Experts-Pitch to Become a Designer for a Textile/Licensing Manufacturer
Cindy Cloward and her husband, Bret are the owners of Riley Blake Designs. Cindy works closely with their artists and their design team to bring colorful, fun and sophisticated designs to fabric. Having a mother that always loved to paint and create inspired Cindy to start sewing at a early age. After high school Cindy pursued a Bachelor’s degree in Nursing and worked as a RN in Labor and Delivery for ten years at the University of Utah. Two of those years were spent working with high risk OB patients as a Flight Nurse. Cindy married into the textile business; her in-laws owned retail fabric stores along the Wasatch front. Taking an early retirement from Nursing after the birth of her third child, Cindy embraced the life of a stay-at-home mom while her children were small. Even with small children she found time to sew, garden, scrapbook, and decorate with color. After living around the country in places like Texas, Washington State, Nevada, and New York, she and her family came back home to Utah to run their textile wholesale business. Bret and Cindy have owned their wholesale business for the past 12 years, and started producing fabric 5 years ago. Two years ago they launched Riley Blake Designs. Their bright and colorful fabrics are created in hopes that they will inspire the professional, avid, recreational, and future sewers alike. Life is a balancing act, but there is always time to sew!
Jina learned to sew at an early age while growing up in Australia. As a young girl, she loved to make doll clothes, she learned to knit and create many other craft projects, and was always keeping her hands busy. Over the years, Jina has absorbed every genre of crafting from tole painting and scrapbooking to doll making and jewelry making. While a teenager, Jina adopted a love for sewing as her father provided all the patterns and fabric she required for sewing her own clothes. As she began raising her own children she became known as a trendsetter with the unique fashions and accessories she would sew and create for her little girls. Jina was introduced to quilting in 1989 and was quickly addicted. She is a founding member of a 23-year-old quilt group. Her quilting is known as bright, unique, edgy, and precise. Her quilting designs have been featured in many magazines and she has taught and created addictions among many women who have learned the art of quilting. Jina proudly claims a Bachelor of Science degree from BYU. Previous to coming to Riley Blake Designs, Jina worked for a nationally known jewelry company where she fulfilled the roles of both National Sales Manager & Production Manager. Who would have guessed that her love of quilting would become the skill set needed to be hired as the Design Director for Riley Blake Designs? The creation process is where Jina loves to be as she works closely with the artists to create fabrics that make you happy and design quilts that inspire others to buy more fabric. Jina continues to sew, cook, garden, and explore the art of continuing to create.
Visit our website to see what Riley Blake Designs is all about: http://www.rileyblakedesigns.com/
