Showing posts with label Behind the Seams. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Behind the Seams. Show all posts

Thursday, May 24, 2018

Behind the Seams with fiveloaves twofish!


 Today, we're going Behind the Seams with 
 San Diego, CA
Fiveloaves Twofish is designed by two sisters (Heather & Kit). It is a lifestyle apparel brand that is based on telling stories through textiles.

Q: What's your favorite piece of work that you have created, your favorite project or your favorite part of the work day?
A: Each new season becomes our favorite. Our work days are so different so we love to hear the phone ring and have it be someone ordering. That makes for a great day!


Q: What are you working on at the moment?
A: We are currently working on our Spring 19 collections.

Q: What are your goals for the future, both work wise and life?
A: Our goals are to continue to grow and continue to be able to tell our stories.

Q: What are you doing when you're not creating or at work? What hobbies do you have?
A: (Heather) I love to travel and spend time with my kids.
A: (Kit) Spending time with my kids and "making" all kinds of things, especially repurposing.

Q: What would people be surprised to learn about you?
A: (Heather) I love teenage comedies.
A: (Kit) Loves sugar.


Q:  Where else can we find you? 
A: You can find us on our Facebook page, website, Instagram and, of course, our apparel in retailers.

Q:  What else should we know about you and your work?
A: We love what we do! We are inspired by the people in our lives and the everyday events that take place. Everyday is an occasion to celebrate!

Q: Do you have any tips or inspiring words for others? 
A: Invest in yourself. Each day has an occasion to celebrate, celebrate it!

Q: Do you admire any artists / people? (famous or not!) 
A:  (Heather) I really admire people who are passionate about what they do and how they contribute to society. I love passionate people.

Q: What is your favorite....
Color: At 5L2F we do not favor any color, they are like children we love them all!
Animal: We love all animals especially left in their own environment to enjoy life.
Season: At 5L2F we love celebrating all the moments in life the different seasons bring. The holidays are full of magic, memories and play. Halloween, Christmas, Valentines, Easter, birthdays... we are inspired by the lasting impressions these moments leave with us.
Movie: 5L2F loves the world of Disney. The classics from Snow White to new releases like Coco.
Book: Historical Fiction is a  guilty pleasure here at 5L2F. Stories from the past of real queens, kings and princesses always catch our attention.
Vacation Spot: We love to travel, we take small trips and take in our own home state of California. We go to the south and enjoy pralines, sweet tea and hospitality. We go to the northeast for tradition and to know our roots as Americans. We go out into the world from central, South America to Europe to Asia... if it is on Earth we want to go! We take one international trip at least a year to broaden our world view.
Food:Treats!!! Treats! Treats we love sweets, if you come to our design house you will find treats abound! We love beautiful cupcakes, meringue cookies, macaroons. We are inspired by the colors of confections and love to find beautiful treat shops.
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Here are some images of Just Shellin' designed by fiveloaves twofish.


 Make the quilt below! Click here for instructions.
*To the Beach Quilt designed by Tamara Kate
Just Shellin' is shipping to stores now!
Click HERE to view the collection online.

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Monday, April 30, 2018

Behind the Seams with Gertie!

Gretchen "Gertie" Hirsch
Beacon, NY
I'm a self-proclaimed international sewing starlet! I design glamorous vintage-inspired sewing patterns and fabric, write books, and travel the world teaching dressmaking workshops.

Q: What's your favorite piece of work that you have created, your favorite project or your favorite part of the work day?
A: My favorite thing I've created is my new independent line of sewing patterns, Charm Patterns by Gertie. These are beautifully designed and packaged dressmaking patterns inspired by the golden age of glamour. And of course I'm thrilled to be realizing my dream of having a line with Michael Miller Fabrics, as a longtime fan.
Q: What are you working on at the moment?
A: My goal is to release at least four Charm Patterns this year, so I am working very hard on that at the moment! But I'm writing this from my hotel at Disney World, as I'm just finishing up a three-week teaching trip to Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Orlando.

Q: What are your goals for the future, both work wise and life?
A: To release more patterns and online courses, and to continue to travel the world sharing my work.

Q: What are you doing when you're not creating or at work? What hobbies do you have?
A: I love swing dancing, old movies, and rockabilly music!

Q: What would people be surprised to learn about you?
A: That I don't believe that I was born in the wrong era. I'm a very modern woman at heart; I just love old-fashioned things! Also: I'm not afraid to look unkempt when I'm at home.

Q: Do you have any favorite blogs/magazines/IG feeds that you follow or read? 
A: One of my biggest inspirations (and expenses!) is following vintage sellers on Instagram. I love @Geronimovintage, @FabGabs, @Xtabayvintage, @sweetbeefinds, and many more! I also love Advanced Style for future ideas on becoming a fabulously eccentric old lady.

