Modern Eco Felt... the possibilities are inspiring!

This week we are taking a closer look at the modern improvements and technology in the world of felt manufacturing, as well as fresh ideas on felt crafting. With a few simple web searches, and visits to a few Etsy shops, I've become quite riveted and impressed with the "new wave" of felters out there!
First and foremost, the new Eco-fi felt was what started it all for me. We added it to the web site this past week and it's pretty awesome! Here's why: made from 100% post-consumer recycled plastic bottles, this stuff comes in a huge array of vibrant colors, can be machine washed and dried, is fade resistant, cuts without fraying, and can be used for all kinds of both sew and glue projects.

Secondly, this super cute book called Felt Friends just came into our store and oh, how I wish I was a giddy 12-year-old again, so I could sit at home with free time to make these silly cute felt pets! This paired with an assorted variety of the Eco-fi felt would make a great gift for any crafty girl who loves Japanese style cuteness!

A lovely heart like this, as well as the "Over the Rainbow" brooches pictured at the top, are Designed by Jane, and are great ideas for a home-made way to show your Valentine some love year-round. To view the entire gallery of Jane's past works, click here.

Doing a few searches on Google yielded plentiful ideas and adorable displays of talent. I love all these felt cakes! What a sweet gift to give for a friend's birthday, or any holiday for that matter!
And lastly, with the holidays right around the corner, there's a plethora of Christmas, Chanukah, and Kwanzaa crafts to be made! You could easily adapt this idea of a felt advent calendar to represent the ideals of Kwanzaa also. It would be fun for kids of all ages to make as a group project (older ones cut out shapes, younger ones glue) and everyone can enjoy stuffing the pockets with treats - and of course - eating them too.
In conclusion, there are so many possibilities with the new Eco-fi felt, and now is a great time of year to get started exploring them!

Holiday apron and the perfect tool to help make it super easy!

One of my favorite elves brought in this apron today and I just love it. The print is so fun and quirky and the colors are not that of your typical holiday print.  Green, lavender, pink & red may sound crazy together, but here combined with just the right amount of gold it really works.



Besides showing me this fantastic apron our elf reported on a new tool she found in our Notions department. It's called Turn-it-All. She told me that it made making the neck strap and the tie at the back a cinch!



In 4 easy steps you can turn so many items inside out. Since it has 3 different sizes it's perfect for the apron shown, as well as Spaghetti straps, scrunchies (great easy gift for your tween!), doll parts, and any thing that needs to be turned inside out after you sew it.



For $10.00 this tools seems like a steal. Find it online at http://www.lowpricefabric.com/p-1971-turn-it-all-ml203015.aspx

The holidays are coming...

Yesterday as I was walking from my main office to the internet office, as I must do 20 times per day, and I realized our ML elves have been very busy. As the holidays approach, they have been putting up new sample projects to get our customers inspired. I just wanted to share some of these projects with you . They range from super simple (I'm talking a great skein of yarn, some big needles and some cellophane) to ones that the more experienced sewers out there might like.

If you're looking for an easy gift idea, here are a few that I really love....



We have many beautiful skeins of yarn that (with 1 skein) you can make a beautiful scarf. The directions are included. Just add a large pair of needles (check the pattern to see what size is called for) and a pretty basket and your set. Great and super easy gift for the holidays.

We carry so many great books as well. If they love to knit, add a knitting one:  

If they like to crafts, try a fun felt book:



And I could go on and on.  What about filling a basket with fabric? Here are just a few of our pre-cut cotton bundles that make great gifts for your friends who like to quilt:



Lastly here is one of our cute sewing baskets. Have fun filling it with various items from our notion department.



Okay now for those of you who want to make something for those special someone in your life here are a few options...

I will start with the easy ones and work my way my up to the more advanced sewer...



We have so many fun polar fleece panels, from kids characters to sporting teams. These can simply be cut and used as blankets, especially for the kids, or you can finish the edges off.



Want your own grown up throw? Try lining this amazing, super soft faux fur.  I'm sure your honey would love to snuggle up under one of these.



Love to quilt? Look at this amazing flip flop quilt....Who wouldn't love to get that!

I also really like this cute holiday flannel blanket:



Two other great holiday gifts, very pretty & completely usable are table runners and pot holders. While they may sound old fashion with all the amazing choices in fabrics at the store they won't be dated. You can make them as cool as your imagination lets you. Here are a few holiday ones our busy elfs just finished...



Thanksgiving table runner



Pot holders and an adorable place mat

Okay just when I thought your tour was done I saw a few more goodies...



Love these Ugg-like baby booties. If you have any extra yarn around these would make up so quick and what a perfect gift for anyone with a little one.



If you crochet here are 2 great little purses that all your friends would love to get.

Okay so that is it from the Apparel store. I will be checking out the Home Decor store in the coming days. I hope our elves are hard at  work over there as well!

Rest Your Head On A Personalized Pillowcase!

