Fabric Friday - Bunting

Jonny's Sister

I will appologise now for this quick Fabric Friday post, but life is busy here! With all this talk of Birthdays and as it's August Bank Holiday weekend here in the UK I thought I'd feature some gorgeous fabric bunting.

Buttercup Boutique

Juicy Fig

Mushy Makes

Hollie Lollie

Nestables

Blue Moon Studios

Jump Up and Down

Love, September

Blueberry Park

Deborah Sparks

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If you need a fabric designer fix, catch up on Tuesdays post in which Valori Wells shared a day in her studio.

A Day in the Life - Valori Wells

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We must also catch up with Katie to see how her studio is coming along!

What Katie Did Next

A Day in the Life - Valori Wells

For me wonderful designers are like celebrities and if I am honest I feel in awe or a little star struck when I meet or speak to one.  So when Valori Wells replied to my request for people to feature in my new Day in the Life feature I was very excited, having recently featured Valori in a Fabric Friday post.

fabric stash heaven!

Valori is an incredibly busy working mother, as you can find out now as she shares a day in her creative life.

day in my studio.....


My day usually starts with email. I get my computer time out of the way so that I can create. What I create depends on what deadline I have. Right now I am working on new fabric designs so I am at my drawing table.

Drawing Table

 these are some drawings in progress for new fabric.

 

My studio is above our garage in our house. It is pretty big and has wonderful high ceiling and lots of natural light. There is lots of space, although I can fill it up pretty quick. I have room for the whole family because I never want my kids to think of my studio or my work as something that takes me away from them. We think of it as another family room. These days I have to keep an eye out for the baby since he is crawling everywhere and taste testing EVERYTHING!!! I am sure he will eat some fabric at some point.

Mama Photo Wall

this is a bulletin board that is above my cutting table that I put lots of photos of the family, sketches, inspirational words....etc.

I have lots going on in the studio at one time....fabric designing, new fabric to make samples out of, painting (something I like to do for fun), knitting projects, sometimes silk screening, work from the store there are lots of projects in the works. My attention span is pretty short so I like to be able to work on what is inspiring me at the time. And when I get stuck on a project it is nice to have something else to work on. Like piecing a quilt - it can be just labor and then I can let my brain rest. In turn I usually figure out what I am stuck on and go back to it. Probably not the best use of my time but I have to be willing to stop and go with the kids around and life being as busy as it is. There are times when I have to work on store projects at home and it is nice to have more than one thing going.

Bird Box 

I have an obsession with boxes, containers....this one holds my birds (another obsession that I have), rocks that I like to draw on....other things that mean something to me. My girlfriend from college sent me the hand one day and she wrote on it “I am always here to lend a hand”.

Inspiration Wall

one of the walls in my studio with lots of ideas on for fabric, patterns, etc. sometimes just stuff that I like at the time.

Inspiration comes in so many forms...my kids inspire me. Their love for life and just being with them fuels my creativity. I take lots of photos - especially around my home and where we live. I look through magazines and love to go to galleries and look at other peoples art work.

My Red Chair

 My mom bought me this chair one year...my love!! I sit and knit there, read to the kids, just contemplate....

Painting in progress

I love to paint and this is a painting I have in progress for my girlfriend Carolyn..I do hope to get it done soon!

Friends

My stuffed friends...they are from patterns that I have done or just made them because. The kids love to get them out and play with them in the studio.

Thank you so much Valori for sharing a day in your life. I also have to have several projects on the go as I get bored easily, I just need to remember to make time to finish some of them soon!

Valori Wells

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Fabric Friday - Valori Wells

Olive Rose

Wow what a week, where did it go?  Friday is upon us and it is time for Fabric Friday!  Today I am going to feature another Freespirit Fabric designer, Valori Wells. 

Urban Flannels

Valori was introduced to fabric from an early age, as her mother, a quilting fan, opened The Stitchin' Post in Sisters, Oregon, which Valori now co-owns.  However Valori grew to also love photography and led her to study a B.A. (Hons.) in Fine Arts, focussing on black and white photography, at Pacific Northwest College of Art.  Graduating in 1997 Valori received the school's 'Outstanding Photographer of the Year' award.

Del Hi

With her love for photography and printmaking Valori has designed patterns for fabric for over ten years.  Drawing on inspiration from her photographs and the landscape in Central Oregon Valori produces fantastic design, often in bold large prints. 

Sole - Sunflower

In 1999 Valori joined her mother at The Stitchin' Post and has established a knitting department and created an extensive website.  By being involved directly with quilters Valori can draw on their needs for projects when designing new textiles.

Kashmir - Birds

Aswell as designing fabric and being involved with The Stichin' Post Valori has written three books, 'Simple Start, Stunning Finish', 'Radiant New York Beauties' and 'Stitch 'n' Flip'.  She has also collaborated with her mother on three titles and the pair have just completed a series called 'Oh So Easy'  and has co-authored 'Lifestyle' with her friend, Carolyn Spencer.

  

Urban Flannels

I always feel inspired when I write Fabric Friday, whilst we often just think of the fabrics, the designers seem to be busy with many other projects and Valori Wells is no exception. 

Fabric Friday - Quilt Market

There has been a buzz coming across the Atlantic as the annual Quilt Market started in the US, with both major players and new entrants displaying their gorgeous prints for both trade and the general public. Quilt Market is pure eye candy for anybody who loves textiles as you stroll through stands displaying the latest designs from the likes of Valori Wells, Anna Maria Horner, Heather Bailey and many many more.  I have been patienetly waiting more updates being delivered to my inbox via the journal posts on The Fabric Shopper, offering fantastic photos from the show.  Having worked as a student in the marketing department for Ramm, Son & Crocker several years ago I can remember the amount of time taken putting together a stand for a trade show, such as Decorex and the buzz of excitement as it all comes together when it should...usually just in the nick of time!


Of course I could not keep these gorgeous photos to myself, so here you go, eye candy for all you fabric addicts!!

Anna Maria Horner

Valori Wells

Keri Byer

Patty Young

Sandi Henderson

Pillow & Maxfield

Michael Miller

Birch Fabrics

I have previously featured Birch Fabrics for Fabric Friday and am very excited to to see the preview of the Circa 60 range, due to be released later this year.

The Circa 50 range is now available to purchase from Fabricworm and other farbic retailers.

I would also like to take this opportunity to congratulate Jennifer of Monaluna, who was the designer for the Circa 50 range, on the birth of her first daughter a few days ago.