Jennifer Sampou Fabric Designer, Author, Speaker
  • Home
  • Store
  • Learning
    • Our Sunshine QAL
    • The Hills QAL
    • Fabric Care Instructions
  • Going Green
  • Fabric Library
    • SKY
    • Chalk & Charcoal Basics
    • Chalk & Charcoal
    • Spring Shimmer
    • Winter Shimmer
    • Winter Shimmer 2
    • Shimmer On
    • black&white 2
    • Studio Stash 3 Cool Story prints and yarn dyes
    • Studio Stash 3 Warm Story prints and yarn dyes
    • Shimmer 2014
    • Shimmer II - 2015
    • black&white 2015
    • Studio Stash II - 2014
    • color:FULL 2014
    • Studio Stash Yarn Dyes 2014
    • Daisy Love Flannel Collection 2014
    • Studio Stash Fabric Collection 2013
    • Continuum Fabric Collection 2012
    • Fiesta Collection 2011
  • About
  • My Blog
  • Newsletter Sign Up

What Inspires YOU?

10/22/2013

2 Comments

 

The Girl with the Pearl Earring Quilt. Published by Modern Patchwork today! YAY!

Picture
WHAT INSPIRES YOU? This is a question you can ask yourself again and again. I do. As a designer for over 20 years, the answer varies a lot! Yet I do have an "ALWAYS" button: Like Great Works of Art...especially seen in person! Sometimes I just enjoy soaking up a museum show,  and skip away feeling energized and moved.  Other times I need to capture it in my own way, rattle it through my bones and brain then create a new print or quilt design. When you are inspired you feel alive and vibrant. This is my favorite zone to be in...
I saw Johannes Vermeer's painting at the DeYoung Museum last spring in San Francisco and WOW!!!  She IS the Mona Lisa of the Dutch Masters. And when I saw her in person....it took my breath away...Now I understand.
Picture
Vivika Hansen DeNegre editorial director of Modern Patchwork stopped by my Robert Kaufman/STUDIO STASH booth last spring at Portland Quilt Market and asked if I would do a project for her beautiful new magazine. I pointed to the wall of ideas over my desk to this  small 8.5x11 sketch of pasted scraps of fabric of a rough idea and said I was thinking of creating this into a mid size quilt.  I shared my story and was delighted she agreed I should begin this process! I've been waiting until Oct 2013  to share it with you all!!  Secrets are NOT FUN!!
Picture
Here's an unexpected pic, but regarding inspiration, I have a "PRETTY MUCH ALMOST ALWAYS" button too. (I love you mom!) includes my parents: Andre and Els Sampou. So the reason this is relevant is because I traveled to Cape Cod last summer and while my boys went camping in Only God Knows Where Upstate Maine (it was WAY off the grid) with their dad, uncles and cousins, I got to spend a whole uninterrupted week with just my mom and dad....it was heaven.  So naturally we sewed and made  "Girl with a Pearl Earring"  while my dad cooked up oysters, fish and clams that he harvested from the sea. (I love you dad!) Did I say they are the BEST COOKS??? Mother of three goes off the deep end and reverts to being a 7th grader again! Where in Maine did you say you were going?
Picture
Here is the close up of my 10 minute layout....I still do layouts with paper, pencil, colored markers or fabric scraps because I enjoy it and I am the tactile type. It's  always a process to go from this step to the next. What I find important is scale and relationship of shapes to one another.  When designing, It's important to have proportions right and then to scale it to the size you want. (Pattern available in Modern Patchwork Winter 2014 issue on sale NOW.) I also debated how much dark to put in as The Girl Painting has so much dark ground behind her and not as much white. Which leads me to express the importance of value relationship.  I ended up choosing to make the overall feel a bit lighter and varied the dark navy scroll with a deep Kona Solid Green played off by the lighter valued STUDIO STASH and creme/snow from Kona Cotton. 
Picture
My mom was the master pinner for quilting as we finalized the piecing and settled on the rhythm of  blue and lime  color placement of the spine. This design feature captures "The Girl's" cascading head scarf. I like the irregularity of color juxtapose against the even navy, moss and creme stripes of the main area. 
Picture
Picture
TA DAH!! It really is a simple quilt, which is my favorite way to design. Letting the beauty of the fabrics speak and the importance of good value and correct proportion please the eye. We were quite happy & sent it off to Vivika.
Picture
Now lets take this quilt off the FARM!  What a Nice Professional Modern Picture in the Magazine on P. 51!  
Picture
Here is the cover of the new issue which you can find at your local quilt shop or online.  It has lots of other beautiful projects and a terrific article on pro bloggers such as  Cheryl Arkinson, Alissa Haight Carlton, Amy Ellis, Janice Ryan and Angela Walters and more. Cheryl also has an awesome article on Low Volume Fabrics....Which is right on!! Great Read! Thanks Modern Patchwork!!!

