, notions, and other goodies, but we got our start selling organic fabric by the yard and it remains a significant part of our business and our heart.
(Oh, and we have wonderful new organic cotton ribbon now, both dyed and natural, and the yard sale items have also been changed -- plenty of opportunities for inspiration!)
 First of all, check out our Refined Softest DK-Weight Hemp Yarn. As you know, hemp yarn gets softer the more you wash and work it; this yarn's been pre-worked for you to create the softest 100% hemp yarn I've ever felt. It's a delight to use, and is a splendid "starter yarn" for people who've been a bit wary of hemp yarns in the past. Currently available in five colors; check them out.
Now for the fun part, where "fun" is most definitely in quotation marks as we're talking about the joys of the CPSIA. We've known all along that our fabrics are fine -- well within the CPSIA's limits. It was just that the requirements for testing were so onerous that they threatened to put people out of business regardless.
But things are definitely looking better; thanks to recent clarifications in which the CPSC acknowledges that fabric doesn't need testing. (Yes! They finally understand!) In the CPSC's guide for small businesses, Table B lists "materials or components [that] can be used (separately or in combination) and sold (provided they have not been treated or altered or undergone any processing that could result in the addition of lead)", including "Dyed or undyed textiles (cotton, wool, hemp, nylon, etc.), including children’s fabric products, such as baby blankets, and non-metallic thread and trim. This does not include products that have rhinestones or other ornaments that may contain lead or that have fasteners with possible lead content (such as buttons, metal snaps, zippers or grommets)."
That's a major change, and a wonderful step indeed -- it doesn't answer all the questions, but it will make a big difference for many of our customers (and will keep many, many small businesses IN business). So let's all keep working for even more necessary changes, but let's also be very glad for this one!
We're thrilled to offer an amazing napped organic wool flannel that will just knock your socks off -- it certainly did ours! Simply stunning, and glorious to work with, we're thrilled that it arrived in the middle of winter because we can't stop snuggling with the fabric and it'll be wearable at least through springtime. It's just gorgeous -- don't miss it!
 Two new Harmony Art prints will certainly help enliven your day -- Space Cowboy is one of the brightest prints we've ever seen on an organic base, and I've fallen hard for the Brown/Aqua Let It Grow Wide Twill. It's the same print as our Let It Grow twill, but in a different colorway, and it just grabs me for some reason -- I really love this fabric. We've added two new deep, dark, sophisticated fabrics, too: Ebony Interlock and Shadow Black Crinkle-Cut (another favorite of mine -- falling for fabulous textiles is an occupational hazard, I fear!).
If you're tired of winter's chill and are getting ready for spring's glory, you'll love our Lime/Periwinkle Stripe Jersey -- doesn't it look like it could start the flowers blooming all by itself? The Dusty Cayenne Rib Knit is another exuberant color, and our Timberwolf Rib Knit acts as a wonderful accent (or is splendid all by itself).
And a quick, optimistic update on the CPSIA: they voted on the 5th about not requiring certain natural materials to be tested for lead. (You can visit the links in my earlier post for much more in-depth updates than I post here, but I definitely want to keep everyone informed.) According to Bloomberg, "The CPSC exempted wool, cotton, silk, gemstones and pearls;" a member posting at a discussion at fashion-incubator says such fabrics "have to be untreated and unadulterated by the addition of dyes, pigments, etc. The only way these fabrics will be exempt is if they are in their natural state." Either way, this is very promising and definitely worth keeping an eye on as more news develops.
Clarity and Colleen, our much-loved Fabric Handlers, tell us that our shelf of seconds is getting a bit full. To help protect them from an avalanche of overflowing fabric (it may sound funny, but have you ever been buried beneath a shelf of fabric? We hope to never be either!) and to encourage more off-the-cuff sewing projects, we're temporarily reducing the prices of our pre-cut and clearance fabrics!
Continue reading "Need a good deal? Check out our "Pre-Cut" page!" »
 What do men's shirts, girl's sundress, these neat apron and bonnets, a woman's vest, this amazing stuffed animal, an incredibly functional bag (and a much smaller one, and one for kids), a diaper wrap, a fashionable (but very warm) hat, and so many other things have in common? If you read the title of my blog post or looked at the picture the answer's really pretty obvious -- they're all creations that either require or are greatly improved by buttons. And boy do we have a wonderful selection for you -- if you haven't checked out our marvelous variety of sustainable buttons recently, I highly recommend doing so.
(By recently, I mean in the last 24 hours -- that's when we finished renovating our button section and adding quite a few new ones. But that's not the end of the planned changes; we expect to add quite a few more over the next month or so, so keep your eyes open.)
(There's a lot more, keep reading...)
Continue reading "Have you seen our natural, eco-friendly buttons lately?" »
We've added two glorious colored organic cotton/spandex interlocks today: mocha, to match our mocha jersey, and pea shoot, matching our pea shoot interlock. Spandex blends are great for exercise clothes, leggings, longjohns, sleepwear, and so much more; combining either of the stretch jerseys with their coordinating non-spandex fabric means you can really let your imagination go wild. So start sewing!
