Quilts, Inc., produces several editions of International Quilt Festival around the country, but the addition of Quilt! Knit! Stitch! recognizes the diversity of needlearts practitioners in the Pacific Northwest.

Coats fabrics will feature industry leading designers with an established presence in areas beyond the fabric world who are bringing their own unique perspectives and artistic eye to textile crafting. Crafters with busy lifestyles will find Coats fabrics appealing as they allow them to decorate their home or sew a quick and easy project without having to invest a great deal of time or compromising on quality. Even those who are not seasoned sewists will find the Coats fabrics inspiring and will appreciate their versatility and many applications in textile crafting and home decorating. Coats fabrics will be widely available in fabric and craft chains as well as through our distribution partner Notions Marketing.

“For over 250 years, Coats has been a leading innovator in the crafting, sewing and quilting industries. We are constantly seeking ways to add value to our products for our customers and the crafting consumer. Combining this rich history of textile manufacturing with the expertise of fabrics and design within our Westminster team has allowed us to take the Coats brand to the world of fabrics,” says Christine Truillet, global marketing director, Crafts Division, Coats plc.

Coats has enlisted renowned paper crafter Tim Holtz® to design the company’s first collection of 100% quilting cotton and associated finished products for global distribution in sewing, quilting and crafting retail outlets.

The uplifting, vintage urban look of Holtz, known already to millions of paper crafters will inspire the artful imagination of every genre of crafter, sewist and quilter to cross the boundaries between fabric and craft.

Holtz’s new fabric line, Eclectic Elements, features images made from a nostalgic mix of media from the past including the industrial look of antique letter press; old luggage labels evoking the golden age of travel; sepia toned newsprint, handwritten journal entries and passport pages; clock faces and transit signs; aged woven wooden tape measures and more. The inspiration for ‘Eclectic Elements’ is the nostalgia of timeless elements and the texture and creative versatility of fabric with the unique combination of salvaged findings and vintage palettes.

In addition to bolted fabric, Eclectic Elements will also be available in cut fabrics designed specifically for retailers to cater to today’s quilter, paper crafter and sewist. Fat Quarters, Design Rolls, 5” and 10” Charm Packs and Fat Eighths are perfect for the quilter’s patchy quilts and a multitude of bundle projects like totes, aprons and accessories.

Paper craft retailers will find the Coats 6” Fabric Crafting Packs the perfect complement to the Tim Holtz® unique die-cutting and embossing products. To complete the paper crafter’s fabric offering, 12” Fabric Crafting Packs can be the basis for any scrapbooker’s page as well as accents for any other paper crafting project.

“The seasoned quilter looking for new creative outlets is manipulating, stamping, cutting, and embellishing fabrics on her own, then quilting,” says Helen Gregory, VP Content of Interweave, a division F+W Media. “Couple this quilter with the paper crafter who is creating everything from collages to art journals and working with a whole host of craft materials including paper, fabric, thread and more. The Coats brand of fabrics with Tim Holtz is designed to generate excitement among all of these inspired enthusiasts – whether a sewist, crafter or quilter.”

“They say that every possibility begins with the courage to imagine, and seeing my designs come to life as fabric is beyond my imagination,” says Holtz. “I too believe creativity is not in the finding of a thing, but the making of something out of it after it is found.”

For more info, visit www.coatsandclark.com/timholtzfabrics. For even more ideas and inspiration, visit www.timholtz.com.

Along with the featured quilt there are five other projects that build on the Portrait of a Lady blocks: Brides Bouquet, Auntie’s Bed Quilt, Mother’s Throw, Nanny’s Table Runner, and a Love and Home Wall Hanging that celebrate a woman’s journey through life.

Portrait of a Lady: Quilts for a Woman’s Journey Through Life
by Christina McCourt
Kansas City Star Quilts
pickledish.com

Included are 14 projects inspired by Lizzie’s writing that illustrate pioneer life – friendship, chores, the help and guests, insects and pastimes.

Lizzie’s Legacy: More Quilts from a Pioneer Woman’s Journal
by Betsy Chutchian
Kansas City Star Quilts
pickledish.com

Baby Lock has lengthened its list of “sewlebrity” quilters this year by welcoming YouTube sensation Jenny Doan of the Missouri Star Quilt Company. Jenny, popular for her easy-to-follow online quilting tutorials (with over 17 million views), now quilts using Baby Lock machines, and the Missouri Star Quilt Company promotes Baby Lock online and in the store.

