Welcome back to Moda Mondays, a super fun series designed to showcase a stunning lineup of thread collections by our treasured Moda Designers! Check in here every Monday to learn more!
Manderley, by Franny & Jane (Frances Newcombe and Jane Davidson) for Moda is a unique collection of ocean and mansion inspired fabrics. The collection was born out of the desire to tell a story, something that the two designers did from across the globe with Frances in California and Jane in Australia!
The complementary thread collection, Everyday Escape, is a range of 50wt thread in sweet coordinating colors. Though the colors were selected to coordinate with Manderley, they represent an extremeely versatile palette — all the colors needed for an ‘everyday sewing escape!’
THREAD COLLECTION DETAILS
Everyday Escape
12 Large Spools, 50wt (1422yds/spool), 100% Aurifil Cotton
2780 – 1320 – 2805 – 5017 – 2110 – 2311
5002 – 2530 – 2610 – 2600 – 4060 – 2021
THE INTERVIEW
Do you remember the process of making your first quilt and how you felt once it was complete?
Fran: Yes! I love appliqué, because I was an illustration major, so it was like illustrating with fabric! I went crazy when I made my first quilt with simple folk snowmen using the fusible appliqué technique.
Jane: I do. I went to a class when I was 19 and drew my own pattern, made templates, hand cut, hand sewed and quilted a queen sized quilt. I felt inspired and it ignited a passion for quilting that remains with me still.
Who or what has been your greatest creative inspiration?
Fran: Painting and textiles.
Jane: Nature and social media. I draw so much design inspiration from the beautiful flora and fauna and the landscapes that surround me.
How did you first connect with each other and what do you love most about working together? How did the Franny & Jane collections come to be?
Fran: Jane and I met at Quilt Market in 2014, Jane called me a “soul sister.” I somehow knew intuitively that we were meant to work together.
Jane: Franny and Jane started as a conversation about fabric design. We sort of went from there and Manderley was created.
What drew you to Moda and what do you love most about working with them?
Fran: There is a wonderful timelessness connected to Moda and their fabrics… a sweetness to the fabrics and products that I think brings joy to the world. Also an excellence to their design and products. I have dreamed of working with them since I fell in love with fabric design.
Jane: Moda has always been a part of my quilting journey. I feel so welcome in the Moda family. I love their diversity of fabrics and the new and wonderful colours and prints that appear each season.
What inspired Manderley?
Fran: Manderley is based on the movie and book “Rebecca” by Daphne du Maurier. Jane and I loved the first screen and quote from the film…
“Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again.”
There is something beautiful about driving up to a mansion near the sea. So we wanted to explore that time period of elegant fantasy and some of the Asian textiles of the 1940s…
A beautiful country estate near the sea: secret gardens and passages filled with treasures; a trove of blooms featuring Honeysuckle and Jasmine; a decorative style with an Oriental-inspired twist. Journey into a world of seashells and delicate motives, fresh colors that will excite any quilter.
Read more about the story of Manderley here.
Do you have a favorite project or favorite projects made with the collection?
Fran: I would say one of my favorite quilts that Jane designed was “Enchanted Garden” and I love the quilt we designed together, “Baltimore by the Sea.”
Jane: It is hard to choose a favourite. I designed and made 9 quilts for market last year but I must admit I have a soft spot for Enchanted Garden and Double Crossed. (see attached photos)
When did you first discover Aurifil threads and what do you love most about them?
Fran: I first discovered Aurifil in 2010. The colors are gorgeous and they are like butter to sew with. I feel like I have something luxurious on my machine when I have a spool.
Jane: I fell in love with Aurifil thread when I started long arming in 2011. It gave an elegance to my quilts with its silky appearance. I have an extensive colour and weight range to finish my projects from fine appliqué threads (80wt) to embroidery floss.
Do you have a favorite color/weight and why?
Fran: 5021 in 50wt. I love this neutral grey it goes with any color fabric and blends beautifully for piecing!