Making a pillow case as a gift, to donate, or for yourself is a wonderful way to bring a personal and unique story into someone's sleeping space. I like to make pillow cases for my close friends and loved ones for holidays and birthdays, or when they are setting out on a journey or moving to a new place. A pillow case is easy to make, it's small and packs flat, and it can be made very special just by the unique variety of materials you choose to combine. What's a better place to rest one's head than on a one-of-a-kind, made-with-love pillow? Or, if you are looking for an easy weekend project and are interested in sewing for a cause, there is the "1 Million Pillowcase Challenge" hosted by AllPeopleQuilt.com. Here are some pictures of the pillowcases Denise made using their "Roll-It-Up" pillowcase method:

I recently made a pillowcase for a friend who was moving to the southern Pacific island of Palau. I chose an appropriate variety of appealing cotton prints from Michael Levine's, all with an island air, in a palette of sea greens and azure blues, and featuring tropical foliage, birds, and flowers. It isn't the first time I've made a pillowcase as a "Bon Voyage" gift, because as I mentioned before, a gift for this occasion must be practical and pack flat. He later wrote to me and said "I had to stay in a shady motel the first night, so your pillowcase saved me!"

Before you begin, be sure to choose fabrics that are 45" wide, 100% Cotton. You may also want to pre-wash and dry your materials to prevent uneven shrinkage. I recommend that cotton prints be machine washed in warm water and tumbled dry on warm, and then pressed smooth with an iron on the cotton setting.

1. Cut the fabric using this guide, although you will probably be using different fabrics for each piece:

You will need:
7/8 yard of main FABRIC A1-1/2" x 45" strip of piping FABRIC B3/8 yard of band FABRIC C

2. Press both band and piping strip in half lengthwise, wrong sides together:

3. Place main fabric (A) right-side-up, design facing you. On the right-hand edge (which will be a 45" edge), layer the piping strip (B) and then the band (C), all raw edges aligned on the right. Stitch together using a 1/2" seam allowance, then serge if you wish. If you would like a no-serge pillowcase method, check out this video.

4. Open and press band to the right, while pressing piping strip to the left:

5. After pressing, topstitch 1/8" from left edge of band:

6. Fold pillowcase in half, right sides together, wrong sides out, aligning both ends of piping and band. Edges should form squared corners. Starting at top right corner of picture below (band edge / pillowcase opening), stitch and back-stitch, then stitch long edge, pivot at corner , and stitch short edge. Serge if you desire.

7. Iron seams flat, turn pillowcase right side out, and press and steam all seams flat/smooth from outside. You may want to launder once more before using, to soften it up a little.
8. Lastly, if it will be a gift, I like to add a ribbon or bow. Fold or roll up the pillowcase, and tie it with a ribbon or a coordinated strip of silk georgette like I did:

Next time you are looking for a very personal and meaningful gift to give, I hope you will think of this tutorial and give the gift of sweet dreams!

Michael Levine's Halloween Costume Contest for Employees

Last Saturday, October 22nd, we held our annual costume contest in the store for all Michael Levine's employees. Each employee was given a $25 store credit to put towards fabric and supplies for any participating halloween costume or apron. In order to be eligible for a prize, we had to be able to work in our costumes all day, and they had to be completely hand made - no ready mades or store bought costumes!

At 8:45, fifteen minutes before opening on Saturday morning, all of the "contestants" lined up at the front of the store and paraded in front of our judges/store supervisors, fellow employees, and insiders/photographers like myself. They came to the front, stated their names and Halloween personas, and worked the catwalk as much as they could for ten to twenty seconds. By the end of the work day, winners had been selected and were announced and given prizes:

Alex, First Place

This is our First Prize Winner, Gaga Miranda, a.k.a. Alex, from our buttons department. His completely hand made cabana queen costume won him the GRAND PRIZE, and, as you can see, in the background his peers enjoyed the performance! Alex says he "was up until 2 a.m., the morning of the contest," finishing up his costume. He used curled boning and horsehair to accomplish some of the finer details of his headdress, as well as tulle and sequined glitter mesh for the majority of the costume.

Rosie, Second Place

The second place prize went to the Queen of Hearts, a.k.a. Rosie, from our wholesale department. She stormed onto center stage with her commanding glare and dramatic eyebrows, which is honestly so far from the cheerful every day Rosie, that at first I didn't realize it was her! Rosie used red velour, sequined glitter mesh, and a white feather boa, among other things, and completed the look with a fabulous pink dodo bird croquet mallet.

Jose, Third Place

The Third Place prize went to Pinocchio, a.k.a. Jose, one of our floor clerks. His costume was great; he used assorted colors of felt, feathers, and faux suede, and I loved his tree-branch nose with birds and leaves and a nest! He even had Jiminy Cricket on his shoulder!

Happy Birthday Pilar!

