Kim Andersson’s Up In The Air…

Up In The Air 10×10

Up In The Air 5×5

Up In The Air Solid Co-ordinates

For this challenge I’ve packed my bags with the tools of a Juggler!

I’m sure that a lot of us, at one time or another, feel like we’re doing a lot of juggling and that we already live in a circus ; )

Recently I was researching some images and came across this book “The Circus. 1870s-1950s” by Dominique Jando (published by Taschen). I had no idea of the immense history and legacy of the American circus.

The badge says it all. Have you ever thought about running away to the circus?
Photo by Karen Leigh Photography

“During its heyday, the American circus was the largest show-biz industry the world had ever seen. From the mid-1800s to mid-1900s, traveling American circuses performed for audiences of up to 14,000 per show and crisscrossed the country on 20,000 miles of railroad in one season alone.” (Taschen.com)

Performer Lottie Brunn, 1949, image from The Circus Book: 1870-1950 (Dominique Jando)

Looking at books and online websites I came across some wonderful vintage images of performers on and off stage, filled with color and character. What drew me into the photos of the jugglers (apart from some very fetching costumes) were the fabulous shapes of their juggling apparatus (clubs, balls, hoops) and the shapes that they make as they fly through the air.

I wanted to show these tools in a way that portrays their energy and motion while they’re in use. I also played with the scale so that you can still see full shapes in smaller quilt pieces, but the larger images are graphic enough that when cut into they are still graphically pleasing shapes and pops of color.

Vintage photo postcard

Vintage Circus Poster from The Ringling Museum

I imagine that if you had a tent full of juggling performers, my pattern is what it would look like up in the air. Swirling lines in the background represent the swirling energy and motion and give a great background texture.

The colors I’ve chosen are a vibrant representation influenced by the colors that I saw in use in vintage color photographs and circus posters.

It’s the circus, let’s have some fun!

Up In The Air + Solids + Linen Hexy play.

Again, I couldn’t resist seeing what would happen when my pattern and solid coordinating colors are cut-up into hexys and rearranged (I also added some linen, I love using linen as a neutral!).

I want to get stitching, I hope you do too!

Cheers,
Kim.

The Pattern Maker – Here is the 10″ x 10″ final pattern and close-up versions!

Coordinate colours: Coral, Deep Purple, Warm Blue

Whew! The last month has been a little hectic to say the least. I moved from my home in Melbourne back to the hectic city of Jakarta, Indonesia. Unpacked our things into our previous apartment, only to have to move out two weeks later! Needless to say, there have been quite a few adjustments in a short period of time.

Trying to feel at home away from home can be quite challenging, so when I sat down to think about what occupation I could create into a pattern, I immediately thought I wanted something familiar in amongst all this unfamiliarity in my life at the moment. I decided that it would be a ‘pattern maker’.

My mum was a pattern maker many years ago before she had us children, and although she is no longer in the industry (now a nurse), she fondly recalls her days at the technical college studying pattern making and then working in various roles as a wardrobe assistant on local TV police drama and for various stage productions. She remembers being picked up by the production trailer (when she worked on the TV show) in the early hours of the morning to be driven to the set location and the pressure of sewing costumes correctly for stage productions. I’ve also seen (and worn) many garments she’s made, including my aunt’s wedding dress. I wish I could show you some photos, however they’re all packed away in the cupboard back in Melbourne.

With a lack of decent internet since arriving here (even uploading this post up is turning into a mammoth task!), I took out my pencil and sketch pad and just starting drawing. So what kind of tool does a pattern maker use? I don’t think I could pick just one tool of the trade when it comes to pattern making, but many; paper, pencils, tape measure, scissors, fabric, sewing machine, needle and thread… just to name a few. I’m sure a lot of it is done on the computer these days, but I decided to I draw on the bits and pieces my mum has from her pattern making days (I just love the sound of her shearers to cut fabric) and also my own experience of making my own clothes.

When I decided I wanted to make some PJ’s and a couple of jumpers, I actually used my mum’s old class notes to help create my patterns. I found it to be quite a technical and time consuming process that required accurate measuring, cutting and sewing… however after many determined days I managed to have several pieces of clothing that I actually wore.

Some initial sketches that got me started on the pattern.

I wanted a quirky, colourful and hand drawn design, so after sketching my motifs on paper, I re-drew them in Illustrator. I usually like to choose my colour palette next, but I couldn’t settle on the colours, so I focused on the repeat. I tried to incorporate some of the feedback I got last time by making the pattern non-directional and disguising the repeat a little better. Hopefully it’s an improvement from last time. Finally, after much tweaking, I started on the colours. I generally choose a limited colour palette, but felt the design needed more than just 4-5 colours. So, I choose a wider colour palette of colours I felt complimented each other well, as I didn’t want one motif to stand out too much more than another. I also felt that each motif didn’t need to be coloured in, and by leaving some motifs still looking like a ‘sketch’ fitted in well with pattern making.

I think working on this pattern has re-kindled my interest in making and sewing and encouraged me to start using my stash of fabric to good use! Of course I’ll have to wait patiently till I’m back in Melbourne later this year to get out the sewing machine.

Hello!

