Introducing Print, Pattern, Sew!

Print Pattern Sew, A Year of Hand-Printed Fashion

Finally, I get to talk about my project for 2015! Introducing Print, Pattern, Sew. Every month in 2015, I’ll marry my love for hand-printed fabric with my love for sewing, and will sew a different garment created from fabric that I’ve printed.

There are a few parameters for this project:

  1. The fabric must be screenprinted or block printed by me (i.e. no using Spoonflower);
  2. Patterns must come from indie pattern designers or be self-drafted; and
  3. The garment I create must be something I’d actually wear (i.e. no printed t-shirts).

This project will be quite a challenge for me. I’m used to creating designs with flat applications – bags, napkins, etc. This will be the first time that I’ll have to consider how a print looks on a body. And, to be honest, this project is one that I find incredibly intimidating. I’ve never printed fashion fabric before. I don’t know how (or even have the setup) to screenprint repeat patterns. I don’t want to think about block printing large pieces of fabric in my tiny studio.

I’m doing it anyway. At this point, it would have been easy to do another 52 weeks of printmaking, but it’s time to grow. When I mentioned on Instagram a few months ago that I was changing my color palette, and that it made me very uncomfortable, many people (presumably non-artists) asked me why. The simple answer is that I want to grow. My best work has come when I’ve tried new and scary things. This project forces me to try something new and scary every month.

I’ll post January’s garment on the 26th, and will continue posting final garments on the last Monday of each month. I plan to share information about the fabric and patterns along the way, which is my way of saying that I’ll try not to wait until the very last minute to get started on my monthly project.

Happy 2015!

43 thoughts on “Introducing Print, Pattern, Sew!”

  1. What a wonderful idea for a project! I’m really looking forward to seeing what you do with it. You’re a constant source of inspiration to me. I started printing with the idea of making clothes, and in all these years have only made one skirt. I hope to find the time this year for a few shirts and dresses, so I’m especially curious about the patterns you’ll use.

  2. Hello! Just found your blog via spotted stones blog and then looked back at all 52 weeks last year! so inspirational and amazing, can’t wait to try printing myself and watch this years designs! happy new year

  3. SQUEE!!! i’m super excited to watch this project. as a proponent of making one’s own clothes and a lover of hand-printed textiles, i’m smitten with the idea. and your prints are SO lovely! can’t wait to see your first post. happy new year!

  4. oh YAY!! can’t wait to see what you make! i love making clothes (for myself AND others). and i have been fascinated with printing on fabric for a long time, though have never actually tried it. thanks for the awesome inspiration.

  5. Hi,
    i recently discovered your blog and read it from “cover to cover”.
    I love your sense of color and design.
    Your determination and goal oriented motivation is amazing. I have done a lot of surface design (including stenciling), sewn garments by indie designers over the years, not over one year. So impressive!
    I will be clued in and can’t wait!

  6. Oh Jen. This is a cool, cool idea. Your prints are so fantastic and I can’t wait to see them on garments. I can’t help but fantasize about doing a little bit of the same. Could be a work-around to my self-imposed “don’t buy any new fabric until the Fall” pledge. :D

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