Behind the Scenes: How the Patterns for Cloth & Kin Were Born
Jessica Brown of Cloth & Kin asked me to share a bit of the inspiration and background for the patterns I contributed to her Fall 2022 line of handmade clothing for littles. It was fun to trace back how I landed on the specific patterns, and I wanted to share the adventure here with you, too!
The fun began with Jessica sending her solid color scheme for the upcoming line. I was immediately enamored with the muted hues she chose and couldn’t wait to get to work.
Cloth & Kin Fall 2022 Color Pallette
Beginning the Creative Process:
What I love about collaborations like this, is that they truly capture an artist at a particular moment in their creative journey. For me, currently, I can’t get enough block carving/block art. The process of carving the rubber by hand and then choosing the perfect color of print to highlight every etch and curve is incredibly satisfying. I enjoy the organic nature of the finished product.
Between my recent exploration of the process, and the fun, boho aesthetic of Cloth and Kin, this seemed like the perfect place to start for a fall pattern.
I wrote an article about the process of block printing here.
Now onto the specific patterns…
Pattern 1: Helenium Block in Terrecotta
When doing research for which flowers cover our world in the season of Fall, Helenium Autumnale caught my eye. I love its simple, yet delicate, nature, and I thought the downward curve of the flower would take nicely to a pattern formation. The color options were numerous, but I ended up settling on a classic cream with a pale yellowish center, sitting atop a gorgeous Terrecotta brown—all in coordination with the rest of Cloth and Kin’s fall collection.
Helenium Block Print in Terrecotta | Cloth & Kin Fall 2022
Pattern 2: Confetti Carvings in Olive
After completing the first pattern, I wanted additional patterns to look like they belonged amid the organic nature of the first pattern. I used the carvings found at the center of the Helenium prints to create this gender neutral style. Taking those small markings and spacing them out, brought me to this next pattern titled “Confetti Carvings”. I hope it combines a calming natural aesthetic (that appeals to adults) with the lighthearted joy of small children. A bonus: this confetti is hiding the word F-U-N somewhere inside… see if you can find it!
Confetti Carvings in Olive | Cloth & Kin Fall 2022
Follow along on social media, or check back to her website, clothandkin.com, on September 16th to see these patterns launched on some soft, high-quality, sustainable handmade clothing. Thanks for reading!
