Kaffe Fassett and Liza Lucy, Traditional Quiltmakers Creating Quilts in Untraditional Colors...And They Have A New Book On The Way...Liza Tells Us More....
Liza Prior Lucy is the “right-hand ” man --so to speak-- of artist Kaffe Fassett when
he gets out a needle and thread to start quilting. She has co-authored several quilting/patchwork books with Kaffe including “Glorious Patchwork”; “Museum Quilts”, and “Passionate Patchwork”
As a matter of fact, Liza is the person who convinced Kaffe to cross over into fabric and design patchwork quilts ...and now they are working on book number four together.
"It is Kaffe's wild abandon for color that makes it fun", according to Liza.
The pair recently met at Liza’s house, in Pennsylvania for a creative work session for their new book called "Kaleidoscope of Quilts". And shown here are some photos of their work session. (Tomorrow, I will post a sneak peak of some of the finished quilts.)
Liza, who’s first quilt was a bunch of bandanas sewn together to make a “quilt” for her boyfriend's waterbed--back in the early 1970’s”, took quilting up in ernest in 1990.
She now owns and operates an online quilting shop called Glorious Color.
And she teaches quilt classes throughout the nation and in England.
Her working relationship with Kaffe started, years ago while they were both in the knitting industry…
Here is her story to tell:
Who is Liza Lucy?
“I am the mom of 2 teenage girls, one bulldog, one guinea pig. My husband is a former video games designer and software engineer who is now my partner in our online business, Glorious Color.
My "hobby" is also my vocation, quiltmaking. I am have been an enviromental activist for some time, with a special interest in pesticides. I proudly served as the president of the board of the national coaltion against the misuse of pesticides (ncamp) during the 90's.
I have a wonderful organic garden of veggies and perennials. My background is a degree in clinical psych.
I still love to knit and needlepoint but don't find enough time to do much. I live in gorgeous New Hope, Pennsylvania, an old village where the arts have thrived since the 1700's.
Glorious Color--It Is In Liza's Blood!.
Glorious Color is an online store only. I have been in retail almost all my life. My great grandfather, grandfather, and father had a department store where, among other things, fabric was sold.
I think I was born with a remnant in my hand. I had a handpainted needlepoint store in Washington,DC in the 70's and 80's and after that closed, I became a sales representative for several high-end knitting yarn companies. I also designed knitted garments for several magazines.
The Kaffe connection.
That is how I met kaffe. When his first book, "Glorious Knits" came out in 1985, I was hired by the Rowan Yarn company to represent their products in NY, NJ and PA. It was my good fortune to escort Kaffe from book signing to book signing and we hit it off.
The Start of Kaffe/Liza Patchwork
I convinced him to do patchwork designing when I took it up in earnest in 1990. (My first "quilt" was made in 1972 by sewing bandanas together for my boyfriend's waterbed.) I told Kaffe that if he designed the quilts, I would sew them and write the patterns. It took a little convincing, but not much once I reinterpreted a few of his knitting patterns into quilt patterns and showed him the result. The rest is history. We are now on book 4!
Teamwork
Basically, we are traditional quiltmakers who like untraditional colors. Either one of us will come up with an idea, Kaffe will choose some colors, I will do some cutting, he will put the pieces on a design wall and we will do this for hours, or days until a composition agrees with both of us. Then I sew.
The Appeal
Our quilts are simple. Almost anyone can make them, and usually very quickly. We are not about tricky piecing. We are about the joyous use of unexpected complex color stories. The folks who like our work are usually drawn to color more than pattern. I think we appeal to a 'new generation' because we are part of that generation. We are not doing reproductions from a time long gone. Our quilts are about tradition, newly interpreted for today.
Liza and Kaffe make a great team and some terrific quilts in incredible colorways. I am looking forward to the new book and other projects. And did I tell you about Kaffe's pajamas...I need a pair for Christmas!
Kaffe has quite a fan base worldwide who love his knitting, needlepoint, mosaic and patchwork. He is a designer of wallpaper, fabric lines, pajamas, rugs, and other interior accessories as well. His fabric lines made by Rowan/Westminster Fibers.
The design duo of Liza and Kaffe was recently featured in the latest issue of Quilter's Home magazine, as well.
