From My Hands to Your Home

Dear Friend,

Thank you for stopping by.

I've been sewing for as long as I can remember long before it was a business, before it was anything other than a person who couldn’t stand wearing what other people were. Over a lifetime, that love grew to include home pieces, unique gifts for people I adore and is now dbfour Design.

My experience in sewing techniques and interior design training bring colour and form to each studio piece as a system. Your piece is made with design in mind like how a palette moves, how proportion gives it calm or energy. Even a small potholder can either blend into a kitchen or make it sing. Sewing brings the technical backbone so your chosen piece lasts.

Being on the ‘Spectrum’, is a creative gift. It allows me to see the potential beauty, form and ultimate function before the fabric even leaves the bolt.  This gift fuels each design you see here. It's not a work-around. It's the origin of dbfour Design's practical art.

It all starts with fabric, quality quilting cottons, hand-painted batiks, heavier-weight canvas, and luxurious-feeling linens. These are fabrics I source personally and choose for their integrity, not just a pretty print. Everything that touches your hands should feel as good as it looks, including the thread.  I hope to delight you in “the hand” of a fabric, that sense of quality and reliability you feel the moment you touch it.

Everything is meant to be used. An apron that makes cooking feel like an occasion instead of a chore or lets a child express their creativity without ruining their clothing. Imagine, a potholder that protects your hands and makes you smile every time you reach for it. My hope is that you'll feel the craftsmanship first the precision, the finish, the durability and appreciate the artistry of colour, energy, and the care that went into every stitch.

I hope dbfour Design pieces bring a little more joy into your everyday life. Come find me at a show, say hello, and feel the fabric for yourself! I'd love to meet you.

With gratitude and thread in hand,

Karen Long,

Sewist