For my second fabric design I chose the occupation Financial Advisor for inspiration.  You see, when I was younger I made the decision to attend a private art school even though I didn’t really have the funds for such an institution.  I graduated in 2008 into a miserable job market and a crashing economy.  After four years of struggling to find a stable job while still making exorbitant student loan payments and paying crazy high rent, I finally achieved some financial stability.  That’s when I was lucky enough to meet my financial advisor, Jirayr.  Jirayr helped me get my financial life back together when it all just seemed to complicated to handle.  One of the most effective tools he used to help explain my situation and options was charts/graphs.  Being able to visually picture my situation helped me understand exactly what was happening in my financial reality.

So, for my design, I chose my favorite kind of chart: Pie Charts!

Kaleidoscope Pie 10×10

Pie charts are not only an effective tool but they can be visually striking and beautiful.

Kaleidoscope Pie Detail

When I started designing I tried out various types of graphs using paper collage.  Then I started playing with scale, color and layout:

Next I went digital to play some more:

Digital Pie

After I had many pie charts that I found appealing, I selected a few of my favorites and started playing.  I experimented with different numbers of grouping and different layout but I kept coming back to the groupings of four.  I liked the simplicity of four and how the individual elements didn’t get lost as they did in the five and six based groupings.  I also love the effect the negative space lends in the groupings of four.

Different Pie Chart Groupings

Here is a shot of my design in a quilt block with my three coordinating colors:

Kaleidoscope Pie Block with Three Coordinating Colors

I love the way the fabric is very geometric when viewed from close up and almost floral when viewed from far away.  For my color story I wanted something that was playful and bright so I chose the deep orange and chartreuse.  I also wanted some more subtle, elegant hues such as the khakis and blue-greys.

Thanks for stopping by to check out my second fabric!  I don’t think I’ve ever had so much fun designing something- EVER!

Part-time Help / 10″ x 10″

Part-time Help / detail

Part-time Help / solids

For this challenge, I thought I’d better put some thought into the market. Who might use fabric with tools? It is a pretty broad topic, I suppose, but it seemed like any fabric which would end up with a very specific set of tools, for just one job, would need to be of a common enough interest (like gardening) to appeal to many people. Or it would need to be uncommon or weird (like astrolabes!), but fall within a popular genre, like steampunk. Or I figured I’d just have to abstract it enough to make it look like something else (I tried to make a floral out of drafting tools and totally failed). After failing, I reassessed. If I were to make a fabric featuring tools, who would enjoy it? 1. Quilters who have other hobbies/interests and want to make a quilt featuring them. 2. Loved ones of quilters who get quilts made up of their hobbies. 3. Children!  So I went with children. I don’t doubt I missed some other available markets there, but whatever. I wanted to use small animals, and thought raccoons would be perfect with their little hands. I asked my husband what they should be doing. “Breaking into a safe,” he said. “Naa, try again,” I said. “How about doing the dishes, then?” he said. Bingo!  I know it’s kind of random, but it made me pretty happy to think about so I thought maybe it’d make other people pretty happy to use it.

Anyway, to create it, I drew everything out in pencil and pieced it together in photoshop. I then created a couple of new brushes to make the soap bubbles. I also wanted to add some more texture to the background (not too much empty space for the quilters! Also I really like texture), so I created a few simple repeats out of kitchen gloves, bottle brushes, and soap bottles and droplets. I was going to use them all, but it was just too busy, so I only used the bottle brushes. They’re in the background, kind of like a subtle wallpaper.

I went with a neutral, hopefully modern color scheme. I should point out the tools in the design: gloves, dishcloths, towels, soap, and bottle brushes. I hope you like it!

p.s. Here it is in full repeat:

Our family was on vacation when the Tools of the Trade theme for this challenge was announced. My husband the long-time union contractor and I had a lot of fun brainstorming it in the car. So many occupations came to mind that have would have had wonderful image possibilities; sailor, glass blower and cobbler are a few that I wrote down, but I wanted more meaning. I use the Dictionary and Thesaurus religiously so I headed there to gain more insight. TRADE: 2. a skilled job, typically one requiring manual skills and special training. TOOL: 2. any instrument of manual operation. I was struck by the word “manual” in both of these descriptions. Manual labor… LABOR. Tools for labor.

So what is considered one of the most laborious jobs? This could be a contentious debate but my thoughts struck upon the working woman. We ladies have a long and strong history of picking up, pitching in, and leading the way to get it done! The constant multi-tasking and responsibility of motherhood create a life of labor, and I don’t mean it in the downtrodden or man-against-woman comparison way. On it’s own, it just is.

I began thinking about a fabric pattern to pay tribute to the adventurous women who were early American homesteaders, gold rush hopefuls, diligent farmers of the Dust Bowl and survivors of the Great Depression. Ingenuity and hard work were the hallmarks of these great women and it was said that “virtue was their guide.” From multitudes of brave women and girls on the wagon trail to the countless number of women who had to leave their own families to work as domestics— all had dreams and desires, and work to do.

I Dwell in Possibility, Women build a Nation is riveting book with detailed accounts of the hardship, struggles and the unexpected thrills of women’s lives from 1600–1920s. Thanks to the Homestead Act of 1862, single women flourished and could claim 160 free acres of land! Married pioneer women were the heart of their families and survival depended much upon their relentless back-breaking physical labor. Toiling day in and day out, year after year, cooking, canning, farming, animal tending, childcare, washing and mending, all the crucial tasks of daily life done without the aid of modern appliances of convenience. The entire house contained the tools of her trade. These tools were utilitarian yet decorative in their own way, consider the pattern on a nice iron trivet. Everything they owned had a purpose and was important. The Farmer’s Almanac was as valuable as the family bible. Where lumber was scarce, houses were made of sod, also known as “Nebraska marble.” Resourceful women made do by inventing their own remedies and efficient ways of working with the tools of their craft. I highly recommend you check out the book list at the end of this post, their stories are exceptional.