(P.S.... The mocha will be available in a rib knit within the next couple of weeks, too, for even more options!)
 I've added Basic Black, Sunrise Red, and Comfortable Natural Twill to the website today. They're all on the same base fabric as our Whitened Twill, which means you can combine them to great effect -- imagine all sorts of interesting garments or home dec projects made out of a mixture of the various fabrics!
In response to repeated customer request, we've also added a canvas made from 80% recycled cotton and 20% recycled polyester. Although not organic, we do believe this fabric meets our goal of sustainability: it's woven in the United States from material that would otherwise be sent to the landfill, and using it is definitely preferable to choosing conventional cotton. We're offering this fabric primarily for people who want an affordable, sustainable, durable canvas for making shopping bags; that's why we're calling it Recycled-Canvas-For-Bags.
We're anticipating a delivery of our Organic Cotton Stuffing -- Refined any day now (hopefully tomorrow or Monday), but in the meanwhile we've also added a more affordable Organic Cotton Stuffing -- Futon Grade that isn't cleaned quite as thoroughly but that will certainly work well for filling pillows, stuffing toys, and other uses. Definitely consider trying it if you haven't already.
We're also looking forward to receipt of an amazing new line of very high-end designer printed fabrics on organic cotton, organic linen, and hemp. Hopefully we'll have them on the website within the next month, and we'll definitely let you know when we've added them. In the meanwhile, we're also adding new patterns, buttons, and other goodies. Oh, and of course other new fabrics, always new fabrics!
 We've completely changed out our Yard Sale items, so take a look at what's there now. In general, expect items to stay on sale for about two weeks -- if you request swatches soon you should have enough time to order fabrics before we change them out again. Don't forget that sales are only valid on in-stock items; once we sell out, that chance is gone.
We've also added fun new polka-dot fabrics in Poppy Red, Cloudy Gray, White Interlock, and Natural Spandex Jersey. The Dynasty West Dots print is a great collection because it's so unexpected -- there are different sized dots, scattered across the fabric, and I love the enthusiasm and excitement the print brings. Everyone seems to smile when looking at them, and I think you will too.
Harmony Arts' Garden Wide-Width Sateen is in stock; it's a great modern floral print that we've been awaiting for quite some time and that I think will be quite popular. Check it out.
Oh, and our friends at Poetic Justice have given us permission to show you some of the creations they've made with some of the fabrics we sell. Check them out -- we find them very inspiring, and hope you will too: Perfect Paisley Chinese Parsley Jersey, Perfect Paisley Sangria Jersey, Island Waverine, Waverine Interlock, and Paisley Pizazz Colorgrown Green.
Happy creating!
 Great news -- we now have organic sewing thread in natural, white, and black in both multipurpose (great for general sewing and overlock/serger use) and heavy duty (splendid for quilting, embroidery, jeans, bags, and so much more) versions. Available in small, medium, and large cones, so you can choose the size you need for your sewing projects and frequency. If you want to try all six, we do have a six-pack -- a small cone or spool of each kind and color of the organic machine sewing threads. We've had wonderful feedback about this thread thus far, and have loved using it ourselves; it's sturdy, consistent, fun to work with, and just all-around splendid. And since it's made in the US, it has a lower carbon footprint, too. If only we could get them to use a non-plastic cone! In the meanwhile, we encourage you to purchase the largest size you think you might need, as that way you'll get the most thread for the amount of plastic used, and to come up with creative ways to reuse the cones.
(more)
Continue reading "Organic cotton thread, & peace silk for a sustainable wedding dress." »
 Just a quick note to let you know that our Luxurious Wool Pile is back in stock. Perfect for so many projects (a piece made our bed absolutely delightful to sleep upon), this amazing fabric that we like to call "cruelty-free sheepskins" has been out of stock longer than we'd liked but it's back now -- don't miss your chance to stock up!
 Just in time to start thinking about fall and winter projects, we're delighted to introduce our exclusive churro yarn. Hand-dyed using traditional plant dyes by master textile artist and archeaobotanist (and New Mexico State Archaeologist) Glenna Dean, these yarns glow with the colors of time. Available in Two-Ply in Taos and Santa Fe hues, and Three-Ply in Santa Fe and Taos hues.
Indeed, if you'd been a settler in New Mexico in colonial times, you would probably have used yarn just like this, locally spun from wool humanely sheared from ethically raised flocks, hand-dyed using rain- or well-water and native plants, ...
Continue reading "Heirloom Plant-Dyed Churro Wool Yarn" »
If you sew for babies or toddlers or do large amounts of home dec sewing (making pillows, slipcovers, curtains, drapes, and the like), you've probably been frustrated by the complete lack of organic cotton snap tape. We certainly have -- we've been looking for organic snap tape for the last five years, and have finally been able to get some made especially for us.
It comes in two sizes, one that's generally used for babies (the snaps are smaller and spaced closer together) and one that's more often chosen for toddlers and crafts (the snaps are larger and spaced farther apart). The snap tape is US-made, using organic cotton twill tape that's woven in the US.
