My name is Katie Brobst, and I am the face behind the illustrations and designs you find on this site. While I am the digital art guru of this place, my inspiration comes strongly from my sweet mom who is in this photo with me on my wedding day. She was the first teacher I had, teaching me to sew, quilt, be a kind human, and be an effective teacher.
Growing up, Mom owned a craft store in Farragut, TN. Being just a short walk from my school, I would spend every afternoon in the shop painting, sewing, stamping - simply being creative. After this shop closed, she worked at Joann Fabrics (let's not get started on how sad I am that they're closed), and I spent countless hours here as she was working. I would take in all the fabrics and other art supplies and come up with new projects to work on.
I was always interested in illustrating and had expressed interest in designing fabrics. This is where Mom, a renowned quilter by this point in East Tennessee, had the idea for us to collaborate and make patterns together. From there, she always said, is where the inspiration for the fabric designs would come. With this dream on the back burner, I became a published children's book illustrator in January 2023, and as of June 2025, I have a total of 6 children's books published on various platforms.
We had just barely started our quilt pattern adventure in 2023 when Mom was diagnosed with a Glioblastoma (stage 4 brain cancer) in September 2023. Now my guardian angel, I am carrying the legacy of "Laurie B." in my own studio. You will notice when you purchase a pattern the logo with the bee emblem on it. All of the patterns that come through this shop are in honor of her and her legacy.
With an extensive background in education, I have over 12 years of teaching in early childhood education and am currently a college professor teaching art and design at the University of Tennessee Chattanooga and Southern Adventist University. My passion for education directly influences my creative practice through researching early childhood literacy trends and creating engaging, hands-on art lessons that bring these concepts to life in the classroom. This unique intersection of research, classroom experience, and studio practice allows me to design purposeful children's books, whimsical surface patterns, and ready-to-use educational resources. Whether I am illustrating a story or drafting a new lesson plan, my goal is to simplify complex creative concepts, support visual literacy, and provide educators and parents with the tools to spark a lifelong love of art and reading in young learners.