Process: sketches, lists, color inspiration, ink drawings and textures,

Moodboard

This girl pumping water with a look of satisfied frankness became my muse. I pictured her young family and the chores and responsibilities of her daily life. Tending the fire and heading out to the water pump in all types of weather, the recurring theme in her days. With the modern revival of homesteading happening now, there are some wonderful blogs to read and vintage items on Etsy to be found.

Other research turned up the fascinating photography rework of Russell Lee’s 1940s U.S. Farm Security Administration images by artist Debbie Grossman. These were taken in Pie Town, New Mexico, where many people lived in dugout homes.

Kitchen Fabric

My other inspiration was vintage kitchen fabric, many examples can be found on the internet. I love the patchwork and medallion combos shown here. Some of these are obviously from the 1950s when women’s work was elevated to a career. They make me think— wallpaper with crockery and utensils? Did she find irony or just fashion?

My goal was to create an updated version of these kitchen fabrics dedicated to all women. I was also very conscious to choose a color palette that I felt a quilter would be likely to use. So in the design process these other color ways resulted but I think the rose might be the most fun to quilt with. I envision a quilted oven mitt in the sage color way.

I have plans for other prints to complete this collection so sign up on my mailing list if you’d like to be notified when they are done! (Bottom left on main page)

My solution to this task was more along the lines of my usual novelty prints but as I hoped, I got to explore and stretch my limits thanks to the encouragement of the judges and Ellen and Madeline. I very much look forward to the comments and advise of followers, quilters and judges! Yay to ALL the hard working women who have paved and continue to lead the way!

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process page links:
1. Color inspiration
2. Color inspiration from Just Something I Made
3. Felt bouquets on Etsy

mood board page links:
1. Mrs. Bill Stagg with 48 state quilt, Pie Town NM, 1940  photographer: Russell Lee
2. Young homesteader in North Dakota pumps water * (approx. 1890s)
3. Nebraska Pioneer Family * (1887)
4. The Jumping Off Place by Marian Hurd McNeely, illustrated by William Siegel c. 1929
 Read story here.
5. Using all parts of the hog. From A Pioneer Sampler by Barbara Greenwood, illustrated by Heather Collins
6. Elinore Pruitt Stewart, author of Letters of a Woman Homesteader
7. Woman collecting buffalo chips.
8. Woman and burro in Colorado mining camp * (approx. 1860s)
9. Vintage wares and tools from various sources.
* from I Dwell in Possibility, Women build a Nation by Donna M. Lucey

My reading list just grew! Books you may also want to know about:
Pioneer Doctor, The Story of Woman’s Work by Mari Graña
Montana Women Homesteaders, A Field of One’s Own by Sarah Carter
Staking Her Claim, Women Homesteading the West by Marcia Meredith Hensley
Women of the Northern Plains by Barbara Handy-Marchello
The Jumping Off Place by Marian Hurd McNeely
The Adventures of The Woman Homesteader, The Life and Letters of Elinore Pruitt Stewart by Susanne K. George

A few months back at Market, we were aimlessly wandering the endless aisles when all of a sudden we ran into Greta.  She was interested in our overly matched middle schooler-esque ensembles that included A LOT of mustard shades, what a way to meet people!  She’s a great designer and her journey into the fabric design world is much like the typical REPEAT/REPEAT(ed)-er…

Greta says:

I’ve always been quite the compulsive doodler, and love to draw whimsical, fun characters and designs. Surface design felt like a natural home for a lot of those things I’ve always loved to draw.

Over the last two years, I basically enrolled myself in a self-taught crash course on creating pattern. I learned how to create repeats in Photoshop and Illustrator,I read the fabulous Kim Kight’s book on surface design, read every online tutorial I could find, learned how to sew, and soaked up every ounce that I could from my mother-in-law who is a phenomenal quilter. A friend told me about Spoonflower. I entered contests weekly and really soaked up all of the fantastic energy and support that community of creative souls provides. I really haven’t looked back from there. I just love designing, and more than anything, I love the fact that my art can be accessible to friends, family, and complete strangers who want to use the fabric in their own projects. It’s just amazing. This past May, I began working with  Marcus Fabrics to release two collections, Here to There and Ktischy Kitchen. They are really fun lines and are in shops now. It’s really just so exciting! I hope to release more fabric collections in the coming year and expand into a bit of illustration work as well.

We can’t wait to see what she thinks of all the tools of the trade designs!

During REPEAT one name kept popping up from our designers as someone we needed to know – Michelle Fifis. Michelle has an amazing job, she mentors textile designers and teaches online courses for textile designers through her website Pattern Observer.  Her courses have helped many freelance designers focus their talents and take their passion to the next level. With Michelle’s experience as a textile design mentor we can’t wait to see what she thinks about our designers.

Still not sure where to take your designing talents? Michelle can help guide you with “The Sellable Sketch” and “Building Your Textile Design Business” classes that we have heard rave reviews from our designers who have taken them.

