Hello to whoever is out there! Some of you have noticed that this blog has been inactive for a few months. Yes, I have been wrestling with my soul these days and overwhelmed by a persistent feeling that I have been chasing a “carrot on a stick”. Frankly, I was exhausted! As a rather quiet and solitary artist, the nagging persistence to fulfill all these social media duties began to feel quite hollow. I felt that the social broadcasting was a sorry substitution for doing my “real” work. Also, I have realized that my brain is not oriented toward business and it was tired trying to bend in that direction.
I needed to fondle some fabric, to look at my wonderful books and get reacquainted with my priorities. So now I am quietly approaching the blog with a new spirit. I hope you will check in occasionally to see where all this soul searching will lead.
This is one of the things that has brought me back to life! I have been dreaming about adding embroidery to my work for years and now that idea has come to fruition! Thanks to the digitizing talents of the fabulous HoopSisters, I can use my awesome #BERNINA to embroider almost anything. The HoopSisters have taken motifs from my new fabric designs (Prairie Chic for FreeSpirit) and turned them into elegant stitchable decorations. Here are some of the projects we have worked on so far.
I collect old damask tablecloths and napkins to use as background fabric for quilts. So I used some of the napkins to apply the new embroidery designs. You can see the original fabric (Meadow Mix) in the background with the oak leaves, dollar plants and coneflowers. This combination create quite a cozy feeling in this autumnal colorway.
Here it is in another colorway of the same fabric. As you embroider these motifs you can obviously choose any color of threads, depending on their application. I have plans to enhance many things with these new designs, especially clothing, so check in next week to see some new samples.
PS… during my hiatus I have finally surrendered to the lure of Pinterest and have started some inspiration boards of my own. If you are looking for some more eye-candy, feel free to check them out.
Glad you are back! I love the embroidery patterns. Happy sewing and designing!
I am so happy you are back! I am a big fan of your work and just recently discovered that another favorite duo, The HoopSisters were using your fabric as inspiration for machine embroidery designs. So naturally, I went to your page to see how you might incorporate these gorgeous embroideries into pieces using your fabrics! I was disappointed not to see anything and get the inspirstionl!
Well, you aren’t disappointing! Thank you!
A Hane Sassman Tablecloth and these gorgeous napkins to match! Holy cow!
Beautiful embroidery. I love your fabric and designs and will look forward to what you have for us in the future!
Drop in any time. I love to learn what others are doing, and even wrestling with in their day to day journey. I find keeping up with all the blogs on a daily basis does cut into my creative time, so jewels from time to time are alright with me.
Thank you.
Hi Jane! I so love your fabric designs!!! The rich color density is awesome to behold. Made a special “Jane Sassaman Fabrics” board on my Pinterest collections … can’t wait to see some more. Free Spirit is blessed to have you and so are we!!!
Sincerely,
Kit Newlin
Gorgeous embroidery! I love to see the new application of your designs. Embroidery is a perfect match.
The hamster wheel of keeping up with social media expectations is just too much. I certainly don’t fault you for stepping away. I think you’ll find your hard core fans will feel the same way.
I feel the need to tell you how much your work has inspired me to become an experimental quilter by using fabrics to create and design pieces that are out of the ordinary. I constantly refer to a book of yours for direction and i totally love your fabrics.
Now that you mention your reluctance to social media, it rings true as on my searches. I haven’t found nearly as many of your pieces as those of other designers. I also think there are a lot of quilting/sewing enthusiasts out there that may not heard of you but would LOVE your work.
Social Media is the future, although its infuriating and time-consuming, but its easy access to the world for all parties.
I hope that your break has refreshed you enough to let your Fans have another peek at your Art. I don’t blame you for becoming a recluse for a while, I think we all need that from time to time.
Thankyou Jane. You are my Inspiration 🙂
I love the way you write with Back to Business!
Jane Sassaman Ideas Blog.