Interview With Birch Designer Emily Isabella!

1.  Tell us a bit about yourself and what your career path looked like so far?

I grew up in rural Wisconsin surrounded by prairie and forest. My parents are both artists and instilled a very strong work ethic in me. From them, I learned that there is really nothing better than having original thoughts and doing everything possible to make those thoughts a reality. I studied textile design at The Savannah College of Art and Design and am doing just that! In addition to designing prints and graphics for other companies, like Birch, I also design and manufacture products of my own such as note cards, tea towels, and a few other top-secret products due out soon. My style is very illustrative and I am hoping to make my way into the children’s book realm in the future.

2. Yay Day is your debut collection with us at Birch Fabrics Organic (woo hoo!), do you have a personal preference for organic fabric?

Absolutely. Who likes pesticides? The earth doesn’t like them and our skin certainly doesn’t! I believe in high quality products that can be used over and over and still maintain their integrity. I think it is important to create product that will last and be handed down instead of ending up in the landfill. I also believe in fabric that has a really nice feel or “hand” and this organic fabric has just that! 

3.  When did you know you wanted to be a fabric designer?

I remember shopping for fabric in high school and being disgusted by the selection at one of those huge mass-market, chain fabric stores. I remember getting excited about the thought of maybe making a difference in the world of fabric and some day designing tasteful, high quality options. 

4.  What does your design process look like?

My design process is pretty simple and rather intuitive. Usually, an idea will pop into my head after a day at the flea market, an afternoon at the used bookstore, a weekend with friends, a museum trip or sometimes ideas wake me up from my sleep. Once I have an idea, I will sketch it out and then leave it for a few days. If I can’t stop thinking about, I will develop the idea and create the finished art. I know it’s done when I have a certain “flutter” in my stomach about it. Sometimes I never get the flutter, and if that happens, I move on to the next idea. 

Blouse and Shorts sewn by Christina McKinney, pattern by Peek-A-Boo Patterns & Smock sewn by Heather of Littlest Pretty Things Blog, pattern by Oliver + S.

5.  Where did the inspiration for Yay Day come from?

The first note card collection I designed under my own brand name had the Yay Day characters on them. I LOVE parades and wanted to create a collection based around forest animals marching around and celebrating life. Don’t you want to jump in and join them?

Yay Day featured in the Star Gazer Quilt, Pattern by Lunden Designs

6.  We here at Birch Fabrics are typically drawn to fabrics for boys, but we just could not resist these adorably feminine illustrations of Yay Day. Do you have a preference between girl and boy fabrics when designing If so, what are some of your favorite fabric subjects or themes?

I just love to design. Boy, girl, unisex, I love it all. I could happily draw floral prints ALL DAY but I would be just as happy drawing a fun conversational print for boys.

Dress sewn by Heather of Littlest Pretty Things Blog, featuring Confetti print.  Pattern from Oliver + S.

7.  What projects do you envision Yay Day used for?

Ooo! Fun. Well….I think café curtains would be cute out of the Quilt fabric. Long floor length curtains would be pretty made from the Birch Forest print.   

All the prints would make great throw pillows and sheets. I think a Yay Day nursery would be so nice mixed with some vintage pillows, linens and a shelf of vintage storybooks. A little outfit out of the polka dot and floral would be pretty for a girl and/or her mom alike. 

Dress and photography by Heather of Littlest Pretty Things Blog

8.  Alright. Give us three words to sum up Yay Day. Go! 

Fresh. Charming. Playful.

9.  And last but not least, we readers want to know…..With all the rage over hip woodland animals from the owl to the fox.  What is your favorite woodland animal out there? 

This is a hard question. I love them all for different reasons but I would probably have to say rabbits are my favorite woodland animal.

Thank you Emily, for taking the time to let us inside your world for a little while!

If you are a fabric retailer, and wish to place an order for Yay Day by Emily Isabella for Birch Fabrics Organic, please email info@birchfabrics.com to do so.