I have to admit; I’m a bit of a novice when it comes to the world of quilting. So much so, the number of quilts I have made I can count on one hand. I was first introduced to quilting by a group of friends who had created a creative get-to-gether called ‘crafternoon’. In between talking and eating delicious treats, we’d each bring along a crafty project to work on. Usually I’d be knitting, but the others were often working on a quilting project.

When I finally decided it was time I started making a quilt for the first time, I thought sewing one for a baby would be perfect. Fewer pieces to cut and sew (and hopefully fewer mistakes)! But my favourite part about quilting is choosing the fabric. I’ve been known to come across beautiful pieces of fabric, purchase them, only to have them sit in my fabric drawer unused. But I love this part the most because I’m passionate about surface pattern design (and also because my sewing skills need a bit of improvement).

When I finally get the courage to challenge myself to create a large & stunning quilt, here are some examples of modern quilts I love (courtesy of Pinterest).

There are so many quilt fabrics on the market; it’s hard to say what kind of style is a favourite. But I have a particular soft spot for hand screen-printed fabrics. I love the textural feel, the hand drawn 1-2 colour designs and knowing they’ve been lovingly printed by hand. I also like bold geometric designs and can’t go past a beautiful floral, tree, leaf or bird design, whatever the style.

Clockwise from top left: Umbrella Prints – Rock Garden Stone Flowers, Lucie Summers – Summersville Scandi, Fabric Drawer (my own screen-printed fabric) – Flower Fans, Cloth – Rose

I can’t say there’s a particular style I don’t like, because I’m sure I can find a design I’m fond of in every style; it’s the colour that usually attracts me to a fabric first and prompts me to pull it out to have a closer look at the design. So if the colour palette doesn’t grab my attention initially then I’m unlikely to look or like it.

Clockwise from top left: NI Melody – Multi, Ink & Spindle – Various, Cloth – Gumnuts, Kristen Doran – name unknown

I think finding your unique style is the challenging part of being a designer, because you can be influenced and inspired by so many different artists/styles and of course you change and grow as a designer. I can only say my work fits into the broad category of contemporary/modern fabric design, but it’s so hard to be specific when I’m still experimenting!

More of some designs I love! Left: Alexander Henry – Marchesa Grey. Right: Modern Home – Herringbone.

The fabric images came via Cloth, Ink & Spindle and the fab online fabric store: www.kelanifabric.com.au

Firstly, thank you for all your votes in the Readers Choice Award. It was an amazing feeling to win! : ) Thank you lovely judges for your votes and helpful feedback. I CAN’T BELIEVE I WON!

OK, back to the post… : )

Five years ago on a trip to NYC I came across the store Purl Soho. In the window was an amazing quilt in fabulous prints. That gorgeous quilt turned out to be Single Girl by Denyse Schmidt in her fabric collection Katie Jumps Rope.

So started my love of quilting.

Soon I was reading books and searching online for various piecing and quilting techniques. I’ve taken classes at my local fabric and quilt shops, from hand quilting to improv piecing. I learn something new every time I turn on my sewing machine.

I joined the East Bay Modern Quilt Guild 3 years ago and really enjoy the learning and camaraderie of being a part of this group. I’ve gone from making lap sized quilts to making a King sized quilt. Eek!

I work with a variety of fabrics, both pattern and solids in my quilts. I’ve used Quilting Cotton, Voile, Cotton Lawn, Linen and Denim. I’m in the process of making a Scrap Improv quilt, a Double Disappearing Nine Patch quilt, and a large Half-Square Triangle quilt. I recently finished a lap sized Half-Square Triangle quilt using Kona solids for Stitch Modern the EBMQG show. Yes, I like a lot of different quilt styles (see more here), Hexys are next on my list…. : )

‘Diamond Life’ – my quilt for Stitch Modern (front and back)

In February I attended QuiltCon and it was amazing! I’ve attended Quilt shows before, but this one really spoke to me. It was great to share time with friends and fellow quilty people. I saw some great lectures and talks by designers and quilt makers, all encouraging you to do it your way. You can see some of these fabulous talks on Craftsy here.

Part of the purpose of this post is to write about what quilt fabric I like and don’t like. I find that hard to do, I like so many! Sure, there are some designs that I am instantly drawn to and love. Here Amy Butler, Anna Maria Horner, Denyse Schmidt firstly come to mind.

Favorite fabric (from left) by Denyse Schmidt, Amy Butler and Anna Maria Horner.

I have a love for Japanese fabrics and love the painter feel of Nani Iro and the graphicness of Echino. I also have a huge appreciation for Liberty of London fabrics. Looking at all these gorgeous fabrics I see that I can be drawn to fabrics that have a more defined style or a lovely loose painterly style, though all of them have a wonderful palette. A fabulous color palette gets me every time.

Favorite fabric (from left) by Echino, Nani Iro and Liberty of London.

If I’m going to put lots of time and effort into making something like a quilt, I want it to be something that I’ll enjoy looking at and using years from now. That doesn’t mean that it all has to be pretty, I like quirky too.

Favorites from left: Tsuru by Rashida Coleman-Hale, Architextures by Carolyn Friedlander, Mirror Ball Dots by Michael Miller Fabrics, Neo Dot by Michael Miller Fabrics.

