I started my journey in pattern design in 2016. For the first few years of running my own business, I collaborated with business clients, creating pattern designs for digital printing on clothing, textiles, wallpapers, and other products. This allowed me to gain knowledge and valuable experience.
In 2020, I made the decision to focus on creating my own collections of products that aligned with my aesthetics and values. I wanted to create timeless pattern designs and produce more thoughtfully and sustainably made products that would be sold in my shop for longer than just one season.
I also aimed to change the business model that had primarily focused on working with companies to build more personal and meaningful relationships with private customers. Through this, I wanted to offer products backed by someone who loves what they do and invests the necessary time to create something truly exceptional.
In this article, I want to share with you my approach to pattern design. I will walk you through my step-by-step process. You will also learn how much time it takes for me to transfer my ideas from paper to the final material and then to a product available for purchase in my shop.
My process of designing patterns on fabric
Every new pattern design idea begins in my sketchbook. The creative process for me goes beyond simply painting random elements and then arranging them into visually appealing compositions. Through carefully selected colors and meticulously detailed elements, I strive to showcase what fascinates me and tell stories.
My pattern designs are created manually, often using watercolor paints. Sometimes, I experiment with other techniques such as gouache, ink, or pastels, allowing me to create more diverse collections. Scans of my patterns undergo only necessary digital adjustments. I appreciate when my designs retain imperfections that arise from the process of their creation.
Modern technologies, like digital printing, allow me to transfer my designs onto various materials while preserving the expressive qualities of the process, such as subtle shade variations and traces of the tools used. I believe that it is these imperfections resulting from manual work that make fabrics and other products with my pattern prints tell a gentle story about my process.
When I started as a pattern designer, I worked much faster. I could create several designs in a single day. However, I now celebrate a calm and slow creative process. Therefore, creating a pattern collection—from idea generation and gathering inspiration to graphic editing and preparing the file for printing—can take me several months.
It is important to me that my design process is also thoughtful, so I strive to work with the highest level of care possible. Before introducing new fabrics for sale, I always order samples and evaluate the results of my work. I also create prototypes of my products to meticulously refine all the details.
A finished fabric often represents six months of work, from creating the pattern design that looks good both on my computer screen and on the intended material to testing and finalizing the product. Working on a textile collection—from designing patterned fabrics to conducting a photoshoot and adding the finished products to the shop—can take over a year.
We live in a world where graphic designs can be generated in seconds and finished products can be ordered for next-day delivery. However, I believe that through engagement in the process and attentiveness to every element, it is possible to create objects that hold meaning. As a result, not only will they be eagerly chosen and appreciated by customers, but they will also withstand the test of time.
Thank you for reading this article! As a supplement, I suggest you read: „About the process: My approach to designing”. Click here to subscribe to my studio’s newsletter. Receive information about and receive news, behind-the-scenes stories attractive offers only for subscribers. If you want to support my studio, click here to visit my shop. Choose something special for yourself from the products I have created.