The Doan family moved from California to Missouri about 20 years ago for a more relaxed lifestyle. In 2008, to help their parents save for retirement in the slowing small-town economy, the Doan children decided to start a business. The Missouri Star Quilt Company also became a gift for Jenny as a place she could enjoy her spare time in their little town. The company quickly became popular for its selection of pre-cut fabrics, the largest in the world. Today, the company is owned and operated by Sarah (Doan) Galbraith, David Mifsud and Alan Doan with help and support from family, friends and the community. “I’m the mom, but not the boss,” Jenny said as she joked about working for her children.

Alan Doan is experienced in helping start-up companies get on their feet, and he soon realized that there was a lack of help for quilters on the web. To fill the void of quilting tutorials and help advertise the company, he asked Jenny to create easy-to-follow videos and posting them on a YouTube channel.

“It used to be that [quilters] had months to work on a quilt. Now we’re so busy, but we still have to look amazing [finishing projects quickly]. I thought, ‘Oh, this will help women who work and have kids,’” Jenny said. She did not anticipate the popularity of her easy-to-follow techniques. “I get letters all the time telling me how I’ve helped all types of people from all over the world,” Jenny said. “This journey is so unexpected. I had this little plan, but Alan could see bigger.”

Over a short time, Jenny’s videos became extremely popular, and today the channel has over 17 million views. “We’re growing so quickly, but the flipside of being so busy is that we’re so very blessed,” Jenny said. Because of her online popularity, Fons & Porter’s Love of Quilting asked Jenny to create a magazine to coincide with her lessons. The first issue of Quilting Quickly, Jenny’s new magazine, hit newsstands this spring. Today all the YouTube viewers and Quilting Quickly subscribers will see Jenny quilting on Baby Lock machines. In doing so she will join Baby Lock’s many other quilting “sewlebrities” such as Eleanor Burns, Mary Fons, and Kay M. Capps Cross.

Jenny’s tutorials will feature the Baby Lock Tempo, but her personal sewing area is also equipped with other Baby Lock machines. As a costume designer, Jenny had always used a serger. In fact, until recently she used the very first Baby Lock serger. Now she has a Baby Lock Evolution ExtraordinAir™ Threading serger. Jenny also needs a machine with a free-arm. “I’m the only sewing machine in town. I do all the hemming and boy scout badges,” Jenny said. For this, she uses the Baby Lock Crescendo.

When she’s quilting off camera, Jenny likes a sturdy machine that just gets the job done. She loves all of her Baby Lock machines, but one has a special place in her heart. “For me, it’s all about the speed,” Jenny said. “I love the Jane!”

Customers who visit the Missouri Star Quilt Company website to purchase fabrics will also see links to the Baby Lock website. Additionally, quilters can take a virtual tour of Jenny’s personal sewing room through online videos. Jenny’s sewing room will feature both Baby Lock machines and Koala Studios sewing furniture.

“My sewing room looks wonderful with the new Koala Studios,” Jenny said. “They’re just great for storing all my stuff.”

Six pieces of Koala furniture outfit Jenny’s sewing room—each piece has a matching Brazilian Cherry finish. The room was planned using the new Koala Online Dream Studio Planner, and when the furniture arrived, it all fit perfectly.

When Jenny’s filming videos, the Koala TreasureChest and StorageCenter are the perfect height for both cutting and sewing while standing or sitting. Jenny’s other Koala Studios provide space for all of her off-screen machines and a computer. Fans can see Jenny’s video tour at www.mykoalastudio.com. With extra storage and a comfortable, custom workspace, the Koala Studios are ideal for Jenny’s easy-going quilting style.

In addition to her in-store and online presence, Jenny will speak and teach at Baby Lock events throughout the year. With Jenny joining Baby Lock’s list of key “sewlebrity” spokespeople, Baby Lock Retailers will be thrilled to answer the question, “Which machine does Jenny use?”

In addition to supplying sewers, quilters and embroiderers with easy-to-use, state-of-the-art products, Baby Lock is determined to provide incredible service. That’s why Baby Lock products are sold exclusively through independent retailers. As a part of Baby Lock’s commitment to retailers the Tacony Achievement Center, a St. Louis, Missouri training facility, was launched to help independent retailers accomplish the most from their businesses.