Snap tape is indispensable when sewing for babies -- it's marvelous for shoulder, leg, and crotch treatments, can be wonderful for closing diapers and certain styles of diaper wrap, and can do so much more. But don't stop there, as it can be absolutely splendid for crafts and home decor as well.
The quality is excellent, the tape is available by the foot (or as a single snap if you want a sample first) and in larger quantities (300+ yards) for our business customers, and the price is definitely right - indeed, this organic version is cheaper than many conventional snap tapes we've seen! We're beyond delighted to offer what we believe is the first organic cotton-based snap tape available to consumers. This is just another example of how we work to meet your needs for ethical, high-quality, sustainable sewing and crafting items -- exactly what you've come to expect from us!
On a separate note, we hope you enjoyed May's specials. Stay tuned for a more regular sale schedule, which we will of course announce in the blog.
 I absolutely love kits – they come with the inspiration already included, and I get to add my own personal touch! For this final special, good through Monday June 2, receive one of the following kits for free with any purchase of $250 or more (before shipping):
* "Flapper" Apron Kit in Paisley or Green Stripe
* Mens' and Boys' Boxers Kit in Natural Cave Art, Green Cave Art, or Stripes
* Cloth Menstrual Pads Kit
Each kit comes with fabric and pattern; the boxer kit also includes Kwik Trace Cloth and two buttons. See the individual kit descriptions for more information.
To take advantage of this offer: After choosing your shipping option tell us which free kit you want in the "Any special requests/comments?" field in our shopping cart. Please include an alternate in case your first choice is no longer available.
Fine print: Offer valid only while supplies last and only through June 2 at midnight. Only one free kit per customer. You must order online and request the free kit in your comments when ordering to qualify for it.
(Am I the only person who can't say "light as a feather" without mentally concluding "...stiff as a board"?) Regardless, our Dark Blue Crepe might not technically be as light as a feather but at 3.9 ounces per linear yard it's very, very close. Created as a higher-end designer fabric (you know, for those high-end designers who make clothes that many of us wish we could afford but can't necessarily buy every day), but absolutely lovely for the rest of us; for the next couple of days we're offering this incredible fabric at 20% off our regular prices. (That 20% is on top of our yardage discount, so you can get a truly incredible deal if you’re ordering multiple yards!)
Release your own haute-couture impulses, or simply create a marvelously floaty sundress to keep you cool through summer's heat ... either way, you'll adore this fabric.
Fine print: Maximum purchase of 10 yards per customer at this price. While supplies last. Offer valid only until we post the next May Special.
 Save on our Aloo, Banana, and Cotton, yarns -- indeed, for the next couple of days, all our plant-based yarns are 20% off.
This is the perfect time to get the silky banana yarns, with a sheen that you'll have to see to believe (it's so much fun introducing people to banana yarn ... the creations look amazing regardless of what they're made of, but to learn that they're created from the banana tree simply blows people's minds!), and to stock up on our DK- and fingering-weight hemp yarns.
Fine print: While supplies last. Yarns will not be backordered at sale prices; orders may be partially shipped and invoices adjusted to reflect that. Offer valid only until we post the next May Special.
This one's for our Australian friends, who'll love cuddling up in our Fleecy White Knit Velour. Comfy cozy as can be and just in time for winter, we're offering an unbelievable $5.00/yard off the regular price for a very limited time only. (That $5/yard off is coupled with our yardage discount, so you can get a truly incredible deal if you’re ordering multiple yards!)
Even if you're not Down Under, you'll still love this fabric – it's great for baby layettes, diapers, and blankets, for adult jogging sets, shirts, and PJs, and for so much more. It's a luxurious fabric that you'll enjoy working with and love wearing.
Fine print: Maximum purchase of 10 yards per customer at this price. While supplies last. Offer valid only until we post the next May Special.
Have you seen our new sheeting? Made in the US from Texas-grown organic cotton, it's brushed for extra softness. Make it feel as spring-fresh indoors as it does outside, with new sheets for the whole family (even fitted sheets really are easy!), or use the fabric for curtains, clothing, and so much more. For the next couple of days only, we're lowering the price by $5 per yard. (That $5 off is coupled with our yardage discount, so you can get a truly incredible deal if you’re ordering multiple yards!)
You won't find a better price on such an incredible, wide-width, US-made sheeting, so make sure to stock up for later. (Holiday gifts, anyone? Pajamas? Quilt backings? Table linens? Baby layette items?...)
Fine print: While supplies last. Maximum purchase of 20 yards per customer at this price. Offer valid only until we post the next May Special.
Mooo! Baaa! La, La, La! Not only a Sandra Boynton board book that I almost went hoarse reading to my youngest child, but also (mostly) noises made by animals. That matters why, you ask? Because our yarn made from animal fibers is 20% off for the next couple of days.
You can't afford not to stock up on your favorite merino, alpaca, silk, camel, and wool yarns at this price. Add a few patterns to have ready-made presents for all your knitting friends (because who doesn’t love the gift of luxurious yarn???), or simply buy some goodies for yourself or your child’s school.