Jane: What can I say…”I’m in love with Dove”. I find I use 50wt 2026 for so many projects. It blends with so many fabrics.
How did you go about selecting threads for your Aurifil Everyday Escapes collection?
Jane: Using the collection of spools I have in my quilting room, I laid the thread across the prints to see which matched or blended with the fabric colours and designs of Manderley. I took in consideration colours that could be used everyday. The thread collection contains many neutrals, including a soft, grey variegated thread. 50wt threads are perfect for piecing and I love the subtly of the 50wt when I quilt.
Where can we find you this year?
We are busy designing and creating constantly, I think it is in our blood, and we both have different skills that work together. Jane has worked so hard releasing her new book with Pat Sloan “The Splendid Sampler” and I am working on my illustration and design portfolio.
What’s next for Franny & Jane?
Bloomsbury, our next collection with Moda! It is inspired by the Bloomsbury group in London, which merges today’s modernism with the past influence of the Bloomsbury’s aesthetic in design, art, literature and textiles.
THE GIVEAWAY
To enter-to-win 1 Large Everyday Escape Thread Collection and one Layer Cake of Manderley by Franny & Jane for Moda, click here to head to the Rafflecopter entry page, or simply click on the image above. You do not have to complete all the options to be entered but the more options you choose, the more entries you have! Entries will be accepted from now through 11:59pm Eastern Time on Sunday, April 30! Winner will be randomly selected and announced here on Monday, May 1. Good luck!
Update: This giveaway is now closed. Congratulations to Laura Parsons!
ABOUT FRANNY & JANE
Frances Newcombe (left)
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Frances graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design in 1988 with a BFA in illustration. After college, she returned to her native Los Angeles, and began working in Broadcast Design for television. For over twenty years she has created on-air graphics, promos, and main titles for every major network including CBS, ABC and NBC, where she currently works freelance, as well as the Discovery Channel, TLC, E! Entertainment, and Buena Vista Television.
Her first love, however, is sewing, particularly quilting, and in the last several years she has devoted much of her time to various sewing projects and fabric design. She lives in California with her husband John and son Jonah.
Jane Davidson (right)
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Jane started quilting over 20 years ago by designing and hand piecing a queen sized quilt. Caught up in study and travel, it was not until 2010 did she rekindle her passion for quilting again.
“I love everything about quilting and the quilting industry. I am so inspired by the enthusiasm and creativity I see everyday.” A scientist at heart, Jane loves the engineering behind the quilt making process, the planning, the fabric selection, the designing and construction, and of course the quilting. She is always ready to challenge her skills when designing a new block or quilt.
These days you can find Jane in her studio running a professional long-arm quilting service, teaching, designing and planning her next publication.
ABOUT MODA
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United Notions, Moda Fabrics and Moda Home is a multi-line fabric, notions and finished product manufacturer and distributor selling to the trade. They offer a wide range of fabrics, notions, patterns, books, quilting supplies and finished product in their Dallas warehouse. They have been in the quilting and fabric industry since 1975 and are constantly striving to bring the latest and greatest in both their fabrics and other quilting and home products. Moda currently has independent designers as well as an in-house design staff bringing some of the hottest new lines of fabrics and home product available in the industry.
My ideal escape would be a quilt retreat in the mountains with lots of friends and fabric! Oh, and Aurifil thread, too! 🙂
Enchanted Garden may be one of my all-time favorite quilts. And I’m loving Mandalay!
I dream of one day visiting New Zealand. That would be dream come true.
My escape would be to a cabin in the mountains.
I would love to escape to Australia for a couple of weeks.
My escape would be to the Colorado Rocky Mountains.
I would love to find a place somewhere quiet that has a large sewing uncluttered sewing room. Sounds like heaven to me!
My ideal escape would be to a place like Glacier Park- lots of amazing natural wonders of nature.
My ideal escape would be a three week cruise to Alaska. It would involve visiting any quilt shops along the way.
