Kate Spain has carried a sketchbook since she was a child. She eventually drew her way to the Rhode Island School of Design where she earned a BFA in Graphic Design. It was there that she began to refine her visual voice through drawing, painting, photography, printmaking and graphic art. Since her school days, she has worked to develop and expand her unique style through experimentation, travel, and by always keeping her sense of wonder. Kate’s designs have been featured on products at Crate and Barrel, Bloomingdale’s, Nordstrom, Frontgate, Target, and other leading retailers. Her designs can be found on many home décor products, from handmade rugs to pillows, bedding, and kitchen textiles.
Kate writes… “I am so happy to create collections exclusively for Moda and to share them with you and other quilters and crafters around the world. I’m an avid gardener and much of my inspiration can be found in Nature – an unlikely color combination that catches my eye, close-up views of flowers and foliage, or in the random patterns and compositions that create rhythm in the landscape. In my studio, I try to translate these natural inspirations into artwork. No matter where I begin my design process, I always end up in a new place. It truly is an adventure that I’m excited to embark on again and again. I hope you enjoy where your creativity and wonder take you, too!”
It’s National Pet Day: Prepare to Smile - Get ready for cuteness overload as we celebrate National Pet Day with Moda designers’ favorite critters. And please note the nearly equal division of dogs and cats (along with chickens and goats); we love them all! Janet Clare: My lovely pet is the best dog in the world—Betty! She’s eight years old and comes to work every single day. Here she is overseeing the recent photoshoot of my ‘Emi’ quilt made in my ‘origami’ fabric, which should be reaching shops […]
Calypso and Spain… - From Kate Spain… Sometimes while I’m designing, I like to escape by listening to music. It often helps to saturate my spirit in a place, a feeling and a rhythm that lifts off into free-flowing creative exploration. Jump to Leave us a Comment
Chefs, Baking and Lisa… - Do you know the Moda Bake Shop? Have you “baked” one of the Bake Shop projects? Jump to Leave us a Comment
A Look Back: First Quilts - The coming new year usually inspires forward-thinking, as we envision all we’ll stitching in 2018. But it’s also a good time to look back and remember where we came from. Jump to Leave us a Comment
Scared of Sewing? (Sometimes) - I’ll admit it. Sewing sometimes intimidates me. I love it, of course but sometimes when I’m looking at social media—blogs, Facebook, and Instagram—I imagine that I’m the only person who doesn’t know how to do needle-turned appliqué or curved piecing. Jump to Leave us a Comment
Merry Make Bright! - I know… I know… Christmas is more more than seven months away. But trust me, you’ll want to know about these. They’ll be gone by Christmas. This was the back page of the Moda 2017 Holiday Catalog. Jump to Leave us a Comment
In Honor of National Pet Day: Moda Designers Introduce Their “Special Helpers” - When you work at home, it’s sometimes nice to have someone to talk to, someone who never complains about the podcast you’re listening to or the music on the radio. It’s especially nice if that someone appreciates your work, even if that appreciation is expressed by rolling in blocks you’ve carefully positioned on the floor or stretching out on your ironing board, rendering it unusable. Jump to Leave us a Comment
Featured Shop: Christie’s Quilting Boutique - Though she’s had a number of “black-and-white” jobs, color has always been dear to Christie Ruiz’s heart. Jump to Leave us a Comment
2016 by the numbers… - Starting with… how many quilts did some folks make? Jump to Leave us a Comment
Featured Shop: Tiny Stitches of Marietta, Georgia - It’s just a guess, but if you were a student in Maetha Elliott’s elementary school classroom, you’ve probably never forgotten her. This guess is based on the fact that this past year Maetha dressed as a singing Christmas Tree and Mary Poppins. And if you visit her shop, Tiny Stitches in Marietta, Georgia, this weekend, you’ll find her attired as an out-sized Jack o’Lantern. Jump to Leave us a Comment
Featured Shop: Must Love Fabric - Talking with Phyllis Lively is fun. For one thing, Must Love Fabric, the Grapevine, Texas, shop she co-owns with her husband Gary has a sense of humor—just check the sign over the door to the restroom. Jump to Leave us a Comment
Bella Bellas! - The fabrics and the designer-types who picked the colors for these delicious bundles. Jump to Leave us a Comment
Featured Shop: Quilter’s Square of Lexington, Kentucky - Not a lot of quilt stores can claim three generations of ownership. And if quilting continues to run in the Quilter’s Square family, a fourth generation may be waiting in the wings. Jump to Leave us a Comment