Tomorrow, you can see a sneak peak of some of the Kaffe/Liza quilts featured in their new book "Kaleidoscope of Quilts."
(Photos and graphics care of Liza and Kaffe.)
he gets out a needle and thread to start quilting. She has co-authored several quilting/patchwork books with Kaffe including “Glorious Patchwork”; “Museum Quilts”, and “Passionate Patchwork”
As a matter of fact, Liza is the person who convinced Kaffe to cross over into fabric and design patchwork quilts ...and now they are working on book number four together.
"It is Kaffe's wild abandon for color that makes it fun", according to Liza.
The pair recently met at Liza’s house, in Pennsylvania for a creative work session for their new book called "Kaleidoscope of Quilts". And shown here are some photos of their work session. (Tomorrow, I will post a sneak peak of some of the finished quilts.)
Liza, who’s first quilt was a bunch of bandanas sewn together to make a “quilt” for her boyfriend's waterbed--back in the early 1970’s”, took quilting up in ernest in 1990.
She now owns and operates an online quilting shop called Glorious Color.
And she teaches quilt classes throughout the nation and in England. Her working relationship with Kaffe started, years ago while they were both in the knitting industry…
Here is her story to tell:
Who is Liza Lucy?
“I am the mom of 2 teenage girls, one bulldog, one guinea pig. My husband is a former video games designer and software engineer who is now my partner in our online business, Glorious Color.
My "hobby" is also my vocation, quiltmaking. I am have been an enviromental activist for some time, with a special interest in pesticides. I proudly served as the president of the board of the national coaltion against the misuse of pesticides (ncamp) during the 90's.
I have a wonderful organic garden of veggies and perennials. My background is a degree in clinical psych.
I still love to knit and needlepoint but don't find enough time to do much. I live in gorgeous New Hope, Pennsylvania, an old village where the arts have thrived since the 1700's.
Glorious Color--It Is In Liza's Blood!.
Glorious Color is an online store only. I have been in retail almost all my life. My great grandfather, grandfather, and father had a department store where, among other things, fabric was sold.
I think I was born with a remnant in my hand. I had a handpainted needlepoint store in Washington,DC in the 70's and 80's and after that closed, I became a sales representative for several high-end knitting yarn companies. I also designed knitted garments for several magazines.
The Kaffe connection.
That is how I met kaffe. When his first book, "Glorious Knits" came out in 1985, I was hired by the Rowan Yarn company to represent their products in NY, NJ and PA. It was my good fortune to escort Kaffe from book signing to book signing and we hit it off.
The Start of Kaffe/Liza Patchwork
I convinced him to do patchwork designing when I took it up in earnest in 1990. (My first "quilt" was made in 1972 by sewing bandanas together for my boyfriend's waterbed.) I told Kaffe that if he designed the quilts, I would sew them and write the patterns. It took a little convincing, but not much once I reinterpreted a few of his knitting patterns into quilt patterns and showed him the result. The rest is history. We are now on book 4!
Teamwork
Basically, we are traditional quiltmakers who like untraditional colors. Either one of us will come up with an idea, Kaffe will choose some colors, I will do some cutting, he will put the pieces on a design wall and we will do this for hours, or days until a composition agrees with both of us. Then I sew.
The Appeal
Our quilts are simple. Almost anyone can make them, and usually very quickly. We are not about tricky piecing. We are about the joyous use of unexpected complex color stories. The folks who like our work are usually drawn to color more than pattern. I think we appeal to a 'new generation' because we are part of that generation. We are not doing reproductions from a time long gone. Our quilts are about tradition, newly interpreted for today.
Liza and Kaffe make a great team and some terrific quilts in incredible colorways. I am looking forward to the new book and other projects. And did I tell you about Kaffe's pajamas...I need a pair for Christmas!
Kaffe has quite a fan base worldwide who love his knitting, needlepoint, mosaic and patchwork. He is a designer of wallpaper, fabric lines, pajamas, rugs, and other interior accessories as well. His fabric lines made by Rowan/Westminster Fibers.
The design duo of Liza and Kaffe was recently featured in the latest issue of Quilter's Home magazine, as well.
Tomorrow, you can see a sneak peak of some of the Kaffe/Liza quilts featured in their new book "Kaleidoscope of Quilts."
(Photos and graphics care of Liza and Kaffe.)
