I’ve had a big ole change of direction recently – moving slowly, but firmly away from the painting the card making side of things. It wasn’t a premeditated change but rather, something that occurred naturally…organically.
For me, these are the best form of changes – they require no forcing, no inner battles and no trying the refresh my style based on what I think I should be doing. Forcing a change only results in (for me, at least) a design style that just doesn’t sit right. That doesn’t sing.
You may already have read my previous post, where I introduced you to my Doodle design – Well, I’ve become doodle obsessed! Mainly because I have hundreds of the devils…in sketchbooks, on scraps of paper and a whole army of them in my head, scratching to get out!
Without consciously choosing to, I have almost completely (bar a couple of commissions) moved over to the textile side of my designing and making.
Truthfully, that’s where I’d love to be…in the land of felt, fabric, thread and beads &, of course, my beautiful Bernina. I’d like to empty my house and life of canvases and cards, and concentrate solely on my Doodle Designs –
• expanding the range of designs
• growing the range of products in each design
• honing my machine sewing skills (I am very (Very) new to zips and seams, planning & pattern making)
• venturing into fabric printing with embroidered detailing
In essence, developing a whole family of designs that appear in various textile forms but, that all have the same spirit…and a style that is instantly recognisable as my own.
The big stumbling block is to achieve all that with designs that appeal to potential customers and, at a price they deem fair.
Big stumbling block!
You see, just because I happen to think my beaded teapot brooches are the bee’s knees, doesn’t necessarily mean that others will feel the same. Although I may be enamoured with Scruffy Dog, it doesn’t automatically follow that I’ve tapped into the ‘Bingo!’ spot of the children’s market. Same goes for the warm, fuzzy, nostalgic glow I get when I see my ‘99’ cornet brooch – who’s to say other folk have happy memories of the seaside, or of the ice-cream van, driving around suburban streets on warm Summer evenings, music tinkling from afar (there I go with the nostalgia again).
But then I suppose I could ponder and fret about this for so long that it would, in time, become wholly debilitating.
In the end, it has to be a leap of faith…faith in my gut design instinct and a belief in the things that make my heart sing. I will make things that I like, in the hope that others like them too! After all, where is the fun in making something you don’t truly love or believe in? Surely that lack of love will show in the finished product…in the soul of the design? If all else fails, I shall use the absolute joy I glean from creating my work as my selling tool! (Cunning plan, though not entirely fail-safe. Mmm.)
So here I am, developing designs & products, tackling zips & seams & patterns, creating prototypes, tweaking, redoing and planning. Planning big.
I want to see my name in print one day, with the words “A textile based designer from North Yorkshire” next to it.
:: oh how I wish there were more days in the week, so that I could just get things made, and in my web shops, and on my website and then…da da da…the terrifying job of finding a stockist or two [cold hand of fear grips stomach, face blanches and teeth clench in an unbecoming manner]. So watch this space, though not literally as this may take some time. As in weeks, rather than ‘same time tomorrow’ time haha! ::
Sarah
x
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