printing a fabric design on spoonflower

Can I just say how excited I am to be in possession of my first yard of fabric digitally printed with my very own artwork on Spoonflower? It is such a treat to do a design, send it off, and have it in my hands within a week!

When I work for clothing companies, it takes at least 6 weeks for a traditionally printed approval swatch and then another few months for the final yardage. And here's the kicker- a common minimum for traditionally printed fabric is 3000 yards. On Spoonflower, the minimum is 1 yard or a 5" swatch. As a clothing designer, the freedom that this allows is like a door opening wide. It allows a small company to test a print, make up samples, and show to buyers quickly without having to commit to a large run of yardage. With so little investment at stake, there's nothing stopping a designer from experimenting. If you wind up needing mega yardage, digital is probably not the way to go- printing just one yard takes several minutes and the cost is relatively high- but many times you don't need that much and for that, digital is perfect.

And if the low minimum & convenience is not enough, the Spoonflower process is eco-friendly! Traditional printing results in gallons and gallons of excess toxic dye being dumped into the environment at the end of the run. Spoonflower uses dye that is eco-friendly, and because of the nature of the digital printing process, uses only the amount of dye needed for the yardage being printed. AND this all happens relatively nearby in North Carolina, USA as opposed to China or Japan. No airmail necessary! My tree-hugging side is satisfied!

the nitty gritty
When printing through Spoonflower, you will have to submit artwork that is in repeat so your design is seamless. For the general idea of how to do a repeat, this post on Design Sponge gives a good basic idea. For digital printing, you won't be able to make suitable artwork without Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop or something similar. Taking a course in Illustrator was one of the best things I ever did, so I highly recommend it (then you can get the student price on the software which is a plus!).

I like to start with hand-drawn artwork so it will have some spontaneity to it, then scan it into Illustrator, and finish it there. I'm working in an 8" square and black & white knowing I'll increase the scale later and recolor. I just want it to be a manageable size for scanning. I fill the middle of my square with motifs covering a general diamond shape area that comes close to the edges on the points.

Then I open a new file in Illustrator set up the document to have an 8'x8" artboard. I scan in the rough art, resize as necessary, and use "live trace", then "expand" to convert it to vector art. It's important to have the setting "snap to grid" turned on for the next steps. I ungroup the elements and delete the white. I make a new 8" x 8" white background and "send to back" to simplify things. Now I chop art through the middle vertically using the "divide objects below" function. Then I swap the position of the 2 pieces so the middle part of the art is now touching the edges. For a regular repeat, you would do the same thing again, horizontally, so now your artwork is positioned in the corners. I decided to be fancy, though, and do a half-drop repeat, so I only chopped one side horizontally. My design will line up when offset half a step across the width of the fabric.

Once the edges are set up, you can fill in the middle. I scan in a few more motifs, fill in gaps here and there, and shuffle elements around until I like it. If any other shapes need to overlap the edge, I make sure they line up by positioning a twin on the other side and snapping it to the same position on the grid. Tricky, yes, and time-consuming with a pattern this intricate. Patterns with more ground spacing are definitely easier to put into repeat.

I double check the repeat by copying the artboard, opening a new layer and placing the copies as they would repeat. Sure enough, I see a few spots that need adjusting, so I tweak and repeat the process until the edges line up exactly. For a true preview, you can temporarily expand your artboard to include the repeating parts and print. The paper doesn't lie.

It's a busy design, so I like it best with just 2 colors on a white ground. To recolor, switch the color mode from black & white to RGB and go to town. If color matching is important you can use Spoonflower's color map which you can have mailed to you on actual fabric. I was too impatient, so I didn't bother, but I think I will get it for the future.

To finalize the artwork, copy the contents of the artboard and "paste pixels" into a new document in Photoshop. Here is where you will determine the final size of your print. Spoonflower prints at 150 dpi, so I input that under image>size and go from there. I decided to resample my image to be 14" square. Since this is sharp 3-color artwork, I save as a .png file. Jpegs work too.

