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Mary Mary

Mary Mary quite contrary how does your garden grow? 

'I wanted to use waves of colour in this collection-but taken from things you use in everyday life" Mary Katrantzou A/W12

off to the pound shop we go! 

I'm a tumblring

I'm a Tumblring

The very perfect Dot.

So after spending a week in Paris at PV and Indigo, Print 'ALoud' continues with strength. Surrounded by oversized, digital mashed up pattern I began to panic, everything was so big, so brash, so competitive, so fast, so churned out, so excessive. I love the language of pattern but this year I was confused, I felt claustrophobic. At last Kathy and I found sanctury amongst the hand rendered designs, they had soul, they had craft as well as drawn towards the finely re-designed vintage, they had history, they had design and with the finest motif it deemed almost impossible to print but digital print had allowed this.

Our college stand looked lovely, we had compliments, it looked cool, beautiful colour, very refined, it had soul, a special spirit and of course we sold to the best. An American buyer came up 'show us your best Polka dot' oh no! we had forgotten the humble polka dot! That made me think how hard it would be to do a perfect dot without looking generic.

Then this weekend Kathy and I went to visit our friend Claudia Catzeflis at London Fashion Week, Somerset House, amongst her beautiful, beautiful collection my eye rested upon her polka dot. It was modest, quiet, gentle, it was perfect. Claudia said she preferred her dot screen printed, I understood this but disagreed, she had maintained that in the quality of the design. The digital print had dusted the surface of the fabric, it was so light it might have blown away, I was lucky I caught it, just in time, I could breath again.

Claudia Catzeflis

Ready to Share - Ready to Print - Ready to Wear

The first ever co-designed Swatch book initiated by The People's Print who have developed a unique system and toolbox for a group of people to create a shared swatch book. Through a democratic voting system the group 'Born to be Wild' have produced a collection of digitally printed designs to which they have group ownership of and exclusive rights to use at any time. The swatch book pioneers a new methodology for digital textile print identity development, community generation, cultural and social identity and entrepreneurship. 

For more information on The People's Print future's vision click here.

Spoonflower.com

I have recently been working on a commission with a large fashion brand and exploring methods of DIY digital textile design and print on demand. To print our fabric we choose Spoonflower in the US a thriving and pioneering digital print bureau aimed towards the individual who want to enjoy designing and printing small quantities of fabric at a very reasonable price with no minimum order. Spoonflower has developed an easy online system to upload your designs and create your own personal library to refer to. Using a limited range of fabrics with the focus on cottons they manage to keep the cost down to make it an affordable option. As well as providing its customers with a lively creative online community, weekly competitions and a democratic voting system. My twelve designs were turned around and back to me within 10 days making it all the more exciting.
Spoonflower is a key contributer to the new wave in digital textile crafting, power to the people!
Spoonflower

Fabric Project

Fabric Project from Hochparterre on Vimeo.

by Stephanie Baechler

and a happy new year!

I feel very fortunate to be working in the field of Digital Textile Design with so much exciting work happening, it's a positive area in difficult economic times. Digital textile design is enabling creativity and new concepts for design to florish. My particular interest lies in people designing and making their own textiles which digital textiles is allowing. Small print runs are possible, the combination on low and high tech processes are being explored, social textile communities are thriving. Digital Print bureau's becoming the new localised industries. It's not only the catwalk designer utilising and having field day with digital printing but the small maker is feeling empowered and having so much fun.
DIY digital design is the future!

During 2011 I was lucky to work on a range of projects, a collaboration with Dr Emma Neuberg and the V&A developing a pioneering workshop using methods of co-design with formation of The People's Print and a FaceBook page. The success of this continues in the new year with a new workshop in the Spring 'The Great British Floral'.
An exchange in Finland with Hamk University allowed me to explore the concept of print identity. The invitation to exhibit at Handmade, FutureEverything last June confirmed the growing movement in DIY digital design. The touring exhibition Labcraft 'Digital adventures in contemporary craft' by the Craft Council continues to show across the UK.
And finally the completion of the second edition Digital Textile Design proved the interest in Digital textile design and the desire for knowledge in this area is growing.
This year I embark on a new book, with the focus on the wearer being at the center of the design process through a series of step by step tutorials, once again to empower everyone to make and create their own textiles. The future looks bright for digital textile design.
I thank you all for your support and wish you a very happy and productive new year!
Melanie x

The Future looks bright!

This Postmodernism at the V&A print are especially co-designed by Alice Joubert, Melanie Bowles, Maria Genco and Emma Neuberg, members of The People's Print first co-design social textiles group, the Born To Be Wild Group (affiliated with the V&A) and experimenters in the future meaning, role and cultural identity of textile design and print!
The future looks bright for digital print and social textiles!
I look forward to sharing projects, works and knowledge with you all in 2012.
Happy Christmas and prosperous and creative New Year from The Peoples Print!

The People's Print first co-design project!

The first incarnation of the Born To Be Wild/V&A Fashion Textiles Collection 2011!
The People's Print

Homage to Memphis

Homage to Memphis

Visualisation

Visualisations for the Born to be Wild with The People's Print

Swatch Book goes to print!

The first People's Print swatch book is now underway, a collaborative swatch book created by the first People's Print group 'Born to be Wild' 2011, inspired by the Postmodernism exhibition at the V&A. A book of digital textile prints ready for future applications. Watch this space!
 The People's Print Project

Post Mod Tone

I have been enjoying recreating 'old school' printing effects inspired by Post Modernism, Half tone, photocopy and overlays techniques to create a hand screen printed look.  The middle design I used minimal colour to be economical with ink coverage which was an aspect for many designers in the 80's when putting work into production but not an issue now as we take for granted the use of limitless colour with digital printing. But I am enjoying the constraints  of creating designs using minimal ink/colour, maybe more environmental too.
Today with the V&A 'Born to be Wild' textile group, we show are designs and vote which one are to go into the collaborative Swatch book, for everyone to Share - Print - Wear. Its going to be an interesting day!
The Peoples Print

Digital Freehand!

Digital freehand in the spirit of Post Modernism for The People's print workshop at the V&A