Designer Tidbits: Barb Tourtillotte

The Fat Quarter Shop is excited to welcome Barb Tourtillotte to the Jolly Jabber. Barb’s latest fabric collection is Vintage Christmas from Clothworks Fabrics.


Q: What or who would you dedicate the Vintage Christmas collection to? Do you have an inspiration board?
A: Most certainly would have to be my mom and dad who were so supportive as I pursued a career in art. Ok, they did strongly suggest I have a backup plan by taking secretarial courses. ;-) They both have heavenly addresses now and I miss them oh so much.


I do not have an inspiration board per se but what a grand idea. I do rip interesting color palettes and product ideas out of magazines which are still in a big ol' pile still to file. I'm finding that Pinterest is so much tidier!

Q: What is your favorite project using this collection?
A: I am anxiously awaiting the fabric to arrive and I look forward to dusting off my sewing machine and turning my samples into a beautiful quilt for the holidays.

This collection has also been licensed for greeting cards, kitchen textiles, floor mats, stockings, napkins and a scrapbooking collection. It is so exciting to see how one collection can be produced in so many items.

Q: If time travel became possible, what year would you want to be in?
A: Oh boy, that's a good one! I think I would like to go back 20 years and see my children (now in their twenties) as babies and youngsters again. Those years of raising my three went by so fast and I would love to go back and just savor each moment.

Q: If you had to change your first name what would you change it to?
A: Certainly something more glamorous than 'Barb' (which to me is synonymous with 'snag' and 'hook' :-).

Q: What was your favorite childhood TV show?
A: What great questions! Hmm... Wonderful World of Disney, Gomer Pyle, The Monkees, The Brady Bunch, etc.



Q: Who is the most famous person you have ever met?
A: Well, my first 'boyfriend' was Jay Lovell when I lived in Houston (my dad worked on the Apollo program at NASA). Jay's dad is Astronaut James Lovell so that was pretty awesome.


Q: What is your favorite App to play on your phone?
A: DrawSomething on my iPad.

Q: If you could marry a technology, what would it be?
A: That would have to be my computer/internet/email. I have no idea how I lived without them.

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