Laurie Simpson has long been a mainstay in the quilting world. She’s been quilting on her own for over 50 years, 16 of which were spent as one half of the storied design duo, Minick & Simpson, alongside her sister Polly.
Laurie was the quilter of the two, crafting patterns that showcase complex piecing, appliqué, and a subtle infusion of whimsy. Her creations often require meticulous handwork, incorporating hundreds of fabric pieces, often finished with her signature hand-quilting.
Polly claimed to have never sewn a stitch, but her hooked rugs are epic, and were what helped to initially catch the eye of the folks at Moda Fabrics. Together, they designed more than 40 fabric collections, released oodles of quilt patterns, wrote a handful of books, were featured in numerous magazines – national and international, and traveled across the US and abroad to teach. Since Polly’s retirement 6 years ago, Laurie continued designing for Moda Fabrics, releasing an impressive range of new collections and patterns, until this year, with the release of Grand Haven, Laurie’s retirement collection.
Minick & Simpson fabric collections tend to draw inspiration from antique textiles, and the Grand Haven line is a testament to this tradition. Laurie explains, “The red, white, and blue collections are light, happy, and summery— and summer makes me think of beaches and cottages,” says Laurie. “I’m reminded of all the great beach towns here in Michigan—many of the collections have Michigan place names. Grand Haven will be the last one.”
Indeed, Grand Haven signifies Laurie Simpson’s illustrious career culmination. We’re delighted that she chose to curate one final Aurifil set to celebrate this exceptional milestone. Ten small spools of 100% cotton 12wt in Grand Haven hues are the perfect farewell.
HUGE thanks to Laurie for over a decade of collaboration, for bringing her passion for the craft to the forefront, for sharing a bit of quilty magic with the world, and for doing it all with joy and kindness. We are delighted to share one last interview with Laurie today, in celebration of the release of her final thread collection. Laurie, we wish you a retirement filled with friends & family, much adventure, and as many nights cozied up in a chair with a hand stitching hoop in hand as your heart desires!
Thank you so much for joining us today, Laurie, in celebration of Grand Haven, your final collection with Moda & with Aurifil! We’re so excited for this set and can’t wait to leave a little more. Can you tell us about the inspiration behind this collection?
Our red, white and blue fabric collections always make me think of summer and when you think of summer in Michigan you think of the Great Lakes and the wonderful towns on them. Grand Haven is one of these.
What does the name Grand Haven represent for you personally, and how is it reflected in the fabrics and threads?
Summer, nostalgia, and friends & family.
As this is your retirement collection, how does it feel to be launching this final chapter in your design career?
Bittersweet. It’s time, but it’s saying goodbye to one of the highlights of my life.
Your work often balances tradition with modern sensibility. How have you brought that balance to this collection?
It would be hard for me not to mix tradition with modern sensibility. I love antique textiles and that is what drew me to fabric in the first place, but I am a person alive in the 21st century and my tastes are a distillation of all my experiences.
How do you hope quilters and creators will use Grand Haven in their projects?
Quilts of course! As much as I know people want to finish small projects for fast gratification, I hope people will use it for a bed quilt – maybe even a bed quilt that is stitched by hand. Living and working with fabric over a longer period of time is so rewarding.
Tell us about how you first found Aurifil threads and why they’ve been your go-to for all these years.
I can’t remember how I first came across them, but I’m sure glad i did. The abundance of color choices and the different weights mean I can use them in all facets of my stitching.
If you had to choose one neutral and one vibrant hue as favorites, what would they be?
2600 50wt as my neutral. It is the thread in my sewing machine and I can honestly say it stays there 99.999% of the time. 4140 as my most used blue thread for hand piecing, hand appliqué and hand quilting.
Your Grand Haven thread set features Aurifil 100% cotton 12wt thread. Why was it important to feature this heavier weight thread?
12wt is the perfect weight for Big Stitch hand quilting. I think Big Stitch hand quilting is a gateway technique for the modern quilter to become obsessed with handwork.
How do you love working with Aurifil 12wt and why do you think your fans will love it too?
I am currently hand quilting a quilt using 4 different colors of 12wt. The quilt is a scrappy joy with both a mixture of fabrics and threads. The Big Stitch hand quilting is a textural treat and it also means that it can be finished very quickly.
Do you have any advice for how to incorporate Grand Haven fabrics and threads into a project?
Use them together or use them with a mixture of all your Minick and Simpson fabrics in your stash. I guarantee they will work beautifully!
Looking back on your career, what have been the most rewarding moments for you as a designer?
All of it! Seeing fabrics we designed on quilt shop shelves, seeing quilters use it and my patterns for quilts for their loved ones – just all of it.
Do you have any advice for aspiring designers who are just starting out in the world of fabric and textile design?
Do what makes your heart sing and others will notice.
Now that you’re entering retirement, how do you plan to spend your time? Will creativity still play a part in your life in new ways?
Not much will change. I will still spend most of my days in the studio making quilts. I just may leave it more often for a walk or a talk with a friend.
Is there anything you’d like to say to the fans and followers who have supported you throughout your journey?
Thank you so much for your patronage and loyalty. It was a joy and you’ve given me far more than I’ve given you.
The designs of these two women have always been my favorites. As both a quilter and rug hooker, I’ve been inspired by the designs, colors and stories. I own their books too. I downsized but they remain with me! The threads are perfect.