Kayla Kennington has been creating one-of-a-kind silk clothing and Showpieces for galleries,

individual clients and shows for over 30 years.

She won the "Crème de la Crème" Award in the Bernina Fashion Show in 2001 with the "Butterfly

Coat," and again in 2002 with the "Fire Blossom Phoenix," and received the Bernina Hall of Fame

Award in 2003. Kayla won another International award at the Fashion Fantasia competition in

Australia, November, 2004. Kayla then created two more Bernina showpieces (but not for judging)

in 2003 and 2004, and was then a judge at the 2005 Bernina Fashion Show. Kayla created

“Fantasia Fleur du Soleil,” a fanciful Cirque du Soleil-like showpiece for the 2006 Bernina Fashion

Show (again, not for competition) and will again participate in the 2007 show.

A National Speaker and Educator, Kayla travels widely, giving workshops, retreats, trunk shows,

fashion shows, and inspirational slide presentations.

She also writes for national sewing magazines; she is a contributing author for Threads Magazine,

Designs in Machine Embroidery, Belle Armoire, and Fiberarts Magazine. Kayla has also has been

featured on DIY and Oregon Art Beat, and in various books. She has a Master Class article in

Threads’ May 2007 issue describing her process of creating an Art-to-Wear Showpiece.

Modular Design for Couture Artwear is Kayla's small pattern company, translating her more subtle

couture garment designs into a pattern collection; she includes detailed directions for her unique

signature seaming styles and many illustrations, addressing the abilities of both beginner and

advanced sewers. Kayla’s patterns have no facings, no zippers, and no buttonholes, and lots of

creative potential.

Her previous career as an integrated circuit layout design specialist in the high tech industry

(Kayla’s “day-job” until 1985) has contributed much to her ability to engineer complex works of art-

to-wear as well as to translate her designs into patterns and clear instructions.

Born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, Kayla returned to college and studied fashion

Design in 1985 and achieved three scholarships, divisional honors and 1st place state-wide in a

design competition. She has been doing what she loves, full-time, ever since.

Kayla now lives in beautiful Portland, Oregon, where she has a work-at-home studio/office, and

gives Modular Magic Design & Sewing Retreats at the Oregon Coast.

AWARDS

First Place, All Silks, Fashion Fantasia International, Australia, Nov. 2004

Bernina Fashion Show Hall of Fame, 2003

First Place, art-to-wear "Crème de la Crème" Award, Bernina Fashion Show International 2002

First Place, art-to-wear "Crème de la Crème" Award, Bernina Fashion Show International 2001

Second Place, San Jose Museum of Art, "Headdress Ball" 1989

First Place (statewide), "Creative use of Textiles," Fashion Symposium, San Francisco 1986

"Design Student of the Year", West Valley College 1986 "Divisional Honors"

West Valley College, 1986 "Associated Student Body Scholarship," West Valley College 1986

SIGNIFICANT PROJECTS

Judged Hobbs Fashion Show, Paducah, KY- April, 2007

Endorsements for Bernina Ads 2007

Judged Bernina Fashion Show Nov. 2005

Promotional materials for Bernina BSR ad campaign, stitched “free lady,” July 2005

Sample garments for M Series serger ads for the Bernina Sewing Machine Internationally.

Endorsement Marketing for Bernina USA 2005, 2007

SHOWS

Bernina Fashion Show, Quilts Inc. Houston TX 2007

IPCA, International Textile Expo, Las Vegas-Fashion Show & booth March 2007

Sew Expo, Puyallup, WA booth and IPCA fashion show 2007

Bernina Fashion Show, Houston, “Fantasia Fleur du Soleil,” 2006 (non-competing invitation)

IPCA, International Textile Expo, Las Vegas-Fashion Show & booth March 2006

Sew Expo, Puyallup, WA booth and IPCA fashion show 2006

IPCA, International Textile Expo, Fashion Show & booth March 2005

American Sewing Expo, Novi MI, keynote 2005

Marin Needle Arts Festival, Display 5 award winning garments, September 2005

IPCA, International Textile Expo, Fashion Show & booth September 2005

Threads Garment Challenge, Minneapolis, MN 2005

Fashion Fantasia, Australia, “Modern Japanese Bride,” 2004 (1st place all silks)

