Joel Dewberry made a grand entrance into the fabric world not quite a year ago when he presented three fabric lines at Spring Market.  His lines were the "talk" of that Market and this busy father of four, now has something new for us...Ginseng.

Get a sneak peek from QuiltersBuzz reporter, Tracey Lamphere who tracked Joel down and got you an interview and a peak of his new line coming out this Spring. Plus, Joel has a book in the works.

Joel Dewberry’s new Free Spirit Home Decorating line is called Ginseng and will be available and shipping by May 2008. Its official launch will be at the Portland Quilt Market in May.

Joel explains his newest work in his own words.

QB: How does this line relate to your previous work Aviary, Chestnut Hill and Manzanita? You mentioned in an earlier interview that the three designs resulted from the same design approach. Is Ginseng an extension of these lines or a change in direction?

“My previous design collections represented my signature design style, ‘Eclectic Modern,’ and in an effort to be true to my emerging brand I employed a similar approach with Ginseng. By mixing beautiful organic prints and silhouetted florals with a range of geometric and historically inspired prints, I was able to successfully deliver a collection that was elegant and familiar yet refreshingly new.

My relatively limited use of color and the simple compositions have proven to be unique and enticing qualities that inspire confidence and make using them more approachable. Coordinating my fabrics for projects becomes surprisingly easy and in the end their overall harmony delivers a beautiful project.

While I believe the Ginseng collection is reminiscent of my earlier collections, I would suggest it represents an evolution of my design style and hints at how future collections will be injected with something new.”    

QB: What was the inspiration for Ginseng? Tell me about your process for developing that line. Chocolate, raspberry, sand, flax … the colors and patterns are organic, how does nature factor into this newest offering?

“The inspiration for Ginseng was derived from a new addition to our home studio.

My wife introduced a beautiful live orchid plant to the room that brightened the space with its pristine white petals and rich green stalks. More than a few times, I caught myself examining the intricate detail on each petal and observing how the weight of the flowers caused the stalks to bend in my direction as if they were introducing themselves.

I was convinced this would be the subject of my next collection. I had already begun some sketches that seemed to have a subtle Asian influence, so the orchid was the perfect complement. The one unfortunate event that occurred was that the real orchids did not last to see the completion of the collection.”     

QB: Are there any other projects in the works to tease? A book, TV appearance, etc.?

“I am currently working on sketches for my next collection, which will be released later this year at the Fall Market in Houston. I am also working on the preliminary stages of a book with a wonderful publisher which continues to shift from a lifestyle focus to a project oriented focus and back. I hope to have an anticipated release date and solidified theme in the near future.”

This one's just for fun: Do you decorate your home in your fabrics and what is one of your favorite projects?

“With two young daughters and a wife who are my biggest fans, they find many uses for my fabric. We currently have a beautiful collection of skirts, dresses, pajamas, pillows, hand bags, purses, bulletin boards, aprons, and quilts to name just a few.

To be honest, I am even more excited about my current home déc collection (Ginseng). The timing of its creation coincided with our need/or desire for a new bedding and pillow scheme. I must admit that my mulberry color scheme may have been influenced by what we thought would be a refreshing and charming color palette for our bedroom. One of the nice perks to being a fabric designer.

“To date, my favorite project is my Toscana quilt. Currently, it is making its way around the world and will spend some time in Spain where we have recently introduced my fabric collections.

I expect to have a Toscana quilt pattern packaged for release at the spring quilt market and will be showing it in my Ginseng collection. A close second would have to be my Chestnut pillows. They are great for lounging around and come in handy at the studio when I need a quick power nap, I mean a few moments for meditative reflection.”

(Photos thanks to Joel.)

Post written by Tracey Lamphere, a mother, quilter, writer, entrepreneur and co-owner of FabFanatic.