A chat with designer Ro Gregg

Last week, we showed you Ro Gregg's two newest collections, Mountain View and Natural Beauty. Today we're revsiting those lines and sharing Ro's insight and inspirations on these lush, nature-focused fabrics.

Mountain View:

Q. Where did the idea for this collection come from?

In 2016, I attended the Pigeon Forge Quilt Festival in Tennessee and fell in love with the Great Smokey Mountain National Park. I began doing research on this region and wanted to create a comprehensive nature study of the trees, shrubs and flowers as well as its panoramic skyline.

Q. Tell us about the panel.

This 24" landscape panel is digitally printed from hand painted art. This process exquisitely captures a myriad of realistic details and a multi-tonal range of color.

It consists of several different scenes: the pond and river bed, the winding river, spring trees and shrubs as well as a timberline, mountain range and a spectacular skyline and sunset.

As an avid nature lover, the mountains always symbolized a calm serenity. Climbing mountains, you rise to a new heights, and it is almost a spiritual and mental rising.

Q. Tell us about the coordinates.

The coordinates are also digitally printed to keep the style extremely realistic. They vary in color and scale: all-over pebbles, flowing river water, panoramic trees, and a sunset skyline.

Q. Do you have a favorite coordinate?

The skyline sunset is my favorite pattern as it has a heavenly and serene feel about it.  The three different color palettes are diverse and vivid.

Natural Beauty

Q. Tell us about the panel. Why does in include vases, birdcages, butterflies, etc.? What inspired it?

I wanted to infuse romance into this panel by mixing lush roses with decorative vases and ginger jars as well as a profusion of color and interesting textures.

Also included are the pretty song birds in decorative cages, and of course butterflies.

Q. How did you come up with the color palette?

The colors are both soft and vivid: gentle corals and peaches, dark rich pinks, sprout greens, gray, sandy neutrals and a dramatic black

Q. What can you tell us about the different rose prints?

The focal print has the lush Natural American beauty rose, and the small roses and birds are a reduced version, using similar style roses on a smaller scale. The all-over abstract rose serves as a modern water color floral texture.

Q. Which is your favorite print?

My favorite print is the water color floral. It is fun and fresh and adds the needed color blocking for quilting.

Q. The tonal coordinates have such an elegance to them! Can you talk about their design?

The damask angel print is romantic and adds high light color. The tonal bird print has an art nouveau feel and brings subtle sophistication.

Q. What do you envision these fabrics being used for?

Bring the beauty of the outdoors inside with these romantic, nature-inspired prints by creating beautiful quilts, place mats, and wall hangings. The possibilities for creative decorating and quilting are endless as well as timeless.

Read the original Mountain View post here and see the entire fabric collection here.

Read the original Natural Beauty post here and see the entire fabric collection here .