Fine print: While supplies last. Yarns will not be backordered at sale prices; orders may be partially shipped and invoices adjusted to reflect that. Offer valid only until we post the next May Special.
Whether you're a member of high society or try to avoid it as much as possible, you'll love our Society Stripe rib knit ... and now you can love a quarter more of it, as we're offering 25% off. (That 25% off is on top of our yardage discount, so you can get a truly incredible deal if you're ordering multiple yards!)
The natural, light blue, and brown/grey stripes on this 1x1 rib knit create a great look for the whole family, and spring and summer is the perfect time to take advantage of this fresh look. (Our friends Down Under will appreciate this opportunity to bring a bit of springtime into their lives right at the beginning of winter, don't you think?)
Fine print: Maximum purchase of 20 yards per customer. If necessary piece sizes may vary as the fabric may be cut in multiple pieces to work around flaws. Valid while supplies last. Offer valid only until we post the next May Special.
Many of our favorite customers have discovered how much easier it is to work with patterns and sewing books when using Swedish Tracing Paper and Kwik Trace Cloth to trace the patterns instead of cutting out the originals; if you haven’t experienced them yet (or if you simply need to stock up), this deal’s for you!
Buy two Kwik Trace Cloths and get one free.
To take advantage of this offer: Add two Kwik Trace Cloths to your cart. After choosing your shipping option write “One Free Kwik Trace Cloth please” in the “Any special requests/comments?” field in our shopping cart to receive your freebie.
Fine print: Valid while supplies last. Maximum of three free Kwik Trace Cloths per customer (with the purchase of six at regular price). Offer valid only until we post the next May Special.
Our bulk organic merino wool yarn bags have proven unexpectedly popular, but we still have some left and want to share them with you at a very special price -- $30 off! Normally $79.87, for two days only your price is a low, low $49.87.
Continue reading "Bulk Organic Merino Wool Yarn -- May Special #2" »
 For the first of May’s deals, we’re offering a freebie on one of sewing’s basics – thread!
With the ridiculous price of gasoline, staying home is more appealing than ever. To make it even more fun, let someone else bring craft supplies to you ... and we’ll throw in a free Hand-Sewing Thread with every purchase of $50 or more (before shipping).
To take advantage of this offer: After choosing your shipping option write “Free thread please” in the “Any special requests/comments?” field in our shopping cart to receive your free thread.
This thread is fun for handwork, teaching kids how to sew (which I’ve been doing with my five-year-old ... it’s a great activity when you’re trying to keep kids still and quiet (like waiting for doctor’s appointments), especially with small and rewarding projects like very basic stuffed toys with appropriate supervision), and so much more. Some people use it in their machines, but I find our Fiberactive Thread more appropriate for that purpose (and yes, we’ll probably offer a deal on that thread at some point too ... just not necessarily this month).
Fine print: This deal’s only valid while supplies last, and only until we post the next May Special, on Tuesday. Only one free thread per shipment. You must order online and request the free thread in your comments when ordering to qualify for it.
Just in time for May, we're ushering spring in with a plethora of new goodies for our site. Check out all these splendid new fabrics:
Continue reading "(Much more than) a baker's dozen new goodies... " »
 We'd like to introduce our Renaissance Laptop Quilts, designed in praise of the intricate mastery of centuries of US cotton expertise and in hopes of a rebirth of a sustainable domestic cotton industry. Handcrafted by a Pecos Valley quiltmaker out of US-made fabrics crafted from Texas-grown organic cottons, this quilt truly exemplifies the best of the US textile tradition, and is a wonderful example of what we're working toward at NearSea Naturals.
Continue reading "New goodies on our site" »
 First of all, woohoo, we've added bunches of new fabrics including a fabulous new safari print. Check them all out. (Oh, and new yarns, including the best deal imaginable on bulk merino yarn, and pretty single-needle silk cases to go with our Ultimate Silk Knitting Needle Cases.)
Secondly, I've been thinking about sleep a lot lately. We've had many customer questions about pillow making, and I've had to admit that I haven't had the time or inclination to make my own pillows since children entered my life lo those many years ago. I know a lot about the concept and I've worked with a good many people who've made pillows, but making my own? Not a chance. My sewing time is dedicated to other projects these days, and I don't see that changing anytime soon. But many of our customers are more dedicated than I, and others are in the same boat as I am, and it's to all of you that I dedicate this entry. :)
Continue reading "New organic cotton fabrics, organic pillows, and chocolate, always chocolate." »
Just a quick note to let you know that the big truck we've been waiting for drove up yesterday and we finally have Natural Light Hemp Canvas, Sand Heavy Hemp Herringbone, Black Heavy Hemp Herringbone, Black Hemp/Tencel Plain Weave, Black Hemp Canvas, and Olive Hemp/Tencel Plain Weave back in stock! We're hoping for more hemp arrivals in the next week or two, but as we've told so many of you, the demand for hemp is absolutely staggering -- mill runs are frequently entirely claimed before production is even started! It's wonderful for the future of sustainable textiles, particularly when you're dealing with people who keep in mind all aspects of the fabric's production (how making it is affecting both people and the planet -- and yes, we keep that at the forefront of our mind when making decisions of what to carry, as well you know!).