Moda Designers Share New Year’s Resolutions - Not everyone likes New Year’s resolutions. But others appreciate the opportunity to start the year anew, with bright eyes and a clean slate. We asked Moda designers to share their resolutions with us, and with you. We’d also love to hear YOUR resolutions—let us hear about them in the Comment section. (And I don’t know about you, but my idea of a great New Year’s Eve/Day includes at least a little bit of time with fabric, needles, and thread. Wishing you a Happy […]
Leaving… on a jet plane… - Except our bags aren’t packed and we’ve still got a week to go. And no, we’re not ready. The first bags – the big crates – are being packed today and they’ll be on their way to Houston tomorrow. Personally, I think it could all wait until next week because Houston is about a four-hour drive away. But then my opinion wasn’t requested and I’m pretty sure that’s a good thing. There is still a big stack of quilts in […]
How do Moda Designers’ Gardens Grow? - When I talk with quilters, I find that in addition to fabric, they frequently love gardening. There’s something very similar about putting together a quilt—taking into account color, scale, texture, and pattern—and combining plants in a flowerbed. I’ve asked some Moda designers to share their gardens with you and you’ll see what I mean. (You’ll also see that their gardens are as diverse as their designs!) First up is Pat Sloan.I started to garden as a teenager when I lived […]
Moda Love Blog Tour – Day 1 - Join our Designers in a Blog Tour as they share the things they LOVE. Each Designer even has a special giveaway in store for you. Today in the Blog Tour… Janet Clare Designs – http://janetclare.co.uk/blog/ Kate Spain – http://katespaindesigns.blogspot.com/ Camille Roskelley with Thimbleblossoms – http://www.camilleroskelley.typepad.com/ Let the fun begin… Share the Moda Love! #modablogtour LayerCake®, JellyRoll®, HoneyBun®,TurnOver® are registered trademarks of Moda Fabrics Jump to Leave us a Comment
Daydreams by Kate Spain - Daydream by Kate Spain has shipped! Drift off on a little Daydream for sketchbook doodles over hills and valleys to Arcadian streams. This richly saturated collection glows with fantastical mix of enchanting flowers, hummingbirds, butterflies and more. Jump to Leave us a Comment
NEW Pattern Downloads - NEW Download Patterns recently posted on our website… Jump to Leave us a Comment
Moda Designers: How Do Their Gardens Grow? - It’s that season of the year when, if we’re not at our sewing machines, then many of us can be found on our hands and knees in the dirt. Lots of quilters enjoy gardening—there’s something about combining colors, shapes, and textures to create a landscape that is so similar to creating a quilt. While some of Moda’s designers don’t garden (and one, who shall remain nameless, claims that when she buys plants it’s like giving them a death sentence), others […]
In From The Cold Tablerunner - Saving the best for last, today project made with In from the Cold fabric is a fun tablerunner. Use any combination of 5 blocks from the block instructions. Click here for the tablerunner construction and yardage info.Let me say that I am in love with minatures and some may say that obsession is a better word. Working with the In from the Cold project sheet quilt was so fun, but when I did the mini’s my heart was racing. The table […]
In From The Cold Placemat - Today In from the Cold placemat will be featured. Moving from cold winters in Indiana to warmer Texas winters has been wonderful. I am truely ” In from the Cold” and do not miss those below zero bone chilling days. These place mats are easy and so cute with the mini mugs centered in the design. To start the project choose your favorite block for the center of each place mat. If you want to use any of the cute prints […]
In From The Cold Mini Project and Gift Bag - In From The Cold Mini Project and Gift Bag Hi Y’all, I’m Tammy V and have the pleasure of working at Moda fabric in customer service. When I got a hold of this cute wintery line of fabric my mind couldn’t shut off. While making the quilt to test the pattern for the free quilt project sheet, I kept thinking how cute it would be to make these cups smaller. So I did. Over the next couple of days I will […]
Free Patterns - Looking for a project to work on? Check out some of the newest patterns published on the Moda Website. Click on the pattern images below to view and print the free pattern. In From The Cold by Kate Spain Oink A Doodle Moo by Jenn SkiSoft Alphabet Book designed by Angela Yosten Honeycombs by ModaQuilt designed by Lissa Alexander Wintergreen by 3 Sisters Independence Trail Wools by Minick & SimpsonWool Penny Rug designed by Minick & Simpson What are you […]
