Moda Fabrics has been a treasured and dedicated partner, a creative leader, and, above all, an inspiration for years. We so value the collaboration and relish the opportunity to work with such a wonderful team to promote a top-notch list of designers. We’re taking some time over the next two weeks to celebrate the collaboration… to share some stories, introduce a few new collections, herald some of our amazing designers, highlight a few great tips, give a few sneak peeks, and finally to launch a super fab giveaway! We’ll have a new post ready for your viewing every afternoon, so grab a snack, a cup of coffee/tea/hot chocolate, and join us for a bit of Moda love!
To kick things off… a little background about our two fabulous companies. <3
MODA
The official word: 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.
The fun stuff: This is part of the Moda Crew, circa May 2015. We absolutely adore that they always take such fabulous photos. (Note to Aurifil… more group photos!)
This part of the Moda crew attends Quilt Market and it includes Directors, Vice Presidents, the Sales representatives and folks from Moda Fabrics and United Notions. There is an equal number of very important people who don’t go to Market, they’re too busy keeping everything running back home in Dallas.
United Notions is the company founded in 1975 by the amazing Mark Dunn, whose philosophy is to “…find your passion and enjoy what you do. Don’t spend your whole life wishing you’d done something different.” Wise words!
To clarify, United Notions and Moda Fabrics are two companies in one. United Notions is essentially everything that isn’t fabric on-a-bolt, a pre-cut or a quilt kit. If it’s something you’d use for any kind of sewing, they probably have it. From every kind of cutting implement to thousands of different threads, they’ve got storage bins and marking tools, pins and needles, patterns and books and so on.
Moda Fabrics? Well, from outstanding basics like Bella Solids and Grunge to collections designed by internationally-known quilters and artists, they have a style of fabric and color palette to suit everyone.
We are in LOVE!
All credits to Moda for the above text! To learn more about Moda, head here and to learn more about Mark Dunn and how this all started, click here.
AURIFIL
The official word:
Aurifil is an accomplished, family-owned, Italian company based near Milan, specializing in the production of 100% Cotton threads from the MAKO region. The threads have achieved worldwide success thanks to a dedicated tribe of quilters, sewists, and textile artists who herald the thread for its versatility, its strength, and the fact that it produces virtually no lint.
The fun stuff:
Alex Veronelli and Elena Gregotti are what we like to call our super-power duo;). Keen business skills partnered with innovative thought, creative exploration, and masterful social media skills… The two have truly taken Aurifil to the next level with their amazing leadership.
The company’s history goes all the way back to 1957 when Elena’s father, Angelo Gregotti, founded Studio Auriga to produce designs for a multi-head mechanical embroidery machine. It was the first and only company to undertake this type of work in Italy. In 1972, Angelo traveled to Japan and discovered Tajima, starting the company on a new and amazing path featuring the highest level of technology available. In 1983, Angelo recruited his school friend Adolfo Veronelli to join his project and start a new adventure producing thread. Their vision was to source the best Egyptian Cotton and to create the finest thread on the market. And so Aurifil was born.
In 1995, Elena discovered world of quilting. She was immensely fascinated by what can only be described as works of art… masterpieces in fact. Even though it was completely different than their typical target, Elena urged her father to approach the quilt market. It was obvious that the quilters knew quality when they saw it. The attention that Aurifil thread received when presented for the first time at the European Quilt Show in Strasbourg was astonishing. Alex & Elena worked hard to improve the product further and began to sell in the US through an importer. In 2007, after increased success, Aurifil USA was born.
And now, in 2017, we celebrate our 10th anniversary as Aurifil USA. We have a diverse and amazing team based in offices just outside Milan, Italy and in Chicago, IL. We also have a handful of team-members spread out across the US — our ‘remote’ division;). We are a team of passionate folk… we love our product, we love our industry, we love what we do… and we hope it shows!
SCHEDULE
Monday, 9/18 — Moda + Aurifil (YOU ARE HERE)
Tuesday, 9/19 — Moda + Aurifil: The Interviews (Alex Veronelli, Elena Gregotti, & Lissa Alexander!)
Wednesday, 9/20 — Moda + Aurifil: Stacy Iest Hsu
Thursday, 9/21 — Moda + Aurifil: BasicGrey
Friday, 9/22 — Moda + Aurifil: Kate Spain + Brigitte Heitland
Monday, 9/25 — Moda + Aurifil: Designer Tips
Tuesday, 9/26 — Moda + Aurifil: Pat Sloan + Me & My Sister Designs
Wednesday, 9/27 — Moda + Aurifil: Lynne Hagmeier + Minnick & Simpson
Thursday, 9/28 — Moda + Aurifil: Joanna Figueroa
Friday, 9/29 — Moda + Aurifil: Fall Sneak Peeks + Contest/Giveaway!
Thanks for following along & Happy Stitching!
THANKS FOR SHARING!
fun to read: I love both companies!! Hugs, H
love these companies and all the designers, who inspire us to create, create, create!!!
Interesting to find out the history of each company. Thank you for sharing!
So exciting… you guys are a hoot and it shows!!! Thanks for sharing!!!
That was an interesting read and THANK YOU for it as it did give me a moment to sit still with my peppermint tea. I needed that break! Thank GOODNESS Elena discovered quilting so that myself and every quilter out there that is Aurifil obsessed could enjoy it. I just don’t quilt with anything else. Moda Grunge, and Aurifil threads, where so much of my $ goes 🙂 lol
The best companies in the market!
Great to learn the stories behind two powerhouses!
I love Aurifil and use multiple weights of the thread. I also love Mode and so many of the designers and tend to be drawn to Moda fabrics over and over again. Great products are worth investing in time and again.
Thank you for the interesting background on two of my favorite companies.