(Oh, and it's neither a hemp nor a hemp blend, but White Wide-Width Sateen is also back in stock finally, woohoo!)
 That's what my grandma used to call me, when I was a little girl going here and there getting all sorts of things done. Of course at that point I was trying to catch tadpoles, painting my face with "rock paint" I created by grinding up colored rocks, planting acorns, looking for wintergreen berries, and other urgent tasks that occupy five-year-olds in Upstate New York. How times have changed -- this past week my busy bee-ness has shown itself with many exciting new items being added to our website. (Yes, it's remotely possible that I'm the only person who finds these new items exciting, but I prefer to think that my vast readership is out there on tenterhooks eagerly awaiting word of our new acquisitions. And to bring it all back around to fabric, did you know that being on tenterhooks actually refers to a process involved in the making of woolen fabric? As another of my grandmothers would say, "Not a day is wasted in which you learn something new," and I'm guessing we all just did. Yet another thing to be excited about, and I haven't even started talking about our new items. But here we go...)
Continue reading "A very busy bee." »
 I've been intrigued by Furoshiki, the Japanese art of gift wrapping with fabric, since I first learned about it many years ago. It wasn't until a business trip to California, however, that I found the book Gift Wrapping With Textiles: Stylish Ideas from Japan (available other places too, of course!). That book, combined with a little spare time (hey, there's not all that much to do in a hotel room, even an eco-friendly one, besides watch really bad TV and work), inspired me to start playing around with the concept ... and it's so very much fun!
 Today I was lucky enough to be able to work with two new Harmony Arts fabrics, Black and White Whispering Grass Wide-Width Sateen and Blue Moon Light Flannel, and I couldn't resist trying a little furoshiki. (The new fabrics are probably worth an entry in their own right, especially because it's so wonderful having a printed flannel that can be used for the whole family and because the black and white version of Whispering Grass is so strikingly eye-catching, but instead I'm simply using the fabrics as props for a larger post. Do check them out, even if I'm not giving them their due in the blog.)
Continue reading "Furoshiki, and new Harmony Arts fabrics. " »
I helped move and reorganize our yarns this weekend, and oh, we have such a splendid selection ... I really need to make more time for knitting and crocheting! The Gobi Desert Camel Wool Yarn is absolutely amazing. I know I've mentioned it before, and I undoubtedly will again -- I just can't imagine how such a soft, sumptuous yarn can come from CAMELS, for crying out loud! The deep jewel colors are my favorite shades, and of course the story behind the yarn makes it even more appealing.
I sometimes worry that our Tweed Wool Yarn gets overlooked when compared to the brightly colored, more consistent Colored Organic Merino Yarns (and don't get me wrong -- those are absolutely wonderful yarns that are a delight with which to work!), but I was reminded this weekend how much I enjoy the natural versions. They're so very real -- you can feel the lanolin and the occasional vegetal inclusion, and almost smell the fresh air and organic fields in which the sheep live. The spinning is mildly irregular, which I find adds interest to many projects.
As a complete contrast to the undyed, less-processed yarns, the Handpainted Banana Silk Yarn is incredibly appealing in its own way. The colors are eye-catching and dramatic, and creations have a cool, silky feel that is particularly delightful in the summer and autumn. And besides, they're made from banana trees -- how cool is that? This is one of my favorite yarns to share with other people (along with the camel, of course) simply because so few people have heard of anything but Chiquita Bananas (or our favorite organic, fair trade bananas) coming from the banana tree!
Our other yarns are amazing as well, of course -- these are just the ones that most grabbed my attention over the weekend. My favorites change regularly, depending on mood and application. Maybe I'll start hinting for a nice selection of yarns and sustainable knitting needles for my birthday, hmmm...
On a completely different topic, I topped my mattress with a piece of our Luxurious Organic Wool Pile (which is out of stock and it's thus probably mean of me to talk about it) and oh, it makes such a difference to my sleep! The bed's softer, warmer, and just so much more comfortable than it was before. It can be difficult to get up in the morning -- why would I want to leave such a delightful place?
So why is it dangerous working at NearSea Naturals? We're surrounded by such splendidly tempting sustainable goodies that it's far too easy to spend more than I make. I know, what an awful problem!
I just finished adding the gorgeous new Deep Purple and Heathered Charcoal Organic Wool Twills to our site, and they are absolutely stunning. These luxury organic wool fabrics are steamed, which gives them a wonderful soft feel, and are just perfect for coats, suits, and more. They're made in a small, Fair Trade Certified, boutique factory in China. Check them out -- you won't regret it.
We're thrilled to finally be able to offer this Multipurpose Fiberactive Organic Thread, which we've all been waiting not-so-patiently for! It's really delightful to work with, and it's about time we should be able to sew with organic thread without compromising on quality. The thread's currently available in 12,000 yard cones, which should be usable on any domestic machine (though you may have to jury-rig a way to get the thread to feed right for some machines -- an eye-bolt on the ceiling to feed the thread through is one solution that our customers sometimes choose), and is a natural, undyed/unbleached color.
