About June

      June Colburn's 20-year odyssey, living and traveling in South America, Europe, and Asia, began in 1973 with itchy feet and a Master's degree in library science.  While working for private international schools, June's motto "Have sewing machine, will travel," led her into week-end and holiday adventures hunting for fabrics in souks, bazaars, flea markets and temple sales from Quito to Paris, Istanbul to Singapore. Talking with the people who weave, dye, embroider, sew and sell native textiles influenced the photos she took, the books she read, the treasures she collected and the rest of her life. 

     A sewer since elementary school, June learned patchwork techniques while living in Holland in the mid-70's. She began teaching those lessons in Switzerland and then in Japan, where several of her students later became teachers themselves.  The exquisite kimono fabrics of Japan defined June's creative direction.  After a few years of experimentation, June began designing home accessories and clothing which she sold during trunk shows in the Kobe Daimaru Department Store kimono department and the Tokyo American Club annual International Bazaar.  In 1986, June won a first place award in the Kobe City Fashion Design Contest with a patchwork suit reminiscent of Eastern European folk costumes.  Her quilts were included in exhibits of work by resident foreign artists at the Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1991 and 1992.

     June returned to the United States in 1993, and now lives in Florida.  Kimono and other ethnic textiles continue to inspire her work, some now available to quilters and sewers in her signature line of patterns.  June also shares her knowledge and love of Asian textiles through trunk show lectures and classes.

Who We Are

After eight years' experience hosting design shows and presenting lectures in Japan, I opened my business in Florida in 1994.  My earliest venues in America were quilt and sewing related shows where I exhibited kimono, kimono fabrics and my designs made from these vintage textiles.  This lead to creating a line of Asian inspired patterns as well as developing lectures about textiles and techniques.  With the help of my dear friend Kris Brown my business has grown and we are currently expanding our web-based business while I continue to travel extensively throughout the United States teaching, exhibiting and collecting new ideas.    JCD