We do have some new products coming out. I have them at the Red Thread and they will soon be available at on line. All wood boxes, work well for display, serving, and organizing as well with a retro, modern look. Made from recycled, reclaimed wood each with some quirky printing/painting details and a quilted fabric mat inside.
I having researching and creating a kind of standard list to help with planning a design collection. The information out there is usually geared toward the student or a large production company. I am an indie designer and do most of the work myself, so this has really helped me keep up with my business and have all the creative freedom I love.
1.Choose your inspiration and narrow your focus. I have hundred of design ideas, plus all the inspiration available on line, magazines, etc. I have made the point of limiting the number of pieces, types of fabric, and techniques I use.
2. Draw the designs. Include the details for each idea. I decided to make mine basic ideas on large index cards.
3.Select your fabrics(or other materials) plan your color palette. I is so much easier at the fabric store(you know how all those beautiful fabric prints and colors will be begging you to touch and buy them).
4. Make your patterns. Most of my designs are based on a block type shape. I have made a system of random pieces that can be put together to make garments as well as home accessories.
5. Create Samples. I sew 2 or 3 of each silhouette to help work out any design problems with the patterns, and/or embellishment techniques.
These are the basics for me, and I will expand on these in some coming posts.
I find the creation process has changed for me in these last few months. One of the hardest is not having a place to work and having lost so many materials. But the up side is I have so many ideas-it is like a cleasing or something-starting over again. We have been so busy with the rebuilding of the studio, we have to do a lot of the actual work ourselves, the insurance is still fighting about everything. But with the help of friends we have been able to work on a few new shirt designs. The boys have come up with some great designs for the shop. http://www.etsy.com/shop/ArmstrongIndustry
This has been screen printing summer. SA has been so busy and has fie tuned the light, time, images and all those little details that go with creating a screen. We have made great progress and now beginning to print our own items. I have so many designs it is hard to pick each one and put them together to create a our now product collection. In researching color and concept I have found so much lovely inspiration. This is from Patricia Bravo Art Gallery Fabrics. Great color groupings.
I love the layers in this look. This designer is so full of color and fun in her designs. Gudrun Sjoden's site is full of lovely information and images of travel and design. The company has a good business and environmental policy as well.
"My basic belief is that the first step towards reducing negative environmental impact is to minimize the use of resources. Which is why I think we should think long term and wear clothes that are hard wearing in timeless designs".
Looking at a lot of print designs, while working on our new product line, I have found so many interesting colors and patterns. Print and Pattern is a great on line resource for such things.
This is Rachael Taylor,her layering of pattern and whimsical hand drawn look is a favorite for me.
I have been working on a big new project at the Red Thread. My friend Sasha is joining me in opening the Knitting Knook inside our existing shop. I has been work and a learning experience for me. I am not a real knitter, I play with yarn for embellishing my fabric work. I do love all the texture and color, and it feels like this is going to be a great addition to the studio with all the slow down of the economy in this area. We have been successfully selling a small line of hand spun yarns and will now be offering more classes and studio work space for artisans and design.
My studio work is going in many directions, now. I am working to combine my techniques of deying and printing on the fabric and wood, and manipulating the fabrics with other fibers, stitching, engraving to create texture. I am working on a shop update for mid February, in the mean time we have a few items our wood store.
I really love color, but in a very specific way. The color has to be just right, sometimes it can be a little too much, for me it is one ofthe hardest parts of being a independent designer putting everything together and accetping when it is done, finished, complete.
I have just finished a large project for a women's group. 30 silk scarves, dyed in a similar color way and printed with their logo. I have not worked with large orders in a while. It has helped me focus on my direction to go in working with wholesale accounts in the future. I really like working on a wholesale line, the planning give you the direction and helps stay focused. This is so important to me since I teach one day a week and run the gallery. The studio is in the gallery but you are always interrupted with a variety of things throughout the day.
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