Other colors and cone sizes are planned, too -- how exciting is that? We should have smaller, 500-yard cones available by mid-January if all goes well, and white and black versions available shortly thereafter. Fashion colors are even in the works, which the organic world has been eagerly awaiting.
This thread is available wholesale for our business customers who need 10+ cones at a time.
On the second day of Hanukkah and with not that many days until Christmas or Kwanzaa, it seemed like the right time to mention some of the goodies that we offer that make splendid presents any time of year. I do encourage you to do any holiday-related shopping as soon as possible, simply because shipping carriers can get rather overloaded and we'd hate for items to not arrive on time.
The first, and easiest, choice is a Gift Certificate. You can't go wrong, and you don't have to worry about picking the perfect fabric or yarn, the right size of needles, or any other custom option. We can send gift certificates by email or in hard copy; just let us know which you prefer.
(Keep reading for all sorts of more personalized options!)
Continue reading "Holiday gift ideas" »
Just a reminder that NearSea Naturals will be exhibiting at the San Francisco Green Festival next weekend, November 9-11. Winnie and I will also be attending the Green Business Conference earlier in the week. What's that mean for you? Two things, really. First of all, we encourage any and everyone to come visit us in Booth 1045 at the Green Festival, where you'll see our shining faces, gorgeous fabrics, and fun sewing and knitting kits. Secondly, because three of us will be in San Francisco, orders will be sent out and emails answered more slowly than usual -- we'll still be open for business, but don't necessarily expect the same quick, stellar service you normally get here. We'll be back November 15, and will start catching up on anything that didn't get done during our absence at that point.
Good grief, where to start? Probably with NearSea News, I'm thinking. You may have noticed that we've divided our yarns into three categories (animal-based, plant-based, and blended), and added some glorious new yarns to boot.
We've also created and populated a whole category of yarn patterns for Bigger People, Littler People, Craft-Loving People, All People, and Diapered People (we're a bit knitting-heavy -- any suggestions for good crochet patterns that're US-made by cottage businesses?). We've added a new line of ocean-inspired decorator fabrics from Oliveira Textiles that I absolutely love, and new Mod Green Pod fabrics too. Your high-end, modern, stylish organic fabric needs can all be met right here at NearSea Naturals! (Your gorgeous pseudo-boiled wool needs will met too, just in time for winter, and we've added a bunch of other new fabrics throughout the site as well.)
Keep reading for more NearSea News and a non-NearSea Naturals holiday gift to consider giving.
Continue reading "Additions, changes, Bag-E-Wash, and a chance to see us in person..." »
 Check out our gorgeous new Perfect Paisley collection, available by the yard exclusively at NearSea Naturals. Fresh and modern, printed on 100% organic cotton, and oh-so-inspiring, we're sure you'll enjoy them as much as we do. We currently have the print available in Lilac Crinkle Cut, Chinese Parsley Jersey, Sangria Jersey, Light Brown Fleece, and Colorgrown Green Woven. Most have a coordinating unprinted fabric as well, which gives you so many design options!
It's an incredibly versatile print; the dye color is the same on all the fabrics but it looks different depending on the background fabric color, and the design itself will work just about everywhere. Wonderful for home decor projects, including bedspreads, tablecloths, curtains, and throw pillows, great for adult clothing including jackets, twinsets, and more, splendid for unique baby wear, ...
We also added all sorts of other goodies this week, including new Maternity and Nursing and Interiors and Crafts patterns and lots and lots and lots and lots of fun new fabrics. Don't miss them!
Better Homes and Gardens online has a slideshow featuring a selection of our eco-friendly buttons. Check it out! Their pictures are beautiful, and some of their ideas would make great quick gifts for someone special (or for your very own special self).
That's how one amazed person described our new Gobi Desert Camel Wool Yarn. This was after saying, "CAMEL? The yarn is made from camel hair? How weird!" How quickly her tune changed, when confronted with the reality of a soft, soft, sooooooft yarn, hand-spun by nomadic herders. I highly recommend checking it out. We'll have additional colors sometime this summer, when the next shipment arrives from Mongolia.
With kids who are prone to the munchies at the most inopportune times (aren't they all?), I've grown accustomed to bringing snacks with us wherever we go. But the idea of storing them has been an ongoing issue for me. I don't like plastics, for obvious reasons, but glass containers are more likely to break. Other options are rare and frequently quite costly. And don't even get me started about utensils -- disposables are awful, compostables are expensive and difficult to find (and still a sign of our consumer culture), bringing our silverware almost guarantees that it'll get lost, ... what's a mom to do? Finally we have the answer -- To-Go Ware's Two-Tier Food Carrier and Bamboo Utensil Set! The utensil sets are perfect for commodious purses, laptop bags, glove boxes, lunchboxes, picnic baskets, bike bags, and anywhere else where you could tuck the little roll and never have to use disposables again. The Food Carrier might look small at first, but it holds enough food for even hearty appetites and comes with a handy lift-off plate that doubles as a lid for one of the layers. I was delighted to find these, and am thrilled to offer them to you.
