Sunday 31 March 2013

'Wash Day' Mug And Fabric For Handmade Monday



I'm excited to be linking up with Handmade Monday again this week as last week i had to give it a miss due to all ongoing projects being either un-photographed or unfinished! I have something to show you this week though, its something i've been working on on and off for a while (regulars may remember me giving you a sneaky peak a few weeks back). I've had lots of fun with this design and i hope it makes you smile too!



Wash Day Fabric Design

Although this design started out on a mug (which i'll show you shortly) i always intended it to be a fabric design too. Its been my most complex to date i think with lots of individual components like these...









...fitting together to make larger elements...







...which i then arranged to make the final design.




You get a better idea of the finished effect looks like when the pattern repeats - here is what an 18x22 inch piece of fabric would look like.






I'm really pleased with how it turned out. I can't wait to see it printed onto fabric and i have lots more ideas for this type of 'scenic' design so watch this space...!

You will find it listed in my Spoonflower store although it won't be for sale for a couple of weeks (if you'd like to be informed when it is available just let me know).



Wash Day Mug

Here is the original of this design which i painted onto a mug. As the weather has been so gloomy i decided to practice my 'cutting out' so that you can see it on a white backdrop rather than dull grey!




It will soon be listed in my Etsy shop priced £15 and is the one and only hand painted version i will be doing of this design so if you are interested you'd better get in there quick!


In The Works

Inspired by the fun i've been having with fabric design, i've been researching ceramic printing and i'm excited to say that my 'wash day' design is likely to be one of the first to be printed onto mugs using ceramic transfer, a fabulous technique for printing digital images to ceramic surfaces.

I'm super excited about the potential of this technique as it will give me the scope to produce many more designs and on a larger scale. 

I will still be hand painting designs though to get a feel for how they will work and also commissioned designs too. I will let you know more about this exciting new development for Free Spirit Designs as it unfolds!

Now though, i'm off over to Handmade Harbour to find out what my fellow crafty bloggers have been up to... lots of lovely Eastery things i expect!

Happy Easter all :) Hands up who's overdosed on Chocolate...?!!!

36 comments:

  1. Love the new fabric. There's loads of colour and activity going on there.

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  2. Great design, it's looks great on the fabric, Great for kitchen themed items. :)

    Jan x

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  3. WOW! The wash day fabric is amazing, especially when you see the pattern repeated :-) Love the mug too and the ceramic printing sounds exciting. Have to confess to OD'ing on chocolate ;-) Simmi x

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    1. Aww thank you Simmi, i'm glad you like it!

      who could resist OD'ing on chocolate at Easter :) x

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  4. That really is a good design, very whimsical. Would be great for a kitchen or to brightrn up a utility room! I would love to be able to draw so that it comes out like I see things in my head!

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    1. Thank you!

      I know what you mean, it can take a lot of thinking to work out how to bring an idea to life can't it x

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  5. I did wonder where you were last week. It is rather strange when you have internet friends, who you feel you know, but have never met. It would be fun to have a Handmade Monday Party one day. Love the Wash Day fabric.

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    1. Aww thank you for noticing my absence! I know what you mean, it is weird having internet friends... it would be great fun to have an HM party although nobody would recognise each other! :)

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  6. I am really excited for you - you seem to be completely overflowing with wonderful ideas and going from strength to strength. I love the washday fabric - nice and cheerful, reminding me of summer days (dim and distant memory at the moment!). I look forward to reading more of your wonderful adventures.

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    1. Aww thank you that's really kind of you :) I do have lots of ideas at the moment and i'm having so much fun experimenting with new things! :)

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  7. What a lovely design, and so different! You have a very steady hand to do such detailed drawings and on a curved surface too! Happy Easter, Jo x

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    1. thank you Jo! I'm really glad you like it :)

      Happy Easter to you too! x

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  8. Oh my word, that is an amazing design - I absolutely love it! It was interesting to see the individual elements and how they come together in the repeat fabric pattern. It's so amazing to see your development week on week, and I love the idea you are printing onto ceramics as well as fabrics - it's so exciting!! Good luck! xx

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    1. Aww thank you so much Wendy! Your encouragement means a lot :) xx

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  9. Love the new design, it really makes you think of warm breezy days. Lots of creativity going on, it's really exciting!

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    1. thank you very much Penny! Lets hope those warm breezy days will come along soon! :)

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  10. What a lovely design. It's bound to brighten up a washday. I love the birds in the birdbath.
    Celia (Jencel)

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    1. thank you very much Celia, i'm glad you like it! x

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  11. Beautiful fabric. It's really interesting to see your process in creating the fabric, from your individual style elements to the full fabric repeats.
    Great mug too x

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    1. thank you Louise! I'm glad it was interesting, i always love seeing people's creative process too :) x

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  12. Awesome design - love the little blackbirds and the puppy on the clothes line. Well done for producing some really original wares.

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  13. u lah lah! beautiful makes this week! I especially adore your ceramic paintings as you're my fellow in painting on glass/ceramic and you probably worked it out already :)

    your washing day cup is very cheery, really encourages to go out and put your washing out on a bright sunny day :) (dont we all long for some spring warmth?)

    looking at your designing graphic skills you could design scrapbooking papers! for example scandinavian patters :DDDD as they are always simple, naive and with a folky feel.

    well done and happy easter! x

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    1. aww thank you Martha, it is really nice to have a fellow ceramic painter give such lovely comments on my work!

      thank you for your idea about scrap booking papers, i would loooooove to have a go at that! :) x

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    2. if you designed some papers with designs like those lovely cheery dotty roses - i would surely be your scrapbooking customer :)

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    3. thanks Martha! Its something i'd love to look into doing, i'll let you know if there are any developments! x

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  14. Oh I do love your work. The design you have created is gorgeous as always.The fabric looks great and so do the mugs.

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    1. thank you so much for your kind words :) They are much appreciated! x

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  15. What beautiful fabric. The colours are so bright and cheerful. I love the mugs.

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  16. I love the fabric, its really bright and cheerful. I showed my headway group some of your work last week when we were planning our next project and they loved it, especially the textile mad lady :-) The mug is great too. Good luck with taking your business in the next direction x

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    1. Aww thank you so much for sharing my work Bev, that's so lovely of you :)

      thank you for your encouragement! x

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  17. What a really lovely design - very cheerful. Your workj is lovely and I really look forward to seeing your new designs each blog post. Hope you have a good week

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    1. Thank you very much! That's lovely to hear, i'm really glad you enjoy stopping by my little corner of blog land :) x

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Your lovely comments are much appreciated x