Bobbin' Along the Web

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Coats and Clark is part of the world's largest textile and thread manufacturing company with products sold in over 150 countries. Look for quilting, machine-embroidery, glow-in-the-dark and decorative serger thread from this innovative company. Be sure to visit their Web site at www.coatsandclark.com and download the free thread advisor chart to use as a handy reference guide for all of your crafting-thread needs.

In the world of sewing, lots of creativity goes into making the perfect jacket. For example, the Fuji Afternoon Jacket (page 10, Sewing Savvy September 2008) has a rather interesting background. The pattern is designed by Mary Ann Donze and carried by Indygo Junction (www.indygojunction.com). Springs Creative Fabric (www.springscreativeproductsgroup.com) commissioned Marinda Stewart to sew the jacket but wanted an oriental twist to the design. Marinda tweaked the jacket pattern and Fuji Afternoon was born. Look for the pattern, called Never the Same Twice, at Clotilde.com.

If you're looking for sweatshirts to customize, be sure to visit Fabric Café's Web site at www.fabriccafe.com. This enterprising motherand-daughter team of Donna Robertson and Fran Morgan (yes, Fran is the designer of Garden Party) opened its doors in January of 2001. Their first product, called Chenille By The Inch, is a super-easy way to get the look and feel of old-fashioned chenille without the work.

The Independent Pattern Company Alliance is a group of fashion-pattern companies who have joined forces to increase awareness of quality independent pattern companies. You'll recognize many of the designers when you visit the Web site at www.patterncompanies.com, but what you may not know is that each designer has no affiliation with a commercial pattern company and is independently owned and operated.