We also added some great new fabrics. Just in time for summer, we have three beautiful colored interlocks in pea shoot green, slate grey, and cornflower blue. And don't miss the new Sweet Pink Flannel, which is splendid for home decor projects, nurseries, and oh-so-pretty clothes. There's more to come, so keep an eye out.
We've added eighteen colors of beautiful organic cotton/wool yarn. The blended fibers have a gorgeous tweed-like effect, and the yarn itself is a joy to work with. A perfect gift for your favorite mother, or for yourself. :)
We are, of course, back from the Green Business Conference, and have been for a little while now. I highly recommend attending one, should you (a) have a business or an interest in one (yes, that includes working for one), and (b) have the ability to do so. It was worth the 20-hour drive each way (in our Prius, with carbon offsets!), and we returned with all sorts of information and inspiration to implement in our business and share with our customers, friends, blog readers, neighbors, and random people on the street. I'll dole it out in little bits, over the next while, but figured I'd start with this. Are you familiar with the Social Venture Network? They are, and I quote, "a community of leaders — company founders, private investors, social entrepreneurs and key influencers — who share a commitment to building a just and sustainable world through business. " They have a series of books aimed at "offering a new direction for socially conscious entrepreneurs." The books cover a variety of topics; the one I'm currently reading is Growing Local Value: How to Build Business Partnerships that Strengthen Your Community. None of the books are earth-shaking, but they've all made me think and have given me data to support my convictions (and thus made some of our choices easier to explain and more understandable). I definitely recommend the books to anyone involved in businesses of any sort or size.
(Or at least we hope so!)
Seedlings popping up in the greenhouse, baby bunnies cute as can be (and not eating our gardens yet -- that's why they're "baby bunnies" instead of "those darned rabbits"!), the first flowers gloriously purple on the hillside ... oh, wait, that was yesterday. Today we've had hail, frozen rain (something my husband, who grew up in Illinois, was quite familiar with but I didn't recognize at all ... I think we called it "sleet" when I was young), snow, and lots of rain. It's coooooold out there, which makes me glad yesterday's beautiful weather didn't con me into transplanting the above-mentioned seedlings in the garden. But what better to do on a stay-inside day than finish adding a bunch of new fabrics? We have:
Continue reading "The last throes of winter..." »
Because we've added several new pink fabrics (including Pink Moon, the latest Harmony Art wide-width sateen). Some people claim spring is on its way, but I'm not fully convinced -- I'm quite happy to dream about sewing with our beautiful new hemp velour. (We've also added a sweet avocado and a creamy white rib knit -- don't miss them!)
Yesterday morning Winnie made it out her very very long driveway, so we're now all officially un-snowbound. (If that's not a word, it should be!) It's funny - three feet of snow, plus a few inches here and there, wouldn't be much in some places, but New Mexico is simply not used to or prepared for it. We all had plenty of food, of course, so that wasn't an issue. But it still got a bit stircrazy after a week, especially for my two smallish kids.
We did add some new fabrics over the holidays; I love the knit herringbones especially. They're beautiful, unique fabrics that we're proud to offer. Orders will start going out today, and should arrive soon depending on the shipping method you chose.
Finally starting to catch up from the holiday rush, all of us at NearSea Naturals were excited about the weather report's anticipated 4-6 inches of snow. Just in time for the weekend, we'd have a chance to enjoy a little enforced time off before starting work again on Monday. Imagine our surprise, though, when the expected six inches turned into a full-on storm! I think the whole state of New Mexico is buried -- Winnie got 27 inches overnight, and we were lucky enough to hit three feet in two days of precipitation; we've heard similar tales from other people, along with simply awful stories of accidents, long-lasting road closures, and the like. Needless to say, we're all staying put at the moment (not that we have any other choice), and there's very little chance we'll make it to the post office or to Fed Ex/UPS until at least the middle of next week. Both our internet and our phone connections are iffy at best, thanks to the huge amounts of snow, so it's entirely possible that we won't be able to respond to emails and phone calls until sometime next week as well.
(The picture is of our backyard, complete with barely-visible garden fencing and an almost-buried play structure -- the snow is so deep that the kids can hardly walk, though not quite high enough for them to build the maze of tunnels they'd been hoping for. We'll try for an igloo or at least a couple of snowpeople tomorrow, assuming our outdoor clothes manage to dry out in time.)
It's an exciting way to ring in the New Year, and we'll be back online/on the phone/sending out orders as soon as humanly possible. Until then, wishing everyone a wonderful weekend and may 2007 be a splendid year for all concerned!
I've finally added the amazingly beautiful alpaca and alpaca/llama items to our Around the House merchandise section. I can't come up with the words to explain how incredible these things are, but trust me -- they're perfect, absolutely luxurious gifts for yourself or a loved one! I was wearing my ruana at the grocery store this morning (on a futile search for organic cranberries) and no fewer than three people complimented me on it! My holiday shopping is definitely a bit easier thanks to these beautiful, fairly-traded, sustainable goodies.
