Those of you who have been with Spoonflower awhile will likely remember our Project Selvage contest from early this year, and Patty Sloniger as the winner. Stephen had the pleasure of meeting Patty and her husband in person at Quilt Market a couple of weeks ago and posted a few photos of her booth in his Quilt Market report, but we wanted to talk to Patty more about her two new fabric collections being released with Michael Miller in January. Read on for more on Patty's fabric debut at Quilt Market plus a BIG giveaway of her lovely fabrics!
Just a couple of weeks ago, you debuted your new “Backyard Baby” and “Bella Butterfly” collections at Quilt Market in Houston. I know that you actually live in Houston, so was that your first time attending Quilt Market? What were your overall first impressions as a debuting fabric designer?
It was my first time to attend Quilt Market, and the Festival side, too, on the following weekend. I had no idea what I’d been missing all these years of living close by! My first impression was just, wow…. I had expected to see some really amazing fabrics, but I was totally blown away by some of the booths themselves. The creative ways that designers and manufacturers alike put together their spaces, and the quality and detail in the quilts and sewn samples I saw was both humbling and motivational.
How would you describe your experience becoming a professional textile designer to what you imagined before winning Project Selvage?
Haha, I read “professional fabric designer” and still have to remind myself that my fabrics are going to be on shelves in stores! The production process is definitely a long one, with long periods of time in between contact and not a lot of tangible reminders that something amazing is actually going on behind the scenes. It’s easy to forget for months at a time that you have this exciting project going on.
Now that you’re a licensed designer with MIchael Miller, what role do you think Spoonflower will play in your fabric designing life?
I'm probably not going to have as much time to spend on Spoonflower as I’d like but I plan to continue spending most of my free time here. There are tons of ideas in my head that still have not made it onto fabric yet and I plan to use Spoonflower for as many of them as possible! I’d love to upholster something for my house, and make anything out of the new cotton-silk, not to mention getting back into the swing of weekly contests.
I find your “Backyard Baby” designs so appealing, especially the “Bug Jars” prints that remind me of how I spent a lot of my time growing up. Can you talk a little about the specific inspirations behind both your new collections?
I actually heard that a lot at Market, and I love that so many people can relate! The inspiration for "Backyard Baby" was all about playing outdoors and the wonders of nature that you can find in your own backyard. My most cherished memories of growing up aren’t of watching tv or playing video games, but things like climbing trees, staying outside until it was too dark to play hide-and-seek anymore, and catching fireflies. My inspiration for the girl’s collection, “Bella Butterfly”, was a bit more decorative. I wanted to take what are traditionally more formal patterns like damask, paisley and houndstooth, and reinterpret them in a sweet, chic way for baby.
How did you get into designing fabrics? Are there any other designers whose work inspires you?
Spoonflower is totally to blame for my fabric design career. From my first attempts at uploading art I’d already made and trying to force it into repeat, to actually creating art elements specifically for a design, I learned it all right here. I’m inspired by so many other designers and have to look no further than SF to find the vast majority of them.
I know that you like to sew so would you say that you try to design fabrics that you’d like to sew with personally, or does that not really come into play for you?
I think that once the sewing bug bit me, I definitely started designing fabrics with the end result in mind, sometimes with a specific sewing pattern already picked out. I’ve found that sewing with your fabrics is a great learning tool. You get to see firsthand which aspects of a design do or don’t work, especially in a collection. Sometimes you’ll find it’s not necessarily something that’s wrong, but maybe something that’s missing.
Do you have any other fabric collections in the works at the moment?
I am working on new fabric designs for Michael Miller, but am not sure if they’ll be for the upcoming Spring Market or for next Fall Market in Houston.
Thanks, Patty! And now for that giveaway I mentioned. Patty has graciously shipped us all the prints from "Backyard Baby" and you can win a fat quarter of each, plus a hand-picked selection of six fat quarters of some of Patty's designs available through Spoonflower. Just comment on this post to be added to the drawing for this big stack of loveliness. Entries will close on Tuesday, 11/15 at 7:00 pm EST, and we'll announce a winner at noon EST Wednesday, 11/16. Good luck! GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED FOR ENTRIES. STAY TUNED FOR ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE WINNER TOMORROW AT NOON EST!
