Six straight hours of Spoonin'

Josiah hung out with some friends last night, playing games and nerding out...and I spent my first Friday night alone in probably over a year.
So what did I do with this expanse of alone-time?
Why, I dialed up a podcast to listen to, and put some potatoes on the stove to boil for my dinner later. I gathered my sketchbook (which contains all pertinent designs and doodles) and fired up my scanner. I opened Photoshop.

And I commenced to Spoonin'.

Because Spoonflower (which Josiah referred to as "my new toy" yesterday) has come along, I have become really fixated on designing Black Apple-ish fabrics (for dolls, for me, for everything).  I wanted to check out the fruits of my first batch of printed fabric before going super-crazy, and a few color shifts aside, I'm really really pleased and SO excited about the possibilities.

(Freshly laundered and therefore wrinkly wee houses, grey/white striped fabric (which is inexplicably hard to find) ghosties, and creeping bunnies)

As I think I've mentioned before, I have a bad habit of getting very specific things in mind, and then setting out (usually in utter futility) to find that exact thing. Now, I feel like with fabric, I don't have to pout about the lack of good wallpaper-ish fabrics or lament the absence of charming Abraham Lincoln prints, I can just dream them up and make it happen.

So, back to last night...I turned off the stove and promptly forgot about the potatoes and everything else until well after midnight, lost in playing with and ordering fabric designs. Here is one in two  different colorways that I'm particularly keen on:

I love opportunities to shift my ways-of-visual-thinking, because with drawing/painting, designing dolls or plush, doing graphic work, (and this most recent pet project) designing fabric...one has to consider really different things, like simplifying or making images more complex accordingly. I think it's good for you to have to think about/approach visual things in different situations and formats. It keeps you on your toes, for sure.

Happy Weekend, my dears!

Comments

[notjustpretty]

These fabric designs are fantastic!! Just gorgeous! I can't wait to see what you make with them...
Wouldn't it be great to do matching wallpaper??

[Susan Deane]

'just had to comment on this again...
looking back on your other works made me start hoping that your little hedgie family will end up on some fabric as well :O)
love, susan

[livcat]

I am new to spoonflower and was wondering how you went about uploading, designing your images? I guess I can't wrap my brain around it. Any advice would be wonderful!
Thanks.

[nan]

I love the fabric! But I have a couple of questions? 1) will you be selling it in your shop? I have some visions of crafty sewing! 2) how did you create that? via photoshop and a scanner? VERY CUTE.

[sarah n.]

they look so great!! seeing them had me uploading some stuff today, i can't wait to see the quality in person. and you missed some fierce rain in brooklyn!

[cassie]

I know - lets swap lives! Yay! Mine is great, honestly...

Seriously every post makes me gasp. The fabric is amazing!

[chelsea]

cute fabrics. Have you seen this black stripey fabric?

https://www.fabricdepot.com/index.php?page=ProductPage&pageid=116637

the stripes may be too wide for what you're looking for, but it's 30% off - worth a half-yard sample, huh?

[Knitterella]

Sweeeet!

Your fabrics look great - you should get someone to pick them up and produce them so we can all buy 'em :)

This SpoonFlower link is awesome - thanks!

[karlita]

Gorgeous, i love your fabrics and your two new patterns look just really cute and beautiful!!!

[Shannon Benavidez]

I got my invite to Spoonflower! Im so excited. But I am having the worst time figuring out the repeat pattern thing. But it is so fun in spite the frustration. I cant wait to see how it comes out. :) and see more of what you come up with.

[Rekoj]

When I first found Spoonflower I thought of you right away - it was perfect! But then of course you were already a week ahead and had your new fabric in your hands!
I did the exact same thing - got totally addicted to creating fun new fabric patterns with my art. We're all in serious trouble aren't we? Love it!

[Sylvia]

These are so adorable. It would be really awesome if you started making/selling home goods as well. I could use some snazzy curtains in my bedroom!!

[madmommy]

Please please please start selling the creeping bunnies print fabric! Must have!

[mrs.deane]

what an awesome new hobby/outlet for you!

and, naturally, they're featuring you on their site as which fabric they'd like to use most!

please sell this to us! (or make lovely pillows, aprons, and the like for us to shop madly for)

love, susan

[Lisa]

Oh my god! I love the fabric! I am a fabric junkie!!! If you ever start selling these you will put me into debt!!
Lisa
xoxo

[kirsten]

That fabric is crazy amazing! I am going to hop over to Spoonflower and sign up...a wonderful time to be a "stuff maker", indeed!

[Nicole Falk]

Beautiful Emily!!! I love the simple illustrated ones a lot and those design ones at the end - GORGEOUS!!!!!!

[Jen]

Fantastico!

