The Artist UnSEWn - FreeSpirit presents Jane Sassaman's Scandia

Hello! My name is Jane Sassaman and I am a FreeSpirit designer. I am happy to be here today to tell you a little bit about myself and my latest collection of designs called Scandia! 

My love affair with fabric began early. I grew up in a time when fashions lavish use of rich velvets, brocades and lace acted as a counterpoint to space age vinyl and Mylar. Color was wild then, too; Betsey Johnson pink, Beatles psychedelic and Peter Max rainbows were all the rage. And it is during this period, as an art student, that I fell under the influence of the English Arts and Crafts Movement. Consequently, my passion for the decorative arts and handwork have been the seeds from which my career as a quilter and fabric designer has grown.

Scandia

Every fabric collection is held together by a over riding theme or mood. Scandia, as the name implies, is influenced by the crisp clean look of modern Scandinavian design, for which I have a great affinity. So I wanted this line to have the essence of all the things that I love in this design culture… color, textiles, folk art, interior decoration, etc. 

But even though the spirit is Scandinavian, the motifs usually have some personal significance, as the flora and fauna are often modeled after those in my own Midwestern environment. So it is a very subjective interpretation. 

Within that theme, I begin by working on a nature inspired design to be the centerpiece of the collection and usually the most elaborate one, as well. In this case, the Vineyard design (with the birds) became the heart from which all the other designs evolved. And so the drawing continues by adding simple supporting characters, which are usually the most practical and hardest working fabrics in the line. I always include some contrasting geometrics and simple prints as nice foils for the flowers and leaves, plus some contrasting color for drama. 

Pillowcases

One of the nicest perks of the job is actually living with the samples that get made to showcase the collections every season! My home is the living laboratory for Sassaman fabrics… shower curtains, table cloths, duvet covers and PILLOWCASES! I have the greatest collection of pillowcases on the planet! It is a joy to go to bed in my house. 

Scandia Quilts - 3 Colorways

 And quilts are everywhere, of course! I am especially delighted to share one of the new Scandia quilts today. It is called Finlandia and I think it really has the flavor of Northern European folk art. Here it is made up in the Red colorway, but is also very fetching in the Purple and Blue versions. Each has it’s own ambiance and graphic temperament. You can download the free pattern here. To make your quilt larger than lap size, simply multiply the number if center blocks. 

If you would like to read more about my life in design and how to use these wonderful printed fabrics please pick up a copy of my book Patchwork Sassaman Style. 

I am a FreeSpirit!