Moorea in Polynesia.
My idea escape would be to the quite beautiful mountains. Peaceful and pretty. This is really nice fabric and thread!!!!
angielovesgary2 @gmail dotcom
I’d love to escape to Europe for a few weeks.
My escape dream would be a beach house with a private beach that has a huge sewing room overlooking the ocean.
My ideal escape would be a cozy cabin in the mountains in winter, snow on the ground, log burning in the fire place, stew simmering on the stove, and lots of sewing. Thank you for the chance to win.
I’d escape to a beautiful white sand beach in a secluded cove with crystal clear Caribbean waters and listen to ocean. When I felt ambitious, I’d retreat to my mansion overlooking the cove to sew on my Bernina with onderful Aurifil thread!
My escape would be Montana, to see my daughter and granddaughter!
The perfect idea of an escape for me is my husband and I at our lake retreat like we used to do all the time, fishing together all day in our kayak during the day and in the evening laying in my hammock under our beautifully lit trees and doing some sewing, whether it’s EPP, or putting binding on a quilt. We don’t get to do that anymore because of my treatments and my health issues but it’s my PERFECT idea of an escape. It’s so lovely. I can smell the fresh air and hear the sounds just thinking about it! 🙂
I would love to have a chef in for a week, while I sew 🙂
To the beach. Any beach.
My escape would be to get away from everything and every one and just sew, sew, sew. Then I’d just just sit back and thank God for everything.
I’ve always dreamt about being in a cabin with lots of snow outside, a roaring fire and my sweet sisters and I sewing away the days! If not that…something tropical!
To seek a Manderley experience in Australia 🇦🇺.
A great escape for me would be to a large light room where I could read and sew uninterupted for a whole day–food would just appear.
Home to beautiful Kauai
My escape would be to walk in my sewing rooms and find that they had been put back together!
My escape is to my RV in the mountains.
A cabin on the Maine coast overlooking the ocean, lots of fabric, yarn good food and drink, a husband and a cat
My ideal escape would be to go somewhere that had old castles, caves and ruins you could explore and then a big soft bed with a beautiful view and fresh air blowing through the windows that you could nap in when you get tired.
I love love Manderley! What to make Great Granddaughters dresses using it and a quilt for me.
My ideal escape is a quilt cruise of course.
cork@pa.rr.com
My ideal escape plans currently include a quilt cruise. That would be wonderful. Thanks so much for sharing. I Love the new line
what a perfect selection of thread colors, something for every project. my ideal escape would be a cabin among the trees and mountains of colorado or washington’s cascade mountain.
A cottage on a quiet beach!
My ideal escape would be to the mountains with a river or stream running right behind our rv. That would be pure bliss. I also have a sewing machine that I keep in rv so I can continue working on projects.
Going to Malta to see where my grandmother was born!
I want to go to a cabin high on a cliff overlooking the ocean. I would think and write in my journal. Walking about the area, I would come back to enjoy some sewing and eating.
Thanks for the great giveaway. I would take that bundle to a cabin in the woods and make some lovely things with it.
My ideal escape would be to travel around in the 1965 Austin Healey that my husband is restoring. Travel where ever and when ever we feel like it.
what a fun interview. My ideal escape would be up in the mountains in the summertime. Can walk the area at leisure, see the many animals and thoroughly enjoy the quiet and peacefulness of Gods creation
A week at the beach with my sewing machine!
My mother’s favorite book was Rebecca – – I was named after that book. My favorite retreat? Oh my new dedicated craft room – – I have my sewing, a tv and radio and I can create to my heart’s content!!
Last night I dreamed . . . . .
My ideal escape is a quilting/dyeing/creating retreat with friends. I’d love it to be in a retreat site surrounded by nature and to have all my meals cooked for me.
My ideal escape would be to spend a cruise quilting with Bonnie Hunter!!!!
