5 Minutes With a Fabric Designer

Part One

Okay, kicking off the week with the first in my little series of interviews, we have a woman who makes a killer key lime curd, is often mistaken for my sister, and whose fabric is loved by stitchers everywhere. She also happens to be my dearest friend, Sandi Henderson.

This is her Secret Garden QM booth. Isn't it pretty? 

And here's the two of us doing our little school house thing...do you see the sister thing? I guess I do from this far away...

And here are the two of us amongst a few lovely market attendees... (thanks to April on the far left for the photo-check out her cute blog). 

Now on to the words of the woman herself... heeeeere's Sandi:

Me: Hey.

Sandi: Hey.

Me: Sooo...I want to interview you for my blog.

Sandi: Okay. 

Me: But I already know you really well.

Sandi: You should ask questions that people don't typically ask. Like everyone always asks "What was the inspiration for this line of fabric?" Don't ask that.

Me: Yeah. That's a good idea. Non-generic questions. I can do that. And these are only five minute interviews, so I'm not going super in-depth.

You ready?

Sandi: Yup.

Me: Okay. (Assuming official interviewer mode).

So, Sandi, please tell us...what is your favorite book?

Sandi: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.

Me: Do you find it visually inspiring?

Sandi: Yes. It's the book that I have...hmmm (pensive pause)...the ending of that book is, I think, the most wonderfully written ending of any book that I have ever read.

Me: Awesome. When did you first realize you were an artist?

Sandi: Creative or an artist?

Me: An artist.

Sandi: An artist? This year.  I don't know if you should say that...

Me: No, that's an honest answer. That's good. What is your favorite ice cream?

Sandi: Probably..vanilla.

Me: Me too!

Sandi: Because I like to put stuff on it.

Me: Yeah, you can dress it up. Ok, if you could go anywhere in the world on vacation, where would you go?

Sandi: Portabello Road.

Me: I love Portabello Road!

Sandi: (sad) It doesn't exist anymore.

Me: (emphatic indignation) I know.

Sandi: I named my business after it and it doesn't exist anymore, I never got to see it.

Me: I did. Ha ha.

(laughing)

Me: It was cool, but it had kind of gone...

Sandi: Kind of shady I heard.

Me: Yeah, it was sort of shady but it still had a lot of cool vintage/ antiques stuff going on, but then there were also all these like, cheap importers. 

Sandi: So maybe it's good that I never got to see it.

Me: Yeah, because then you can keep the romanticized version in your mind.

Sandi: (singing) Portabello Road, Portabello Road...

Me: Okay, that's going on the blog.

 (laughing)

Alright, last question. Is there a line that another designer has come out with that you wish you had thought of?

Sandi: Between you and me? Yeah.

Me: Well, not between you and me. Between you and blogland.

Sandi: Ummm. Okay. Amy Butler's Charm.. And actually that is probably my favorite fabric collection. Ever.

Me: Well thanks. (Assuming official friend mode again).

Sandi: Yup.

So, there you have it blogland. Pure journalism right there. You can learn more about Sandi by visiting her blog, portabellopixie.typepad.com or her website, sandihendersondesign.com.

Tune in on Wednesday for 5 Minutes With a Fabric Designer, Part 2, featuring David Butler. 

xo