I’m not very good at writing about me, or rather I just don’t like doing it. It’s not that I don’t like writing; it’s just that I find it really excruciating to try to distill myself to a few sentences. So this time I decided to ask for help, for some questions to answer. Below are the answers to those questions; let’s see how this goes…

From Candi: Whats your favorite texture? Corduroy? Velour? Or are you more of a Satin guy?

Corduroy. Definitely. Having grown up in the 70s I think I all but lived in corduroy overalls fro much of my childhood, or at least that’s how I remember it. I have to admit I am not a fan of wide-wale (I remember it kind of taking over in the late 80s). Give me any color of corduroy and I’m pretty darn happy. In fact I kinda picked all of the colors in Pear Tree to go well with slightly worn brown corduroy, and a warm brown corduroy is my ideal backing for a Pear Tree pillow (I already have several).

From Laine: How do you find the inspiration for your fabric? Also, how did you get into fabric design?

Eeek! That’s a huge question. Let’s see, inspiration. That’s pretty much everywhere. Pear Tree started when I realized I hadn’t watched an episode of the Partridge Family in far too long. Flock started as a contemplation of the colors in Greg Brady’s bedroom (the episode when he took over his father’s den, not when he moved into the attic). Savanna Bop is entirely for my daughter, Bee; I really wanted a crisp, gender-friendly line for her that she wouldn’t outgrow in two years. All kinds of stuff inspires me; generally lines start with a random thought, and if that idea sticks in my head for more than 24 hours I know I have to do something about it.

As to how I got into fabric design, that’s a long story, but here’s the quick version. I was a professor of design until 2008, when I became catastrophically ill. After a year of hunting for a diagnosis I finally learned I had Hypokalemic Periodic Paralysis (a rare form of Muscular Dystrophy). Because of that I had to leave academia (another long story). In 2010 I asked my mother to give me a lesson on the sewing machine my mother-in-law had given my wife; I made a dress for my wee daughter Bee. I was instantly hooked. A few months later I decided to try my hand at fabric design. I sent those designs (including Savanna Bop) off to Andover and soon thereafter had signed a contract to work with them. The rest is a rapidly evolving history. I still miss academia terribly, but I am so amazingly happy to be where I am in this incredible community.

From Sharon: What is the worst thing you ever did that you are glad your parents never knew about?

That is an evil question; I’m gonna keep it strictly PG-13. There is the time I took the car and drove off to Ohio with 5 friends to see a Fugazi concert. Or the time I crossed the Canadian border to see Bim Skala Bim, or the really sketchy dive club in Detroit to see All. Sense a theme here? I took off to all kinds of places (some entirely unsafe for a 16-year-old) to see bands, often not getting home until minutes before my adults awoke. But all in all I was a very well behaved little punk rocker.

From April: What are your feelings about the color orange? Also, if you could only have one dessert for the rest of your life, what would it be? And finally, if you win a million dollars, what would your first splurge purchase be?

I think orange is the single greatest invention the universe ever came up with. I don’t think I will ever be doing a line without some orange. Ever. Dessert is a tricky thing for me since I can’t have sugar (it causes paralytic episodes thanks to my HKPP), but right now it would have to be the sugar-free cake my wife made for my birthday. It was the first time in three years I had cake; you have no idea how happy it made me to be able to share a piece of birthday cake with Bee. A million dollars you say? Here is exactly what I would do first: cover the substantial college fund Bee is likely to need, put a whole bunch of money aside to cover whatever wife wants to do on her sabbaticals forever, and then buy a sewing machine (I’ve had my eye on a Janome Horizon for so long I think I would just go get one without even considering other, pricier options).

From Tiffany: If you could do anything in the world, what would that one thing be and why?

Emperor of the World. Definitely. I think I would be really good at it and that the world would surely be far better off.

From Petra: This is a very important question I ask all my friends at one point or another… Who would you rather have as a sidekick Salvador Dali or Bigfoot?

Bigfoot. From what I’ve read and heard Dali was kinda a dick.

