Now that March Madness is over, I have taken a step back to reflect on the most eye-catching part of the tournament- the uniforms.

Although our favorite fiber spandex took a back seat (for the men at least), polyester jerseys shined on the court in unique new forms.  With the start of March Madness, Adidas introduced its new line of basketball gear under adizero performance apparel.   According to Adidas, the adizero uniforms worn by teams such as Baylor and Louisville are 28% lighter than before, are unlined, and even have built in compression features.  That’s the kind of active-wear apparel we’ve been waiting for!

And for all of you who wished fashion week would return instead of NCAA basketball mania, you were no doubt pleasantly surprised with the style of the uniforms this year.  From Kansas’ classic ‘Americana’ jerseys to Marquette’s stylized blue, navy, and yellow stripe details, the runway hit the courts this year.  Check out Baylor’s neon yellow tribute to fashion week above and click the image to see the new uniform trends that swept the nation faster then you can say….Kentucky?

Pine Crest Fabrics has found another way to meet your stretch fabric needs!  Small yardage is now available on our website for styles with 20-80 yards on hand right now. 

King of spandex body suits Mr. Spandy Andy (actual legal name) is seen in Melbourne in another original Pine Crest Fabric spandex print! Check out Spandy Andy leading a flash mob wearing a body suit made out of our very own ‘Zeon’ nylon spandex (click fabric swatch below for more details).

     Last night, Dancing with the Stars kicked off its 14^th season on the air.  Surprisingly, all of the celebrities scored extremely high for the first week of the season.  With no drama or nervous break-downs, where is all the excitement? 

     In the costumes of course! 

     This season we are seeing more sparkle and glam than ever before.  Dancer Karina Smirnoff has designed a few outfits that she will be wearing, including the glittery fringe outfit shown above.  She is coordinating the stretch fabrics of her outfits with pieces of her partner, singer Gavin DeGraw’s, suited looks.  Deep jewel tones and a lot of gold-tone metallic fabrics are in the works for DWTS costumes this season.  Smirnoff’s costumes are sure to set trends in the dance world, and I am going to stay tuned!

http://danceyourheartouttt.tumblr.com/post/10778230944

Dance Moms is the reality TV series about a group of young dancers from Pittsburg.  This show has taken off and set new expectations for young dancers everywhere- and for their costume designers!

Each time infamous dance studio instructor Abby creates a new routine for her group of dancers, she has a new costume designed to go with the theme of the dance.  These costumes have set stretch fabric trends that are popping up everywhere in the dance community!

Neon colors, like the hot pink shown on Maddie Ziegler above, have taken center stage.  In addition, the costumes on the show feature a number of stretch fabrics with texture such as ruffles or velvets with glitter or sequins stripes.   I like the one below!  Click on the picture to follow the link. 

RHPC2062A- Hot Pink Ruffles with Holo Chip

Spandy Andy gives Feisty Cat some exposure while he keeps it tight and bright.  To make your own Feisty Cat bodysuit, check out http://www.pinecrestfabrics.com/fabrics/show/443

Now you can connect with us in a whole new way!  At Pine Crest Fabrics, we are now pinning things we love on Pinterest.  This is a great way to track our favorite trends and how they coordinate with your favorite stretch fabrics! 

Let us know you like what you see by repining items off our bulletin boards and we will follow you!  Got inspiration for a trend you think we would like?  Let us know and we will repin it! 

http://pinterest.com/pinecrestfabric/

Quick Response codes are two-dimensional bar codes originally designed for the automotive industry to allow information to be decoded at high speeds.  Thanks to our trusty smart phones, we all have scanners to decipher these codes right in our pockets.

QR codes can give customers immediate access to what is relevant, which is exactly the way I like my information: fast and concise.  From real estate listings to coffee cups, QR codes are printed on everything nowadays!  You can even find QR codes printed on stretch fabrics!

At Pine Crest Fabrics, we pride ourselves in our ability to make your custom artwork into a one-of-a-kind print design.  Do you want your active-wear apparel to be a walking billboard for your company?  We can generate a QR code that links right to your website or a specific promotion and print it on your favorite active-wear spandex fabric.

Scan the code above and see where it takes you!

What makes polyurethane coating so special?  Polyurethane coating enhances the performance abilities of fabric in many ways.  The polyurethane is applied to the back of many stretch fabrics as a thick layer of polymer.  A common use of polyurethane is for wind and waterproof outerwear that can still allow water vapor to slowly diffuse through it, making fabric breathable.

Polyurethane coated spandex fabrics are even used in many high-tech swimsuits.  The coating can enhance the performance abilities of a typical spandex blend fabric by adding buoyancy, especially for competitive swimmers.

This month, we are offering some of our polyurethane coated nylon-spandex blends for a discount.  If you want high-performance fabric in stylish prints, check out our promotional stretch fabrics below!

www.pinecrestfabrics.com

The only reason why I watch the Grammys?  I am all about the fashion and the fabrics!  Here’s how some of the top stars rated in my book:

Best Use of the “It” Fabric:

Adele:  Adele sparkled in this sequin-studded black mesh dress.  Mesh fabrics are popping up everywhere!  The feminine silhouette created by the mesh softened the structured lines of her dress for an award-winning look.

Best Use of Spandex:

Katy Perry performed in a futuristic metallic body suit.  Thank goodness for the spandex blend that allowed this skin-tight number to stretch far enough for her awkward dance moves.  Sorry boys, no wardrobe malfunction this time thanks to our favorite stretch fabric!   

Worst Dressed Performer:

There is no question that Rihanna was the worst-dressed performer at the Grammys.  Not only did she abuse the star fabric of the day with her cropped mesh top, but she turned her nylon-spandex blend tights into something that resembled Julia Roberts in “Pretty Woman.”