My ideal escape would be a week (or longer!!) with my quilty Daughter in NC!!! (we are 8 hrs away from each other)….and being able to have the whole time for Us!! To sew & just be making Heart Memories together!! I miss her soooo much!!
Thank you for chance to win this Gorgeous Give-a-way too! 🙂
Gorgeous quilts! My ideal escape would be a quilt retreat or cruise.
ideal get away would be a quilting cruise to anywhere, Hawaii would be first choice. Thanks for chance to win.
My ideal escape would be by the sea or a lake, with views of the coast and lots of beach to walk along. I love the Manderlay fabric…as for patterns,,,which to try first? Enchanted Gardens is beautiful, Ilove the seahorses and turtles on the Baltimore by the sea and The double cross intrigues me.
Just about anywhere with my grown daughter. She is the best traveling buddy! I would like to go back to Russia with her. We went in 2009 and had a blast!
My ideal escape is anywhere on the sea, walks on the beach and curled up with a beautiful quilt listening to the waves.
My dream getaway would be a little house on a private beach!! With lots of Aurifil and these beautiful fabrics !!! Manderley’s collors are my colors and the threads too!
Thank you.
My ideal escape would be a week at an amazing beach house over looking the ocean, sewing, quilting and long walks on the beach.
My ideal escape would be a tour of Italy. I’ve never been there but I’ve always wanted to go.
A trip to The Netherlands to my Grandparents Birthplace.
Thanks for chance to win.
I would love a trip to Hawaii. This is on my bucket list.
My ideal escape is back to my beautiful Waimanalo where we lived in bliss for two years, or that ridiculously decadent no kids resort on the Riviera Maya where the hubs and I spent a week when he returned from Afghanistan. (Hint: if I’m taking a fancy vacation to get away from my kids, I don’t want to see yours either! 😂😂😂)
Right now any escape from laundry and meal planning and prep would be welcome, but my ideal getaway is either to the sawtooth mountains in Idaho or I’d love to take my kids to Kauai.
My ideal escape would be a week at the beach.
Ideal getaway??? Why, Kenya of course!
My ideal getaway would be to revisit Spitsbergen, the nature there is so fascinating and amazing!
My ideal escape – the warm sun, a cool breeze, miles of a white sandy beach, and the sounds of waves gently lapping on the shore.
My ideal escape is always to a hot, sunny, white sand beach with my husband!
My ideal escape would be to New Zealand or Australia but I’d also be happy at a cabin in the woods in the middle of nowhere with my sewing maching and a few quilting projects.
I want to escape from my job!
Enchanted Garden causes me to take deep relaxing breaths. It’s amazing how it speaks to me! Thanks Jane.
Gorgeous quilts!
I’d take my sweetie
and we’d jump on a
plane and fly to an
island and spend our
days in the sunshine
and nights in the
balmy air!
Carla from Utah
Ohhhh. I would love to go to Africa with my hubby and the kids. Safari get away for the whole family…
a great escape would be a river cruse.
My ideal retreat would be a beautiful cabin overlooking a snow capped mountain and crystal blue lake. Sewing and reading and relaxing!!!
I would love to go on a European cruise so I can visit several cities at one time.
My escape would be to Switzerland.
Some days the perfect escape is just getting home and shutting the door!
I would lové to go back to Paris for à couple or weeks. 😊
Living my dream now…love living in Hawaii surrounded the luscious scenes of paradise.
My dream escape would be going with my hubby and adult daughters to the British Isles.
Vegas!!!! with lots of time to sleep in and rest!!!
Escape to Hawaii-where I heard the weather is perfect all year long! Thank you, Susan
I would escape to upper Idaho to be with my granddaughters teaching them to sew!
My favoriet escape would be anywhere I can go with my sewing machine and lots of fabric 😊
Favorite escape-small town cottage on a lake.
I would love to go on a vacation where I did not have to cook or clean during it.
My Everyday Escape dream would be a week of sewing, unhindered by everyday life (cooking, cleaning, laundry and dishes) at a beach house on beautiful Maui.
