Lucky You, The Biggest Fashion Trend Is Hanging in Your Store

Quilting is having its moment in the world of fashion. Pinterest’s annual Predicts report claims a four-
fold increase in searches, year over year, for quilted clothes in Canada, the U.S. and Australia. It’s no
surprise since quilted fashions have been donning the runway of such well-known designers as Calvin Klein, Christian Dior, Coach, Burberry and more since 2018.

Suddenly, it seems that the elite world of high-fashion has honed in on what we in the quilting world
have known all along. Quilts are cool! They provide freedom of creative expression. Each is unique in
conveying what lies in its maker’s heart. And, behind every stitch, there is a meaningful story.

All this quilty-ness offers retailers the perfect opportunity for using this fashion-forward trend to engage
with their customers. It offers the opportunity to draw in some newbies to quilting also. Turning a quilt top into a coat, skirt or even a dress teaches quilters how to sew fashion. But it also teaches sewists how to piece and quilt and sets new makers free to explore all avenues of fabric, needle and thread while creating something unique.

Enter #FreeSpiritCoatStory, a challenge dreamt up by the innovative FreeSpirit Fabrics’ team all with the purpose
of pushing you, the retailer, to use this program to encourage investment in not only fabric, but
a plethora of items necessary to take this quilted trend by storm.

First and foremost, this is the perfect palette for selling and featuring any FreeSpirit fabric most
especially from the FreeSpirit two-year re-order catalog. Tim Holtz offers tonal warmth, Morris & Co has iconic and
traditional designs, Tula Pink and Anna Maria bring forth the modernistic aesthetic. If the maker’s
thing is color, look no further than the Kaffe Fassett Collective.

Secondly, enter FreeSpirit’s collaboration with Quiltsmart and their pre-printed fusible interfacing which takes all the guesswork out of matching points. Toss out all that anxiety over precision. Simply follow the detailed
instructions or partake in one of Quiltsmart’s many instructional YouTube videos and voila; cut, press
and follow the lines to sew.

With about 3 yards of running quilt top fabric, the Tamarack Jacket pattern from Grainline Studios offers
simplistic fashion sewing. With no daunting buttonholes, zippers or set in sleeves, it is straight sewing
following a 5/8” seam allowance. The coat can be customized to the maker’s liking by adding welted
pockets (not for the faint of heart), hidden inside pockets, collars, length, whatever the maker desires! The best part, the Tamarack Jacket speaks the quilter’s language with inside seams finished with bias binding, easy peasy, plus it teaches a necessary quilting skill.

Did we mention, all three of these components – FreeSpirit Fabrics, Quiltsmart interfacing and the
Tamarack Jacket by Grainline Studios – are necessary for makers and your shop to win fabulous gifts and
prizes?

First, second and third place quilt coat winners will enjoy a shopping spree, courtesy of Jaftex, at
their favorite quilt shop; a bevy of pressing products from Oliso; beautiful woven, jacquard ribbons from
Renaissance Ribbons; an assortment of Quiltsmart products and a collection of the finest quality threads
from Aurifil, three prize packages valued at $2,500 to nearly $400 retail, depending upon placement.
Plus, if your customer wins, you win a nice assortment of these name-brand goodies too.

Your shop and your customers have to be in it to win it. The maker simply posts their stylish and totally unique quilted coat and inspiration story to their personal Facebook or Instagram account. They will need to use the hashtag #FreeSpiritCoatStory and tag you, their favorite local quilt shop. A panel of judges will search #FreeSpiritCoatStory and vote for their favorite coats. The Challenge runs now through May 27, 2022. For more information, visit here. In the meantime, check out the FreeSpirit YouTube Channel to view the #FreeSpiritCoatStory from the FreeSpirit team, including El Presidente himself, Scott Fortunoff!