And now for some honorable mentions... A shout-out to Pilar. I like to say that she is a 'pil-lar' of our community here because we all enjoy her fun, lively spirit! Saturday happened to be a special day for her. Happy Birthday Pilar from all of your friends and co-workers!


Definitely worth mention and probably a close contender for one of the prizes was Ursula, a.k.a. Raquel from our Home Decor store. She floated into the spotlight in full character, arms raised and wickedly sneering deep sea threats as she twirled her tentacles! She really was scary!


It's always neat to see the creativity that's under the surface amongst our crew. Look what they came up with! Clockwise from top left: Karen as a Hobo, 'La Vuida Negra' Rosa (the black widow), Orange M&M Carlos, Pink Lady Elsa, Tanya as the Goddess Athena, Israel the Zombie, Gangster Alicia, Mariachi Jocelyn, Native American Shelly, and American Soldier Blanca.

And last but certainly not least, the Halloween aprons that the girls in our buttons and notions departments came up with were very crafty and cute!

All in all so many of the employees turned up in costumes, helping bring fun and celebration to the store and inspiring others to let loose and have a good time!

The Loft, our across-the-street annex where fabric remnants are just $2.50 per pound!

Many frequenters of Michael Levine's aren't aware that we have a fabric-by-the-pound store right across the street from our main store, and above our home decor store. In the Loft, you will find boxes and boxes of orphaned fabrics that aren't on rolls or boards; they are simply left overs from job lots or other sources, and we bring them here to liquidate. At the Loft, all fabrics are $2.50 per pound, with a minimum purchase of one pound. This on average equates to costing much less than $2.00 a yard!
The Loft boasts high-ceilings, a big open feel, and afternoon sunlight streaming in through its many windows. Fans are blowing, and boxes upon boxes of mixed fabrics invite you to have a dig through. A little time and patience, and a discerning eye, is all one needs to score big at the Loft. Your finds are simply taken to the scales near the Loft's main entrance, weighed, and charged at just $2.50 per pound.
This past Sunday, I was lucky to meet one of the Loft's devoted fans, Kim, from Los Angeles, who had nothing but great things to say about the Loft. "I can ALWAYS find at least one piece of something amazing on any given visit. And Michael is EXCELLENT, EXCELLENT, EXCELLENT," she says of our friendly staff member, who heads and manages the Loft's daily operations. "He remembers the things I've picked up in the past, and always has recommendations for me based upon those." The dress that Kim is pictured in below is "entirely Loft, straight down to the trim!" she exclaimed.That's right, you can find trims here also...
...as well as large thread cones for $1.00 each!
And larger fabric remnants are folded and hung on racks:Or they might be rolled and stored on shelving at the rear of the store:
Either way, you're sure to score on your next visit, because every day is a good deal day at the Loft! Be our guest, the Loft is inviting you!

80/20 split

So 80% of the time I'm an employyee here at Michael Levine, but 20% of the time I am a shopper, crafter, and have even tried my hand at knitting. Before coming to work here I never would have called myself crafty, but being around all these amazing products day after day I found myself wanting to try my hand at a few things. The first thing I remember making were some really cute place mats out of oil cloth. No sewing required so it was a perfect first project for me. All I needed was pinking shears and the fabric. They turned out so cute and added a punch of color to my table. Once I had a baby around I found my focus shifted to baby items. Baby bibs, baby burp cloths, and baby blankets took me through the next few years. All my friends were so impressed when a one-of-a-kind baby bib or birp cloth was pulled out of my diaper bag. And a few years ago we brought yarn into the store. I love the look of the yarn and just had to give it a go. I will have to pull out the ones I did and post the pics. While I loved the results, I have to admit with 3 little kids and my low level of patience I didn't make that many items. I do have a few great winter scarves and love wearing them.  We have recently got in these collars, some are plane, while some have more embellishing. I was going through my many fashion magazines and saw all these t-shirts with embellished neckline. My radar went up and I thought I can do this. For a few dollars and a nice Michael Star T-shirt I had mysel a really cute, not so everyday T-shirt. Here are a few pics of my personal projects that I really thought were simple and that I really use and wear...





Here is one of my latest projects. I have been into making jewlery. I made this great vintage feeling necklace awhile ago, and still love wearing it. It was so simple. We have chain here and of course a hugh selection of buttons. These are rhinestone balls that hang just perfect.

One day when I was working in the button department I met this shopper who had this amazing necklace on, one that would be perfect fot the "Black & Bling" party I was invited to. When I asked her about it & took a closer look I realized it was all buttons. She had just bought it a one of the big department stores. Again I thought I can make this for 1/2 the price. While we didn't carry the exact button her necklace contained I found something similar that I liked. I love this necklace. While I use it as a special occasion piece I get compliments everytime I wear it.

I hope you feel inspired to try something new. While we may not still carry the exact products show in these pictures, we have so many newer, great options. Remember, even if your a novice like me, have fun and give it a go!