courtesy quita alfred
Quita Alfred poses with her baby blankets, which are designed to stimulate infants’ perceptions of colour and contrast. Visit www.inqb8.cafor more details on the quilts’ features and on retail availability.
Quita Alfred finds that success is making her feel warm and snuggly on the inside.
She has started a new company called InQb8, which specializes in high-quality baby blankets with an edge.
“The colours I use are bright, and the patterns are very graphic. I’ve read a lot that as infants develop, the kids perceive black-and-white and high contrast first. It stimulates their minds,” she said
Alfred branched off from her career as a costume and wardrobe designer for film into quilting, a hobby she has had for years. “I’ve been quilting since the early ’90s, I’d make them for friends and family,” she said. “I’d get gift requests for them, and I built off of that.”
Alfred said she knew she was on to something when people stopped her in the street, asking her where she had gotten her infant son’s baby blanket. “Our pediatrician also told us, ‘That’s a great blanket, you should sell those,’ ” she said.
The startup cost for her company has been minimal, as she already owned much of the material.
“When I worked in the film industry, I accumulated a large amount of fabric, so the stock wasn’t much of an investment. I invest more on advertising, and I’m really trying to get my website up.”
The blankets are made with an assortment of fabrics. Smaller baby blankets are made out of 100 per cent cotton flannelette, and larger blankets are made from a mix of cotton and vintage fabrics.
While InQb8’s focus is mainly on baby blankets, Alfred creates pieces for adults as well. “I also do wall hangings, art pieces, couch throws, with silk for the bigger ones, and beadwork,” she said.
Alfred has always been self-employed, but she has found that being the main brain behind InQb8 calls for a different kind of work ethic. “Something that has been challenging is juggling all of the different hats in the business,” she said. “I do design for graphics, advertisements, customer service, and I still make the quilts. You have to sort through your priorities and get them mixed right.”
For more details on InQb8 quilts, visit www.inqb8.ca, or call 416-878-9503.
