The Crafty Ol. Broads: In the beginning.

We are two sisters who love every aspect of quilting, and we just happen to be crafty, old and broad. We love creating new quilts and have fun finishing them with free-form machine quilting; but it all starts with fabulous fabric and a creative design. We started designing our own patterns in 2001. We are inspired by the beauty of nature, art, and antique quilts. In 2005 we began teaching quilt making using our original quilt designs.

In the fall of 2005, during a wonderful vacation in Guatemala, Central America, we fell in love with the beautiful colors and texture of the hand-woven Guatemalan fabric. It was fascinating to watch the native Mayan Indians weave their magic on back-strap looms. We are so excited to import the fabric from the native Mayan weavers to share with quilt and fabric lovers in the USA.

This fabulous fabric is 100% cotton, machine washable and dryable. Guatemalan fabric is a looser weave than commercially manufactured fabrics, therefore it will need to be pre-washed before using to shrink it and to insure colorfastness. The rich colors are usually colorfast, the exception is the black yarn. You can safely preshrink all your fabrics and set the black dye in your washing machine, using Retayne instead of detergent. After drying in your dryer, they are ready to be pressed. They will come out soft with a wonderful feel and texture. Any dye that is released during this process will not harm or discolor your machine.

ENJOY!

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