basemi

Where did it come from?

Nope it’s not really my last name. i came up with it when i was searching for something to compliment my first name. basemi was born from joining the name of my children, barbara, santiago and emiliano. and basemi was born.

hello, it's me.

let me tell you my story….

Hello! I’m Patty, an artist passionate about everything hand made. I love butterflies, milkshakes, the beach, and recently fell in love with Japan. My love for art began since I was very little, I remember watch my great aunt paint. Her wooden palette was always filled with so many colors, I loved to see how they mixed together. I am in love with fabric design, my journey is hopefully beginning as a surface pattern designer. 

My story…. Well I was born in Mexico City to a Mexican mother and a Cuban- American father. I moved to live on a small island off the coast of Miami and grew up surrounded by the ocean, the palm trees and a unique sunny sky. I loved dancing ballet and you could say my dream as a little girl was to be a ballerina, I danced until I was about 17 years old. I loved painting, drawing and just creating anything with my hands. 

I started studying design and soon after I meet my husband. My mom always says when I was little I would tell her my dream was to dance ballet, paint, and be a mom. Needless to say a year after I meet my husband we were married and soon had our first daughter. Barbara, whom made my dream of being a mom come true. I began to learn patchwork and quilting to make a special project for her.

A few months after we were expecting Santiago. I was on bed rest for a while and I started quilting again. I always loved the story behind quilting. I started to buy colorful fabrics and making very unique combinations. Certainly they were different then the ones being used at the time. 

He was a premie and well what can I say anyone that had lived thru this experience knows its a hard one. However he is a fighter and pulled thru, sure with things that make him unique. As a mom its been a hard path, but I have fought non-stop for him to have as normal life as he can. Sure he has special needs, but he definitely has taught us so much and well what can I say he’s a fighter. I think my love for quilting became a kind of therapy for me and this is were my love for fabric began. Two years later I was pregnant with Emiliano, again I was on bed rest. Which meant my sewing machine had no rest. 

I have always had a secret sketchbook and just sketch and paint for myself, creating a world of works and designs. Illustration has always been something I have been interested in, but I just couldn’t find a way to tie it in. Now I realize that I would have loved to study illustration and let me tell you how I found my path on how to tie it all in.

My mom and I started a small quilt shop were I was in charge of choosing the fabric. Off course, I wanted to buy all colorful and bright fabrics. At first our clients were a little resistant to such bright and modern fabrics, but little by little they have all grown to add color to their quilts. It makes me so happy to see that I have in a way added color to their quilts. Every Quilt Market we attend I spend hours admiring such amazing works of art and I had always dreamed about designing those fabrics. I just didn’t know how or where to start, all I knew was I had to sketch. Since that day I have not stopped sketching, gathering inspiration, creating and quilting. I bought myself books about fabric design and found courses on SkillShare I was trying to piece it all together, when one day I received an email that changed everything. In my inbox was Bonnie Christine’s (I am a huge fan. That first Quilt Market I asked her for autograph. I have it up in my design board) invitation for a surface pattern course. And this really helped me put it all together and get started. I am working on starting and making my dream come true, I hope you tag along for this ride. I am sure there are many things you will learn about me along the way. And now may it all begin…… here I go………

I have discovered a new world where my designs can be part of so many different areas. It is the most amazing feeling to have your designs out and about in the worlds, may it be on fabrics, gift cards, home decor, stationary, and even Children’s Books.

a few of my favorite things