American Sewing Expo, Novi MI, keynote 2004

PIQF, Santa Clara, CA, Designing Women Oct. 2004

Quilt Expo, Husquvarna Fashion Show, The Hague, Netherlands, “Modern Japanese Bride,” 2004

Quilt Expo, Bernina Fashion Show, The Hague, Netherlands, “Madame Dragonfly,” 2004

Bernina Fashion Show, Houston, “Happy Flowers Regalia Girl,” 2005 (non-competing invitation)

Creative Sewing and Needle Arts Festival, Toronto, Canada “Butterfly” and “Fire Blossom

Phoenix”

Bernina Fashion Show, Houston TX "Madame Dragonfly," Nov, 2003 (non-competing invitation)

Widney Moore Gallery, Portland Oregon, February-March 2003

Bernina Fashion Show, Sew Expo, WA "Fire Blossom Phoenix," Feb. 2002

Bernina Fashion Show, Houston TX "Fire Blossom Phoenix" Nov, 2002 (1st place Winner)

Bernina Fashion Show, Barcelona, Spain "Bernina Butterfly Coat," February 2003

Bernina Fashion Show, Houston TX "Bernina Butterfly Coat," Nov, 2001 (1st place Winner)

Skylight Gallery, Art Alliance, December-January 2003

Santa Fe Weaving Gallery, "Secret Messages," Oct. 2001

Oregon College of Art and Craft “Art on the Vine” benefit auction May 2001

Santa Fe Weaving Gallery, “art dolls”, December, 2000

Santa Fe Weaving Gallery, “Cirque 2000,” October, 2000

San Jose Quilt Museum, “tic-tac-toe,” June 2001

San Diego Quilt Museum, “tic-tac-toe,” April 2001

Fine Focus, On-line, "tic-tac-toe," Jan, 2000

San Jose Museum of Art, “Art for Wearing,” March 22, 1999

“Open Studios” Santa Cruz County, October, 1999

American Quilters Society, quilt show in Paducah, KY , April 1999

“Art in Fashion” Oakland Museum of Art, November 1998

Folk Art Museum, San Francisco, Fort Mason Center, Yearly 1992-1998

Obiko, San Francisco , biannual benefit fashion shows 1986-1997

Artful Eye, Healdsburg, Trunk Show 1996

Obiko San Francisco, Figurative Sculpture (dolls) 1993

Jacquline Lippetz Gallery, Glenco, biannual Trunk Shows 1994-1996

Artful Eye, Calistoga, Trunk Show, October, 1996

Art Trails, Sonoma County 1992, 1993, 1994

Mindscape Gallery, Figurative Sculpture Show, Evanston, IL, 1994

Open Studios, San Jose CA 1987,1988

“Best” of the Contemporary Arts and Crafts, Fort Mason Center, San Francisco, CA, 1993

“Art in Fashion” Marin Civic Center 1992

“Figurative Sculpture” Sun Gallery, Hayward 1992

“Art to Wear” Convergence’90, Handweavers Guild of America, San Jose 1989

San Jose Contemporary Arts Gallery, ”Fiber Arts Show”, San Jose, CA,1990

“International Fashion Week”, Taipei Taiwan, Far Eastern Fashions, World Trade Center, 1989

“Images” Fashion Show , Hong Kong, 1989

“Interior Design Center Fashion Show”, Showplace Square, San Francisco, CA, 1989

“Designed to Wear”, Portland School of Arts and Crafts, Portland, OR, 1988

“Art for Wearing”, San Jose Museum of Art, San Jose, CA, 1988

“Tribal Themes” Nordstrom , Valley Fair, San Jose, CA, 1987

“Design Symposium”, Showplace Square, San Francisco, CA, 1986

MEDIA

Promotional DVD testimonial for Bernina BSR “I’m free” campaign

Oregon Public Broadcasting, "Art Beat" featured artist-“update,” November 2005

Oregon Public Broadcasting, "Art Beat" featured artist, February 2003

Oregon Public Broadcasting, "Art Beat" guest of featured artist, June 2003

Scripps Howard News Service "DIY" TV, Sew Much More, featured guest January 2003 (reruns

internationally)

