Kaffe Fassett in the Studio: Behind the Scenes with a Master Colorist

by Kaffe Fassett

World-renowned artist and textile designer Kaffe Fassett provides a window into his creative process, offering readers new patterns, new ideas, and new inspiration With successes like Bold Blooms and Dreaming in Color, the latest book from Kaffe Fassett brings together all the best elements of his work and life. Kaffe Fassett in the Studio will offer an in-depth look at his work and where he finds inspiration, paying particular attention to his color work. He’ll also showcase some of his greatest designs in the areas of needlework, patchwork, and knitting, as well as provide three to four new patterns in each of these areas. Lastly, Fassett will speak to his fabric design and painting processes. He remains an icon in the fashion and craft worlds. He partners with brands such as Coach and is regularly featured in the pages of Vogue. Fassett’s brilliant use of color sets his work apart from other artists, and any collection of his work is a must have among fans and beyond.

Genres: Art, Nonfiction, Crafts, Knitting, Memoir, Sewing, Quilting

243 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 13, 2021

Reviews

[Adrienne Blaine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book backwards. I normally don’t jump around, but I know Kaffe Fassett for his knitting patterns, and those were at the end of the book. Fassett’s designs stand out to me amongst the thousands I have been obsessively scrolling through since learning how to knit last year, and it really does come down to his playful use of color. Learning that he grew up in Big Sur, California and moved to London to start his fine arts career makes sense in terms of his love of fine China motifs and psychedelic colors. The pictures of the home he shares with his husband and co-collaborater are a treasure trove of beautiful vessels, textiles, mosaics, paintings and always color. Although the book doesn’t delve into their romantic relationship, I would put it on a Pride month reading list just to show the joy that can come from living a life created in all colors of that rainbow.

[Nann · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful tour of Kaffe's colorful home and studio!

[Barb · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am not a quilter, a knitter nor an artist, but this book about Kaffe Fassett’s home and studio was delightful to me and fed my lifelong fascination with color and textiles.
I particularly enjoyed the tour of his bathroom highlighting Rupert Spira’s ceramics. Rich colors combined with muted hues are so delicious. And then the entry way...delightfully skewed stained glass tumbling blocks. The mosaiced terrace overgorwn with lush climbing florals..a stunning place to contemplate color and design.
Although I could not live in this riot of color, I appreciate what it must be like to be surrounded by the artistic joy.

Favorite Quotes

Color is such a gigantic enigma, changing and revealing different possibilities each time one concentrates on it for more than a moment.

Jumping from media to media gives anyone interested in the mysteries of color a fresh eye on the subject.

[April Munday · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely book, full of gorgeous photos. Definitely something to browse through on a gloomy day when you need a splash of colour.

[Jean · Rating 5 out of 5]

An awesome book detailing Kaffe’s studio. I love his use of color. His work is very inspiring.

[Kb · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a feast for the eyes!

[Aphelia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This gorgeous coffee table book is a visual feast! I love that this a book about Fassett's unique artistic process. As a multimedia creator, his paintings inspire his mosaics, needlepoint, quilting and knitting and it is fascinating to trace how a single inspiration - usually from his colourful collectibles - translates across these diverse crafts.

Fassett loves colour, and this book takes us into his gloriously cluttered and lovingly curated living areas. He puts colours together I'd never imagine - his motto is if your colour mix is not working, add more colours! - and it is so interesting to see the unique way he views the world.

Although not a project book, there are several for quilting (which he calls patchwork), knitting and needlepoint at the back.

It was a revelation ot see how, as the center of the Kaffe Fassett Collective, he works with his partner and trusted artists to realize his intial vision in other formats, allowing his work much broader reach.

Inspiring!

[Tyler Marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have always enjoyed Fassett's ways with color. This "book studio tour" does a good job of showing process, inspiration, and how Fassett balances multiple mediums. I especially liked how he takes a topic/concept and goes back a forth between painting, needlework, and designing to investigate color and pattern.

My problem with Fassett's process is that some of his sections/projects teeter out of art appreciation into art appropriation. He constantly refers to Asian and African works in monolith and uses "oriental" as a blanket. In most cases, he fails to understand the context, symbolism, and cultural ramifications of the works he collects or studies.

[Susan Eubank · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a very good complement to Fruity Knitting's several episodes on Kaffe Fassett and Brandon Mably. It goes through Fassett and Mably's major craft history and has a small section of patterns for each craft. As a book I could spend more time with the pictures and ponder the patterns. I wished for more patterns, alas.

[C2015 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great GUSHES of color. Soooooo much inspiration. Totally makes me want to dump out certain areas of my life and create create create. Working with color has always made me happy. I really found interesting how he got started in the story of his house and meeting Brandon and so many pictures. There are some patterns in the back and really only three throws that I would consider knitting but boy if I ever need inspiration. It’s a good one to pick up.

[P. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kaffe Fassett, you did not "find" these patterns, you appropriated them from other cultures without seeming to want learn their contexts. That being said, I love his color combos and general aesthetic, and he seems like an earnest artist who makes sure he gives the rest of his team props for their contributions. I could look at pictures of piles of the Fassett Collective's fabrics all day.

[Patricanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kaffe Fasset shamelessly name drops in all his books, but here it is totally justified when it is the people who helped him produce all the samples who are named. Gorgeous photos of his house, drenched in a riot of colour and packed with Collections of objects that have caught his eye over the years. I love colour, but I couldn’t live or create in the sensory overload that he seems to thrive in

[Caro · Rating 4 out of 5]

Indulge yourself with a book filled with gorgeous pictures of Kaffe's studio, house, quilts, knitting, and more. Lots and lots of colors and textures. The man is not a minimalist, but his eye is discerning, and he makes all the disparate elements work. Inspiring!

[Margaret Anderson Kelliher · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful inspiration of a book! Glorious for the eyes. Motivating to embrace one’s own artistic pursuits. A lovely mix of how painting pollinates other mediums, like fabric design and needlepoint. A joy to read Kaffe’s artistic voice.

[Julie Krick · Rating 4 out of 5]

How to Kaffe

Inspiring photos and tons of color exploding about. Quick read but really gets me excited about using more color. Has patterns at the end which you can download. Much appreciate that cool fact.

[Gail Button · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this. I think this book will be a permanent resident on my inspiration shelf. Great read, great inspiration, lovely insight into the mind and home of a fellow artist. Wonderfully colourful with a few ‘try-at-home’ patterns at the end.

[Ruth Ropper · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing book full of colour, ideas and an overview of Kaffe Fassett's creative life, inspiration and home as well as some projects with patterns at the back if you want to try something out. Definitely a book to revisit for future inspiration.

[Debra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gift for mom. She is one of Kaffe's biggest fans and this one is biographical.

[Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A color feast. Mostly looked at the pictures

[Cynthia · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful record of Kaffe’s world. Inspirational

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gorgeous book full of beautiful pictures. I kept thinking as I looked through the book “god I’d hate to have to clean this room!” 😂

[Ronnie Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful glimpse into the home and studio of an inspiring artist and designer. I have knitted and stitched many of his designs over the years.

[Rita · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a beautiful book! It was so nice to see Kaffe’s workspace and his projects, to hear his stories and see his surroundings. The patterns were a bonus!

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved the vibrant colourful photos in this ebook. This opened my eyes to making beautiful patterns and inspired me to try some new ideas in my own art.

[elizabeth mackessy-lloyd · Rating 5 out of 5]

This man is absolutely amazing!!

[Sonja H · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting mix of bio and crafting