Designer Tidbits: Zen Chic

Calm, cool, collected. Start your next quilt project off right, with the Sphere fabric collection by Zen Chic for Moda Fabrics. Get inspired by the calming blues, cool yellows, and collection of graphic prints. Brigitte of Zen Chic is here to show you more of Sphere collection, so keep reading for a closer look!

Q: Tell us a little about the Sphere collection. What were you inspired by?
A:I often get inspired by images, objects, or even household items. In this case it was an assortment of china which caught my attention with its combination of blue, yellow, turquoise, and white colors. It gave me a springtime feeling, like when you see a bright blue sky dotted with white clouds and stretched over a field of daffodils. Or a dish of clotted cream on a table set with white linen and blue china. The mood is light and playful, the colors are clean and crisp, and the hues are clear and with medium weight. With these elements in place, I created a number of related designs that would work well together as a “fabric family”. I always aim to include a number of graphic designs in a variety of scales in my collections.

Q: What is your design process when beginning a new collection?
A:Once I have an initial impulse for a collection, the design process often takes on a dynamic of its own. In the case of Sphere, the spacious and expansive quality of the color scheme soon sent me into outer space. I had visions of space shuttles and even the Milky Way. And in this way the designs for the Sphere came about. The circle became the dominant shape for the collection and gave rise to other designs base on round objects such as balls, dots, and so on. The mood and overall feel also contributed to the design process. It made me emphasize things that are light, breezy, or reminiscent of the sky in springtime. In this way the Wind Flower print was born.

Q: What design trends are you currently exploring?
A:I am currently exploring chalk on blackboard and related color schemes, because they seem to be popping up in all kinds of places these days. This is actually not a new color scheme for me, because as luck would have had it, I have used similar colors in previous collections and they turned out to become my favorite designs. I must have been somewhat ahead of a trend which is now catching up with me. So it is with a sense of great affirmation that I am now revisiting this particular color scheme to see what else one could do with it.

Q:What projects do you hope to see made with Sphere?
A:My quilt designs tend to have a close affinity to modern art, and therefore I am always pleased when quilts from my collection end up as the center piece of a room – either as a day cover for a bed or a wall hanging. But as a designer I am also mindful of my clients’ need to mix and match and I seek to give them a variety of fabrics which they can take in many different directions. Since the original impulse for “Sphere” was an assortment of china, it would lend itself especially well for a table setting, either as a table cloth or as quilted place mats with coordinated napkins. At the same time, the light and playful features of the collection make it also a great choice for children’s clothing.

Q:How do you describe your style and how has it evolved over the years?
A: My style tends to be elegant, sophisticated, and urban. My preference runs towards clean lines and a minimalistic pattern, to which I add a bit of playfulness so that it is not too severe. I have a tendency to create designs for stand-alone pieces, but since each collection has a large variety in scale and hues, my clients can take the fabrics in all kinds of directions. I am often pleasantly surprised by the creations they come up with. When I began designing I had a somewhat more traditional approach and was more focused on learning the craft for myself

Q:What is your most memorable quilt project to date?
A:It’s hard to pick just one. In each collection there is at least one which has become a favorite. There is the “London Tube” of the Juggling Summer collection, with its little bands of color that sparkle like jewels on an evening dress. Then there is “You Rule” of the Comma collection, where circles and stripes interact and create an unusually striking design. I will always have a special affection for this one! And more recently I created “Shine Through” for the Barcelona collection, where bright colors peek out from a dark background like hidden gems. A little bit like the hidden talents (and sometimes not so hidden!) talents of the many amazing quilters which I am meeting all over the world.