Designer Tidbits: Leah Duncan

Start your Summer sewing NOW! Leah Duncan‘s new collection, Meadow for Art Gallery Fabrics, is begging to be transformed into a picnic quilt, Summer blouse, or breezy dress. We are overflowing with project ideas, and bet you are too! Leah Duncan is here to tell you more about Meadow and give you some ideas. Enjoy!

Q: Tell us a little about the Meadow collection. What were you inspired by?
A:I love the outdoors and the summer season in particular, so it was inspired by the perfect afternoon picnic. I wanted the color palette and each design to reflect a summery landscape with the perfect amount of sunshine and a cool breeze.

Q: What is your design process when beginning a new collection?
A:I always start with a subject matter and am influenced by my surroundings in general, which I like to translate into my work. Sometimes it’s nature and other times it’s a small moment or particular time in my life. Each of my designs starts with a pen and paper, drawn by hand, and is then scanned in for coloring and repetition. I like to think about the color palette ahead of time in relation to my subject matter, but often don’t choose them specifically until I’ve begun the design process.

Q: What design trends are you currently exploring?
A:I’d love to try a collection with a more painterly affect. The watercolor look has appealed to me recently.

Q:What projects do you hope to see made with Meadow?
A:I love fashion and garment sewing and Art Gallery has the best quilting weight fabric for it, so I’d love to see dresses, blouses, baby clothes, etc. Really I’m happy to see anything made with my fabric. It’s such an amazing feeling to see how creative and talented everyone is and their work adds an entirely different layer to what I’ve already created with my collections.

Q:How do you describe your style and how has it evolved over the years?
A:My style is modern, quirky, sophisticated but whimsical, and somewhat southwestern. I’ll always love soft color palettes and it will always have a hand-drawn, earthy feel to it. I started my business when I was 25, so I’ve grown up a lot since I first started putting my work out there. These days it’s becoming more sophisticated and every day I learn more and more who I am as an artist, designer, maker, and human.

Q:What projects are on your sewing and quilting bucket list?
A:We are in desperate need of a new duvet cover so I look forward to sewing up something soon as a replacement. I also have several dresses picked out to sew, but have yet to have the time! They include patterns from April Rhodes, Made by Rae, and Christine Haynes. I’m also in constant need of improving my quilting skills, so perhaps a quilt for my new nephew will be in the works soon.