My Favorite Designers - Chapter 7 Kaffe Fassett and Friends

Yesterday I had the pleasure of attending my second workshop with Kaffe Fassett and Brandon Mably at Sarah's Fabrics here in Lawrence (here is a post about my first workshop at Sarahs). WOW! This was a color class - and man did we do color!

I have also been to two lectures by Kaffe during which he provided some background, experience, previous patchwork, knitting, and needlepoint works, and sources of inspiration. Many of you know him and know about his art. I continue to be impressed by his legacy. I can't even begin to do justice to his body of work. I encourage you to read his biography on his website - you'll be amazed!

Kaffe and Brandon are two-thirds of the Kaffe Fassett Collective - the fabric design company that also includes Philip Jacobs. These three men have totally turned the quilting fabric world on its head (IMHO). Large patterns, rich colors, fanciful scenes - oh my it is glorious - Glorious Color that is!

So, as I have categorized it in my little quilty mind, Kaffe is all about fabric design and color. His quilt patterns are fairly simple in terms of design, what makes them sing is the fabric and the way he puts color and pattern together. So color and pattern is what we learn in his workshops - not color theory or anything so "boring" but working outside our comfort zone with color combinations and wild, daring patterns we wouldn't normally use. 

After a day of cutting hexagons and triangles and putting them up on a gray flannel design wall, Kaffe goes around and "critiques" our work. It was so interesting to see how different setting triangles changes the whole look of a quilt that used the same color hexagons. Here are a few examples of yellow hexagons and the variations in setting triangles. Many thanks to my class mates for their wonderful examples (sorry, I did not get everyone's names).

In order to provide some focus, I choose Moroccan Spice Market as a theme and narrowed by pile of Kaffe Collective fabrics down to paprikas, chili powder, a bit of tumeric, hot red, orange and pink. I wanted the reds to glow and zing, so I choose a dark blacky purply smoky series of 6 fabrics for my triangles. I'm happy with the outcome. I'm planning on making Moroccan Spice Market about twice as large as it is now, so I have lots more hexies and triangles to cut.

This quilt is from Quilts in Moccoco. His books have patterns, but are more like coffee table books with wonderful photography. Check them out, they are gorgeous.

Although I don't feel like I know Kaffe, Brandon, and Philip as well as the other designers in my Favorite Designer series, I know and love their fabrics and look forward to each new release. Sarah's hosts a Kaffe Club which meets monthly to celebrate and challenge ourselves to use Kaffe Fassett Collective fabrics. I have learned so much from and been inspired by these creative ladies in the club. Now I can spot a KFC (not the chicken) fabric at 50 feet.

I've joined the Kaffe Collective on FB and get to see amazing quilts made with amazing fabrics.  I also follow Philip on FB and love seeing how he makes and paints his fabrics  - when he's not scouring the English countryside for old WWII bits and pieces using his metal detector.

I have a few other quilts made from Kaffe Collective fabrics. Some finished, some almost finished, and some in my pile of many UFOs. I have 4 shelves on my FQ storage tower devoted to KFC fabrics. I'm smitten, in love, hooked. 

Curious about KFC? Get a book, follow on FB, get some KFC fabric. Jump into color and pattern. Wallow around in wonderful!