Grunge by BasicGrey

Have you tried Grunge in any of your quilts? If you have, then you know why it’s amazing. If you haven’t, then you need to ASAP! Grunge is the creation of Rachel Benchley and it has been a part of every BasicGrey collection since her first Urban Couture in 2008. It became a Moda Basic a few years ago and with new colours being added every year, the collection is always evolving. Grunge is unique because it is a fabric that is dyed first, then printed on one side to create a unique, textured look. While the printing is the same for all Grunge fabrics, the final look of them can vary widely depending on the number of colours applied to subtlety or contract those colours. It is also unique because there really isn’t a ‘wrong’ side of fabric, you can use the printed side or the solid side. Enter ‘Grunge’ in the search box in the top right corner of our website to see all the available colours then pop into your local quilt store and explore the possibilities of this beautiful and versatile basic.

TrendTex Out and About

The TrendTex reps have been busy this month! Not only are they on the road showing all the new Fall Quilt Market samples to their customers but they are hosting events left, right and center!

Here are some pictures of the events we have hosted this month including a Batik presentation in New Brunswick ( Specifically Hoffman California batiks), a TrendTex trunk show in BC (showcasing all our suppliers) and a Zen Chic trunk show in Alberta (have you seen the new Spotted and Modern Background collections?!). We love events that bring the quilting community together and will be hosting several more over the next few weeks and months. If you are looking for an event near you, follow us on Instagram and Facebook!

True North by Kate & Birdie Paper Co.

We are so excited to finally be able to share our exclusive collection True North, by Kate & Birdie for Moda with all of you. We asked Gloria Wall, the founder of Kate & Birdie Paper Co. to talk about her inspiration for this beautiful collection.

I am so pleased and proud to be a part of this exclusive Canadian collection!

I didn’t have to look far for inspiration for this line; it flowed naturally as I thought of Canada the way I see it. I grew up in the Canadian Shield and on the prairies, and have called Winnipeg my home for 20 years. I wanted this collection to reflect the warmth I feel when I think about our country. I had a simple approach; I paired my love for exploring our national and provincial parks – our incredible Canadian outdoors, with my love for textures and textiles. Buffalo checks and plaids in rich tones, cable knits and warm wooly knit sweaters (in just about every season) feel like Canadian staples. A rich and comforting palette of deep reds, warm charcoal greys, and soft wooly creams and whites felt perfect. The tones felt equally suited to each of our seasons – especially our long winters and our summers that are often spent outdoors. I thought of our landscape from west to east, connecting our mountain ranges, our vast and beautiful lakes of the Canadian Shield, and our iconic lighthouses of the east. I have always loved a good road trip and have driven as far east as Halifax and as far west as Vancouver (there is still so much more to see!). I imagined these fabrics in our homes, campsites and cottages, worked with by hand and lovingly sewn into comforting quilts, blankets or bedding. I imagined them both as detailed heirloom quilts sitting fireside, and as hardworking, warm blankets at soccer games, picnics and campgrounds. I am thrilled when I see how my fabrics are interpreted and re-imagined by others. Will they become car blankets that are towed along to each park and summer road trip? (We have one of those.) Or will they become the grandkids’ bedding at the lake, saved just for overnighters? I can’t wait to find out.

Jane Austen's Patchwork Coverlet

Jane Austen's House Museum shared this beautiful quilt which was made by Jane Austin, her sister and Mother. We love paper piecing, but can you imagine making 2500 paper pieced diamonds! Read more on this delightful story and how this quilt came to be!

https://www.jane-austens-house-museum.org.uk/39-patchwork-coverlet

Quilting Community unites for Humboldt Broncos

We would like to acknowledge and commend the outstanding accomplishments of Wendy Toye from Haus of Stitches in Humboldt Saskatchewan for all her incredible (and ongoing) efforts in planning and coordinating the overwhelmingly successful operation which oversaw the planning, constructing and distributing of comfort quilts given to those affected by the tragic loss of members and associates of the Humboldt Broncos Hockey team. Immediately after learning of this tragedy, Wendy put out a call through social media requesting donations of time and effort to put together a few quilts to offer those involved some comfort quilt and as a gesture to show that others across the country cared. The quilting community immediately rose to the challenge and spread the word. Within days the quilts started to arrive and continued to arrive for weeks and months. The effort has spread throughout the quilting community across Canada and around the world reaching as far as Dubai and Australia. To date Wendy said that they have received over 2000 finished quilts and an additional 1000 quilts that are still needing to be finished. Hosts of volunteers rotated through the store giving what time and skill they had to continuously work on these projects, sewing, binding, helping to distribute and display these heartfelt contributions. So many have donated their time, effort, product, and services to help this move along, but none more than Wendy Toye, so to her for all her efforts a large and sincere thank you.