Robin has been stitching in some form for over 50 years (amazing to think about). Embroidery became a part of her life when she was fired - HA, try that these days - because she was pregnant!  What else could a creative person do with all that free time but embroider anything that didn't move while waiting for her son, Jeffrey, to arrive.  Now he is the very clever web designer for Bird Brain Designs and many other companies.

After teaching crewel embroidery at a local store in Davis, California and selling supplies to students from a wicker basket in the back of her station wagon, Robin opened 'The Sampler' with a needlepointing partner.  At a trade show she met folks who produced needlework kits and soon was asked to move to Pennsylvania with two young children. After many years "in the industry" the kids were grown and flew the coop and Robin moved home to Sonoma, California.

The three sisters, Linda, Tina and Robin opened a gift shop in Sonoma called "Three Sisters".  The three had a wonderful time for 6 years and closed the store in June, 2002 because Linda needed operations to replace a hip and two knees. Whew!  We have a new "bionic" sister!

Bird Brain Designs was launched when Robin was asked to design a felt Table Rug and Christmas Stocking for Better Homes and Gardens. With the discovery of how wonderful Penny Rug Appliqué is, Robin designed lots of other things - Bird Brain Designs was born. Soon many new Redwork Designs,  Leaflets along with Wool, Perle Cotton Floss and assorted Stitching Acessories were added as the website and quilt shows grew.  Now the "Birds", as they are known, hit the road and travel to quilt shows up and down the west coast and farther east to Texas.  FUN, BUSY and EXHAUSTING too.  Most recently Machine Embroidery has been added to the list of great ways to relax and enjoy needlework.  Gals have asked for literally years for the super BBD Embroidery designs be digitized for them to enjoy on their Embroidery Machines.....they are ready now.  Have a great time!!    
 
The Studio is a busy place always in motion.  It used to be on the third floor of Robin's home in Kelseyville, California - that is now Robin's own Design Studio.  The wall of windows looks out on a panoramic view of Clear Lake, California's largest natural lake.  From the front door you look up at Mt. Konocti, an extinct volcano last erupting 10,000 years ago....lets keep it that way!  The view is beautiful, the weather great and the traffic small.  Lake County is a super place to live and work.

Bird Brain Designs has moved to a 1937 Variety Store building in downtown Kelseyville.  The large store front hosts the online shipping operation, "makings room" for patterns, kit fabrics and other "to do stuff".  A garage warehouse plus small kitchen and classroom are in the back.  The front of the shop is HUGE and filled with stitched pillows, hangings, quilts and other goodies showing off ALL the Bird Brain Designs.  Fabric, Patterns, Perle Cotton, wall of Wool and anything you else you need to make BBD designs are shown off in vintage cupboards and furniture.  Mixed in with all the needlework are antiques and collectibles found in "shopping therapy" excursions while on the way to Quilt shows....a very FUN and INTERESTING store for you to visit! 

New, too, are 3 Cotton Fabric lines....A Quilter's Garden, Snow Happens and In Stitches....from Maywood Studios in Portland, Oregon.  Beautiful cottons with Robin's clever motifs used in all of her RedWork Embroidery Designs.  Robin Red and Bird Brain Blues combine with Black and Neutrals to offer a HUGE array of fabrics to make up your BBD Embroidery Designs into super finished quilts, pillows, stockings and ornaments to name a few.  Enjoy!
 
Tina, is the Keeper of the Coop running the business end of Bird*Brain*Designs. Tina has become a designer, too, of wonderfully imaginative Needle Felting designs after so many years of saying she was not "crafty".  Now she is a professional felter with a posse of fans enjoying all her designs.  Very few folks can visualize the kind of critters she can create using wool roving and needle felting needle....a very special talent!
 
We hope you enjoy our stitching our stuff as much as we love designing it for you.
Let us know what you think - comments are appreciated!  We look forward to hearing from you.