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Q&A: LILA TUELLER, DESIGNER,
RILEY BLAKE DESIGNS

 

Yes, baby, it’s cold outside…but just one look at fabric designer Lila Tueller’s bright, bold florals and matching damasks, geometrics, and graphic prints will warm you up and get you excited about sewing beautiful projects for spring.

 

Tueller’s new Extravaganza and Halle Rose collections created for Riley Blake Designs  have a unique vibe that mixes memories of a lush, tropical garden with a hint of a 1960s-era Mod pop look. More of her work can be seen on her Facebook page, Lila Tueller Designs, or on her blog.

 

The Utah native and mother of seven shared with eInsider the secrets behind her design process and inspiration.

 

eINSIDER: What are the things you encounter in your everyday life that inspire you in the process of designing fabrics? Has there been a particularly magical or fortuitous source of inspiration you can recall?

 

TUELLER: I would say that I am always looking at everything in my surroundings as inspiration—everything from the wallpaper in an old building to the carpet in a hotel lobby to the flowers growing on a hillside. I watch for pattern and geometry, as well as free-form shapes and elements that have no real foundation in "art" as one might expect.

 

I enjoy all of nature as well, with its unparalleled beauty, as well as its fierce edginess. All of these things offer inspiration and can come together in the form of design for me. But I also need to credit my oldest brother as my inspiration. He is an incredible natural artist whom I, as a child, would watch draw or paint in complete awe. He taught me to be fearless in my approach. He made me want to follow in his footsteps and create things of beauty for others to enjoy.

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eINSIDER: Big, bold florals and coordinating prints seem to be the centerpiece of both your Halle Rose and Extravaganza collections. Do you think that those big statement florals are your signature?

 

TUELLER: Yes, I would say so. I think my followers expect that from me. And I don't want to disappoint! Besides that, I just love flowers. I mean, who doesn't? God certainly must, since the world is full of the most stunning varieties, created using every color imaginable. Flowers are happy! They also bring joy to the viewer.

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eINSIDER: There seem to be a lot of pink and girly prints in the Riley Blake Spring 2015 catalogue that appear to cross over for both quilters and young mothers sewing for their children. For fabric designs to do double duty as such, what has to be the common universal element that appeals to both camps?

 

TUELLER: I would say that there needs to be visual rest in a collection if it is to be used either way. So I think a collection of fabric—whether it is going to be used for quilting or for clothing or accessories—needs tonal prints, as well as small prints. But honestly, all rules are meant to be broken, eventually.

 

I think many modern sewers are tossing out convention, opting for the "anything goes" philosophy. They mix and match up fabrics from different collections and try to be unpredictable when it comes to choosing what they put in a quilt or put together in clothing. So, quite honestly, I just design what I like and hope someone out there likes it, too.

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eINSIDER: What are the nuts and bolts of your design process? Do you work from paper first and then go to the computer, or do you rely solely on technology?

 

TUELLER: I actually do both. Most of my main prints are done first as a sketch on paper. That's how I get a true sense of scale and flow. Once I have a few of the most basic elements sketched out, I take it to the computer. I do the color and the repeat on the computer for all of my designs. The smaller prints can usually be done in my computer program without a sketch. Although, I have used many of my little doodles while waiting at the dentist office or the like, either as an added element to a larger design or as a basis for a simple repeated design that ends up in a collection. I keep all of them because you never know how you might want to incorporate those little doo-dahs in a collection some day.

 

I am what I call an organic artist, meaning I have been drawing and painting since I was a kid with pencil and paper, paint and canvas, and not on a computer. I was never trained as a graphic artist. I took art classes in college before computers were even thought of as a tool. So, I don't use stock art or any tool like that to create my designs. It doesn't feel right to me.

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eINSIDER: Can you tell me a little about your personal background? Did you have formal art training and from where? Are you a quilter or home sewer yourself? What is it about fabric design that you find satisfying?

 

TUELLER: I mentioned that I took art classes in college. Actually, I only took one drawing class and one watercolor class. I started sewing as a kid. First, it was knitting and crocheting, then cross-stitch, needlepoint, and sewing. All the while, I was drawing and painting obsessively.

 

I started sewing my own clothes in high school. My friends would ask me to make them things: blouses, skirts, even jeans. Then, I started making my own bedding and curtains, changing it every season because I would see something else I liked and have to start over.

 

When I had kids, I sewed their play clothes, church dresses, bedding, nurseries, etc. I was commissioned to make things for my extended family, friends, and neighbors. I took a lot of pride in my slipcovers. I also sold my watercolor paintings and big acrylic paintings at art fairs and boutiques, as well as children's clothing.

 

As a mother of seven kids, I was just busy. I didn't sleep much. I loved working late after they were all in bed. My children have many memories of coming into the sewing room and sitting on the table by me to talk for hours while I worked on whatever it was I was doing. That's just how it was at my house. I didn't cook a lot. Thank goodness I had an easy going family with low expectations in that department.

 

I do love designing fabric. It brings all of the elements together: the art, the fabric, the sewing, and the creativity I crave. It's all there, and it's the best job in the world for me.

 

 

 

 

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