[Robin]

My daughter already has a "Black Apple" wall in her nursery. And a couple of dolls waiting for her when she's old enough. Now I guess I should start planning the Black Apple quilt I'm going to make her with all the lovely fabric I'm going to buy from your shop. :-)

[sadieclementine]

Oh! So gorgeous!
I fantasize about getting an invite to this insanely amazing-looking resource!
*hint*
;>

[Erica]

Oh I love the fabric, especially the creeping bunnies. I love the bunnies! Just ordered one of your books and can't wait to get it. Looking forward to the day when I can buy some Black Apple fabric.

[Angela]

I am loving the house fabric. I think when I have a *real* house, I need that fabric for kitchen curtains.

[Cherry Tree Lane]

I will put BA fabric in every room of my house......

[Hello Kitty fan 101]

when looking through such wonderful patterns a person starts to wonder where do you get your inspiration

[fifi]

Thanks for letting us know what's new for you !
I really love what you do and everything is inspiring.
Thanks again !

[jean]

That's so cool! I can't wait to see what else you come up with. And for the Black Apple fabric sale announcement that I hope will soon follow (hint, hint). That little houses print is to die for!

[Lesley]

I hope hedgehogs and swan girls (ala bookplates) will be in a future collection. How wonderful for you! I can't wait to get your bookplates in the mail this week.

[Nicole]

Wow, good for you... your work is absolutely amazing, and you are definitely an inspiration for others!

[la sha (loveaboveall.etsy)]

I'm going to Athens next week to visit my sister and check out the supposedly awesome arts and music festival Athfest. I know you mostly do the internet sales thing, but I was wondering if any of your art could be found there? :)
- la sha
(www.loveaboveall.etsy.com or www.la_sha.blogspot.com)

[kim*]

you are awesome :)

[Summer]

Ahh! I have fallen in love with spoonflower also :) And I love love love that first color scheme for the design with the houses and the ghosts and such :)

[Pamela Overmier]

Wow. I never knew this existed. Thank you for posting this Emily! I have always wanted to design my own fabrics for my teddies and creatures. I hope I can get an invite. Pam

[April B]

What wonderful looking patterns! I love the freshly laundered feel of fabric.

[Stephen]

Stephen from Spoonflower here: we cannot wait to print the designs you uploaded Friday. Amazing. Kim is champing at the bit to buy some of your fabric as well. Now all we have to do is engineer it...

Thanks for making Spoonflower your new toy.

[Shannon]

Ok so I got myself on the Spoonflower list and have fingers crossed that I will get an invite! And then I spent like 4 hours on Gimp making a design. Ah! I am so excited about it. Here is what I came up with. :) http://www.flickr.com/photos/mayabella/2579391649/

[Francesca]

Your fabrics are simply unique! I can see them being used for your dolls and for really cool pencil cases..
;)

[Christine]

Fab, I keep trying to decide on a design to put in to Spoonflower, I'll have to have a go soon. Your fabric looks great. :)

[Apryl]

wow that is amazing to design your own fabric... I would be infatuated with that... if only I could sew... have a lovely sunday!

[ashley g]

OMG! OMG! OMG!!

[Marissa]

Are you kidding me? that is just the coolest thing in the world. Ahhhh. I can't take it I've dreamt of the ideal fabric and just wrinked my face at what's at the stores this is so stinking cool! I am so so jealous!

[Katherine]

I cannot WAIT for Black Apple fabric. Hooray!

I've tagged you - stop by my blog to see what it's all about. :)

[Shannon]

No way. Those fabrics are so awesome. You must must sell some fat quarters of it! I have just begun to quilt and those would be so perfect. Very cool. Cant wait to see how the new ones turn out!

[julia]

those are so freaking awesome! i especially love the little houses (i'm still hoarding the stationery with that pattern too- i've only used two sheets!). very very cool. i would definitely be interested in buying some of this fabric, is it going to just be for your products only? or for sale to the public? in any case, nice work, as usual.

[Catherine]

This is awesome stuff! Your work and that we are now at the moment that we can design our own fabrics!

You are a big inspiration, Emily, keep it up! :)

[Madeline]

Oh my! Creeping Bunny Fabric!!! Can anything be more wonderful???

[Erika]

That sounds like so much fun; I think I'd become obsessed quickly, too, and forget all about my dinner. :) Glad you had fun with them. Are you going to sell your fabrics sometime?

[shona~ LALA dex press]

These are soooooo good- good spoonin'

[Jenny Rebecca]

OOh I love those color combinations!!!

[Veronica]

I LOVE the fabrics! Especially the little ghostie...too cute!

By the way, I don't know if you've seen it already, but there's a really cute picture of you and Martha Stewart in the newest (July) issue of Living magazine. Its on page 102.

Great work!! :)

[michelle]

I'm hoping that gorgeous goodness makes it to we little black apples too! Although I agree, I would be afraid to cut it too!