Now to decide which fabric to print on...When they first opened, Spoonflower only offered basic cotton. Now they have 10 choices including silk crepe de chine ($38) and wallpaper too. The basic cotton is the cheapest at $17. I chose linen/cotton canvas ($27) because I thought it would be nice for an apron, tote bag, or pillow.  The prompts are pretty easy to follow on the Spoonflower site...and voilà!

The fabric got here so quickly, I never fully decided what to do with it. What should I make?

winter clover market 2013

One of my favorite indie craft shows in the Philadelphia area has added a new indoor venue to it's seasonal schedule. You can now shop the Clover Market in January! It was today at the 23rd Street Armory in Philadelphia, so if you missed it you'll have to settle for putting the Ardmore spring shows on your calendar (April 14, May 19, & June9). In the meantime you can visit the vendors' online stores. And to whet your appetite, here's some eye candy from the day...

Jay McCarroll

Brush with fame! If you follow project Runway, this face is probably familiar to you. It's Jay McCarroll, the winner of PR's first season. He had a booth full of items made from printed fabrics from his line by Free Spirit. He gamely posed with gushing fans non-stop while my friends and I perused his wares.

wristlets by Janet McCarroll

His sister, Janet, stitched up these modern little wristlet purses.

Jay McCarrol printed skirts

The offbeat, cheerful point of view we got to know on the show 8 years ago is still evident in Jay's colorful work today. Nice guy.

{me}longings

One of my Etsy faves was there to day, too: {me}longings studio. Chanee Vijay designs and hand block prints her modern patterns using water-based inks on sustainably grown fibers.

{me}longings

The effect of the metallic printing is so beautiful in person. Earthy. Modern. Elegant.

Picked Vintage

The Picked Vintage booth was full of midcentury goodness. I love this vignette with the rope chair and the 1970's telephones. The owner, Jen, has such good taste, you should stop by their website for her latest finds.

French Vanilla

French Vanilla doesn't have a web store, but they can be found at shows like Brooklyn Flea as well as the Clover Market. Lots of cool accessories with patina.

French Vanilla

I fell in love with these kitchy oil portrait painting that proprietor Peg VanDyne bought at the estate sale of an art teacher. They remind me so much of the ones on the walls at Fishs Eddy in NYC, but those aren't for sale- these are. Contact her at fv.antiques@yahoo.com if you're interested. I tried to convince her to at least get a Facebook page going to show off her finds...I hope she'll take my advice!

from Hook Lady

Is this not the most adorable doorknocker for your cottage in the woods? It's a vintage reproduction by Judy Spivak of Hook Lady. She carries a nice mix of vintage & vintage reproduction hooks, brackets, doorknobs, etc.

Bee Vintage Redux

Bee Vinage Redux had the sweetest jewelry recycled from vintage pieces. I'm loving the dogwood motif.

Bee Vintage Redux

Charming tote bags appliqued with vintage handkerchiefts. Lovely!

Yumtown

The food trucks did not disappoint. Why does it feel cooler to buy food from a truck? I don't know, but Yumtown had a menu featuring locally sourced, fresh ingredients. That's pretty cool.

A visit to the Clover Market is never complete without some cupcakes. There's my friend Karen, the cupcake connoiseur, splurging on a dozen from Sweet Box. She bravely included the bacon-maple flavor in the mix which is just a tad out of my comfort zone, but supposedly it's good!

Well that's it for my round-up. Keep shopping small!

healthy coconut shrimp recipe

Feeling overstuffed after the holidays and tired of winter already, I am consumed by two urges:
1- to start eating healthy again
2- to go on a tropical vacation
But who am I kidding? The vacation isn't happening, but we can pretend. Coconut shrimp should do the trick! I always order this if I see in on a restaurant menu, so I've had it prepared by many chefs, but it is always deep-fried. I've experimented at home and have had trouble with the deep frying method. The coconut tends to fall off and it just feels oily. I like more crunch and I don't like to see those paper towels saturated with oil. I invented a healthier version that is baked, very crunchy, and totally satisfying. I've tested this on my family and it just gets scarfed up in no time.

crunchy baked coconut shrimp

by Rebecca Harkin

1 lb large raw shrimp, peeled (tails on or off, whatever you prefer)
3/4 cup panko crumbs
1 1/2 cups sweetened flaked coconut
1 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
1 cup flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 eggs, beaten

