By Stacy Iest Hsu for Moda - Quilting Kit

When Stacy Iest Hsu designed Jungle Paradise she wasn’t imagining eluding a pandemic. “But it really does feel like an escape,” she says of the line inspired by her honeymoon trip 17 years ago to Belize and Guatemala. “The colors make me so happy!” She was thinking, however, about creating opportunities for kids to sew by themselves and with their moms, dads, grandparents, and others. And that turns out to be a good thing during a pandemic…or anytime. “Learning to create something, through cooking or woodworking or sewing or playing music gets kids off screens, helps them implement the things they learn in school, and is beneficial all around,” says Stacy. Stacy’s interest in helping kids learn to sew is a thread that’s run through her more than 20 collections for Moda. Her designs are often inspired by the children’s books she loved reading to her three children, two of whom are now teenagers. “It was my favorite time of day,” says Stacy. “No one was fighting, everyone was peaceful, sometimes they’d be working on projects but they were still listening.” Designing fabric enables Stacy to tell and illustrate stories, as well as to give kids (and adults) the materials and skills to be creative.

Jungle Paradise Quilt Kit - KIT20780. Stacy Iest Hsu teamed up with Wendy Shepard for a fun Elephant quilt, Stomping Grounds. All piecing no applique. Advanced beginner. Kit will include fabric for the top and binding along with the pattern (WS 14). Quilt size is 48" x 60".