Designer Tidbits: Melly & Me

Cuddle up at home with a quilt made with Sweet Home! Sweet Home by Melly & Me for Riley Blake Designs celebrates the comfort and love that you can’t get anywhere but home. Melanie of Melly & Me is here to show off her new collection, so keep reading for a closer look!

Q: Tell us a little about the Sweet Home collection. What were you inspired by?
A:When I sat down to design my new fabric collection there was only one theme I kept feeling entirely inspired by – my sweet home! Home is my haven, it is where I create, where I get inspired, where I love and where I am loved. It is family, it’s where the heart is. It is my favourite place in the world!!

Q: What is your design process when beginning a new collection?
A:I generally sit down with no distraction, a ton of coffee and a completely blank canvas. Of course my canvas is a digital one on Illustrator, but I tend to just sit down and start digitally doodling. I always have a theme or multiple themes in mind and just blank out a week in my schedule to do nothing but doodle. When the first inspired image comes, along with that excited nervous tummy, the rest always flows so easily from there!

Q: What design trends are you currently exploring?
A:I don’t think it can be considered a design trend as such, but at the moment I am feeling like I want to start exploring some bolder colors and also want to start playing around with more designs that are perfect for little boys!

Q:What projects do you hope to see made with Sweet Home?
A:Oh goodness, Sweet Home is perfect for so many different projects! I have enjoyed using it in softies, bags and in a quilt. What I am really looking forward to is seeing some sweet clothing made from it. I can really see the cutest girls summer dresses from this fabric line!

Q:How do you describe your style?
A:I would describe my style as cutsie, fresh, fun and playful!

Q:What is the biggest sewing faux pas that has happened to you?
A:Ok, so I have this terrible habit of never sewing the turning gaps in bag linings closed. I get to the point of the bag being complete visually (minus this step) and ready for photography and I just want to move on. It feels finished and I simply always forget (or am too lazy!!!) to sew it closed. So I think my biggest Faux Pas would have to be when I was teaching a bag class and was demonstrating the lining. As I was in front of the group trying to act all professional, I decided to show the lining and explain how it was done only to reveal my terrible secret habit! Serious embarrassment!