There are of course fabrics that I’m not drawn to, those that tend to be more murky in pattern and tone. While there are some lovely Batiks, there are some that seem to get too dank and blobby. It’s all a matter of personal taste. I’d buy Batiks in a sarong, but I really don’t want to sew them into a quilt. What’s funny here is that my high school art major work was an appliquéd wall hanging… out of batik fabric that I made….

Artwork in high school… many moons ago.

I feel like I’ll always be a student of fabric and am researching continuously. Looking at new and old at the same time. Coming from a graphic design background, I find I tend to work in a style that suits the project or collection. My designs might have a more graphically defined style or a loose painterly style, but I hope that you will always see my hand, design sensibility and color sense.

Cheers,
Kim.

Fabric coming soon by Kim Andersson ; )

I am a life-long admirer of quilts- starting with my baby quilt (lanky)- which i still have in tatters, as well as Lanky Two which I re-backed with some fabric I made in art school and my babies now use!

the remains of my baby quilt- where it all started…

the back is a faux-bois I made in Intro to Textiles, the front is Lanky Dos, hastily reassembled before the birth of my first child!

I love  “outsider” quilts such as the exquisite quilts of Gee’s Bend.

this is a book of these quilts- run dont walk if you havent already seen them! Click on the image for more

I have attempted several quilts- some I have even finished (gave them all away! no pics!), although I do have at least 5 still underway in my studio at the moment. My approach to quilting has always been to use up scraps from other sewing projects, or old clothes that are too worn to wear but too dear to throw away. Over the years of my screen printed fabric design business we collected a LOT of scraps of a LOT of colorful silks and cotton velvets- so I have a couple of quilts on the go from these beauties.

Silk scraps!!! Colour saturation par excellence. Yum!

This is just the tip of the hexy iceburg- i have a box with hundreds more waiting to be sorted…Destined to be an all velvet wonky hexagon extravaganza!

I just read a very motivating modern quilting book- Sunday Morning Quilts which is all about the scrap possibilities. I’ve been ploughing through books on quilting from the library and this one is my favourite so far.

Fabulous book about quilting with scraps- very inspiring!

I have been sloooowly over many years collecting for a quilt made up of brand-new, unused patterned fabric, nervous to cut it up as it’s quite expensive and so lovely: Liberty tana lawn.

A selection from my liberty stash. My treasures!

Of all the quilting fabric on the market today, I love Liberty tana lawn the best- it’s SO soft and silky and fantastic. The patterns consistently appeal to me- I love the colours and I’m a total sucker for their florals. Here are just a few right now that I need to work with soon… (Click on the image for more info…)

the hidden repeat, the attention to detail, the sizzling palette- all combine to make one gorgeous Liberty print!

this has been a fave pattern of mine for a LONG time- perfect colour & tone balance no matter what the colorway – and so simple and jolly.

There’s something very relaxing AND stimulating in the liberty florals- the repeat fades into the background and the colours pop- sublime!

A non-floral Liberty beauty for you- the tried and true primaries plus black and white palette is very satisfying. I love the movement in this pattern- it’s electric!!

Before I was involved in Repeat(ed), I was woefully under-informed about the quilting fabric scene- and I have learned a TON about the various manufacturers making fabric for quilters these days. I just read Kaffe Fassett’s autobiography, Dreaming in Colour- a total page turner, highly recommended- and I love many of his quilting fabrics for the UK company Westminster/Rowan. I am drawn to his colour palette- the hot pinks and rich reds are pretty irresistible.

Persian Vase: i love the hot colours and the jam-packedness of this design

Palm Fan: Such a spring-y palette and great forms too

Oriental Trees: this one is so saturated and scorching- sign me up!

I  like a lot of Japanese fabrics available to quilters, my main go-to for these is superbuzzy.com- their books and crafty kits are off the charts too. Heaven. Here are some of the Japanese fabrics I’m eyeing at the moment…

Kasuri – Sakura – Indigo:
I really love the indigo and the look of a stencil in this very traditional pattern

kimo-tangerine:
I love the colours in this one, and the bold graphic quality

I also admire individual designers including the judges of this competition! One of the major factors that motivated me to apply was the incredible line up of talent in the judge pool- even in my quilt world ignorance I was aware of Amy Butler ‘s luscious fabrics and patterns, as well Kim Kight, her awesome blog, True Up, and her really useful book A Field Guide to Fabric Design.

I’m not a huge fan of the holiday-themed fabrics on the market. Santa, pumpkins, witches and easter bunnies… just not my cup of tea. I like to keep an open mind though and I love being surpised by something I thought I wouldn’t like. We did this amazing exercise once when I was in my first year of art college, where we chose two colours that we did not like together. I chose baby blue and beige. Then we all talked about what we liked about our choices. My friend Lisa said mine reminded her of the sand and the sky and in that moment I LOVED that colour combo, and I have ever since- and I always think about this when I react negatively to a pattern or colour palette. It’s so cool how re-framing something can change how we feel about it.

As far as my pattern designs go, I think my work fits in best with the smaller design houses, like Cloud9 or Echino,

Cloud9 Seven Seas:
Love the graphic simplicity of this pattern, and the colours too!

Cloud9 Simpatico:
i like the broken geometric a lot and the muted tones are pretty nice too. it’s about the pink for me!

Echino: Cherry:
I love the colours and the contrast between detail and silhouette in this piece

 I also think Alexander Henry could be a good fit.

