The East Bay Modern Quilt Guild is asking the question that everyone wants to know the answer to:  What’s it like to be a fabric designer?  On Saturday, February 9th, from 12:30-1:30 at the Piedmont Center for the Arts, please join us to find out the answer!

We’ve lined up a crack team of local, Bay Area fabric designers to tell us about their process and to answer all of our burning questions.  Whether you’re interested in textile design as a process, or just a fabric collecting fanatic (it’s okay to admit it!), you’ll find this panel discussion fascinating.

We are honored to have on the panel:

Kim Andersson – Panel Moderator

Kim is one of the original members of the East Bay Modern Quilt Guild.  Five years ago, when she moved to San Francisco from Sydney, Australia, she was in awe of all the fabulous fabric and pattern available here. So, she bought a sewing machine and started to sew again! It was through wonderful modern quilting fabrics that her passion for pattern was sparked again. (By the way, the girl’s got mad graphic design skills!) She’s currently developing her Fabric and Surface design skills at the The Institute for Textile Print Design here in the East Bay.  She loves trend watching and researching her designs, and like many of us, she’s got a thing for Pinterest.  Keep an eye out for her new pattern inspired blog, I Adore Pattern, coming soon!

Ellen Heck of Cathy Heck Studios

Ellen is also one of our own.  She sneaks quietly into meetings and then shyly whips out a stunner quilt and a stack of fabric to share, so you know we love her!  Ellen designs fabrics with her mother through Cathy Heck Studios where they create the most adorable line of children’s fabrics.  Ellen is also a very accomplished studio artist and you can see more of her fine art work on her website.

Pati Fried

We first met Pati at Stitch Modern 2012, where we were won over by her enthusiasm and openness.  Pati won’t have to travel far for this discusion, as she is lucky enough to live in the hamlet of Piedmont, which has has been a strong influence on Pati’s style of design. Living in such a scenic and culturally rich community has had a strong influence on her design style. Inspiration surrounds her everyday. Mixing colors, designs and textures finds a natural path in her life. You can see examples of this in one of her latest fabric lines she designed with Mark Lipinski for Northcott.  Read more about what makes her tick on her blog.

Sandy Klop of American Jane

Does Sandy Klop need an introduction?  Maybe you haven’t heard her name, although probably, you have, but I’m sure you would recognize her fabrics.  Designing for Moda, she has created some truly iconic prints. Her aesthetic is unmistakeable and she has built a fabric and pattern empire on her vision.  We can’t wait to meet her!

Jennifer Moore of Monaluna

We also are very excited to Jennifer Moore!  Her fabrics are crazy cute AND organic!  She’s worked for some of the biggest names in the biz (Target and Pottery Barn Kids, just to name a couple) and we are dying to learn more about her journey from the big brand corporate world to independent, socially responsible entrepreneurship.  And, did I mention, her fabrics are CUTE!

Carol Van Zandt

Carol is a familiar face at East Bay Modern meetings.  She impressed us right from the beginning by introducing herself from behind a huge stack of her beautiful fabric.  Her explanation of the design process behind her fabric line was so fascinating that it spurred the idea for this whole designer panel discussion!  Carol’s work is heavily influenced by her time spent abroad, including long residences in Tokyo and Taipei.  Check out her website to learn more about her, see her fine art work, as well as her textile work, and read her two (yes, TWO!) blogs!

Please join us!  This event is free and open to the public.