Q:  Where else can we find you? 
Q:  What else should we know about you and your work?
A: Most of my inspiration comes from vintage designs. I love shopping for old textiles and collecting ideas for fabrics. Old hankies, tablecloths, napkins, and of course dresses are my favorite things to collect. 
Q: Do you have any tips or inspiring words for others? 
A: I've been doing this for ten years, but I only feel recently that I'm really accomplishing the visual aesthetic I've been reaching for. Getting a little older and becoming more independent has made me more confident in my personal style. It's amazing how many self-limiting voices we can have, both internal and external. My goals lately are to listen to myself more fully and to trust myself to be in creative control of my own work.

Q: Do you admire any artists / people? (famous or not!) 
A:  Dita Von Teese is one of my main inspirations. Her sense of style and self is impeccable. When I'm unsure about a design, I often ask myself, "What would Dita do?"

Q: What is your favorite....
Color: Pink!
Animal: My rescue pets, a feisty chihuahua named Hattie and a beautiful grey cat named Henry
Season: Sundress season!
Vacation Spot: Disneyland
Food: Birthday cake
*with Hattie
*Henry
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Here's a sneak peek of Charming!
https://www.michaelmillerfabrics.com/new/charming.html
Charming will be in stores this August!
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We are so excited about our partnership with Gertie and we want to share the excitement with you! Comment below and let us know your favorite flower, book, movie or movie star and you'll be entered to win a fat 1/4 bundle of Charming! 

*And the winner is....
Jeanne!! 
"My favorite flower is the Gerber Daisy or pansies it's really too hard to pick. I really am completely smitten with this new line I already have many ideas of what I would do with this Fat Quarter bundle"

 


Monday, March 5, 2018

Behind the Seams with Lily Ashbury!

Stephanie Carter of Lily Ashbury Design
Vancouver, BC Canada
Hi, I'm Stephanie and I basically live to make things. I started my creative life as an illustrator and over the years I have created art for everything from food packaging, magazine ads, and dinnerware to stationary and home decor. And of course I love to design fabric. I do all of my designing from my warehouse studio in Vancouver, BC. I am often accompanied by my little Westie friend, Rosie.

Q: What's your favorite piece of work that you have created, your favorite project or your favorite part of the work day?
A: One of my favourite things to do is create mood boards for inspiration. At the start of every design project I create visual collage pages that I tack up around my desk to inspire me. I also like to choose appropriate music to go with my design ideas. I think of it kind of like wine pairing with your dinner, only music pairing with your design vision.

Q: What are you working on at the moment?
A: At the moment I am working on some little project ideas for my soon to be released fabric collection called "Isabella". I am not an expert at sewing but that doesn't stop me :)

I am also finalizing my take on a French Country fabric collection.
Q: What are your goals for the future, both work wise and life?
A: I have a love of collecting vintage things. I dream of traveling through Europe with my husband and plucking beautiful things from small town flea markets. We visited the Paris fleas and we are hooked!

Q: What are you doing when you're not creating or at work? What hobbies do you have?
A: My husband is the cook in the family (I consider myself very lucky) and he loves to entertain. My spare time is often spent with friends and family hosting dinner parties in a chaotic kid filled household.

Q: What would people be surprised to learn about you?
A: I'm also very much a businesswoman. I own two other companies: Image Zoo and Art Print Club. I wear many different hats and I approach business with as much enthusiasm as I do my creative endeavours. 

Q: Do you have any favorite blogs/magazines/IG feeds that you follow or read? 
A: Some of my favorites are here:
Poppytalk
Print Pattern
The Jungalow

Q:  Where else can we find you? 
Q:  What else should we know about you and your work?
A: I'm a bit ADD in terms of my style. I like to experiment and love re-creating myself this way.

Q: Do you have any tips or inspiring words for others? 
A: "Never give up your creative passion. It is something that you can always draw upon for joy through good times and bad. It can be a real lifeline at times, so nurture it."

Q: Do you admire any artists / people? (famous or not!) 
A: Too many to list really.

Q: What is your favorite....
Color: This seems to change regularly but I keep coming back to red
Animal: Pigs (because the smile)
Season: Spring and Fall
Vacation Spot: Palm Springs
Food: Peanut Butter and Cambazola (but not together!)
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Friday, January 5, 2018

Behind the Seams with Axelle Valentin!

