The perfect time for a summer sewing soirée...

July 13, 8:51 PMSewing ExaminerJoAnn Connolly

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Paula Prass

Nationally recognized interior designer Paula Prass has a very successful line of home décor products and a popular stationery line. Paula recently added textile design to her resume and the results are nothing less than stunning. Her newest collection, Summer Soirée, manufactured by Michael Miller Fabrics, LLC, is a joyful burst of color and pattern, both sophisticated (with its houndstooth check and chevron stripe), and playful (with its polka dots and zebra print). It comes in three colorways…just right for decorating, apparel, accessories…you name it. Paula shared a bit about her creative take on business.

The first question I always like to ask is how, when and where did you start to sew?

PP: My first sewing experience was in my seventh grade Home Ec class. I loved the one little project, but never had another opportunity to sew again until I bought a sewing machine at a yard sale and started making clothes, bedding and curtains for my home and children. I instantly became addicted to any kind of handiwork and soon taught myself smocking, embroidery, needlepoint, heirloom quilting and upholstery. I have only dabbled in knitting and crochet, and felting is still tugging at me.

It is your use of color that first caught my eye. Your Summer Soirée collection is sweet and crisp and just so pretty. Your luscious colorways are refined and playful at the same time. What was the inspiration behind that line?

PP:  After signing a licensing agreement with Michael Miller Fabrics, I fell in Soho and broke my creative arm and shoulder! Thank goodness, my first fabric collection, Flights of Fancy, was far enough along that it could still be produced. However, I got an amazingly beautiful vase of roses from Kathy Miller aka: MMF and helplessly admired it. I could barely water it, let alone paint of photograph it. I posted a frustrated blog entry about this arrangement. It was so elegant and playful that the image continued to stick in my mind way after the roses wilted. Sure enough, when I finally regained enough movement to start on my next fabric collection, the idea of that vase of roses still called out to me. It became the starting point of what I imagined as a vibrantly colorful mix of classic with a punch.

Your successful leap from interior designer and artist to textile designer seems like a natural one. What is your art background that prepared you for these creative endeavors?

PP: I focused on interior design as a career, but the correlation between fashion, interior design and art is enmeshed in all I do. I concentrated on drawing and acrylic painting, but I took about every art course I could fit in, anything from batik to portrait painting.

What media do you work in when actually designing your fabrics?

PP: I start out with pencil sketches and move to more detailed drawings. We scan my images into Illustrator and I redraw them using a Wacom tablet. Then we start playing with color, scale and repeat. To be honest, this process is like pulling teeth for me. I complain that painting by hand would be much faster. However, the advantage is that I can switch out colors and reposition individual pieces to my heart's content. I do like mixing my hand painted pieces with digital artwork, as I did in my Flights of Fancy fabric collection, and think I'll be doing more of that in the future.

Participating in Quilt Market, while lots of work I'm sure, appears to be so much fun and so inspiring. How important is “packaging your brand” in today’s marketplace?

PP: Branding is everything. Like the Golden Arches, you want to set yourself apart from a sea of competitors.

There are lots of talented people out there with a dream worth following. What words of encouragement can you offer to those who need a little nudge?

PP: I am so passionate about encouraging others to follow their dreams that I am willing to share my very personal story in the hope that it will provide that nudge.

As a child I did not have a nurturing, loving family. In fact, I was passed between various family members and foster homes and the only skills I learned were the survival kind. By my mid-twenties I was a divorced mom with two babies to care for. I was always embarrassed that I didn't obtain a degree and my chances were slim to none that would ever happen. My children became my top priority. However, after I tucked them in at night I would draw, paint, decorate cakes or sew to make extra money. What started out as making ends meet, turned into gained confidence and more commissioned jobs. By the time WE married Tim, I realized I had enough work to keep me busy full time. Taking those determined baby steps turned into a very successful interior design career with numerous design awards. Other than some specific classes, I studied and earned my way into a professional affiliation that is equivalent to a design degree.

Creativity comes from within. I started two habits early on that I believe helped me learn to nurture myself.

First: I kept a journal where I could record my fears, needs, hopes, dreams and prayers, and in faith I left a blank space so when an answer came, I recorded that as well. I started that journal in the 70's and I still have it.

Second: I set SMART goals. Stands for Smart Measurable Attainable Realistic Timetable.

Dreams are what we carry inside and writing them out gives them substance. Try it.

You work with your lovely daughter Jennifer and it is so obvious that it’s a wonderful working relationship. Your love and respect for one another shine through on your respective blogs. What one piece of advice can you give others contemplating working with a loved one?

PP: Wow. Jennifer and I do have a very unique relationship, one that we can't really explain. Most advice would discourage having family working together, and honestly I have to agree. I guess why it works for us is that we can have a really bad day together, then talk or email before bedtime. That probably wouldn't be happening with an employee, if you know what I mean. Advice? Have a budget set aside for counseling?

Your remodeled studio is to die for. It’s fresh, colorful, and clean! I am inspired to re-work my 2-by-4-stud-walls-and-cement-floor sewing room. What was your number one, must-have element when designing your new space?

PP: First of all, my studio is clean because you're looking at a photograph. We can trash it in 2.2. Must-have element? Storage. Can't get enough storage.

What one tool-of-your-trade could you not live without?

PP: That's a tough one. When I started out, I needed a sketch notebook, pencils, straight edge, some reference books and snail mail. Now I need four computers, numerous computer programs, Wacom tablet, Screen Color Calibrators, four printers, scanners, fax, copiers, three websites, about twelve email addresses and four phone numbers. I'm stumped. I go with computer.

Your sumptuous Summer Soirée collection is just hitting the marketplace. What is exciting you now and what will we be seeing next?

PP: I have a third fabric collection that we are still tweaking. I just signed a licensing contract with Oopsy daisy Fine Art for Kids and they will now be carrying some of my children's canvas art and accessories. I am working on children's and women's clothing patterns, handbags and home decor patterns that I'm very excited about. I also have a couple things on the back burner that I can't wait to reveal.

Thank you, Paula!

Visit Paula's website to see what she's up to.
Keep up with Paula at her blog, Show and Tell and at her Flickr Photostream.

Contact JoAnn at: joann@gardenofdaisies.com or www.gardenofdaisies.com