Recent projects by the staff of Marcus Fabrics run the range, from quilts to home decor to fashion & accessories!  Read about what we’ve been up to so far this summer, and join us on Facebook to tell us what you’re creating this summer!

Faye Burgos, design director for Marcus Fabrics, has again created an innovative fabric layout for quilters, fresh on the heels of her STRIP-IT™ concept!  It’s called PATCH-IT™, a single fabric of coordinating prints in a patchwork layout of 3″ (for Faye’s RAILROAD TIES collection) or 5″ squares (part of her NEW LONDON collection) layout.  You can cut and re-piece it creatively to create lots of special effects like Pinwheel quilts (shown) or Drunkard’s Path blocks!  We’ve even put together a free idea sheet.

We took the opportunity as a group of quilters & designers to take a Marcus office break and experience the highly-acclaimed exhibit of red & white quilts at the Park Avenue Armory.  It was fabulous, a very impressive display! We were amazed at how “accessible” the quilts were to the viewers.  Hopefully you were able to catch it too, but if not, you can view images online on various websites, including our own Facebook page!

Spring 2011 Trends & Promotions

• PATCH-IT™ by Faye Burgos is introduced as an exciting creative followup to her STRIP-IT concept. With limited time, and many new beginners to inspire, versatility in fabric designs becomes more important. Novelty layouts like these are being utilized in new ways, including those highlighted by Vicki Bellino of Bloom Creek. Retailers can increase the impact of these fabrics with in-store demos featuring various templates used to cut these layouts creatively. Please remind customers that Marcus also has its own Strip-It creative ideas tip sheets available online under our Make It with Marcus section.
• SUPPORT THE TROOPS! – The AMERICAN VALOR FABRICS Collection earns rave reviews as a part of the Under Our Wings program organized by Marianne Fons. Marcus’s collection stood out among the others for Faye Burgos’ authentically styled center panel and easy-to-use coordinates.
• BUTTERFLY MANIA – According to various style & fashion blogs, Spring/Summer 2011 brings the Butterfly motif info full focus. Butterflies symbolize many things in different cultures – it reminds us of the ephemeral nature of life, as well as hope of resurrection, freedom, beauty, femininity, and the confidence that follows. Laura Berringer’s signature motif can be found in looks from sophisticated to playful: DECO DEMURE, FLORALANE, MUMBO JUMBO, and FLUTTER & FLOWERS.
• RED & WHITE QUILTS – As the subject of a 650-piece exhibit in New York City in Spring 2011, Red and White theme quilts created a huge buzz in the quilt world, sparking renewed interest for the already popular color combination. Faye Burgos’ GALLERY IN RED II line bridges traditional and contemporary tastes beautifully, and was offered for sale in FQ bundles during the event, sponsored by the Folk Art Museum.
• BLOCKS-OF-THE-MONTH – These programs are increasingly popular across a variety of themes in the quilting market, and at Marcus in particular, with current & upcoming CIVIL WAR programs to AUNT GRACE’S GARDEN PARTY to COTTON CLUB.

Marcus Fabrics greets Fall/Holiday 2011 with another beautiful block-of-the-month project, this time highlighting CHESTNUT & VINE by Faye Burgos. Faye’s rich harvest palette of russet, gold, pumpkin, sage and brown makes it perfect all season long, and into the holidays without an obvious “holiday” feel. The 82″ x 82″ quilt design, by Vicki Bellino of Bloom Creek, features:

• Simple block construction
• Creative use of the STRIP-IT™ pattern
• Beginner-level appliqué with instructions for both stitched and fused techniques
• Designed for completion in a 6-month time-frame (Each month blocks/border will be added to the center block, so that at the end of the 6th month, the quilt will be finished.)

This BOM runs March through August 2011. Be sure to visit your favorite quilt shop for more details – this is one project you won’t want to miss!

Regular visitors to MarcusFabrics.com already know that we’re a favorite source of free quilting & craft projects, and we’re starting the year off right with FOUR new freebies in January! Plan your projects for the snowy days ahead, and create something wonderful!! The featured collections include:

• BANCROFT (shown) by Judie Rothermel & The New England Quilt Museum
• BEAR HUGS by Laura Berringer
• CENTENNIAL TREASURES by Judie Rothermel
• GREYSTONE by Paula Barnes of Bonnie Blue Quilts

We wish all of our quilting friends and associates a happy, healthy and creative New Year!

And here at Marcus, 2011 will be unlike any other year, as we celebrate our 100th Anniversary! Take a look at the beautiful Anniversary Quilt created by Charlotte O’Leary. She artfully combined fabrics from many of our collections over the years.

We look forward to bringing you another great year of inspiration, beautiful fabrics, and fun features! Be sure to visit us online all year long, and remember, we also want to see your special marcus creations through the years, so submit your entries now through September 2011!

Whatever Your Make, Make It with Marcus!

Marcus Fabrics offers a variety of BOM, or Block-of-the-Month, projects for your quilting pleasure in 2011! From Civil War to Aunt Grace to holiday/harvest. If you’ve never tried a BOM project, consider the many benefits of serial quilting, whether you work on your own or in a group through your local quilt shop.

Check out our Top Ten reasons people love BOM projects, and choose your favorites for the year, all at our new BOM Updates page online.

Shown: Two BOM projects featuring the ADELAIDE collection by Faye Burgos for Marcus Fabrics. Quilt by KC Star Quilts & Homestead Hearth.

In looking back on our first 100 years, we’ve been reflecting on some of our favorite “firsts”, including

• In 1925, the company produced its first trademarked fabric, called Prince Charming Cloth.
• First 1930’s reproduction fabrics in the industry, designed by Judie Rothermel
• Our first entry into Quilt Market was in 1987, with a line of Centennial prints, also by Judie Rothermel.
• First “Strip-It” design, a concept by Faye Burgos that gives quilters a variety of 2.5″ strips printed across the width of the fabric. Together with your creative cutting and piecing, Strip-It give you lots of possibilities! Shown here is the Strip-It fabric from Faye’s DEFINITIONS Collection.

We’re getting a jump-start on our 100th Anniversary celebration in 2011! From its humble beginnings as Marcus Brothers Textiles in 1911 to our position today as a leading source for beautiful quilting fabrics, Marcus has a lot to celebrate, and we want you to join us. Check out the website for details…

(Pictured: the six Marcus brothers in the early days.)