AH Broome Street Blossom:
I love the shades of red against this steely blue, and of course the twinkly nature of these little blooms!

AH Urban Garden:
I am really drawn to the primary palette at the moment- with some neutrals thrown in for good measure.

Generally I find my style fits best in the European or Japanese (kawaii!) manufacturing scene. Here are a few examples of my work over at Spoonflower…

kateaustindesigns: Park: Toronto
I love blue and pink together- especially as a mother of boys! Let EVERYONE wear pink please! And blue too!

Skyscraper: Montreal
La belle ville- I love cities- there are patterns everywhere!

Vine: Spring
The seasons are a constant source of inspiration to me- right now spring is on my mind!

I have learned so much about the vibrant contemporary quilting world in these last couple of months and now more than ever I wish I had 300 extra hours in a week JUST for sewing… Hope you have enjoyed my musings!! Happy quilting!!!!

Oh, boy, this post was tough. I am not a quilter. My mom taught me to sew when I was in grade school, but we only really made clothes. The only thing I’ve sewn in the last few years is a whole bunch of stuffed cats like the one in my photo over there. That being said, I sure do know the value of a handmade item, especially a handmade blanket. My most treasured belonging is a baby afghan I’ve had since birth, and it still has a spot on my bed! I actually learned to crochet so I could make blankets as special as mine for other people, only to realize my blanket was knitted. oops. I crocheted many afghans. But I don’t quilt, so I had some homework to do!

‘The Road Less Traveled’ by Mary Rowan Quinn.
Quilters Newsletter, Feb/Mar 2012

I went to the library, read through some books and magazines on quilts, and it opened up a whole new world for me! I was only vaguely aware of art quilts before this. Now I want to make one. I really really do. And I can use my own fabric in it! <squeal!> Here’s one of my favorites (I hope it’s okay to post this):

After a bunch of book research, I went to my local fabric store. I’m there often enough, but this time I was on assignment. I had to take it seriously. Here are some thoughts I had: 1) You quilters have so much variety! Go over to the garment fabric section and there’s a teeny tiny fraction of the number of prints you guys have. SO jealous! 2) Maybe I’ll just have to become a quilter.

What I like:  Do you mean, what types of fabrics do I like? Or what do I like about the industry? I think the second question is beyond me as of yet. As for types of fabrics, I LOVE florals. Especially modern florals. Big, bold prints, tiny delicate prints, maybe any floral that has great colors. And there are SO many of them. Even so, while browsing through, like, hundreds of floral prints, I could see room for hundreds more. I suspect I was only seeing the tip of the iceberg, too. I spent a lot of time online at quilting fabric stores, and only saw a little crossover. I also like that designs from every period and region can be found, so a quilter isn’t limited to whatever is currently in style. That’s fantastic. There were designs in every genre that I loved. Here are a few examples out of many:

‘Storm Clouds’ by Tula Pink for Free Spirit

‘Cherry Blossom Tangle’ by Jane Dixon for Andover Fabrics

‘Artistic Orchards’ by Elissa Barbieri for Clothworks

What I don’t like:  A good-sized chunk of the novelty prints. There is a lot to love in the novelty department, but tossed prints of random items over a black background is not it.

Where I might fit in: hmm. Remember how I love florals? Well, it turns out I almost never design them. Probably because I have no trouble finding florals to love! I also don’t do the big, bold, modern geometrics I love. So those categories are right out. What I love to create is delicate, hand-drawn designs. Maybe tell a bit of a story. And occasionally have some rodents animals in them. I’d probably fit in the children’s prints pretty well. I think I’d rather design for the grown-ups, though. I suppose the novelty department would have to take me. I have a lot of interests, and that might be the best place to use them.

If I took away nothing else from this assignment, it’s that there is a ton of room for new designs, despite the huge variety already out there. Hopefully, we can each create what we love and the market will find us all a little spot!

I don’t even know where to begin with this blog post. I only recently looked into the world of quilting in terms of where it is today. I was one of the people who thought that quilting was relegated to grandmother’s making patchwork blankets for babies. Quilts have to be pastel and pretty, right? Wrong. Just snooping around the internet has lead me to discover amazing things being made by quilters.

I come from a visual arts background, with some experience in apparel. I had never even really considered quilting as way to idealize a visual. I’m glad to see that quilts are being looked at as art, and not just a hobby.

I really like that piece on the wall over there. What’s the medium, quilt?

I adore quilts and quilting.  My mother is a master quilter (you can see her work at http://appleavenuequilts.blogspot.com/) and the quilts she has made for me mean so much.  Every night when I sleep under the multiple beautiful quilts she and my grandmother have made for me over the years, I feel safe and secure knowing that someone loves me enough to spend countless hours designing, cutting and sewing just for me.   I have tried my hand at piecing and, though I enjoy it, I definitely have not had enough practice to become good at that skill.  However, I think it is really important to at least try making a quilt if you want to design quilting fabric.  It gives you a much better idea why quilt fabric lines are designed with varying scales, pattern densities and visual arrangements.

Here’s one of my attempts at making quilt blocks:

Not terrible for a beginner, but certainly not good!

