Stitchable Cards

I’ve always loved reading and so I wanted to illustrate this in my latest set of designs. As a child I would often spend hours reading. I’d even read at night by torchlight, under the bedclothes, after my parents had told me to go to sleep! I enjoy reading digital books, but I still prefer the tactile quality of reading a printed book. There’s something about a paperback or hardback book that is so nice to read and hold, as opposed to a book on your phone or tablet. Anyway, whatever format you like to use, my designs are intended...

For me, the strawberry is quintessentially all about summer – it’s the fruit that I love to eat during the hot summer weather. My mum and dad used to grow strawberries in our back garden and we’d wait for them to turn ripe so that we could pick them and eat them – usually with cream or in a homemade trifle. The bright red color of the strawberry is beautiful and the smell and flavor of them is so appealing – I just love them! This set of designs came together quite quickly, as I knew that I was going...

Spring is the time of year when the days are getting longer and the warmth of the sun is encouraging new plants to grow. After the cold of the winter months lots of brightly colored flowers suddenly appear and flourish. Nature seems to awaken, and for this reason spring is the time of year that we associate with new life, re-birth, renewal and growth.Crocus: Photo by Marek Studzinski on Upsplash This season has been the inspiration for my new set of designs that you can see here. The color palette I’ve chosen ranges from rich purples and fresh greens to soft...

For this set of winter designs I’ve mixed together traditional elements, such as red, white and green foliage and landscapes, with more of a magical theme. The designs feature motifs that appear in woodlands and forests, such as gnomes, toadstools and even a snail - all set against a snowy backdrop. Red toadstool: Photo by Sergei Gussev on Unsplash A gnome in a pointy red hat with a long beard and a red outfit is the main focus of the design for the rectangular shaped card. Gnomes have been popular in many cultures and across many generations. Gnomes (or Tomte as they...

Above: moodboard for sweet tooth designs: images by Susan Bates, (apart from photograph of donuts: Elena Koycheva on Unsplash and ice cream on yellow background: Ian Dooley on Unsplash). This month’s pattern release celebrates all things sweet; candyfloss, ice creams, cakes and a slightly healthier strawberry are all included in this set of designs. For the colour palette I’ve chose a range of fairly soft pastel colours, with a pop of red to liven things up.     My first design is based on a vintage style cotton candy cart. I remember going to fêtes and fairgrounds when I was...

I wanted to create a set of summer themed designs for this pattern release, so I came up with a few different ideas and, after giving it more thought, a tropical vibe seemed to be a really fun way to go. Tropical designs are always popular – I think it’s because they’re bright and colourful - plus they create a bit of escapism for those of us living in less hot climates! They’re a popular trend in fashion and interior design and never seem to go out of style. So, once I’d got my theme worked out I start researching...