Mix ‘n Match: Combining Moda Collections - Hello! It’s Sherri from A Quilting Life, and today I’d like to talk a little bit about mixing and matching Moda collections. Mixing and matching collections is one of my favorite things to do in my quilt projects–I think mixing it up just a bit adds a lot of depth and interest to your quilts. A few years ago I fell in love with the Urban Chiks collection, 1974; I was a little late to the party, though, and was only able to […]
"Charm"ing Coasters with Craf-Tex - With Valentine’s day around the corner I decided to make a cute little set of coasters to brighten up my coffee table! After I made my first set and posted a photo on Facebook… little did I know that all of my friends would want a set as well!Since they turned out as darling as they did, I thought you may enjoy having a little tutorialso you can make them for your friends (and yourself!) as well. They really do […]
New Free Patterns - Get them while they’re HOT! New Free Patterns just posted to use with fresh new fabric collections… Honey Honey by Kate SpainQuilt Measures 66″ x 80″ with optional Honeybee BlockFabric arrives in stores January 2013 La Belle Fleur by French GeneralQuilt Measures 69″ x 84″Fabric arrives in stores January 2013 Summersville Spring by Lucie SummersQuilt Measures 72″ x 108″Fabric arrives in stores January 2013 Jump to Leave us a Comment
visit Central Park with Kate - Kate Spain’s booth was as adorable as she is. Jump to Leave us a Comment
- Happy SpringI sure hope it's warming up for those of you who are eagerly awaiting the onset of spring! It's still a bit chilly around here, but there are little signs popping up each day and that alone is warming my spirits.Early Bird, my new fabric collection for Moda is now… Read more »
- Quiltcon Savannah!What a pleasure to be with so many colorful creators from all over the world at Quiltcon in Savannah! Great thanks to Moda Fabrics United Notions for inviting me to join them there. Three creative leaders from Moda -- Lissa Alexander, Carrie Nelson, and Holly Hickman of "Urban Chicks" -- were… Read more »
- Winner of the Early Bird FQB and on to Quiltcon EastCongratulations to Christine Weld!By random selection, Christine is the winner of the Moda Fabrics Early Bird fat quarter bundle in our Valentine's Day "Splendid" giveaway in honor of the completion of Pat Sloan and Jane Davidson's monumental 100-block "Splendid Sampler" year-long, international creative quilting event.I hope to see some of… Read more »
- Happy Valentine's Day Splendid GiveawayHappy Valentine's Day!It's time to share some love and to celebrate the 100-block Splendid Sampler with a big giveaway! Pat Sloan and Jane Davidson are hosting a giveaway with 5 fantastic prizes. There are also a bunch of other designers giving goodies away today — including me (keep reading to… Read more »
- Splendid Sampler Grand Finale![youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TuyeBazfjFA?rel=0&autoplay=1;&controls=0&showinfo=0] Cue the fireworks, balloon shower and confetti toss! You've made it toReally, pause for a second to absorb what that means. Think back to last year when you were debating about whether you'd join in on this project. Think of all the things that have happened since. And now,… Read more »
- #ModaBellaChallenge Quilt ContestTo celebrate the 15th year of its "Bella Solids" fabrics, Moda Fabrics is calling on all quilters around the world to enter this creative quilt-making contest -- with big awards to those whose quilts are selected for purchase, showcasing at the International Quilt Market in Houston, and for archiving by Moda… Read more »
- Gardening Tip: Coleus Propagation -- Take OneHi! I hope your new year is off to a good start. It's snowing here, so I thought I'd take a moment to dream of the garden. At the end of last summer, our friend Tracy was at our house and saw some of our window boxes planted with annuals.… Read more »
- New! Quilt-Planning Coloring PagesWe got a nice call the other day from Amy in Oklahoma.Amy asked if we had a blank black-and-white version of the Felicity quilt pattern for her to print out and color in. “Like a coloring-book,” she said. Amy wants to create a quilt kit featuring my pattern and coordinating… Read more »
- Happy New Year!Here we are, closing the circle of another magnificent journey around the sun. Each year offers an opportunity to broaden our perspectives by moving through the experiences we encounter and then pausing to reflect on what we've learned. For me, these morsels of thought and awareness have become building blocks… Read more »
- Happy Thanksgiving!A very happy Thanksgiving!I am thankful for so much, and humbled by your kind engagement with me throughout the year.I wish you all the best in this week of Thanksgiving.By random drawing, the winner of the fabric bundle of more than 100 different fabric squares from our wonderful, generous friends… Read more »