I will be at Quilt Market as I have a new line that is premiering called DAISY LOVE FLANNEL which will  be my next entry. I look forward to seeing some of you there. Robert Kaufman is booth 144. 
Until next time....
Create and enjoy, 

Picture
"Art, Undeniably, is conductive to happiness." Unknown.
2 Comments

Friends in sew placesĀ 

10/7/2013

47 Comments

 
Picture
Warmth, unity, creativity and fun are why I love this quilting community. I know many of you share the same feeling and it's what keeps you up sewing into the wee hours, or linger at a quilty friend's house a bit longer or choose to buy fabric over food....unless maybe that food happens to be salted dark chocolate caramels....

Time stops when you are in the groove. Everything else melts away when you are doing what you love. This is our gift we give to each other and to ourselves. I truly appreciate my quilter/artist friends I have known for many years and the excitement of making new friends who share the same passion for our craft. My very dear mother in law, Carolie Hensley just celebrated her 30th year of being in business as The Cotton Patch and she threw a casual open party that took place at the shop and filled up the parking lot with a big tent, lots of cake, funny stories and peals of laughter. For 30 years, she has been surrounded by great customers who have become friends, iconic quilters such as Alex Anderson, Laura Nownes, Diana McClun, Freddy Moran, Mary Mashuta and Roberta Horton who are also great friends...But most importantly, she has, as many shop owners do, create a place where we can meet, create and be. So whether your community is growing at your local shop, your online bee, or right in your neighborhood - I applaud you. Keep up the good work and enjoy.

In keeping with this theme, I wanted to thank Laura Nownes, one of the most kind and talented quilters in our industry who is committed to sharing her knowledge, expertise and design sense with any seasoned or aspiring quilter out there. In her joint blog with Jennifer Rounds, Darra Williamson and Pati Fried  at See How We Sew she has highlighted me this week and I am giving away another fat pack of Studio Stash to one of their lucky readers who also stop by to comment below about their favorite of the four color stories. Check out her best selling books and DVD at C&T Publishing   or  online class at Craftsy!  They are AWESOME!

Picture
47 Comments
    Picture

    Jennifer Sampou

    Stories from the Studio


    My Patterns​

    Picture
    Free Pattern and Interview The Quilt Show #2706 with Alex Anderson.
    Picture

    Subscribe to my YouTube Channel


    Categories

    All
    Blog Tour
    Free Pattern
    Giveaways & Contests
    New Collections

    Past Entries

    August 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    January 2024
    October 2022
    May 2022
    September 2021
    August 2021
    May 2021
    January 2021
    November 2020
    September 2020
    July 2020
    May 2020
    March 2020
    January 2020
    October 2019
    August 2019
    May 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    March 2018
    September 2017
    August 2017
    May 2017
    November 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    August 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    January 2014
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013



    RSS Feed

Have a Question? Email us at [email protected]

Links I Love

Robert Kaufman Company
C&T Publishing
​
Creative Spark Online Learning
©1990-2024 Jennifer Sampou. All Rights Reserved.

    Sign up for my email newsletter!

Sign Me Up!
  • Home
  • Store
  • Learning
    • Our Sunshine QAL
    • The Hills QAL
    • Fabric Care Instructions
  • Going Green
  • Fabric Library
    • SKY
    • Chalk & Charcoal Basics
    • Chalk & Charcoal
    • Spring Shimmer
    • Winter Shimmer
    • Winter Shimmer 2
    • Shimmer On
    • black&white 2
    • Studio Stash 3 Cool Story prints and yarn dyes
    • Studio Stash 3 Warm Story prints and yarn dyes
    • Shimmer 2014
    • Shimmer II - 2015
    • black&white 2015
    • Studio Stash II - 2014
    • color:FULL 2014
    • Studio Stash Yarn Dyes 2014
    • Daisy Love Flannel Collection 2014
    • Studio Stash Fabric Collection 2013
    • Continuum Fabric Collection 2012
    • Fiesta Collection 2011
  • About
  • My Blog
  • Newsletter Sign Up