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Celebrating 50 Years of Moda — and the Quilts that Honor It
Celebrating 50 Years of Moda — and the Quilts that Honor It
Published:
Oct 21 2025 - 08:30
For more than two decades, Moda Fabrics has been a trusted name in the quilting community—producing some of the best quilting fabrics in the industry and inspiring makers around the world to create tomorrow’s heirlooms today.
At the heart of Moda is founder and owner Mark Dunn, whose passion for supporting the art and craft of quilting runs deep. Through initiatives big and small, Mark has worked to preserve and promote quilting for future generations—because the quilts we make today become the stories we pass down tomorrow.
To mark this milestone anniversary, we created something truly special: a retrospective fabric collection and quilt contest to celebrate 50 incredible years of Moda.
A Contest Inspired by Color and History
The “Celebrating 50 Years of Moda” fabric collection is a one-of-a-kind rainbow made up of 11 four-in-one width-of-fabric prints, featuring designs from 44 Moda designers. It’s a joyful tribute to Moda’s past and present—a spectrum of color that includes everything from rich, saturated brights to must-have low volumes and neutrals.
This collection captures the heart of Moda: from old to new, traditional to modern, and everything in between. And it became the palette for quilters everywhere to create original works of art in one of three contest categories:
- Traditional Pieced Quilt – Original designs using traditional piecing methods
- Art Quilt – Original designs with traditional and/or modern techniques (appliqué, 3D accents, paper piecing, and more)
- Next Generation Quilter – Youth category for makers age 17 and under
The rules were simple but inspiring: at least 75% of the quilt top had to feature the commemorative collection, and the rest—top, backing, and binding—had to be 100% Moda fabrics. Prizes included $2,500 for first place, $1,000 for second, and a year of monthly fat quarter bundles for third.
A Field of Exceptional Quilts
When the entry period closed in March 2025, we were blown away by the response. Quilters from all over the country shared their artistry with us through stunning, inventive, and heartfelt designs.
From this pool of entries, about 20–25 quilts were selected as finalists and sent to us for in-person judging. Every single one was a testament to the creativity and craftsmanship that makes the quilting community so special.
Finalists:
Pieced Quilt Category
Jane Taysom, “Stars Circling Around For 50 Years”
Janis Hoople, “One Cog Off”
Kristine Nelson, “Wyoming Winter”
Leilani Coverly, “Radiant Celebration”
Melanie Lewis, “Moda in the Middle”
Roseanne Carr Atkinson, “The Stars of Hugs and Kisses”
Sarah Zimmerman, “A La Moda”
Shannon Cogswell, “Spool Stars”
Art Quilt Category
Billie Klegraefe, “It's Laundry Day in Modaville”
Janis Hoople, “Inside Job”
Jeanne McCune, “Good Morning Sun”
Kate Thompson, “Crazy Circles”
Lisa McCarley, “The Sound of Celebration”
Nancy Leatham, “Snowman II”
Sharla Krenzel, “Celebrating 50 Years of Moda”
Next Generation Quilter Category
Cadence Duckstein, “Gaze Upon the Stars”
Carolyn Kopeschka, “Farm In Flight”
Ella Howe, “The Meadow”
Greta Beggs, “Pioneer Spring Cleaning”
Scarlett Hayes, “Scarlett’s May Dream”
And the Winners Are…
Traditional Pieced Quilt – First Place
Kristine Nelson, “Wyoming Winter”
“This piece is a true labor of love. I was immediately drawn to the vibrancy and depth of these fabrics, and I wanted to incorporate every piece from the collection into this quilt. Each fabric plays a role in telling a story—one that reflects the long, dark winters of Wyoming and the bright, hopeful arrival of spring. I find so much inspiration in the changing seasons, and quilting allows me to express that transition in a tangible way. I used a variety of traditional quilting techniques to bring this piece to life. Y-seams play a significant role in the construction, adding intricate angles and complexity to the design. I also incorporated wool appliqué using Moda wool. In addition, I used paper piecing and hand appliqué, ensuring precision in every detail. I quilted this piece myself, which made the process even more personal. One of the most special aspects of this quilt is that every fabric from the Moda 50th anniversary line was used. Seeing these fabrics come together in one cohesive piece has been incredibly rewarding. Wyoming Winter is more than just a quilt to me. It’s a reflection of my love for quilting, my appreciation for beautiful fabrics, and my deep connection to the changing seasons. The process of creating this piece has been both challenging and fulfilling, and I am so excited to share it.”
