Sandy Gervais Falls Back in Time

Today’s post is the sequel to Friday’s entry from Abby. Sandy Gervais, one of our enduring favorite designers, has ‘oohed’ and ‘aahed’ us again with her new line, Fall Back in Time! Read on as she describes the thought and process behind her designs.

I received an email from Kimberly asking me to do a blog about my fall line of fabric. It was perfect timing because I had just finished helping my daughter Abby decorate her room using this fabric.

About 35 years ago my mother and I redecorated my room. Oddly enough it was much the same color scheme and “look” as Abby’s room. Mom made me an orange quilt with big appliquéd daisy-like flowers. I can’t remember, but I think we painted the room yellow. I made a burlap/felt wall hanging with daisies, bugs and frogs. (Burlap? Felt? Yep, it was the 70’s.) I think we also decoupaged big daisies on a wastebasket. (Decoupage? Again, it was the 70’s.) Now it was my turn to decorate with my daughter. I was so glad that Abby chose the “Fall” Back In Time fabric line. It was sold as a fall line, but I felt it had so many more possibilities than just fall projects. I think her room proves my thought. We had fun doing the projects. I was honored that Abby wanted me to help her decorate her room. It was a great time to bond. (And no we did not decoupage anything.)

As I was designing my 2007 fall line, (this would be my 14th fall line of fabric) I was having a bit of artist block. I pretty much had made a scarecrow, a maple leaf and a pumpkin every which way I could. I just had to come up with something new. So I decided to start with a more upbeat color palette. Once I had the colors chosen, it just said do something fun and funky, so the first pattern I painted out was the large polka dot. The larger scale polka dot led me to do a larger scale panel. That is how the design process works for me, one thought leading to another and another.

I usually like to name the line first and then design it. I know that may seem backwards to most of you, but it seems to work best for me. However, this line I painted out without a name. (Because I couldn’t come up with one.) When it was finished, I felt it had kind of an updated retro look. Hence the name “Fall” Back In Time – also a play off of the lingo for setting the clocks back in the fall.

My all-time favorite name for my fall lines was “Sweet Potato Pie”. What have been some of your favorite names of the different lines? Do you know that my first line of fabric had 99 pieces? It didn’t really have a name. Moda just used my pattern company name, Pieces From My Heart. About a year ago I bought a yard of one of my first prints off of eBay. Before we know it, my fabric will be on estate sales. God, I’m getting old.

The next line of fabric arriving in the stores will be Mix and Mingle. This line has the same coloring as “Fall” Back in Time. Therefore, both lines will mix and mingle very well together. After Mix and Mingle will be my Americana line, Red White and Bold. The title says it all. Look for this to arrive in March.

People always ask me if I ever run out of ideas. I occasionally have artist’s block, but I never run out of ideas. It’s kind of like money in the bank. If you keep withdrawing and never deposit, your account soon will be empty. But for an artist, as they use ideas, other ideas are being deposited daily through our surrounding and thoughts. So I think I will never run out of ideas, at least I hope I don’t. I am never more happy or relaxed as I am when I am painting. I have a dream job.