Fabric

The lawyer for the man accused of shooting three people after a strip club melee involving NFL player Adam Jones alleged yesterday that Jones "completely fabricated" the story that led to the man's arrest. "This entire case rests upon the statement of Adam 'Pacman' Jones," lawyer Jeffrey Segal told the judge who heard Arvin Kenti Edwards plead not guilty to charges that could put him in prison for the rest of his life. "Pacman Jones' story is completely fabricated," Segal said outside court.

Unlike most people, gardeners love rain. It's no spoiler - just the opposite. Rain is life-giving. It's also welcome relief from a chore most of us dislike only slightly less than weeding: Hose-dragging is truly a drag. There are other reasons Jeff Player, Jackie Umphlet and Rachelle Aquilla try to conserve water in their gardens, in such diverse locales as South Jersey, central Montgomery County, and Philadelphia: They want to save money, and the planet. But saving water rarely hits the popular radar without a dry spell or drought.

Unlike most people, gardeners love rain. It's no spoiler - just the opposite. Rain is life-giving. It's also welcome relief from a chore most of us dislike only slightly less than weeding: Hose-dragging is truly a drag. There are other reasons Jeff Player, Jackie Umphlet and Rachelle Aquilla try to conserve water in their gardens, in such diverse locales as South Jersey, central Montgomery County, and Philadelphia: They want to save money, and the planet. But saving water rarely hits the popular radar without a dry spell or drought.

For decades, George Washington's tent anchored the visitors' center at Valley Forge National Historical Park. Not only did its monumental size dwarf all the other relics in the room, but its very presence could be mesmerizing as visitors imagined Washington huddled inside with his advisers during the harsh Valley Forge winter. "I would compare it to standing in the room at Independence Hall where they drafted the Declaration of Independence," said Don Naimoli, president of the Friends of Valley Forge Park.

On a windy Saturday in Ardmore, a crowd of gentlemen poke around Centofanti's Custom Tailors. The packed house isn't unusual for the Station Avenue salon, which has been there for 51 years. Closing time is 1 p.m. on this day. While some gents try on the fruits of Centofanti's labor - custom pattern-crafted cut suits costing upward of $2,500 - others look at swatches of fine Italian cashmere or dashing British wool. There's a handful of tailors around the room, older gents like Luigi Russo, peering deep into their fabric like a hawk gazing at its prey.

If you've never made a pillow before, The Pillow Book (Chronicle Books, $24.95), by Shannon Okey with photos by Gemma Comas, is a good place to start. For one thing, it contains basic advice about fabrics and pillow accents: nothing too precious if you have kids; nothing dry-clean-only if you anticipate stains; nothing too tempting to cats (tassels, fringe and the like); no mixing materials with different washing requirements. Plus, the book offers a solid foundation in those core steps of sewing prep: pre-wash, pre-shrink and pre-press.

Offering the look of supple leather and silky chenille, plush mohair velvet and gossamer sheers, outdoor fabrics are getting so sophisticated that they're spot-on matches to the most fashion-forward of their indoor counterparts. And consumers are catching on to the fact that there's incredible substance beyond the style. The durable materials are colorfast under exposure to intense sun and resistant to stains, mildew and odors. Designed for outdoor furniture but with looks that mimic indoor decor, the fabrics have come full circle - they're being marketed for indoor use as well.

Down a winding road in Burlington Township sits a piece of local history little known to the drivers who whiz past on Jacksonville Road. A small sign announces "Cellunet. " On a recent morning, the sprawling building, once one of the country's busiest lace factories, was bustling with students on a mission from Burlington County College's Design and Fashion Merchandising program. The goal: select lace remnants to fashion whatever their fancies envisioned. The Burlington County College design program, unique in New Jersey, offers students an associate's degree in applied science in fashion design.

It wasn't a light decision. But Debbie McKee had grown to believe that the Republican Party no longer represented her beliefs, and recently switched her registration to Democrat. "I'm so anti-Bush and Bush politics, I couldn't stand to be a member of that party anymore," said McKee, 57, a retired public school teacher from West Chester who switched just in time for Pennsylvania's April 22 primary. For state Republicans, voters like McKee could quickly become a problem. State registration numbers show that since last November, the Democratic Party has gained a whopping 111,227 new voters.

Max Raab, 82, the Rittenhouse Square habitu? and maker of trend-defying clothes and trend-setting films, died here Thursday morning after a long struggle with Parkinson's disease. Over his colorful and peripatetic careers in the rag and movie trades, Mr. Raab invented the shirtdress; owned Villager clothes; purveyed Rooster ties; produced Walkabout, A Clockwork Orange, and the Mummers documentary Strut!, and owned Center City's Roxy Screening Rooms. He is likely to be the only businessman to have negotiated with Sidney Kimmel and the Beatles.