a laughing gate

Roundabout Baby Quilt & Parasol Quilt

Carol Van Zandt — Tue, 15 May 2012 19:49:29 +0000

Stephanie Russell of Blackberry Quilts made some GORGEOUS projects out of Tokyo Rococo. A fourth generation quilter, she gets her inspiration from her love of heirloom and antique quilts and she has a real soft spot for quilts from the 1930′s. Blackberry quilts sells well thought out and easy to understand ORIGINAL patterns for quilts, apron and gifts, and she also sells kits and accessories.

These projects have been fun as I have gotten updates along the way and its so great to feel part of the process. They also have a bit of Asian influence to go with the fabric. I love the clean look of her quilts, and the classic references done with a the modern light feel.

Take a look!

“Roundabout Baby Quilt” from Blackberry Quilts

The inspiration!

detail

detail–I love these. So cool!

“Parasol” quilt

In progress!

Surtex Banner printing in San Francisco

Carol Van Zandt — Sun, 13 May 2012 00:48:41 +0000

Heading into the home stretch with Surtex preparations. Last year I did vinyl banners, this year I have opted for paper banners–actually a bit more expensive, but they look so much better AND are so much lighter weight. I was lucky enough to find that our local UPS store does large format printing AND have a Epsom 9880 printer at their Fairmont Hotel location. Since I use an Epsom 3800, I was able to use the same paper type and printer/paper profile and all the settings I normally use to get–you guessed it–a perfect color match, but on 36″ feet by 60″. My printer only goes as far as 17×22.

I was able to print right from Illustrator and Photoshop so there was no need to save as PDF or eps, or tif or change to CMYK. It was easy. Thrilled, and their price was good too. I used my usual Adobe 1998 color space, RGB mode, used the Epson enhanced matte ICC profile for the 9880, let Illustrator manage printer and turned off all other color management. The UPS store at 60 29th Street between Mission and Guerrero has a new and huge HPZ2100 photo printer for anyone that hankers for an HP.

I printed up a couple additional banners that were 17″ wide on my own printer–and spiced them together lengthwise, and one of them became the graphic theme for the folder covers for my collections. We will have all the art on two ipads this year, but I still have hard copies of most of the work. Still have a bit of a to do list but with all the art, banners and marketing materials all finished, its more just the logistics that are left. We’re carrying it all in our suitcases, along with some flash drives in case something happens and we need to recreate something–just an insurance policy I hope. Going to be a great show, looking forward to it!

Banners printing

UPS Store on level T at the Fairmont in San Francisco, home of the Epsom 9880 printer I did my banners on

postcards and thank you notes all printed and trimmed here in the studio

extra banners for both sides of the half meter wall, also printed here at the studio–and spliced together

A Daas Dress

Carol Van Zandt — Wed, 09 May 2012 16:58:19 +0000

Love the dress Daas came up with using Tokyo Rococo. One of several outfits she’ll be sporting at Surtex to keep things fun. My dining room table is full of things to finish we started together (or conceived of) when she was here. That creative energy is going to be the “laughing gate” part of my Surtex booth!

Tokyo Rococo Aria with turquoise Andover dimples

Mighty Roses

Carol Van Zandt — Mon, 07 May 2012 08:44:31 +0000

You know how wonderful roses are when the first bloom comes? Amazing. Off visiting wonderful friends on Saturday and saw the quilt that will be in McCall’s Quilting July/August issue (LOVE IT) and were treated to some refreshments in the garden. We both had our cameras out on the way out past the roses, which were massive and gorgeous and enchanting. Hmmm… there must be a rose design soon in my future. Take a breath and smell the virtual roses…

Studio Stash Revealed: Alex Colombo

Carol Van Zandt — Thu, 03 May 2012 15:11:13 +0000

Time for another “Studio Stash Revealed”, this time with Alex Colombo. Alex is a designer and artist from Milan, Italy who is now based in the U.S. She has a twenty year background in design, including textile design, interior, and graphic design. Most recently Alex has been illustrating, which has brought her to the world of art licensing.