From Duff:

1. how do you de-stress? I don’t . Ever. I think de-stressing is an entirely unhealthy concept.
2. Do you ever wonder what happened to Right Said Fred? No. Never.
3. Do you own a Shania Twin T-shirt or poster? No, but I wish I did.
4. Describe Pear Tree in 3 words that all start with the letter P. Personable, placid & playful.
5. What animal sounds can you make?Quite a few, but I am especially proud of my goat.
6. When do most of your ideas come to you? In dreams. Honestly.
7. How do you feel about “destiny” or the idea that nothing is a coincidence? I don’t at all buy into destiny. Stuff happens. Lots of it.
8. Where do you see yourself in 3 years? 5? 10? Chasing Bee.
9. What/who are your biggest design influences? Oh criminy. Let’s just say that Jamie Reid had a huge influence on me.
10. Do you feel gratitude? For whom or for what? I feel so much gratitude, and the list of people and events is too long to even start.
11. What is your definition of happiness? Do you have it/feel it in your life? Not a clue about defining happiness, but I do know that it is a right good thing. Oh, and yes.
12. Do you have a favorite carnival ride? Why is it your favorite/what feelings does it evoke? I always loved bumper cars. Yay sanctioned bashing! But now that I have Bee I have to say that carousels are the best thing ever.
13. Are you superstitious? No, but don’t tell anyone I said that, just in case.

From Lou: Do you think your Little One could have a influence in your creative process? If so, how?

I honestly wouldn’t be doing this if it weren’t for her. And there is nothing better than when I show her something I’ve done and she says, “Thomas, it’s gorgeous!” She doesn’t normally call me Thomas; we’re pretty sure she picked that phrase up from her Mama, but still I love when she says it.

From Nicole: How many times do you say or write ‘yay!’ per day? Also: what is your favourite Scooby Doo Villain?

A lot. I have a lot to say Yay about these days, and I know so many people who are doing yay-worthy stuff as well. I think we should all say yay to each other more often. And my favorite Scooby Doo villain was the 10,000 Volt Ghost from Episode 4. He was glowing orange, and I love orange!!!

From Jan: From your previous career, what has helped you the most in jumping into your new career as a licensed fabric designer? What has hurt the most?

Being able to critique has helped the most, by far. After spending much of the last 20 years in critique as a student, at teaching-assistant, and a professor those critical faculties have become really sharp (I think). That allows me to see things and quickly figure out what it is in whatever that is that is catching my eye, and to pick apart my own designs to get them where they need to be. All the technical skills are nice, but they are entirely secondary to being able to answer the endless string of Whys that I go through for each design, collection, and quilt. I have to say that I think I got incredibly lucky to end up with Andover, they are entirely willing to let me meander around, to produce lines that perhaps play together, but are incredibly different from each other, and seem to be excited to go forward with my as future lines are going to get far more conceptual in nature.

What has hurt the most is actually all the stuff that surrounded my career in academia. I had a pretty horrid experience toward the end of things when I was ill, and I think I am still working through a lot of that. It still astonishes me every day to meet people in this industry who are not entirely mercenary.

From Jodi: What’s a typical day like in the world of Thomas Knauer???

That really depends on the day. Half of my days involve chasing Bee (she goes to preschool three days a week). Most other days involve jumping out of bed frantically trying to get some designing, some writing, some sewing, some contacting, some business planning, some reading, some cleaning, and some cooking done. Oh, and I do try to have a bit of time with my phenomenal wife. Like most people it is pretty much non-stop from morning to bed. Phew, just writing that makes me want a nap (not going to happen).

From Cheryl: What is your favourite place to be? Secret fantasy career? Worst job ever?

Philadelphia. Professional Wrestler. Commercial mold-maker for a small ceramic tile company. (Making plaster molds for rectangular tiles is about as tedious as it gets.)

From Natasha: What is your favorite game on Facebook, cell phone, board?

Guilty pleasure time: I was once the world champion at Facebook Wrestler; my character was named Cindy Brady. It gave me something to do while bedridden before my HKPP was diagnosed; it was in insane time-suck. I don’t actually play cell-phone games; I keep my cell low-tech. But Risk is hands down the best board game ever. I am the master of the Siam invasion.

Phew. I think that covers just about everything anyone could ever want to know about me. Thanks for all the questions everybody.

Hugs,
Thomas