After a couple of years of "you know, you really should sell those," and while trying to find an escape from the long hours of the film industry in order to start a family, Quita Alfred launched InQb8 quilt, her new company that makes one of a kind, non-traditional baby quilts and art quilts in Toronto. Trying to combine her “escape” with clearing out the clutter that comes from years of travelling as well as collecting fabric and vintage clothing, Quita began making quilts for friends and family as gifts. "It was when my son’s paediatrician (a man) said about my son’s quilt, ‘That’s a great blanket! Where did you get it? Really? You should sell them’ that I seriously thought about doing it," says Quita. A business course with Toronto Business Development Centre and a lot of encouragement from friends later, InQb8 was born.

InQb8 makes colourful, durable, loveable quilts from re-claimed, vintage and new fabrics, that make memorable gifts for little ones and big ones alike. "‘Cosy’ was the word people used the most to describe the quilts when I was doing my market research. I thought I was on the right track when I heard that," Quita says.

With a background in theatre production, Quita worked for almost 20 years as a sewer, costumer and eventually costume designer in Toronto’s film industry. She combines her love of travel with her love of colour to design the quilts. "Most of the ones I’ve done are really specific to the recipient, either containing fabrics which have sentimental value to them, or colour themes that remind them (the adults) of somewhere they’ve been, or somewhere we’ve been together. The one for my goddaughter in Amsterdam is one of my favourites, as it contains all kinds of memories that I shared with her parents. The company tag line – ‘surround yourself with love’ – comes from that sentiment."