By the way, the winners of last week's giveaway of The BurdaStyle Sewing Handbook & Sewing in a Straight Line were: Carole Henshall of Vancouver, BC (CheeseandChutney on Spoonflower) and Fabio Prado of New York, NY (Umbelas on Spoonflower).
I love these collections and I can’t wait to see what’s coming next!
Gorgeous. But I wouldn’t expect anything less. Congratulations Patty. ~Susan
I love her work and love that she started with Spoonflower. Definitely living the dream!
Love the new Backyard Baby and Bella Butterfly. These are wonderful prints for projects that I have in mind. Thank you for your inspriational designs.
I LOVE this story, it is a reminder to keep doing what you love and others will take notice. So well deserved! Can’t wait to see what the future holds!
Congratulations Patty! Your designs are absolutely lovely!
Awesome article and fabulous designs! Yay, Patty! You rock!
What an inspirational interview! I love how it all started with Spoonflower. 🙂 Looking forward to seeing your new collections!
Congratulations Patti!
Congratulations again, Patty! I am so thrilled to hear Michael Miller is keeping you on for more work, but am not at all surprised, you are a very talented illustrator and designer! Cannot wait till they go on sale in January!
What a gorgeous collection of fabrics, just thinking of all those things I could make!
seriously? what i could do with some of this fabric…
my dream job! love your designs 🙂
Inspirational interview. Congratulations to you. Your work is lovely!
Patty is so inspirational ~ the fabric look so incredibly beautiful ~ love love love!!
Pretty fabric..loved that Project Selvedge contest!!
Congrats on all you’ve accomplished thus far! Your work is terrific, and fun, and it kickstarts my imagination!!
Amazing work! Love the fabric!
Oh so beautiful! Can’t wait to make some cute baby items out of this collection!
I would LOVE to win this! Such fun prints!
Oh, I would so love to win this. I love Patty’s fabrics and have been dying to see them printed by Michael Miller, a talented lady!
Congratulations again to Patty! I am so glad to see a talented designer get her day in the sunshine – a well deserved win – ‘Windy Day’ is still one of my all-time favorites! Hooray for Spoonflower for helping her discover and refine her talent!
Big stack of loveliness? I’m in!! Her stuff is so great, I really like that it can be used for girls or boys. Or, in my case, for grown ups!
Congratulations again Patty! What a fun couple of collections!
What an inspirational story! I would love to have some of these fabrics on hand for future projects.
The designs are beautiful!
The collections are so wonderful, the design and pallette are just excellent. Looking forward to future collections! 🙂
Oh, how I would love to win! Such a wonderful story and it shows that there are many ways to get into this bussiness.
Beautiful! Such a great coordinate set!
The backyard baby collection is fabulous like all Patty’s designs. Are Michael Miller fabrics available outside the US e.g. in Australia? Hope the collections are available over here.
I met Patty at Quilt Market which was very exciting because I watched the Project Selvedge contest take place. I love all of the designs on Spoonflower, there are so many talented people out there. Congrats to Patty on becoming a “professional fabric designer”! Backyard Baby is adorable, I can’t get enough of those bugs in a jar.
It’s been so inspiring to see Patty grow as a designer here! Congrats and you know there is plenty of applause from those of us out here!
I have always admired your designs. Congratulations Patty, your designs are wonderful.
Karen
how could I not enter? I’d really love to see the entire collection in the fabric-y flesh!
such lovely fabrics, wonderful colours.
Wow. That is a super generous giveaway. I have a baby girl and I’d love to make something with these fabrics.
Both collections are gorgeous!! I can’t wait till they are available.
Beautiful fabric!! Well done!
Beautiful fabrics… what I would love to sew with them!
I would love to be entered. The fabrics are gorgeous!
Congratulations…great fabric collection!
I am so happy for Patty. The collection is fantastic.
I absolutely love that collection of fabrics!
Eek! I couldn’t be more happier for you, Patty! Your fabrics turned out amazing and I cannot wait to see what your future holds! Thank you so much for the giveaway!
I love Patty’s designs and am really looking forward to seeing the new things she will be doing.
These designs are sweet without being overly sweet! They are classy and yet real. I love them! Would love to make something out of them!
Congrats Patty on the launch! Beautiful work. And thanks Spoonflower for doing the interview. Just the kind of questions I was wondering about myself. We can only hope that another contest like this will come our way again.
And hooray for the generous give-away!
