Pattern Design
02Mar

Folly Cove Designers Exhibit in Cape Ann

Despite having lived in New England for most of my adult life, it took listening to a podcast from an English journalist to learn about a unique group of designers living on the North Shore of Massachusetts. If you're a textile maker, enthusiast, or someone who loves a well-researched story, you may already be familiar with Haptic and Hue, a podcast by Jo Andrews. (If not, I highly recommend checking it out.) In one episode, she introduced us to...

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Denim backgroung with a white circle with text inside that reads What is a Twill?
11Jan

What is a Twill?

After plain weave, the twill is the next most common weave structure. You will recognize it by the distinct diagonal line visible on the face of the fabric. Unlike in plain weave, where the weft yarn goes over one warp thread and under the next, the binding points in a twill happen in a diagonal progression across the warp, moving steadily to either the left or right. The yarn also usually travels over groups of threads. For example, a...

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22Sep

Textile Designers & What They Know

Textile design is a complex, fascinating, and ancient field of study. Every human on this planet is intimately involved with textiles, yet very few people consider textiles much at all. For thousands of years, all over the world, textiles protected us, comforted us, and gave us a way to communicate information about ourselves with the world. Textiles influenced our current banking system and were integral in putting humans into space. So, who are textile designers, and what information are...

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15Sep

What is an Argyle?

There is a reason classic argyle socks have become a favorite for wearing and gifting alike. This pattern stands the test of time, has wide-reaching appeal and has an exciting history. While we don’t have any traditional versions in our licensable library, we have several patterns inspired by this classic. These translate well in residential and commercial interiors. But first, what is an argyle? An argyle pattern features overlapping diamonds with intersecting diagonal lines on top of the diamonds. They...

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A textured background with words in a circle on top that says, What is a plain fabric?
04Aug

What are Plain Fabrics?

Textile and pattern designers often throw down a term that seems counterintuitive, plain fabric. When we say plain fabric, we're referring to a material with minimal patterning and usually solid or tonal in color. If we're being honest, nothing about fabric or pattern is ever plain at all! Look closely at even the most unassuming material; something is fascinating about it. Designers in the interior design market often think about creating patterns and fabrics to be used as part of...

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Looking over the shoulder of a person reading. You can see the brim of a straw hat, an open book, and someone's legs.
28Jun

Summer Reading, Textile Edition

Summer is officially here, NeoCon 2022 is officially over. We all deserve a little downtime, right? As I stare down the huge pile of books begging to be read, I'm thinking back to a few favorites that have been inspiring the Design Pool team lately. In unique ways, each of these five books offered a seed of inspiration in the creation of our latest collection, Invisible Threads. If you're looking for something to read, especially if you're a textile...

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Tulip field with words overlaying reading A Creative Week in Holland
14Jun

A Creative Week in Holland

In the spring of 2022, I joined a group of thirteen women on a Local Flora Field Guides trip to Holland. The trip was led by Kimberly Becker, Lauren Pignatello, and Susan Becker with the goal of experiencing the country while learning about the local flora and creating field guides. Each of the three hosts had something different to offer. Kimberly, an artist and designer, taught watercolors and embroidery. Lauren, a farmer and herbalist, taught all about the local...

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Illustration of movie camera with words favorite fashion documentaries
01Jun

Fashion Documentaries, Kristen’s Picks

I am a sucker for a good documentary, especially ones focusing on creative people. Fashion documentaries in particular are one of my weaknesses. I find it fascinating to see how creative people work and build a business. Plus, fashion designers are inspiring on so many levels – visually, creatively, and professionally. As an entrepreneur, I love to learn how other people built their businesses and learn from their mistakes. What have I been watching lately? Here's a round-up of...

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What is a Harlequin
15Mar

What is a Harlequin Pattern?

Diamonds are a popular motif in textile design. As a result, there are a lot of different terms textile designers use to describe the different types of diamond designs they create. As you search our licensable library, you'll see in the Theme search menu an option to view Harlequin. What exactly does that mean? Textile designers use the term harlequin to describe a diamond pattern with elongated shapes arranged vertically. They are point-to-point, sometimes very close together, almost touching....

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03Mar

Kauai Inspiration: Flowers, Pattern & Color

How do you turn your inspiration into something tangible? Of course, sometimes you don't need to. Inspiration for the sake of it fuels our creativity whether or not there is a direct line to a piece of art or project for work. But, it's also helpful to save inspiration to use as resources when you need them. When I travel, in addition to keeping a travel journal, I'm constantly snapping photos of beautiful colors and patterns. When I get...

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