Culcita (Kul-see-tah)

This is a product-sponsored post; written opinions and observations are my own.

There's a brand new monthly subscription box for quilters and it's called Culcita (which apparently comes from the Latin origin for the word 'quilt'). This new, dynamic company is a family venture born out of a desire to get the latest modern fabric designs into the hands of quilters by delivering it right to their door monthly, bi-monthly or quarterly. I love that they have several different options so that you can tailor the service just for you (for example, every box will contain 12 prints but you get to choose a FQ or 1/2 yard option). It isn't just fabric, currently they offer a straight fabric box, modern quilt project kit , a skillz-builder box or a bag/accessory kit  like this one which includes everything you need to make Anna's awesome Compass Bag!

Jessica and Jamie contacted me to see if I'd like to give their February box a try and see how it all works. I am a big supporter of women-lead small business and make an effort to only partner with those able to serve Canadian quilters.  Although Culcita ships from the US (domestic shipping included in the monthly subscription) they also offer Canadians a reasonable flat rate shipping option and the company is co-owned by family members living in the U.S. and Canada (meet them here). I love that! Having investigated a few other subscription box services since the trend began, I've been disappointed a few times by those who are unable to ship to Canada.

Here's what I received in their super-efficiently packed and custom designed  re-usable box:

A handwritten thank you note, a card describing the fabric collection and why it was chosen for subscribers, two super cute woven labels, a quilting fortune and 12 FQ of Sleep Tight in the Stargazing palette. 

I like this format! I'm a notion junkie, so I already have everything I need in that department and I stick to fairly mainstream/neutral thread colours, so I like the fact that I wouldn't be paying for stuff every month that I wouldn't use or need. I can always use the fabric, or share, gift or trade it. On that note, Cucita offers a "trade" hashtag for subscribers to get in touch with each other if they're wishing for the alternate colourway and want to connect with others hoping for a swap. Cool! 

I'm hoping to use some of this collection to make a mini-mini quilt for an upcoming swap between the Vancouver MQG and the Ottawa MQG....something tells me my secret partner would like this fabric.  

Thank you for sharing, Culcita!

My "Monthly Sparks" bundle!

I will freely admit my excitement when Daryl invited me to select a bundle of 12 fat quarters for her February subscribers in the Monthly Sparks program. Each month, lucky customers (it's a sold out program, but there's a wait list) receive a sweet surprise in the mail; a beautifully curated bundle from quilt bloggers who love fabric just as much as they do!

I spent a very enjoyable afternoon perusing virtual shelves of Fabric Spark, cutting and pasting thumbnail photos into a Word document so that I could see all of the fabrics side by side.  This shop website has a very easy and unique catalogue system for fabrics that makes it so easy to find colours, themes, designers, collections or manufacturers you are looking for. It wasn't really my plan to create a completely coordinating bundle; instead I was trying to find special prints that would round out the corners of a stash, but still work in a project together.  I think it is super fun to receive fabric this way...unexpected prints that you might not otherwise choose and that don't all come from one designer's fabric line.  I even went out on a limb (for me) and included a bit of gold metallics!  This bundle was waiting for me when I arrived home from a 10 day trip last night and I just love it all - I don't have any of these prints in my stash already, so it was exciting to see them all in person for the first time.

There's a pillow or mini quilt project that I have in mind for these. I hope to be able to carve out some time this week to make a start before the arrival of a Super Quilting VIP from Down Under (more on that excitement later!).

As I mentioned above, this subscription club is sold out, however Daryl told me on the QT that there might just be an extra bundle or two listed in the coming days. There are still spots in Fabricspark's Rainbow bundle or Free Spirit Fabric monthly subscriptions that you may want to check out. Honestly, the fabric selection in this shop is second to none.

An example of the Free Spirit bundle

I was so lucky on a recent visit to Toronto to spend a very enjoyable morning with Daryl and other quilters at Berene's Quilting for Refugees event, which happily coincided with my last-minute trip. I love talking fabric with Daryl - you can read all about her love of it in her fantastic newsletter called Fabric News for Fabric Lovers (and she may have said some very kind things about me in the last on *blush*). Sign up at the bottom of the shop homepage so that you don't miss any of her stunning new arrivals of quilting cotton, apparel and home-dec weight prints and many hard-to-find imports. 

U.S. quilters - remember that you instantly save close to 30% on everything that you buy from Canadian retailers due to an extraordinarily generous exchange rate!