Alex’s art is fresh, whimsical and folky, and is described as having a unique twist of American and European flair, artfully blending the best of both worlds. Her vibrant hand painted and digital designs will debut at Surtex 2012 at Booth 464 – Montage Licensing.

Alex is also the person behind the popular blog, Moon from My Attic, which offers advice, tips, and interviews with new and established licensing artists everywhere. I’ve had the opportunity to meet Alex and she is one of those artists you just know will be successful, and she is such a pleasure. Attached are some shots of her studio and a sampling of her art.

More Tokyo Rococo Projects

Carol Van Zandt — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 03:00:41 +0000

Patchwork Posse is at it again with this so cool scallop messenger bag using the blue “whisper” colorway of Tokyo Rococo. I love this bag, and I also love how Becky takes her product photos outside. Some are against fences, hanging from clotheslines, or by her sewing cottage–which is where you can find the pattern and instructions for this bag–In the May edition of The Sewing Cottage Magazine!

Scallop Messenger Bag by Patchwork Posse

Scallop messenger bag by Patchwork Posse

AND, there is a double whammy coming up with McCall’s. McCall’s Quick Quilts June/July issue, which is on its way to newstands now has a project with Tokyo Rococo–a wonderful quilt named “Persimmon Park”. I like that name! Designed by Sarah Maxwell and Dolores Smith, quilted by Connie Gresham. This quilt is fully patterned in the McCall’s Quick Quilts June/July 2012 issue, AND a kit of fabrics for the quilt top and binding is available from Homestead Hearth, www.homesteadhearth.com. A sneak preview is below.

"Persimmon Park" Designed by Sarah Maxwell and Dolores Smith, quilted by Connie Gresham.

And, stay tuned for a wonderful chevron quilt designed by the amazing Diana Mc Clun and Laura Nownes that will be in McCall’s Quilting’s August Issue, on newstands in May. I actually get to keep that quilt and I am dying to see it in person.

That’s all the Tokyo Rococo news for now. My next fabric collection, Licorice Fizz will be in stores in October. Can’t wait to play with it! But before that there are more projects for Tokyo Rococo coming in….

From the inspiration Library–V&A Textile Collection

Carol Van Zandt — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 19:43:43 +0000

I found The Victoria and Albert Museum’s Textile Collection, Design for Printed Textiles in England from 1750 to 1850 at a used book store here for a great price. That set me on a search for more of the same. Lo and behold I found three more in the series at used booksellers, also for great prices. (US$25 or less) I already had a few V&A books but they were a smaller outline, where these are nice and big and full of photos. Yes, I love books on design and textiles– old, new or in between.

I’m showing a pic of the cover of each followed by a few sample shots of what is inside–some because they’re so unique and some because it seems like I could see something like that on a product in a store today (ok, maybe with a different palette). Its all inspiration either way. This is just a tease–these books have an intro with historical info and notes from the author, but are chock full of images–from 116 to 210. Yay for used books, and I really hope there are some reprints of many of the textile book collections I’ve run across. Enjoy and head out to your used bookstore (or the web)!

by Wendy Hefford, Canopy Books, a division of Abbeville Press, Inc. NY

paper impression of a printed textile, Merton Abbey 1780

furnishing chintzes, 1836

Printed cottons 1830's

by Linda Parry, Canopy Books, A division of Abbeville Press, Inc. NY

block printed woolen dress fabrics, mid 1800's

woven silk and cotton vesting, Spitalfields and Macclesfield, later 1800's

"Bexley" woven silk. Century Guild (A.H. Mackmurdo) Warner & Ramm 1880's, "Peacock" block printed cotton, Century Guild (A.H. Mackmurdo) Simpson & Godlee 1882

Left: woven silk, Lindsay P. Butterfield for Warner and Sons 1901 Right: Printed Cotton, Lindsay P. Butterfield for Turnbull & Stockdale, LTD., 1901

by Valerie Mendes, Canopy Books, A division of Abbeville Press, Inc. NY
this one was in the Boston Public Library for awhile

top left: printed silk, Charles Rennie Mackintosh, William Foxton, 1918. top right: printed cotton, probably Charles Rennie Mackintosh, William Foxton, 1918. bottom left: "Blue Ross" roller printed cloth, Percy Bilbie, F.W. Grafton & Co. 1922. bottom right: roller printed cotton, Claud Lovat Fraser, William Foxton, 1920