WORKSHOPS & LECTURES

AQS Paducah, KY - lectures & workshops, April 2007

Modular Magic Sewing & Design Retreat, Oregon Coast Oct. 2006

3 Bernina Sewing Shops in Northern CA, Nov. 2006

Sievers School of Fiber Arts, Washington Island, WI June 21-29, 2006

7 Bernina Sewing Shops in Las Angeles area, Sept 2006

Haberman Fabrics, Royal Oak, MI April 7,8,9 2006

Hawaii Stitchery & Fiber Arts Guild, Honolulu, HI, Feb 4-9 2006

Seams Wild Guild, Eastern Washington, Jan 21 &22, 2006

Bernina Fashion Show, Houston, TX Judge, Oct 27, 2005

IPCA Fashion Show, Las Vegas, NV, Sept 26, 2005

Marin needle Arts Fair, keynote, San Rafael, CA Sept, 2005

Bernina Creativity retreat, Chicago IL, “keynote”4 classes, August 2005

A Common Thread, “Fashion 101 for girls” Lake Oswego, OR, June 2005

Hawaii Stitchery & Fiber Arts Guild, Honolulu, HI, June 1-7 2005

Sievers School of Fiber Arts, Washington Island, WI, June 20-5, 2005

Bernina National Teachers Retreat, Chicago, Dec. 2004

American Sewing Expo, Novi, MI Sept. 2004

Sievers School Of Fiber Arts, Washington Island WI, June 2004

D’Leas, Denver, March 2004

A Common Thread, Lake Oswego, OR, Jan 2004

Osborne’s, Santa Cruz, CA , October 2003

A Common Thread, Lake Oswego, OR, October 2003

Olympia Sew and Vac, Olympia , WA, October 2003

Waechters Silk Shop, Asheville, NC, September 2003

American Sewing Expo, Novi, MI, September 2003

Los Angeles Wearable Art Guild, LA, CA August 2003

Seattle art-to-wear, Kirkland, WA, July 2003

Columbia Stitchery Guild, Portland, OR, June 2003

Sievers Retreat, Washington Island, WI, June 2003

Bernina University, Monterey, CA June 2003

Design and Sew, Canby OR, May 2003

Marin Needle Arts Guild, Corte Madera, CA, April 2003

PACC, Portland, OR, March, 2003

27th Street Fabrics, Eugene, OR, March 2003

Fresno Fiber Arts Guild, January 2003

Linda's Sewing Center, Corvallis, Oregon December, 2002

Olympia WA, October, 2002

Professional Association of Custom Clothiers, Portland, Oregon, September 2002

Lake Oswego, Oregon, A Common Thread, Sept 2002

Handweavers Guild, "Convergence 2002", August, Vancouver B.C.

Hillsborough, Corvallis Guild special Class, July 2002

Design and Sew, Canby, Oregon, May 2002

Concord Valley Stitchers Guild, February 2002

Peninsula Wearable Art Guild, February 2002

Canada College, San Mateo, CA 1987

Various art& sewing classes for kids 1970-1994

LICENSING CONTRACTS

Amazing Designs, Designer Series, Kayla Kennington Collection 1, June 2003

OESD, Designer “take out” series Regalia & Happy Flowers, Nov. 2003

PUBLISHED SEWING PATTERNS

Modular Design for Couture Artwear, Kayla ink.

918 Panel Top and Panel Vest, Dec. 2002

425 Cross Over Top. April 2003

1226 Angel Top, March 2003

729C Kangaroo Bag, July 2004-revised 2005

303 Paris Evening Coat, Feb 2005

721 Perennial Pant Collection, June 2005

518 Fantasia Top & Jacket, June 2006

MISCELLANEOUS

Kayla’s “Amazing Designs” Embroidery Designs were used in the winning garments for the top

three prizes (blue, gold and white ribbons) in the Sulky Challenge 2005

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