Your designs are great. I would love to win the fat quarters to use in quilts for my grandsons and the baby quilts I donate to my church for the new babies.
OOO… I would love me some of those! Big congrats to Patty again and thank you for giving us inspiration!
Yes, please count me in. I’m totally inspired by this story and am loving learning the possiblities of fabric design on Spoonflower!
Love these. And I love the bugs as a gender neutral or boys theme that isn’t trucks!
Congratulations again Patty, your displays were so gorgeous and I adore this collection! I totally want it for my nursery:)
Congrats on your continued success, Patty! So happy that things are going so well for you!
~Sarah/Peacoquette Designs
Very gorgeous fabric!
I would love to get these fabrics. I love Patty’s designs. So much fun! 🙂
How incredible, inspiring and exciting to read. What a talented designer Patty Sloniger is!! I love that she learnt it all here too. And what a beautiful quilt those fabrics would make! Thank you for sharing your story, Patty 🙂
Very inspirational! I love that she was able to tell her story so well in a short article.
I have just started thinking about my project before the actual fabric design, too, which is also a switch for me.
Congrats, Patty! What an accomplishment. Your fabrics are darling and very well designed.
LOVE THOSE FABRICS. i have several baby quilts to make for future great and great-great nieces and maybe nephews. these would be perfect for them. i love the look of them paired up with white.
After attending last weeks Quilt Festival, I could use more fabric for all the ideas I have!
~Sharon
aka “ArtL8dY”
It’s such an encouragement to know that it took you time to get to the point you are now. Thank you for sharing your story!
I have been following Patty’s work for quite a while now. What a talent! Would LOVE to win this!
Can’t wait to see it in person!!!!
I love this collection and will buy it if I don’t win!!
I would LOVE to win this collection of fabrics! I bought two tea towels from her last year and they were just awesome.
Thanks for the giveaway.
Jill
Congratulations, Patty! I love your designs – you have inspired me to start designing some of my own! 🙂
Such an inspiring story and such adorable fabrics!
What a wonderful story – definitely encouraging – makes me braver to put up some of my designs – good luck with the new collections!!
I love her fabrics! Of course, with a 4-month old baby boy in the house, it’s much harder to find time to sew… But the fabric would eventually find its way into decor for his room 🙂
Also, I think there should be a contest for cut-and-sew cloth baby books!
Exciting to watch Patty’s progress and her wonderful designs.
Wow, she is an inspiration! Bravo!! I love her designs!
congratulation patty. so happy when one finds their creative path in the world. very happy for you.
I just loved the article. A perfect example of talent meeting opportunity. It will be fun to follow your career!
what a fabulous experience, her work is fantastic, such an inspiration!
I just had a baby in October, and I am geeking out over these awesome prints! I cannot wait to sew for her, and what I wouldn’t give to win!
How wonderful!
What a great story! Congratulations Patty! I can’t wait to see more of your work!
How exciting to debut at Houston! Congratulations Patty!
Love this! Thanks for sharing. What beautiful fabrics
I feel so in love with this fabric at quilt market. Thanks so much to “Spoonflower” for allowing this very talented lady to share her designs. Can’t wait to design my own quilt pattern to use with this fabric.
very cute collection, love the bug jars 🙂
Lovely fabric collections. Great interview which is inspiring for so many other budding fabric designers.
What an inspiring article! The fabrics look beautiful and I can’t wait to see them in person.
I love your designs and Michael Miller prints too! What an exciting time for you Patty. Congrats! Oh, and PS: I’d be in sewing heaven if I were the lucky person to win this luscious “stack of loveliness” to use in sewing my toddler clothing!
this is just an amazing story and a terrific job!
I’m a big fan of Patty’s designs. It sounds like Quilt Market was fun! I’m excited to see what new designs are in the works. It will certainly be a happy mail day for the lucky winner of the “Backyard Baby” fat quarter pack!!
Patty, thanks so much for sharing a bit of your journey. It’s very inspiring to the rest of us!
oh my gosh! it’s adorable ! what a beautiful palette and cute whimsy illustrations! your newest fan right here! keep up the good work
Congratulations! I love the designs… good luck in the future!
What a very inspiring story… theres hope for me yet!
Congratulations Patty!
Great interview & of course beautiful fabrics !
Glad to hear that you’ll continue with Michael Miller ….
more beautifulness ! Hooray !