Printed Linens. Omega Workshop. 1913. "Amenophis", "Margery", "White", "Pamela", "Mechtide", "Maud"

Left: printed cottons, Calico Printers Association 1919-1921. right top: Printed cotton voile, F. Steiner & Co., 1920, right bottom: Printed woolen plush, T.F. Firth & Sons, 1926

top: "Mendip", jacquard woven cotton. Charles Grant, Warner & Sons, 1934. bottom: Jacquard woven cotton and rayon. F.O.R. Plaistow, Courtaulds LTD., 1931

present in this case is 1999
by Ngozi Ikoku

top left: screen printed cotton crepe, designed by Marian Mahler for David Whitehead LTD. 1952. top right: roller-printed spun rayon, designed by Jacqueline Groag for David Whitehead Ltd, 1952, bottom left: roller printed spun rayon, designed by J. Feldman for David Whitehead Ltd, 1954, bottom right: roller-printed spun rayon, designed by Jacqueline Groag for David Whitehead Ltd, 1952

Designed by Lucienne Day, top deisgns for Heal's Wholesale and Export LTD, bottom designs for British Celanese Ltd. top left: "Rig" 1953, top right: "Graphica" 1954, bottom left: "Perpetua" 1953, bottom right: "Miscellany" 1953

left: "nearing Circles" jacquard woven wool and linen, designed by William Scott for Edinburgh Weavers, Ltd, 1962. right: "Megalith", jacquard woven cotton and rayon, designed by Alan Reynolds for Edinburgh Weavers Ltd, 1964

Everyday Inspiration out Sonoma way

Carol Van Zandt — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 06:37:00 +0000

Love it when people come into town, as Surtex prep or no Surtex prep, a girl needs a break and a visitor is just the right excuse. So up to Sonoma we went for a day trip. We had exquisite weather and everything sparkled. I had my camera out looking for design inspiration and of course there is always something; here are a few pics to share – enjoy!

Coastal Inspiration at Farallon SF

Carol Van Zandt — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 21:23:39 +0000

The jellyfish loungs at Farallon

Well, off to dinner in SF with our out of town guest and we thought we would try some place we hadn’t before and that got us to Farallon on Post Street in Union Square. I chuckled and chuckled while we were waiting for our table as I had just been working on a coastal design collection and Farallon is jam packed with Coastal decor. Here are some pics, enjoy! (the food is wonderful too)

sea urchin chandelier

shell column

shell planter

squid lamp

kelp columns

starfish on the "sandy ocean floor"

waves, shell and starfish light in the ladies lounge

octopus towel holder

large shell umbrella holder

seahorse painting in the jellyfish lounge

Jean Paul Gaultier Exhibition

Carol Van Zandt — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 04:44:55 +0000

The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier: From the Sidewalk to the Catwalk at the DeYoung Museum in San Francisco is a fantastic exhibition. LOVE it! If you are anywhere nearby, it is truly not to be missed–its on til August 19th, 2012. Organized by the Montreal Museum of Art in collaboration with Maison Jean Paul Gaultier, Gaultier also partnered with Montreal based theatre company Ubu Compagnie de Creation for the design of animated mannequins, a true delight that really makes the show special.

It is a large show (that satisfied me greatly). There are many rooms, and it is a full multimedia extravaganza with talking mannequins, full room installations, moving runways, runway videos, fashion drawings and YES its covers collaborations, including Madonna. Here are a few shots. They in no means give you a real feel for the whole show, but hopefully will act as a tease. Oodles and oodles of his designs covering decades of his groundbreaking work were made even more memorable by some of the mannequins winking, talking, reciting poetry. It is just a glorious experience.

One of the talking mannequins

same guy, see--a different expression