Until I started researching for this blog post I never realized what kind of fabrics I like.  I usually just walk into a quilt store and purchase a few things I like without really thinking about my whole fabric collection.  Gathering and sorting images for this post made me realize that I tend to lean towards folksy, 1950′s and 1960′s inspired prints as well as prints either reproduced from or inspired by small early 1900′s prints.  I LOVE what is happening in Japanese linen right now, particularly anything by the bran Kokka!  Japanese linen currently has a way of pulling off adorable without making it saccharin sweet.  If I had to describe the overarching theme of the fabrics I like it would come down to one word: CUTE.

Here’s some of my favorite Japanese linens:

Ballerina Cheater from the Trefle collection by Kokka, Linen Retro Kitchen Birds by Kokka, Linen Flower Mushroom Border by Kokka, Japanese Linen Cars, Bus Fabric by Echino

Here are a few of my favorite early 1900′s inspired prints:

Storybook Classics Yellow Bubblegum Flower by Whistler Studios for Windham Fabrics, Naptime Camellia Bitty Bunnies by Darlene Zimmerman for Robert Kaufman Fabrics, Grace in a Pickle Cream Flower Dots by Judie Rothermel for Marcus Brothers Fabrics, Glamping Honey Bee Social Butterfly by Mary Jane Butters for Moda Fabrics, Cat and Bird in Blue by Anyan for Yuwa

I also love prints with a very graphic quality.  Here’s a few:

Viewfinders Fabric by Melody Miller for Kokka Fabric, Clementine Pink Duck Walk by Dear Stella Fabrics, 2wenty Thr3e Petal Admit One 2wenty Thr3e by Eric and Julie Comstock of Cosmo Cricket for Moda Fabrics,  More Happy Dishes Go With Me  byMelody Miller

As for what fabrics I dislike, my biggest pet peeve is fabric that uses many bright, flashy colors with white accents and no true dark or defining colors.  I’m also not a huge fan of fabrics featuring illustrations of people that are very realistic and detailed (I prefer a more stylized approach.)  I do not care for fabrics that feature licensed characters that have simply been slapped on without much care for composition or orientation.

Where do I fit in this quilt fabric world?  Honestly, I would probably say that I fit into the more ‘cute’ categories. I would like to be able to design for anyone, to be able to be a bit of chameleon based on what was needed.  But I know that may not be the smartest way to start.  It seems that in this blog and social networking saturated reality we live in now you have to have a signature style to gain traction.  Perhaps I could start with trying to be known for cute fabrics and then design other styles under a different name?  Time will tell.  I figure I’ll just keep building my portfolio and see how it all shakes out….

Raise your hand if you are a quilting newbie… *raises hand*

Last year I attended my first quilt show purely by chance because I was looking for something to do on a rainy weekend and happened to live across the road. Most of the quilts were more traditional in style and were beautiful, then there were a handful of modern quilts that really made me rethink what I thought quilt could be. The quilt show was also overflowing with fabric stalls selling colours and patterns that I’d never seen in stores here.

Fast forward to today after I’ve spent hours (and then some more hours) trawling through pinterest and quilting blogs and consider my mind blown! Quilts are completely brilliant and as soon as my sewing machine is out of storage (and perhaps after I’ve finished weaving in all the tails on my current crochet project) I want to start one!

I pinned and pinned and pinned everything that I spoke to me (you can check out the board here). Finally I looked back over the images and wondered “where is all the patterned fabric?”. Now I understand the importance of solid coordinates!

I suffer a bit from liking most things, especially anything that lets me see into the world of craftsperson who made it. There are definitely two categories of quilts that I like though. There are those that I’d love on my bed or hanging on my wall and those that I’d love to admire in a exhibition or at someone else’s home, but wouldn’t necessarily choose in my own home. I tried to keep my pinboard to the former.

Rebel Amish Quilt by Adrianne Ove (Front and Back) – I love the colours, triangles and the use of negative space.

I’ve learned that I love strong geometric elements in a quilt and also gravitate towards quilts that utilise negative space. I spotted some quilts online that captivated me with how the stitching related to the placement of fabric, such as this quilt (first image) by Jess H from the Wollongong Modern Quilt guild (apparently a first timer, there is hope for me yet), and this pillow (not a quilt I know) by Julianna over at fatquartly.com. It is hard to see all the details in a lot of the online images so I’m keeping my eye out for the next quilt show near me.

I also went to one of the big fabric chains here in Brisbane to see if I could find some fabric that wowed me but I left underwhelmed. Everything in Australia seems to be twice the price with half the range. I’ll have to check out some of the speciality fabric stores, though I’m already dreading the prices. I can see why quilting shows are so popular here with the range on sale compared to in stores.

I only wish I had done this exercise before the first challenge. When I look at my pretty new pinboard of quilts and then back to colour choices I made the last challenge they don’t relate. I had given thought to how a quilter might chop up the print but my mind was elsewhere when it came to colour.

I’ll end of with a family treasure! A quilt belonging to my mother that was completely hand stitched by one of my amazing aunts and presented to my parents as a thank you gift. Because of what this quilt means to my family it is impossible for me to critique its aesthetics or do anything other than completely adore it.

Hello. Nice to be with you for this next round! To be honest, I know only the basics about quilting and sewing. So far, I’ve successfully sewn curtains and pillowcases— straight lines, please! So to my wonderfully talented seamstress friends I sometimes refer the art of sewing as “inside-out and backwards making.” I would love to learn to quilt… and will quite possibly do so at my local fabric store, The Quilted Angel… just as soon as I get to those other 101 things on my learning list.

