*** The giveaway is now closed. Thanks for entering! Find out who won here. ***

Today we are welcoming Karen from Fabric Spot. She left a comment on my Canadian Online Fabric Stores post and I was blown away when I visited her site.  She has the most gorgeous shot of solid fabrics she stocks on her front page, a great selection of modern designer fabrics and (save the best for last) a large organic fabric selection! Karen’s shop is a family run business with, as she says, “three of us under the age of eight” (How she manages this I don’t know!)

Karen is a believer in organic fabrics and respecting our planet. Her fabric selection shows that and she has stocked the largest online selection of organic fabrics in Canada. You may think that all organics must be more expensive – think again. Hooray for all of us – Karen believes everyone should not have to choose between organic and non-organic fabrics by price, so she stocks her organic solids at the same price as her non-organic solids – amazing!

My Fabric Spot Purchase: Comma Intersecting Circles in Slate, Comma Asterisk in Chalk and Kona Cotton in Carrot

If you read through her FAQ’s you can see just how much she concentrates on customer service. I had an amazing experience when I ordered some fabric for an upcoming tutorial (this diaper bag (with Sew Much Ado), coming soon!). I love the Comma collection and emailed her to ask the best matching orange from her large stock of solids. She emailed me back within the hour and I was able to place my order the next day. Because I live fairly close to her Markham, Ontario shop, the fabric was in my mailbox a day and a half later! 

Thread Riding Hood: What inspired you to start Fabric Spot?

Karen: “The biggest motivation for starting Fabric Spot was that I couldn’t find the fabrics that I wanted in my local quilt shops. The only places I saw cool, modern fabrics were on U.S. based fabric websites. But, I was turned off from buying from them because of the U.S dollar conversion, the shipping costs and the duties/customs charges. It seemed ridiculous to me that in Canada we couldn’t get these fabrics. Another reason for starting Fabric Spot was that not only could I not get modern fabrics here in Canada, but getting organic fabrics was even harder! My children were quite young (and still are!) and I wanted to sew things for them out of organic fabrics. When I went to the quilt shops asking about organic fabrics, they told me that there was no demand for it. This again, I couldn’t believe. I had debated about opening Fabric Spot for a couple of years until finally, I decided that I had to go for it. Life is short.  I decided that I had to stop being afraid of the future and instead, embrace the adventure that the future could bring. I had to live according to Karen and not to what others expected of me. And so, Fabric Spot started!”

Thread Riding Hood: What are your favorite types of projects to sew?

Karen: “My favourite thing to sew are quilts. The idea that I’m making something that is wrapping my child in love is very comforting to me. As well, the idea that this object is not only beautiful to look at but practical too, is great! I’m also very sentimental. And so, I hope that one day, when my children look back in time, they can say that their mom made this quilt especially for them because she loved me. Now, if it’s made out of organic cotton, then that’s an extra bonus! ”

Thread Riding Hood: Which of your upcoming fabric lines are you most excited about right now?

Karen: “One of my problems is that there are too many fabric collections that I am excited about!! But, if I had to pick one, it would be Eiko by Jay-Cyn Designs. It’s organic and made by Birch Fabrics. I love love love Asian inspired fabrics (like the Tsuru Collection)! [Eiko is] due to be released in July or August.”

Karen has generously offered to give away an organic fat quarter set of (my current favorite) Tsuru! This Asian inspired fabric was designed by Rashida Coleman-Hale and is made of 100% OE certified cotton printed with low impact dyes. Okay – and it’s also gorgeous! Check out what Made By Rae did with them here. I’ve been dreaming of a set of those little dresses for my girls – but where to get the time to sew them?! Anyhow, I’m getting off track. Here’s a photo of what you could win.

This giveaway is open to all Thread Riding Hood readers from Canada and the US. The giveaway will be run from today, April 26th, until Friday May 17th, 2013 at 10pm Friday, May 24th, 2013 at 10pm (The contest has been extended!). Three weeks to enter!

Here’s how to win: (Make sure to leave one comment per entry on this post so we can count them all properly.)

  1. Leave a comment on this post – easy peasy!
  2. Optional Extra Entry: Like Fabric Spot on Facebook. Leave a comment on this post to say that you did, include your Facebook name.
  3. Optional Extra Entry: Like Thread Riding Hood on Facebook. Leave a comment on this post to say that you did, include your Facebook name. (If you have already liked Thread Riding Hood on Facebook this is a free entry for you – Leave a comment!)
  4. Optional Extra Entry: Comment about this giveaway on Facebook – be sure to link back to this post! Leave a comment on this post to say that you did, include your facebook name.
  5. Optional Extra Entry: Follow Fabric Spot on Twitter. Leave a comment on this post to say that you did, include your Twitter name.
  6. Optional Extra Entry: Follow Thread Riding Hood on Twitter. Leave a comment on this post to say that you did, include your Twitter name. (If you already followed Thread Riding Hood on Twitter this is a free entry for you – Leave a comment!)
  7. Optional Extra Entry: Tweet about this giveaway using the hashtags #TRHGiveaway and #fabricspot. Leave a comment on this post to say that you did. Include your twitter name or url.
  8. Optional Extra Entry: Check out Fabric SpotLeave a comment on this post that includes your favorite fabric from Karen’s shop!
  9. Optional Extra Entry: Check out the Thread Riding Hood Tutorials page. Leave a comment on this post that includes the tutorial you’d like to try next!
  10. Optional Extra Entry: Pin the Official Giveaway Pic (directly below this list). Leave a comment on this post to say that you did, include your Pinterest name.
I suppose that’s enough ways to win for now! The Random Number Generator will pick a winner on Saturday May 18th May 25th in the morning and I will update this post then, so be sure to check back!  Choose your favorite ways to win or just leave a comment below – you never know – you just might win!
And, just to add more excitement! Karen is letting me give you a discount code that runs the length of the giveaway. Thank you Karen! Shop at Fabric Spot throughout the giveaway (April 26 until May 17th) and get 10% off your order! Use the discount code: 10FABRICSPOT to get some of that organic goodness – or anything else for that matter!
Here are some of my favorites to get you going:

If you live near Toronto, you can visit Karen’s booth today and tomorrow at Creativ Festival. I’m going to be there – it should be amazing! Good luck to everyone that enters the giveaway, have a wonderful weekend.