Today, on Making It Fun, we're going Behind the Seams with our new licensed designer...
*photo credit: Sophie Masiewicz
*photo credit: Sophie Masiewicz
Axelle Valentin
Location: Nantes (west of France, 1 hour and a half from Noirmoutier's Island!) 
I am 39 years old, married (since 10 years this July ;)) and have two kids: a boy 9 years old and a girl nearly 7 years old. I've decided to work from home to become full time a surface pattern designer and to raise my kids. 

Q: What's your favorite piece of work that you have created, your favorite project or your favorite part of the work day?
A: One of my favorite piece of work I was really proud of is my painting for the anniversary of cinema, made when I was 17 years old for a national contest. It has been exposed during one month in the "Cinematheque" inside the Palaisi Chaillot in Paris just in front of the Eiffel Tower. Now I've offered it to my son for his bedroom.

Q: What are you working on at the moment?
A: I am preparing new autumn-winter patterns collection for Premiere Vision Design trade show in Paris, where fashion brands will come from every country. And I am thinking of a few new stationary products for local Christmas markets.
*Axelle in her studio *photo credit Helene Petit Village
Q: What are your goals for the future, both work wise and life?
A: I wish I could create all my life long, as I do not even know if it will be enough to draw all my ideas!
When my kids leave home, I wish I could organise creative workshops with nice tea times and home made cakes... Meanwhile, I would like to learn always new techniques, meet other designers and follow some summer courses at Saint Martin School in London...
*Axelle creating in Proce park *photo credit: Sophie Masiewicz
Q: What are you doing when you're not creating or at work? What hobbies do you have?
A: I am fond of cooking, especially pastry... even at the London College of Printing, my personal project was a recipe book...
And I try to swim and run once a week to keep healthy mind in a healthy body... and it's always when I am outside that I find new ideas!

Q: What would people be surprised to learn about you?
A: My godfather gave me a second name "Fleur" which means flower in English... and honestly flowers are what I love the most to draw, funny isn't it?

Q: Do you have any favorite blogs/magazines/IG feeds that you follow or read? 
A: I love the fresh but also stylish IG of my friend Helene (who came home to take pictures of me yesterday especially for you!) helene petit village
And since I've signed with MMF, I enjoy reading inspiring posts from Sarah Jane Studios.

Q:  Where else can we find you? 

Q:  What else should we know about you and your work?
A: Both of my parents like to paint, and the colorful portrait on my office table has been painted by my dad! 

*photo credit Helene Petit Village
In my childhood, my really first drawings were flowers and rainbows... and the funny thing is that they were already repeated!! Later, I've taken a few classes on Wednesday afternoons: drawing, painting, sculpture and later on silver jewelry when I was in London. Also, I've been a member of a photo club for a few years to be able to get my own black & white pictures when I was living in Paris and start using colors only when I've decided to change my way of life and arrived in Nantes! I've learned Illustrator at the London College of Printing where I spent a lot of time in charity shops and flea markets to find vintage clothes with nice patterns.
*photo credit: Sophie Masiewicz

When a friend of mine, Domitille, taught me how to sew, I did not find in the shops the the fabrics I've had in my head, so I've decided to create them...

My main inspiration is nature, which I like to stylize to get fine lines and add colors from my own.

Q: Do you have any tips or inspiring words for others? 
A: For style, do really what you love. .. It's often the designs I've done for myself or presents for friends which has been sold first!

For those who wish to learn how to create patterns, it's really useful to take some classes on Illustrator or Photoshop (some are free online), you will save precious time!!

Q: Do you admire any artists / people? (famous or not!) 
A: In my town, I've met these two artists who are as nice people as talented artists: Izumi Idoia for her Japanese style and so delicate paintings and Dominique Le Bagousse and his funny little bears.

Q: What is your favorite....
Color: green
Animal: birds as they can fly
Season: I would say summer even if I like a lot of spring as well for the flowers...
Movie:"The Party" with Peter Sellers, which I find so funny and original.
Book: "Grain d'aile" my first book of Paul Eduard with the wonderful watercolors of Jacqueline Duhême, the story of a little girl who wished to fly...
Vacation Spot: Noirmoutier, a lovely island where I like to camp with my family to get closer to nature and do a digital detox ;-)


Food: the Nantes' cake, the original pastry of my town, with almonds, which was really rich in rum to be kept during days for sailors on boats. I've even create a poster for my relatives as they always ask me for the recipe
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Axelle's debut line with Michael Miller will hit stores in February! Here's a sneak peek of Strawberry Tea...
If you'd like to win a fat 1/4 bundle of Strawberry Tea before it arrives in stores, just comment and let us know what you'd make! 

Congratulations to Michelle for winning the Strawberry Tea bundle!
"I would make a quilt for my oldest daughter (about to turn 15). She would love this color palette!"
 

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