I have been a fabric COLLECTOR forever. When I lived in San Francisco I wore only 40’s vintage clothing and if I found something I loved, but it was the wrong size, I would usually buy it anyway, just to own the print. My stash includes many a rayon robe, which also makes a cute dress with big boots— but I digress. I tend to assign personalities to fabrics… so some of the rolled up remnants just speak to me and I can’t leave them to sit waiting for someone to give them a good home!

Although I know many of the most successful fabric designers come from a sewing and pattern background, some of my favorite fabric designers began their careers in design or illustration so that gives me hope. I’m currently taking Michelle Fifis’ online course called The Sellable Sketch Workshop and this week an assignment for the class really helped me to better define the specifics of what I like in my own and others’ work. For style, it’s more + more + MORE! I’m drawn to detailed, swirling, sophisticated yet imperfect lines; lacy textures, fictional plant life; a painterly quality and puzzle-like hidden pictures and/or meaning. I’m also obsessed by STORIES— fully formed collections with lots to say in each print, and if they relate back to the main pattern in some clever way, even better! Many of these are youth-oriented and sweet like Heather Ross’ collections which can now be found on Spoonflower.

Heather Ross_Far Far Away 2

I would like to find my niche in designing for quilters and craftspeople who are inspired to sew other things too, maybe because that’s what I can imagine sewing. I adore some of the children’s clothes I’ve seen made with Rashida Coleman Hale’s Washi Tape and the home decor use of Amy Butler’s work is stunning. I’m also a dedicated fan of Bari J and last fall I followed her preparation for the Houston Quilt Market via twitter which turned out to be a very insightful view of what goes into a show like that. Her collections have a wonderful mix of styles that surprise and inspire.

Rashida Coleman Hale_Washi Tape

Amy Butler_Lark

Bari J_LillyBelle

I follow A LOT of designers but everything I’m posting today are those that rise to the top in the quilt market for me. These are just a taste of a few of my favorite designers and their collections that I feel represent the above description of what I like. Not necessarily their newest work but they fit the look that I’m captivated by. Some are color masters or subject stylists but all have a strong identifiable brand and look.

Sarah Watson_Indian Summer

Tula Pink_Saltwater

Denyse Schmidt_Flea Market

Sarah Jane_Playhouse

Emily Isabella_Yay Day

Dear Stella_Carousel

Anna Griffin_Pinelope

Celia Birtwell_Various Patterns

I believe my work would fit into this genre of design for the quilt market. I bring an inky, playful and spontaneous illustration style. Organized yet organic, charming yet not cutesy. I would like to learn more about scale and often I’m torn about how to show my designs because if they are too small you miss the uniqueness of the pen and ink line.

I CRAVE assignments and have so many ideas waiting to be worked up into full designs. The Printed Bolt is especially great because the challenge topics really help me focus on designing beyond a general or purely decorative theme. Many thanks to Madeline, Ellen, TBP judges, and all the friendly designers and bloggers who have been encouraging and helpful to me via social media or direct contact.

This year I will approach companies I would most like to work with but as the contest moves along I’d be thrilled to get noticed by a fabric manufacturer who feels my style would compliment their offerings. Um, greetings: Robert Kaufman, Art Gallery Fabrics, Free Spirit, Blend, P&B Textiles. (My manufacturer favorites list is pretty long… I literally chose at random here!)

As for quilt designs, my favorite styles are, or look, vintage: very busy blocks or hand-stitched and pieced-together wavy scraps. This is a good looking e-book of historical quilts that I found on True Up. Below are details of fabric from my own favorite quilts. These are simple treasures that tell the stories of who we are and the love and talent that keeps us safe and warm.

From chisels to space suits every task is made easier with a tool of the trade.  If you’re a baker you need an oven or if you’re an accountant you need an abacus.  Pick an occupation and pack your toolbox for a day on the job.  Feel free to travel through time from the tools of the Neolithic to the technology of today.  Show us how you’ll get the job done in one print.  Choose three solid colors to make your collection complete.

Sadly we’ll say goodbye to two more designers with the feedback from the April judges – Michele Rosenboom, Michelle Fifis, and Greta Songe.

Huge congrats to Kim for your win this round!  It was so well deserved!  I look forward to seeing more from you and the rest of the contestants throughout the competition.  Also, huge thank you to Ellen and Madeleine for inviting me to play along.  This was so fun and inspiring!

I can see that you all put your heart and soul into your designs and I love that!  I know how difficult it is to put your work out there for the world to see.  It’s your baby and having it critiqued is sometimes an overwhelming feeling. (Sometimes giving the critique is difficult too!) I can honestly say that I’ve learned so much more from my peers’  feedback of my work than anything.

We as designers have many different points of view and although you may not always agree with what someone says about your work, I think there really is something special about letting another set of eyes take a look.  You may receive feedback that will completely change your direction or give you that oh so wonderful ‘Aha!’ moment.  Or not.

I’m not sure where I’m going with this, but I suppose I’m just trying to say that this is such a wonderful opportunity to learn, show the world what you can do and just shine!  Don’t worry about the outcome or what you think the judges will say.  Do your best work, relax, have fun.  You’re ALL so talented and your work reflects that talent.  Embrace it.  Be bold and daring, but most of all be true to yourself and your art.  The rest will come together!   Congratulations to you all and bonne chance! ^_~