I also added a few new fabrics and other items, so see if you can find them too. I'm out of the office until Monday, and everybody at NearSea is taking Friday off, so expect orders and emails to be a bit slower than usual. Things should return to normal early next week.
Wishing all of our US customers a very Happy Thanksgiving!
We've been working for weeks to add almost 40 new fabrics, and I'm so glad we're finally done! (It's a long process -- we have to: receive the fabrics; scan/photograph them; measure, weigh, price, and categorize them; write about them after thinking about/playing with/cutting and sewing/washing as necessary to get a feel for how they'll work; resize, edit, and adjust colors in the pictures as necessary; have the entries proofed, and finally set them live. And after all that it's amazing to me that mistakes still slip through, but we definitely do our best to keep them few and far-between!) We've added almost 20 high-end upholstery fabrics from Mod Green Pod, with beautifully trendy designs that are hand silk-screened on the East Coast. There's a gorgeous new faux-sheepskin, with a 1.25" pile of the softest organic wool on an organic cotton backing, and several new organic cotton stripes and solid organic continuity and limited-edition knits. This is only a teaser -- browse around the site and see for yourself!
(Yes, I know I promised other goodies; I'll start working on adding them tomorrow. I've been curling up in my alpaca ruana all night long and can't wait to add them to the site. I bought mine while we were still unpacking the box -- it's just incredibly luxurious and warm and wonderful!)
After a very, very, very long wait, we're pleased to announce that our 1/3 pound cones of organic thread are now available. We only have 150 cones to start, but should get more within a couple of weeks -- so if you want it, buy yours now or be prepared for a possible backorder.
In other news, several of us will be on a buying trip this week; order fulfillment and email/message answering may be a bit slower than usual. We're still expecting that all orders will be sent out within the 3-7 business days we specify, but it's entirely possible that in-depth email questions and such will have to wait until our return this weekend. We're hoping to come back from this trip with all sorts of new product ideas that everyone will appreciate in the long-term, so keep tuned!
Graceland, the sateen version of Stumps Speak, and Silent Stumps (which is, of course, Stumps Speak without the words) are finally in stock, yay! Graceland is our favorite of the Harmony prints so far, and is absolutely beautiful. There are so many ways I'd love to use this fabric: a long, twirly-swirly skirt or a summer dress, curtains or a bedspread (or, heck, bed curtains -- I always wanted a canopy bed when I was a little girl), throw pillows, baby's bedding or a diaper bag that looks too stylish to be true ...
Sure, why not? We met the people behind these amazing candles at a convention a few months ago, and were very impressed by both the candles themselves and the concept behind them. Winnie, who generally hates all things scented, actually likes the essential oil combinations. (We're still storing the candles away from our fabrics, don't worry about that!) By using organic soybean oil to make the majority of their wax, they're providing incentive for farmers to grow organically (and eschew GM soy, too, which I appreciate). And I love the practicality -- the candles are perfect for gifts, can be shipped easily, travel beautifully, are inexpensive ... they're just wonderful, and I urge you to try one or two. Or, heck, collect all 8!
We've just added some really fun, amazingly vibrant silk yarns. Otherwise-wasted silk that's a byproduct of the sari-making industry is given to women's cooperatives in Nepal; these women hand-spin the fabric into yarn. You end up with a product that is not only enjoyable to work with but also makes a huge difference in the makers' lives. Each skein is different, due to the variation in materials, skill level, and the nature of hand-spinning. It's not soft, silky yarn that you'd choose for baby clothes, but it is bright, fun, eye-catching yarn that you'll love for any number of unique crafts. Check it out!
A local artisan immediately latched upon this yarn, picturing a striking wall-hanging or other piece of bold fiber art. We can't wait to see what she makes, and we'll be sure to share it with you as well.
Have you seen our new organic laces yet? We added eleven intricate laces over the weekend, and plan to add sixteen more in the not-so-distant future. We're also going to have peroxide-whitened versions of the same laces eventually, for those of you who're doing fancy sewing for which cotton's natural color just won't work. :) These are beautiful laces, and we're very glad to be offering them. (By the way, they are available wholesale -- just ask if you're interested.)
We just added thirty new fabrics -- can you find them? As a hint, many of them are in our Sustainable Woven Blends category, and they're so beautiful! We've added some springlike knit cottons as well, for people who've been patiently awaiting more pastels. And just for the fun of it, check out the new Eggplants print, and Harmony's vibrant new Let It Grow! (You can see them here and here, respectively.) Let It Grow is on a wide-width twill; think of the possibilities!
So glad you asked! We decided that we needed a less-formal forum for sharing with you, our customers and friends. Sharing what? Oh, so very much! We see this space as an opportunity to display pictures of some of the many amazing projects people are making with our yarn, to profile people of interest, to discuss news and ideas pertaining to sustainable fabric, and, sometimes, just to babble. We'll try not to do the latter all that often, though! :)
How can you participate in our blog? Read on to find out more.
Continue reading "Why a blog? What're we doing with it?" »
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