… designing fabric (part 2)

Oops. . . Blogger required me to log-in again. . . (long time - no post!)  So sorry. . . Quilt Market prep has pretty much overtaken all my time. And then, for some reason, I seem to come up with a bunch of ideas for projects - in the weeks just before Market. So, I've had to decide what I really have time to make & what will have to wait until after Market. As of today, I'm in pretty good shape & I've come to terms with the fact that I can't do it all!


I'm really looking forward to Market this time. I will get to see folks that I haven't seen in months, meet the new Lecien designers, & also meet some Australian designers that are coming to visit Market for the first time. (I'm so looking forward to that!)


Also, my fabric line, Georgia Lou, will be presented at this Market. ... But for you shop owners - I do believe that if you have a Lecien rep - they are showing it now & if not - then Checker also is distributing Lecien now! (Also - I do know that Shabby Fabrics already has it available online!)


So. . . back to my fabric designing process. . .  (that is if you can remember back to the beginning post!)


After I have sent in all my ideas, swatches, sketches, . . . & colors it's the beginning of waiting. (You get really good at waiting. . .) While I'm waiting. . . the design department at Lecien is very busy prepping what I have sent - as well as evaluating how well it might do in the fabric markets around the world. (Lecien fabrics are sold  in the US, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, & Europe.) In fact, for my first line, ' Celebration',  even though I hadn't included the color  (for a background) in my presentation,  Lecien asked if I would mind if they added a red colorway - as they knew that red did well in certain markets. I said, "certainly!", & sure enough - now I can't imagine the line without the red colorway!


Then after about two months - I get this wonderful overseas delivery from my UPS man. . .

Inside are paintings. . . yep, paintings that amazing ladies create of each of my designs.

This is the first step - to see how the design translated & the first color evaluation process.

. . . then sometimes - they offer options for background details &/or  other wonderful little detail options. . . (notice the shiny overlay on the bottom painting?. . . the overlay has options for the tiny flowers. . . See how they are a but different from the top painting?)

These decisions can be so difficult - as I often love both options!. . .

For this little lattice print - we were making changes to the tiny flowers in the secondary lattice intersections. (If you clock on the photo you might be able to see the tiny dots in the background (that I wanted) & also how we took some of the tiniest flowers in the bouquets to use as some of the secondary flowers. . .

Also,  notice the color bar at the bottom?. . . Those are all the colors that they are using for the print. I can check them to the colors that I originally sent them & easily make any adjustments if needed. (These also reflect the colors that you will eventually see on the fabric selvedge!)

Then, after looking over the samples. . . over. . . & over. . . & over again, I take all my notes & go back to the computer & make a list of all the comments & changes & thoughts (as well as many thank yous!) about this first round.

(. . . note my trusty assistant (to the left), exhausted after I went over everything with him & giving me his input. . .)

Then I send the paintings (although it's so hard to part with them!!), along with my notes back to Lecien. . . where they will next put it all together, then engrave the printing plates. . . 

. . .  & next. . . Strike-offs!

Hope you have a great weekend!

♥ Bren