My dream is to travel to Scotland and visit the castles and countryside.
My escape would be either a week- long quilting cruise (never been on a cruise!) with all of my fav fabric designers. The snacks would be plentiful, the music light, the fabric and thread plentiful, and my back up to hours of sewing brilliant new techniques with all of new sewing friends!!!
My favorite escape would be watching the ocean and walking along a sandy beach…
Australia and New Zealand are at the top of my list of places I want to visit someday.
My escape would be a quilting retreat with my four daughters in a beach house with large picture windows looking out at the ocean for two whole weeks!!!
Great colors. I would love a quilting cruise to Alaska, and then one to the Bahamas, and a trip to France, Italy, England and Ireland. But any trip would need to have sewing time and fabric shopping time.
I would escape to a sunny island, possibly (but not necessarily) with my husband. The island must have a cinema, lounge chairs under palm trees and a shaded cottage supplied with quilting material and every sewing gadget adapted for my 50 year old
…..my 50 year old BERNINA
My perfect escape would include my dog, my sewing (both hand and machine), books, friends, good food, and beautiful mountain views. Except for the mountain views, I have all of that at home!
My ideal get away is high rock lake and a good book
My favourite escape would be ANYWHERE! So long as my sewing machine can come too!!
My ideal escape would be a lovely log cabin with a beautiful view.
My ideal escape would be week long stay in a ocean-side cabin.
I think my ideal escape would be Italy. My husband was born in the US, but is 100% Italian and speaks it fluently and has gone there several times with his family, so I’d love to go there one day with him and see the amazing history that is there! Thanks for the give away: I already have the Baltimore by the Sea pattern, so you can tell I love that line of fabric and could use the threads to applique the pattern! 🙂 Hugs, H
My dream escape is Bora Bora!
Hawaii!!
My ideal escape would be a return trip to Italy (especially Florence and Venice), so beautiful!
I’d love to go to a quilting retreat at a beach or mountain resort with my best quilting buddies and gorgeous outdoor settings and lots of time, fabric and Aurifil to sew!
I dream escape is Hawaii
My ideal escape would be a cottage near a lovely beach in Hawaii
What would be your ideal escape? Right now I’m thinking a cruise in the Caribbean — sun, water, and fun!
I would love to escape into the mind of these designers for a week or two so I could experience what it’s like to be creative.
My ideal escape would be a beach house with a sewing machine. Thanks for the awesome giveaway! I love this fabic and thread!
I would love to explore Finland.
A warm beach in February without any of my wonderful children!
A trip to mexico!
A trip to the beach to quilt,eat,sleep and whatever else comes up!!!
Ideal retreat? A quiet cabin in the redwoods not far from the ocean!
A 2 week stay in a beach side hotel in Cancun, Mexico or a week of RV camping in a park with hiking and a lake for swimming and fishing.
My ideal escape would be a round the world trip with my husband. But not by sea!
However, I would like magic self packing luggage that also produced the ideal clothes for each destination and never got lost.
I think I may be thinking of Terry Pratchett’s Luggage….
My ideal escape would be going to Oaxaca, Mexico and having time to read, quilt and sit in the zocalo to eat and watch people.
A trip to NYC, where I could escape to museums and city streets during the day, and back to my hotel room to quilt and enjoy the quiet in the evening.
My ideal escape would be a sunroom on the back or side of my house overlooking a beautifully landscaped garden with shade trees and an outdoor living area. Make that two sunrooms — one for the family and one for my sewing studio.
I’d love to visit Australia during the winter here.
A house by the ocean where I can sew and watch the sea at the same time!
My ideal getaway would be for my husband and I at a cabin on a lake with nearby woodsy walking trails..no phones or cell phones and no TV.. just us enjoying each other.
As I travel all year for work, My ideal spot would be to sit in my cozy sun room watching the birds play~
My ideal escape is someplace by the water: lake, ocean, river, doesn’t matter, with a view of the mountains and a nice sunny room in which to sew. Take me away now!
