Liesl Gibson, designer of the Oliver + S line of fabrics for Moda and Oliver +S sewing patterns for children’s clothing.

Sewn:
How did you get involved in the “Quilt” world or what lead you to start your business or designing fabric?

Liesl:


Before my daughter was born I worked as a clothing designer for brands like Ralph Lauren and Tommy Hilfiger. When I decided to become a stay-at-home mom I wanted to keep doing creative things involving apparel, so I decided to make clothing for my daughter. I had trouble finding sewing patterns I liked, so I decided to use my skills to make my own patterns. One thing led to another and before I knew it I was writing a business pland and then launching a pattern company! Initially I thought it was something I could do during nap-time, but it quickly became a much bigger project than I expected. Three years ago my husband left his job in finance and came to run the business so I could be freed up so to concentrate on the creative side of things. It’s been a good partnership, and we’ve been able to take on larger projects together than I ever would have attempted on my own.

Sewn:
Tell us a bit about your business and your style.


Liesl:
We have a small design studio in Brooklyn that we commute to every day. It’s a beautiful, light-filled space with lots of big linen-covered bulletin boards that I use constantly because they let me step back and get a little perspective on my designs and ideas. I tend to work in a very fluid style. Todd (my husband) calls my creative process “nubulous” because things go in, they float around for a while, and then new ideas and designs start to come out. It’s sort of impossible for me to explain, and it never happens in a manner I expect. Part of the joy and challenge of working as a designer is simply allowing things to happen as they happen. I can’t force it, and the process is never the same the next time I do it. It’s constantly changing, and sometimes I need to just get out of the way and let it happen while other times I really need to grapple with it for a while before it comes together. The trick seems to be not letting myself get too stressed out about the process. It can be all-consuming, and that’s tricky when you’re running a business and working together as a family.

Sewn:
How do you get your inspirations for designing fabric or your patterns?


Liesl:
I find inspiration all over the place. We live in New York, and just a walk through the park or a trip to the museum can inspire all sorts of ideas. I spend a lot of time reading and browsing in bookstores and in vintage or thrift shops, too.

Sewn:
Who or what inspires you?


Liesl:
My daughter inspires me the most, but living in New York gives me lots of inspiration, too. I often get ideas just from watching people here, or from wandering around the city and keeping my eyes open.

Sewn:
How do you design fabric? Are all the designs hand draw or do you use a computer program? Tell us a little about your design process.


Liesl:
I always start with some sort of inspiration and my sketchbook. Once I have an solid idea on paper, I scan it into the computer and work it in either Photoshop or Illustrator, depending on the type of design and the results I want. I usually prefer Photoshop because I can really draw free-hand and get a more organic result, but for more precise lines and repeated patterns Illustrator can be very useful. I switch back and forth depending on the look I want to achieve.

Sewn:
How many fabric lines have you done? What is the latest one with Moda called?


Liesl:
So far I think I’ve designed five collections for Lisette and Little Lisette and four collections for Moda. My next Moda collection is called “The Ladies’ Stitching Club” and will be out this summer. It’s been so much fun to work with these newest designs—they’re colorful and fun and lend themselves to all sorts of projects and purposes.

Sewn:
What are you working on at the moment?


Liesl:
As I write this I’m just putting the final touches on the Spring 2012 Oliver + S patterns and we’re getting ready for a big photoshoot for our newest project, which is a new brand of sewing patterns we’ll be launching later this spring. The new label features small sewing projects like bags and pincushions and things. I’m really excited about them—they’re fun little projects that offer lots of creative options.

On behalf of Sewn we would like to thank Liesl for her time and sharing her ideas with us.

On the fabric page you will find her new collection "Cape Ann".

When clicking on free pattern, you can download the pattern of a nice doll dress.