People often express a bit of confusion about how we work in the Kaffe Fassett Collective and who designs what? So here is a definitive answer: The way it works in the Collective is that Kaffe, Brandon and myself all do the designs independently, then Kaffe does the colourways which unifies it all as a single collection. I do my “natural” colourway and then Kaffe does the others.

 

One of my tutors at art college many years ago said that you should only do textiles if you are happy with “team work”. Since many people are involved at the different levels of production. Right through from the original design to the final production: colourists, printers etc. 

All of my original designs are hand painted. Here is a video where you can see me painting up my Rose Cascade design …

 

I hand paint all of my designs

I`m also not a part of The Kaffe Fassett Studio, though I`ve had a long 42 year career as a textile designer, where I`ve designed collections for the majority of the World`s great furnishing fabric houses including:Sandersons, Osborne & Little, Sekers, Warners, G.P&J Bakers, Colefax & Fowler, Ramm son & Crocker (who I was design director of through the mid 80s till late 90s), Zoffany, Morris & co, Hardy Amies, Liberty, Marks & Spencer, Brunschwig & Fils, Kravet, Kaufmann, Rose Cummings Chintzes, Greef, Bloomcraft, Travis, Jay Yang, Baker Furniture, Stroheim & Romann, Schumacher, Hinson & co, Lee Jofa, Andrew Martin, Westminster and numerous other companies in Europe, Japan and America

 

Baroque Floral for Spring 2018

While Kaffe and I used to meet up all the time in the 70s and 80s, these days we just meet up once a year for the event known as Kaffe`s Christmas, when I hand over the new collection that I have been working on over the past year. I show Kaffe the designs one by one. Some go on the “maybe pile” and some on the “definite pile”, till together we come up with the final group. Then when I have left i`m told that Kaffe is just dying to get on with his colourways to my designs. I consider Kaffe the greatest colourist in the world. When I see some of the colours he has done for the first time, I just think: “wow, how could anything be so beautiful”.

 

Another aspect that I ought to mention is that: Kaffe, Brandon and Liza are involved in the design of the actual quilt patterns (along with others) that appear in the books, which I have no involvement with (not being a quilter). Kaffe also has his own separate fabric line for FreeSpirit called “Artisan” which includes batiks and other more elaborately printed bold designs, and I also have a separate line for FreeSpirit called: “Snow Leopard Designs” where as well as my traditional florals, I also like looking at the art of different historical cultures.

Coleus

 

Looking at the actual designs in the Collective I would say that Kaffe tends towards the more ethnic inspired designs, sourced from antique rugs and textiles and Chinese pottery etc. Brandon goes for the more “whacky”, which as well as his trademark fish and geometric forms, includes interestingly observed patterns in the repetition of houses and tents and even dancing girls.

My own speciality is botanical and natural forms. Mainly floral but also including shells, feathers, fungi. But I do love being able to work with Kaffe, Brandon and Liza and consider it an honour to be part of such a great team.

 

PS I`ve attached a photo of Kaffe taken by the river in my family home in 1976 which shows how long i`ve known him

 

You can see more our collections on Facebook in our Kaffe Fasset Collective group (1st link here) and my Snow Leopard group where you are most welcome to post your own photos of your work.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/60352772359/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/Philip.Jacobs.Snow.Leopard.Designs/

Advance notice of any new upcoming designs can be seen in the aforementioned group and on his own pages

Don’t forget to post in the UKQU Facebook Group too …

https://www.facebook.com/groups/UKQuiltersUnited/

Written by Philip Jacobs

Photos by Philip Jacobs