Start by oven-toasting the coconut & panko crumbs separately, spread evenly on 2 cookie sheets at 350° for 5 minutes or until they turn golden brown. Stirring part way through might be necessary if browning is uneven. Mix toasted crumbs and coconut in a medium bowl with red pepper flakes. In another bowl, beat 2 eggs. In a third bowl, mix flour, salt, & pepper. Dredge the shrimp in flour mixture first, dip in the egg until coated, then roll in the coconut/breadcrumb mixture. Really cake it on. Place the shrimp on a cooling rack coated with cooking spray on top of a cookie sheet. Bake this way at 350° for 15 minutes, or until shrimp are opaque. Serve with mango chutney or cocktail sauce for dipping. Great at an entree with Caribbean rice & beans.

serves 2-4 as an entree, more as an appetizer

The shrimp don't need very long to cook, so pre-toasting the breading essential, otherwise the shrimp will look undercooked.

Toast them separately, though, and keep a close eye on it. It's easy to burn them.

The breading step is pretty standard.

Baking the shrimp on a cooling rack on top of a cookie sheet allows the heat to get around all sides for even cooking.

Turn on the reggae and serve as an appetizer with mango chuntey (and/or cocktail sauce) or make it an entree with Caribbean beans & rice and a salad.

photo by Dana Harkin

Have a lovely vacation!

memory pillow project

A dear friend asked me to help her out with some pillows she wanted to make for her nephews for Christmas. Their grandfather had passed away and she wanted to use some of his old clothes to make mementos for them. She and I went to RISD together, so we are on the same wave-length aesthetically. She said she wanted pillows pieced in the"Gee's Bend" style.

"Blocks and Strips" by Mary Lee Bendolph (photo Tinwood Media)

If you're not familiar with Gee's Bend, the name refers to the rural town in Alabama, a mostly black community with a history of economic struggles, but a strong sense of community. The tradition of quilting carried on there through the civil war, various economic upheavals including the Great Depression, floods of the Alabama River, and on to the present day.

"Housetop" by Lillie Mae Pettway (photo by Tinwood Media)

The quilts were made with available scraps of worn-out clothes with the freedom and innocence of "outsider art" although they were created for strictly practical purposes much like Amish quilts were. A collector discovered them in the late '90's, bought up hundreds of them and began exhibiting them. When viewed out of context in museums like the Whitney, they are bold, striking modern art. The book about them is wonderful. Auburn University has a wealth of information on them as well as a nice catalog.

The pile of items my friend sent looked random at first glance, but that's what you want if you're emulating the Gee's Bend style.

Many of the Gee's Bend Quilts are variations on the "Log Cabin" quilt pattern. I find this pattern lends itself to creating a spontaneous effect, as long as you don't measure anything, that is. Starting with a squarish shape, strips can be added on the outside edges, working in succession around it until you have the size you're after. True things as you go, or not. It's better if there is some unevenness to it.

I decided to keep the shirt pockets intact, because I think boys find them fun and it is more of a reminder that this was Grandpa's shirt. I also added a few of my own scraps of chambray to help make everything hang together more. But what you definitely don't want is to get matchy-matchy with it.

I also keep the button plackets intact for the backs for the perfect way to get the insert in & out for washing.

I tried not to be as anal as I usually am and just go with it. It actually goes very quickly when you're not trying to be precise. At the end, I trued it all up to the dimension of the pillow.

I hope they like them!

a swedish christmas

I'm not Swedish, I've never been to Sweden, but I love the idea of a Swedish Christmas. I imagine clean, bright colors + rustic straw ornaments all popping off of a whitewashed background filled with a mix of chippy Gustavian antiques and IKEA furniture. I imagine modest but well-designed handmade gifts, simply wrapped and the smell of gingerbread in the air. I imagine clomping around in some red clogs, wearing a ragg wool sweater. I have no idea if I am accurate in my fantasy, but I found a few things on the internets that fit my vision...

vintage red & white wallpaper-from smilemercantile
illustration of Stockholm- by annasee
traditional pepparkakor cookie recipe (thinner, crispier version of gingersnaps)- by The Wandering Cook
dala horse pillow- by LittleputtStudio
dala horse appliqué onesie-by chirp & bloom
Swedish clogs by Troentorp- from shoebuy
traditional Swedish straw ornament- similar on ebay
vintage dala horse- similar on Etsy

I find the dala horse especially charming, so I made up an appliquéd onesie for the shop. I always like an excuse to use my floral ribbons.

