Debra Gabel

Debra Gabel Bio

Fiber artist and graphic designer Debra Gabel has enjoyed many aspects of quilting since she was a teen in 1974. After attaining a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Graphic Design she worked in the printing industry for ten years as Art Director for several paper shopping bag companies in the United States. In the late eighties Debra started her own graphics company, Mixed Media and still does some work through that company today. Today Debra is the co-owner with husband Gary of Zebra Patterns. Zebra Patterns is a quilt pattern company with over 100 patterns designed for quilters internationally. Along with pattern sales Debra lectures and teaches classes all over the US. She also continues her fine art quilt work through commissions and exhibitions. Her work has been exhibited in the in national and local group exhibitions. Her work can be seen on her website and blog at www.zebrapatterns.com. A new studio was completed in 2009 to accommodate the growing business and classroom for private lessons. Mrs. Gabel’s work has been featured in Quilting Arts Magazine, several Quilt Art Calendars for AQS and other notable quilting books and publications. Debra’s first book Blocks Across America will be published by C&T Publishing in fall of 2010. Debra Gabel was one of the co-founders of Metrothreads, a regional Washington DC Fiber Art group of almost 100 members who gather four times a year at her studio for “art connection” time. After a bone marrow transplant in December of 2003 for Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma Debra has dedicated her life to art quilting and the success of her company Zebra Patterns. Debra mission is to see the world through quilting. She tries to live by four simple rules from The Four Agreements by Miguel Ruiz:

1. Be impeccable with your word

2. Always do your best

3. Don't take anything personally

4. Don't make assumptions

It is not always easy but she feels it a great guideline.