Second Place: Leilani Coverly, “Radiant Celebration"
Third Place: Jane Taysom, “Stars Circling Around For 50 Years”
Art Quilt – First Place
Sharla Krenzel, “Celebrating 50 Years of Moda"
“To celebrate 50 years of creativity, innovation, and inspiration, I’ve created the “Celebrating 50 Years of Moda” quilt—a true labor of love and a heartfelt tribute to my favorite fabric company, one that has been a constant companion and friend on my quilting journey. This quilt is a collage of smaller quilts, each showcasing iconic tools and symbols of quilting: a spool of thread, a tomato pincushion (with its signature strawberry), a rotary cutter, and a mini- Friendship Star and Heart quilt; plus, a quilted Moda logo. The thread, pincushion, and rotary cutter represent the essential tools we all use in our craft—and symbolize the United Notions arm of Moda. All 44 pieces of the “Celebrating 50 Years of Moda” are featured in the front of this quilt and represent the long history of beautiful textiles produced by Moda Fabrics. The mini quilt honors my deep love for Moda and the friendships I’ve built along the way as a quilter, quilt shop owner, pattern designer, and Moda Bake Shop Chef. The techniques used in this project include everything from strip piecing to traditional piecing, collage piecing, raw-edge applique, hand embroidery, bias binding, and even binding curves.”
Second Place: Billie Klegraefe, “It's Laundry Day in Modaville”
Third Place: Nancy Leatham, “Snowman II”
Next Generation Quilter – First Place
Greta Beggs, “Pioneer Spring Cleaning”
“I am a senior in high school and work in a local quilt shop after school due to my love of sewing. When I heard about this contest, I was immediately excited! Although I have only made one quilt before, I knew that I wanted to challenge myself to design and create one for this contest. My inspiration for this quilt came from my love of all things old and homestead-y. Pink is my favorite color, so using the array of Moda pink fabrics was super fun to put together, the lady’s dress being my favorite color combination! Several different techniques were used throughout this quilt, some of which I had never done before. Applique was used for the clothespins, arms, hands, and sun. I used curved seams for the skirt, the hills and the sky. I also added some 3D elements with the lady’s bonnet, braid, apron and hair bow, as well rope for the basket handle. I even wove the Moda fabric to make the clothes pin basket. I admit that my seam ripper was used a lot, but everything turned out great, eventually. This quilt has taught me a lot of patience and sewing skills which I know I will carry with me throughout my sewing life. I am really proud of how far I have come and grown through this project. With only doing one other quilt in my life, this one turned out far better than I had hoped.”
Second Place: Carolyn Kopeschka, “Farm In Flight”
Third Place: Cadence Duckstein, “Gaze Upon the Stars”
A Celebration at Quilt Market
We proudly displayed the top three quilts in each category in our 50th Anniversary–themed booth at International Quilt Market. It was a true highlight of the show—standing among the incredible quilts, hearing the stories behind them, and celebrating the talented makers who brought them to life.
We were especially thrilled to meet several of our contest winners in person and share their joy firsthand! If you weren’t able to join us at Market—or catch our livestream—you can watch the recap video below to see the winning quilts in all their glory.
Thank You
To every quilter who entered, thank you. Your work is a beautiful reminder of why Moda does what it does. Here’s to the next 50 years of color, creativity, and quilts that tell our stories.