God Jul!

antiquing in chadds ford, pa

Fall is coming and for me that means prime antiquing time! I don't know why, but I'm only in the mood for it in the fall.

click to enlarge

Being in Wilmington, we're lucky enough to be near some great antique stores. There's the whole Amish area in and around Lancaster, PA, but even closer is a string of stores along Rt1(Baltimore Pike) in Chadd's Ford, PA. You could spend all day in the area between Rt 202 & Rt 52 (closer to 52).
A Brandywine River antiques (aka "The White Barn")
B Pennsbury Chadds Ford Antique Mall 
C Springhouse Antiques
D Brandywine View Antiques

Brandywine View Antiques

This coming weekend, September 8 & 9, is a great time to go because Brandywine View is having it's annual "Massive Barn Market". You've gotta be tempted!

The big chair at Brandywine View

 

As you're zooming along Rt 1, you might miss the sign, but you'll notice the humongous chair on the front porch. My friend Maria humored me by climbing into it when we were there a while back.

chairs at Brandywine View

They also have regular-size chairs.

salvage at Brandywine View

And a good deal of architectural salvage.

Brandywine View

Inside is 5000 square feet of furniture & accessories.

Proprieter Lisa keeps the inventory turning over constantly. You can often find her with a truckful at the Clover Market in Ardmore, PA.

All these pictures are from Brandywine View because I was just there, but believe me, the other stores nearby are each really good. The White Barn is the biggest- it just goes on and on...

You'll surely be hungry after all that antiquing and you won't be too far from Terrain at Styers, the garden store that has a cafe inside. Closer to the actual stores is the Chadd's Ford Winery tasting room in case you get thirsty;)

Let me know if you go...

what to do with peaches

It's peach (and mango) season! The orchard up the road has beautiful juicy peaches right now. I don't bother with the mealy ones you can get at the supermarket. I could eat them for dessert every day.

I've already made cobbler and pie about a dozen times, so I thought I'd consult the cookbook a friend gave me, Mary Angela's Best of Everything, for something different. It's written by her talented-in-the-kitchen mother-in-law, Mary Angela Morgan.

She self-published the book which is very impressive because it looks like it's off the shelves of Barnes and Noble. Even has section tabs like my trusty Betty Crocker cookbook. I've actually been looking into what it takes to have a book published through traditional channels and basically, you have to be at least semi-famous already to get a book deal, especially for a cookbook.

Here's the recipe I made:

Mangoes & Peaches in Port Wine Syrup 

by Mary Angela Morgan 

3/4 cup water
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup Port wine
2 Tablespoons lemon zest
1 ripe mango, peeled and chopped
4 ripe peaches, peeled and sliced

The combination of the lemon zest and the Port wine make this recipe. The flavor is bright and sophisticated at the same time. Port wine has not been on my radar since I caught my grandmother taking a surreptitious swig of it in the pantry once. She loved her Port... perhaps a bit too much. I've started sneaking it into my cobbler now too (just a Tablespoon) for that extra little "je ne sais quois".

In a medium sauce pan stir sugar, water, and Port wine over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Add lemon zest (don't use that dry stuff!); bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer uncovered 8 t0 10 minutes or until reduced to a medium thick syrup.

Add peach and mango slices. Mangoes can be tricky to cut up because of the big seed inside. There is a video of how to do it here.

Mangoes can be tricky to cut up because of the big seed inside. There is a video of how to do it here.

Simmer 1 minute. Transfer to a serving bowl to cool. Cover and chill for several hours. Serve in clear dessert bowls.

I served this to my own mother-in-law and got the thumbs-up. Enjoy!