calypso

calypso
calypso by maude asbury

August 29, 2012

Designer Josephine Kimberling


Hi Everyone!  I'm Josephine Kimberling, one of the designers thrilled to be working with Blend Fabrics, stopping by to let you know a bit about myself as well as my new fabric collection Hope Chest.

I am a licensing artist who specializes in creating surface patterns and design solutions for a variety of companies.  About a year and a half ago I left the corporate world of 12 years to work for myself.  I grew up in Stockton, CA and moved to Seattle, WA to attend the Art Institute of Seattle where I earned a degree in Graphic Design and Illustration.


In addition to fabric, my artwork can be found on a growing list of products such as stationery, life organization, magnets, rubber stamps and even cake decorations!  I'm still coming down off of all the work that follows Surtex, and have some exciting, but still secret, things to come down the pike.

You can find me on my website, blog, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, Flickr and Linked In.

When creating my Hope Chest collection, the novels of Jane Austin and the beauties surrounding 19th-century England inspired me.  I consider myself one of the lucky girls since my husband enjoys watching movies like Pride and Prejudice and other British drama's with me.  We seem to watch so many and each time I see them, the colors, the textures and the collective types of fabric designs really strike me.  With Hope Chest, my aim was to create a fabric collection that captures my love of this period and that combines a modern and handcrafted take on a romantic sensibility.  Uniting the hopeless romantic with a dash of modern style and delicious color.
I just wrapped up my Hope Chest photo shoot a few weeks ago, received the pictures and am thrilled to share some of them with you today.  You can see more of them on my website, Facebook and Flickr.  If you are interested in knowing which sewing pattern I used, please swing by the inspiration page on my website for details.


With my background in fashion as a textile designer, my focus for my everyday fabric collections is to create a line of prints that women can see themselves wearing.  While I'm pulling everything together to make my vision a reality in my photo shoots, I focus on using sewing patterns that are relevant to the fashions going on now, and strive to mix my prints in a way that would inspire the wearer to feel very put together and pretty.

Like many artists, art and drawing have been a lifelong thread throughout my life.  Believe or not, I started out drawing realistically with pencil - things such as people, landscapes and horses.  However, my first job was working as a Textile Designer for Nordstrom and something just clicked.  It was where my style, aesthetic and cumulative art knowledge truly started to develop a life of it's own.  I also stopped drawing in shades of grey and my love for creating unique color combinations took over and flourished.
Now that I'm working for myself, I feel like each day is full of things I love to do - like it's just an extension of me so it doesn't really feel like work at all.  I absolutely love it!  So, when I'm not 'working' I enjoy spending time watching Downtown Abbey on rerun or Pixar and Disney flicks, visiting Barnes and Noble for a few hours to stock up on magazines while drinking a chai tea latte, shopping for the latest fashions to update my closet or my home and exercising such as running, hiking, weightlifting and Pilate's.  My husband is my absolute best friend who I'm lucky loves everything I've listed above, except for the shopping bit and choice of drink.  We've been married for 11 years this year and time sure flies when you are having fun!

Working with Blend has been an absolute wonderful experience {Thanks Anna, Joe and Kate for absolutely everything!}  I also attended my first Quilt Market this year with Blend, which was absolutely awesome!  It was so fun to experience Quilt Market and to meet so many people.

I can't wait to share with you my next collection, which offers something completely different than Hope Chest.  Think vibrant and global... and shipping in January 2013!
Global Bazaar by Josephine Kimberling

Pin It

August 3, 2012

Blend Fabrics features...

Elephant & owl softies, diaper bags, fun quilt patterns and some free projects...  These are just a few of the fabulous projects made with Blend's fabrics.  I have been so lucky to meet and work with these wonderful people who are so talented and I wanted to share them with you!!


Kim is the designer & owner of Retromama, an outline boutique & Etsy shop of the most fabulous PDF patterns.  She designs these wonderful softies among other things and was kind enough to use some of our fabrics on her projects.  First off, her latest & greatest pattern cover "Doxie Softies - Milo & Moxie" features Blend's Spring Promise line by Ana Davis.  Also featured is Magic Garden on the elephant softies Tilly & Tommy, our Tinsel Christmas collection on Ruthie Bear, Molokai on the owl softies Stella & Stewart and Magic Garden (again - it is just that great) on bunny softie Betsy or is that Basil??
Check out Kim's online boutique - http://meylah.com/retromama
Etsy shop - http://www.etsy.com/shop/retromama
Oh and don't forget to check out her blog to see what's happening in the world of a Retromama.
Thanks Kim for everything - Can't wait to see what softie is next!!!!!


Next up the amazing bags from Clover & Violet...
Clara and Jennie are a mother-daughter duo who make up Clover & Violet.  A fantastic online site that carries PDF sewing patterns of anything your heart could desire of...  From diaper bags and handbags to clutches and travel bags, Clara & Jennie have it covered!  I was lucky enough to find them online & get a chance to work with them.  Check out their latest patterns (featuring Blend Fabrics on their covers) The Stella Bag, a diaper bag that has the room of a traditional bag, but not the look and The Charlotte Bag, a purse that has a lot of style for it's small size!  
Go to www.cloverandviolet.com to shop their patterns, check out their free tutorials or just read their blog.  Thanks to both Clara & Jennie & I look forward to working with them again real soon!!


This past Quilt Market in May, I meet so many great designers who do such amazing things with fabric. Carrie from Such Designs is one of these fabulous designers!  I was so excited to talk with her & brainstorm some ideas for a few of our collections and she was excited to get her hands on our Crabtastic collection by Maude Asbury.   Check out her Wonky Little Houses Quilt Pattern using Crabtastic...


What a perfect pattern to show-off all the fun details from this collection.  Lobsters, newsprint, utensils and condiments - everything you need plus the perfect pattern to make your own seaside picnic blanket.
I really look forward to seeing what else Carrie can do with some of our latest collections.
Check out her website www.suchdesigns.com to see all her wonderful patterns and don't forget to read her blog.  Where else would you see a perfectly good quilt thrown in a pool...  Thanks Carrie for sharing!!


Lastly & I hope you all know this already, but we have some wonderful quilt patterns free to download on our website.  From tropical fish to kid's hopscotch, from an array of geos to Christmas trees - There is something for everyone!!  Go to www.blendfabrics.com and click on the "projects" link to find the next quilt you will make.  Oh & don't forget to go to "where to buy" to find where you can purchase Blend Fabrics near you!  Here are a couple of our fun free projects available to download from one of our fabulous quilt designers, Mary Kay Davis for Threads on the Floor...
American Dream featuring Vintage Summer by Little Yellow Bicycle - a perfect summertime blanket for picnics and parties or for cheering on your favorite team at the Olympics - Go Team USA (see the little American flag blocks).
Kai - A fabulously fun quilt pattern of tropical fish featuring Molokai from Jessica Swift.   Hawaiian-inspired florals and foliage and amusing icons, Molokai is a an explosion of bold color.

Find these patterns and many more on our website... and don't forget to keep checking back with us to see our new collections and quilt patterns or just to see what is going on with our designers and the world of Blend.  Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest!!  Cheers!!!


Pin It