Q: First things first...how did you and Marilyn meet?

A: Our daughters took piano lessons together, and once a year there was a music teachers conference where students would go and perform. It was an overnighter. This was always in November, and it was the girls' weekend away. We took our other daughters who didn't play piano (and they had to sit through the practices and concert) and then we would shop. Or course we did our research and would find any cross stitch, quilt shop or bookstore in town.

Q: How was it that you two decided to start dyeing fabric together?

A: We saw a hand-dyed fabric business for sale on ebay and had made an appointment with the owner to talk about buying it. The day before I was to leave and see her she called and said they had decided to sell it to someone else. At that point we thought something had pointed us in this direction and maybe this is something we could do from the ground up by ourselves. And so we started....

Q: How did you two learn to dye fabric?

A: I was lucky enough to know a professor in the textile department at Kansas State University. We visited with her, and she set up a meeting with a couple other professors that specialize in dyeing. We went and picked their brains for whatever information would help us with this venture.

Q: Your colors are so vibrant and mottled. How do you develop new colors, and are there any colors in your line that were happy mistakes?

A: We only release new colors once a year and that is for the Nashville show in February. We listen all year to what people are saying they would like to see. Then when we have a slow time (which isn't too often anymore). We experiment with new colors. One of our new colors coming out in February (Midas) was a mistake that made it!

Q: Your color names are just as much fun as the colors themselves. How do you decide to name the colors?

A: Actually naming the fabrics is very important to us. We try to keep them to one word, try not to name something after food and to come up with unique names. Sometimes we have a name and are waiting for the color to claim it.

Q: What are your favorite colors, and which colors seem to be the most popular? (I know those two things don't always coincide.)

A: Honestly we like all the colors, or we would not release them. The biggest difference between Marilyn and me is that I like the sparkly fabric and she likes the plain. She calls me a magpie, never enough sparkles for me. As for the most popular color it really depends what design has come out calling for our fabric.

Q: How many colors do you think you guys can come up with?

A: That's a good question! Right now we have 61 colors. I don't know how many more choices people want. Plus they are a lot of work each year getting all the new samples out to shops with our sample book. We just finished the mailing on that project this week.

Q: What kinds of neat things have stitchers done with your fabrics?

A: I think any project stitched on over dyed fabric just enhances the piece. I know the fabric is higher priced then regular fabric, but if I'm spending hours working on a project I want something that is unique and one of a kind. Stitchers have to remember they are making heirlooms to be passed down through the generations.

Q: Your company does a lot of travelling to trade shows and consumer shows. What does that do for you guys?

A: Number one it makes us tired! Marilyn goes to all the shows and I go to a few. It is getting hard for both of us to be gone at the same time. We have 2 retail business' now, Picture This, which is custom framing and a full service cross stitch shop and we just purchased the bookstore next to us. Retirement... someone remind me what that is!

If you'd like to read more about Picture This Plus, visit their site at www.picturethisplus.com. You'll find samples of all of the colors in their line, a gallery of stitchers' projects they've completed on the Picture This Plus fabrics, and more.

I hope you all have a great 2006. Thanks, as always, for your support.

© 2007 Theresa Venette. Articles on this site may be reproduced in needlework group newsletters or other handouts with permission of author and proper attribution. Send questions, comments and suggestions to: xspeddler@yahoo.com