My 1st Pattern Design

I was remodeling my kitchen about 8 yrs ago and I was looking for fabric to make valances. I knew what I wanted but could not find it anywhere. It was another reason to start learning how to design fabric. I had been designing the pattern in my head and had been carrying it around for years. I just came to realize that some people think in words and some people think in pictures. I think in pictures. Do you think in words or pictures? I can carry an image around in my head for a long time. When I started learning Illustrator I knew what I wanted to design. After a lot of hard work and frustration, Falling Flowers made it out of my head and into Adobe Illustrator and onto fabric. I can’t describe the feeling of seeing your design on fabric.

Most of my designs start from sketches. If life is too busy one of the best ways to get started in pattern design is to sketch. I have been sketching for years because I needed a creative outlet and sketching met that need. Sketching is economical and easy to transport. Take a picture of something that inspires you and practice drawing it. I had a stack of sketchbooks before I even started to design patterns. There are also so many online sources for learning almost any skill. I spent a lot of time on You Tube, it’s free. Now I spend a lot of time on Skillshare I currently pay $99. for an annual subscription.