In the 30+ years that I have been quilting (since I left the garment industry) I have seen a lot of trends come and go. Some are mega-trends, some are fads, but Blenders always remain. These tonal or analogous prints can range from bland backgrounds, to vibrant fusions, but they serve a very important purpose: to give a place for the eye to rest.
Before we started our business in 1999, I could not find any big bold cotton prints in quilt shops or fabric stores. Everything I saw on the retail level was small scale, mostly in shades of beige. Tea-dying was all the rage. Quilters would soak their bright fabrics in tea to turn them beige or light brown. Colors were dark, earthy, de-saturated. I would visit quilt shops and find only one or two colorful contemporary fabrics that tickled my fancy. But after visiting 40 quilt shops and fabric stores I began to see that these fabrics existed but nobody was carrying them in depth. Hence the idea for eQuilter was born!
Over time quilters have learned to love big bold bright prints, but there was a time when quilters would complain about large florals. “What am I supposed to do with this?” Slowly but surely, courageous quilters began to cut up those sassy designs, and the whole idea of quilt-making began to evolve.
Now just about every quilter knows what to do these blazing colors and dazzling fabrics. When digital prints began to explode onto the scene, with no limitations on color or size, we began to see a renaissance of creativity that was so exciting for a whole new generation of makers.
But one thing still remains: When we pick out those flashy multicolor uber-audacious fabrics, we still need a place for the eye to rest. Now we reach for contemporary blenders that our grandmothers never dreamt of…and these fabrics inspire us to prolific innovation that turns our sewing machines into pedal-powered rocket ships!
As we start the new year, we turn again to the visionary artists who feed our beloved quilt industry, and wait to see what gifts they will bestow upon us in the coming months. Every week we open new boxes of our carefully curated collections – a feast for the eyes – and we smile as we anticipate your delight.
sharing your love for fabric,
Luana and Paul
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Check out our Video pages for interviews and show reviews.
Travel/Quilt Calendar:
Feb 15 – Virtual lecture for Victoria BC Quilt Guild
Feb 22-25 – QuiltCon – GOLD SPONSOR – Atlanta
April 18-26 – Pour l’Amour du Fil – Nantes, France
June 8-10 – Quilt Canada – Halifax, Nova Scotia
August 18-24 – Bear Camp in Alaska – Sign up Now!
