Mary Fawcett

After graduating with a B.A. in Design, our mom Mary worked in advertising agencies in Chicago for 15 years as a Creative Director. Then 10 years ago, she left her job at J. Walter Thompson and started her own agency. But things quickly changed once we came into the picture, especially since we insisted on helping in the mailroom by grabbing faxes as they came in. One month later, after retrieving another chewed fax, the company name was changed to Mad Dog Designs and we were given our own office. The studio has continued in spite of our efforts.   — Tobie and Louie

Find Mary online: 
Facebook — Etsy — Pinterest

Meet Mary

Pellon: Where do you find inspiration for your work?
Tobie & Louie for Mary Fawcett: Our mom finds inspiration in our life and our friends lives. Our cousin Henry was featured in the pattern Squirrely Beagles and although our mom still laughs when she sees it, we don’t get why she thinks that’s so funny. Our neighbor Mona is featured in Dog Days of Summer. She’s the tall leggy bloodhound; and our buddy Clancy is the big guy in the pool in Pirates of the Caribbean, the Curse of the Kitty Cat.

P: What does your creative process entail?
T&L-MF: It usually starts with taking us for a walk. Then something happens or another dog will come up and then that’s when Mary thinks: “This could be a quilt!” Once home, the idea gets written down in a notebook where a sketch will start and then slowly pieces are added and subtracted. This continues until the “fun” aspect of the idea becomes crystal clear and then out comes the stash of fabric to pick and choose from, like crayons in a box!!

P: Why do you enjoy sewing/crafting/quilting?
T&L-MF: For the creative process and the fun of it.  Once you start an idea, you never really know where you’ll wind up until its finished!

P: Do you create mainly for satisfaction, gifts, art or another reason?
T&L-MF: Mainly for fun. Our mom gets an idea and has to start it because “she” thinks it’s so funny. And the next thing you know, fabric is flying with markers and scissors!

P: What tips or tricks learned through experience can you share?
T&L-MF: The one item that is always purchased by the bolt:  Pellon® 805 Wonder-Under®. It’s so easy to use and move.  Easy to slide your pattern under and trace.

P: When and why did you start sewing/quilting/crafting?
T&L-MF: Mary got the creative bug from her mom who always sewed clothes and made matching outfits for her and her sister’s dolls. Then later Mary’s sisters Kate and Diane followed in their mom’s footsteps sewing and then branched out into quilting. One day our mom wanted to start something new. So her sister Diane took her to quilt shops in Wisconsin. Mary didn’t quite get the small squares and could never really find the “log cabin” in the quilts, but with both of her sister’s encouragement, she found a way to achieve a graphic look and combine her love of dogs with a new medium, fabric. So with the discovery of fusible web, Mad Dog Designs was created. The quick, easy way to achieve the great look of quilting, with the use of an iron!

P: What inspires you to start a project?
T&L-MF: Dogs and a funny moment.

‑‑ Tobie and Louie