My ideal escape is to the beach and a house that is right on the beach. Thanks for the opportunity to win this great giveaway!!
My ideal escape would be 72hrs of uninterrupted sewing!
My ideal escape would be a tour of gardens in Charleston, SC combined with time to quilt and someone to do all the cooking.
We travel a lot so my favorite escape is to spend hours in my sewing studio and not worry about meals. My husband brings me a glass of wine in the late afternoon while I am in my paradise.
Mountains and trees, mountains with trees. Take me away to the mountains and trees!
right now, my ideal escape would be a few days with my granddaughters. It has been too long since our last visit.
I just want a quiet, happy place to sew. Lots of good natural light and food. I would be happy. A beautiful view would be nice.
My ideal escape would be an extended trip to Ireland and Scotland, and touring as many castles as I could. I just love castles. Thanks!
As an everyday escape I’d love to go back to Hawaii or Alaska. As a quilting escape I’d love to do a quilting retreat to an especially great escape would be a quilting cruise with old and new friends! Thanks so much for the chance to win ♥ 🙂
To visit family in the States!
My ideal escape would be to go a road trip with my 2 best quilting friends and visit a major quilting event and explore lots of quilt shops in the area.
My ideal escape would be to go to Prince Edward Island with my husband. We would walk on the beach, eat lobster at a restaurant and see a play in the evening. Of course, there would also be lots of quilting going on too.
What a beautiful collaboration!
My great escape would be somewhere in the mountains, near lake or river, with wine and my sewing machine. ;o)
My ideal escape would be with a small diverse group of friends, mostly gardeners and artists, in a cottage in the woods with plenty of flowers and neat things to see on hikes, lots of good food to make meals with, a few board games, maybe throw in some instruments, and my sewing project of course.
My perfect get-away would be some place near the water where it doesn’t freeze!
Retreat to a Southern California beach, with a huge deck overlooking the ocean…with my entire sewing room…and a private chef! PS: I LIVE in Southern California!
My perfect escape would be to go to California every winter and be close to my children.
Hiking a mountain and sleeping under the stars.
Visiting a beautiful beach and enjoying the sunshine!
Give me a beach with salt air and sunshine anytime.
My ideal escape would be to a mountain cabin watching the snow fall and sewing warm quilts to cuddle in front of the fire with.
My ideal escape would be to a cabin on the lake, with a private dock! I love to stitch while my husband fishes, when we go out on the boat! 🙂
My escape would be to florida to pick up shells on the beach and soak up the sun also.
I LOVE everything Moda puts out by the way…..
My ideal escape would be staying in cabin with my hubby in a nice little town. Like we did on our honeymoon.
Camping in the middle of nowhere.
A mountain cabin with my family.
My ideal getaway is Bermuda, for me it is the perfect spot.
My idea escape is Destin, FL in the fall with my husband….relaxing and enjoying the view.
My ideal escape is to be with my family (grown sons and daughter, and their families) at a cottage on a lake, up north in Michigan… With trips to Lake Michigan, sand dunes, canoeing, hiking… And of course, time for sewing, too!
Pat T.
I just have to tell you!…. The fabric collection Manderley, and the Aurifil thread collection Everyday Escapes, are *Beautiful*!!
… and the quilt, Enchanted Garden, is amazing!!
Wow!!
Congratulations on superb fabrics, threads, quilt!!!
Pat T.
I love to escape to places tropical! Sanibel Island is lovely! thanks!
My ideal escape would be to take the week off from work and attend all the classes at the Houston Quilt Festival. Well, that and relaxing on the hidden beach at Kauai.
I am so in love with your “Baltimore by the Sea”!
My ideal escape would be a trip to Alaska, preferably a cruise.
I would love to escape to a cabin in the mountains where I can enjoy a terrific view of nature. It must have electricity so I could take my sewing machine!
My ideal escape is near beach-front in the warm waters of an ocean.
great post!