181: The Art of Fabric Design: My Proven 30-Day Workflow

In this episode of The Professional Creative Podcast, I share the complete breakdown of my 30-day workflow for designing a fabric collection—from the spark of inspiration to the final product. This topic is particularly special to me as I recently released a new fabric collection, A Year in Petals, a heartfelt project inspired by the flowers I grew in my own garden.

Whether you're a seasoned designer or dreaming of starting your fabric design journey, this episode is packed with actionable insights, tips, and inspiration to guide your creative process.

The same skills for fabric design can translate to gift wrap, wallpaper, and so much more!

Key Takeaways:

• Starting with inspiration is essential—your initial ideas serve as your North Star throughout the process.
• Prepare thoroughly by clearing both physical and mental space.
• Build a strong foundation with inspiration boards, storytelling, and word lists to guide your designs.
• Categorize patterns into hero, coordinate, and blender prints for a cohesive collection.
• Dedicate time to analog art creation—sketch, paint, and collect marks prolifically.
• Organize and digitize your work systematically for efficiency.
• Prioritize creating repeating patterns before focusing on colorways.
• Tackle the "messy middle" of the creative process by revisiting your inspiration boards.
• Finalize your work with meticulous attention to scaling and formatting.
• Creativity is versatile—these steps can apply to other mediums like wallpaper, stationery, and more.

Resources:

• Find my FREE Mini Classes here: These step-by-step classes are perfect for beginners, offering five concise lessons (~20 minutes each) to help you create your own designs and see them on a product.
  • Start Simple in Fabric Design
  • Start Simple in Gift Wrap Design
  • Start Simple in Wallpaper Design

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Review of the week: 

IN AWE AND SO GRATEFUL!

Do not hesitate to turn on this podcast! I have been and continue to be incredibly impressed by Bonnie. She shares everything she knows and is so approachable and genuine. It's not a surprise that her business is thriving. She is thoughtful, engaging, and striving for excellence in all she does! What an incredible mentor for so many, including me. She values everyone and encourages people at every stage. I listen to this podcast most when I am on my stationary bike or taking a long drive. Knowing I 'get' to listen propels me to get on that bike everyday and exercise - and - there is NO dread when I have to take a long drive alone - I have the BEST company - Bonnie! Learning from Bonnie and her team has been beyond a blessing. Thank you, Bonnie, for sharing your talent with the world!

— Ekett

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