Guest Corner is a space for you to find out all about what the Sewing World’s designers, authors, quilters, dressmakers, print makers, softie sewers and bag decorators are all up to! Get the very latest in info and gossip about all your favourites right here.

If you have a favourite Sewer you would like to see profiled, or if you are interested in being profiled yourself, please send Sarah an email at sarah@sewn.net.au

 
Brandon Mably


Our very first ever designer feature is of my friend Brandon Mably, fabric designer for Westminster Fibres
For over a decade, Brandon has been the studio manager of Kaffe Fassett Studio  in London, England. He works closely with Kaffe to design and create is own quilts, knits, tapestries, mosaics and artworks. While working with Kaffe, Brandon has honed his own unique and gutsy sense of style, colour and vibrancy.
Brandon travels all over the world teaching workshops, learning from indigenous design styles and finding inspiration from the people and communities he visits. No-where is this travel more evident than in his range of fabrics , which reflect his fascination with bold colour, pattern and ethnic graphics.
During his visit to Australia with Kaffe in July of 2007, I got to hang out with them both and experience their amazing energy and generosity with ideas, and their wonderful workshop.
In his knitwear book, Knitting with Colour, Brandon says, “All my work begins with colour. I see it all around me – in the landscape, in buildings, in other artist’s creations – and I’m always on the lookout for new, exciting combinations of shapes and textures that I can translate into a design.”
Check out our podcast from Quilt Market in Pittsburg and read Brandon’s interview and see what else he has to say about his fabric designs and what he has in store for us next. You can also click on the beautiful quilt below or go to our Free Patterns section to download the pattern for Brandon’s E Block quilt, free! Thanks Brandon!
A range of Brandon Mably and Kaffe Fassett fabrics are available through this month’s feature shop, The Cottage Quiltworks. Click here to read about their lovely shop on Sydney’s Northern Beaches.

Insights from Brandon

Q: What is your real love, quilting or knitting?

A:They are all my children. I have such a restless mind that I'm working on more than one project at a time. All the different mediums I work in are just avenues for me to pour colours into. I use the basic of techniques allowing the colours to do the work. So my attention is held, and I am kept stimulated. So - I couldn't have a favourite.

Q: What was the first thing you remember sewing or knitting? 

A: My first design was a 2 colour a row knit design using 6 lighter shades against 6 warmer deeper shades called 'Great Planes.' I started to knit to play with colours. The same for all the different mediums I work in, such as  designing fabrics, designing quilts, as it's a way for me to play with colour and encourage others too.

Q: Have you been creative since you were a child or did you discover your creativity as an adult?

A: When I left school, I knew I wanted to work in the creative field as well as people. So took up a career in the Catering industry, from being a chef to running several restaurants. It wasn't until a chance meeting with my mentor Kaffe Fassett that really opened the flood gates and let out my creative streak.

Q: When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

A: I can remember having a job when I was 8 years old and have never been without work since.  Some people like to be busy, and I'm one of them. From helping in a sweet shop to writing out newspaper delivery rounds, to delivering them. Helping with a milk round, cutting potatoes for a busy fish and chip shop. I belonged to the cub scouts, sea cadets, judo, karate, boxing and on until skate boarding and surfing took over - but always on my bike. Never home. I wanted to be a social worker or an art teacher. I also like the idea of being a butler too - can you imagine!

Q: What is your favourite project ever?

A: One the most powerful experiences I have had is to give needlepoint workshops in high security prisons to lifers and sex offenders who are allowed to do needlepoint in their cells whilst locked up. The attention and gratitude from these men - who have committed the worst of the worst, but have found a creative outlet. If one of them gets a good colour - it's used as serious money if anther wants it. We all know of the power of creativity and working with our hands once we allow ourselves to have a go, don't we!

Q: Tell us about your new fabric line.

A: Where do I start - and how long have you got. I feel like I have a new set of eyeballs or a sharper focus now that I'm designing fabrics. To think that I've had no art education, but basically followed my own instinct. One of my designs in the first collection was inspired by Aboriginal painted dots on totem poles. So I placed my own version of primitive dots on 6 different coloured grounds and called it 'Dapple.' Another design called 'Fish Lip' literally was inspired by that sumptuously plump round shape of Crap fish. I'm able to put my ideas on to paper, and that then gets printed on fabric. Cut it up and play with it in different colour arrangements.

I learn so much about colour when doing the colourways. The first design gets printed out by hand - no computer work involved. Then replace all your colours used 6 times over, giving you all these different colourways and looks - there is nothing more challenging and exciting.  There are 2 collections of 5 designs a year with 6 colourways on each design. As one collection is being launched, one is being approved on strike-offs and another is having to be painted out. You'll also be seeing some of the designs appearing on upholstery weight cloth as well as umbrellas and laminated fabric for table cloths to name a few though Westminster Fibers.

Q: How do you think has fabric design changed over the last few years? DO you think that has had an effect on the quilting market?

A: I'm biased here as what I was seeing was a lot of the same on the fabric market. I'm afraid I don't walk a straight line but only do what 'lifts my skirt.' Companies like Alexander Henry would always give me a thrill as they seem to stretch the imagination. Seeing this gap, Kaffe jumped in heads first with Philip Jacob in tow to fill in the market with blossoms, blooms and lush foliage. I'm following behind with something young fresh and playful. What's exciting is to see how the three of our fabric ranges marry up so well. Our big grapple is to maintain the quality of fabric the yardage is printed on. We like the finer weight. It holds the dye better, nice to sew on and you have the option of flipping the fabric too (to use the reverse side for a muted effect).

Q: Are you planning a trip to Australia anytime soon?

A: Well - there is a whisper in the wind of us coming over to Australia late January /February 2011 though our fabric distributors XLN. If you'd like more info please bother, pester and honk at ALAN at XLN Fabrics!

Q: What are you working on next?

A: I've just signed off a collection to be launched this Fall. One design is of a primitive Brocade. A colourway in Violet on a black background, another in Hot orange on brilliant red. Very Burlesque. Then there's a design inspired by shell markings and my own version of a snake skin. So look out. I'd love to see more of my fabrics used on clothing as well.

AND here is a FREE pattern from Brandon exclusive to SEWN! Click on quilt to go to download page



AND you can buy Brandon Mably fabrics at our featured shop, Cottage Quiltworks.