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Designing your own fabric

12 years ago

I just found this. Did you know you can design your own fabric? How cool is that? You can even make art. Now not only can you say you made your drapes (or whatever) but you can say "I also designed the fabric". Lots of info on you tube. I am not affiliated with this company in any way, I just think it's neat.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=grNSRHZI8xo

Here is a link that might be useful: Spoonflower

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Comments (10)

caminnc
Original Author
12 years ago
So I guess we can let this go away.
anele_gw
12 years ago
This is so, so cool! My mind is spinning with ideas. I want each of their girls to have their own lap blanket, one side quilt fabric and the other minky. This would be PERFECT. They love art so they could design their own! I love that they give you sites for free design tools, too. THANK YOU!
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The key issue is whether you are trying to design the house or create construction documents - two very different goals. Many homeowners tend to think of the "design" of a house as a "plan" when, in reality, it is just one of many ways to help someone to visualize the actual design and it is not always a very good one for complex designs. Plans, elevations, details and schedules work well for builders because they aren't trying to evaluate the overall design, only build the house one piece at a time. IMHO nothing compares to SketchUp for preliminary design at any price (SketchUp basic is free, SketchUp Pro is $495, the Student version of Pro is $49/year and a trial version of Pro is free.) Since it is unlikely a homeowner will have the knowledge to draw a set of construction documents I would suggest sticking to preliminary design and hiring someone with the proper experience to do the rest. A SketchUp model can be easily looked at in plan view especially with the Section Tool shown in the link below. It doesn't take a skilled drafter much time to enter the information from a SketchUp model into a 2D CAD file because the drafter can use the tape measure tool to find all of the dimensions (if they are not already labeled in the model) and it is possible to import a 2D version into almost any CAD program (Pro has DXF export and the free version will need a plugin script that is available free online.) SketchUp may seem intuitive and for a grade school student it is but for a house designer it has so many valuable features that it requires taking a course at a school or online to be used effectively. You should study and experiment for a month before starting to design your house. There are books available at Amazon and online courses from SketchUp and from SketchUp for Dummies/aidanchopra.com. When I open a SketchUp model from 10 years ago I am surprised at how few of the features I was able to use. There is never an end to learning with any CAD program. Each new version of the software adds incredible features. SketchUp view inside model
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If you haven't quilted before you might need to know that the best way to proceed with something like a placemat, say, or the individual pieces of a bag is to cut out the top and backing fabrics a little large. Place the batting in between and secure it with basting and quilt each one individually then trim to the finished size and/or continue with the construction of a bag rather than quilt an expanse of fabric and then cut out individual pieces. Working with smaller segments is just oh-so-much easier than a larger one. When you do your quilting it works best if you have something called a traveling foot or an even feed foot or a machine with a built in one. Some machines come with such a foot. Sometimes you have to buy it as an accessory. Using such a foot means that the top fabric is fed into the machine at the same rate as the bottom fabric. This prevents puckers and distortion. If you want straight lines most machines also have guides that are fitted onto the foot to assist you in making parallel lines of various distances. The angle that creates squares or diamonds is established when you sew you first crossing line. But it's worth knowing that organic and irregular lines are interesting too. They just work better if it looks like that's what you were going for rather than attempting geometric lines that weren't quite. I recommend basting the quilt sandwich. Particularly on first projects. Although for a small project there are basting sprays. Some people use safety pins or basting guns. But basting with a very long needle and tiny stitches on the top/longer on the bottom means that there is nothing to get in the way of the quilting lines as they go under the machine's foot. I tried to avoid basting for years but, in the end, I think it's faster and less frustrating. In any case, and however you do your securing, make sure that the top and bottom fabrics are taut (not stretched but taut) and have no wrinkles and the batting is lying flat. The best way to do this is to masking tape the bottom fabric to a table top and then lay out each layer smoothing it with your hand. Then use whatever method you choose generously to keep each layer in place while you move the sandwich around under the arm of the machine. Finally, when all your quilting is done, you finish up with a binding or seams that enclose the raw edges.
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caminnc
Original Author
12 years ago
anele, I thought it was very cool and could be so personalized. Little girls could have a wonderful time designing their own fabrics. Great idea!
User
12 years ago
I thought some of the fabrics were charming. I'm not tech savvy in the least, so I don't think designing through this site is for me, but for those who have the know-how, it offers lots of possibilities. Thanks for sharing.
anele_gw
12 years ago
Cam, yes! It is so reasonable per yrd and there are so many things you can do for one yard. I think I am going to get them to collectively design fabric and then I can make blankets for the grandmas and me. It would be such a great Mother's day gift! My girls always want to use Cafe Press but I want to learn how to make their art more defined. I think that is what is the vector drawing? Anyway, so cool that we can learn how to do this! I have been thinking about how to do this all day. Thank you again!
Sueb20
12 years ago
I was JUST reading about this in the Better Homes and Gardens magazine I received the other day. I can't wait to check it out.
Sueb20
12 years ago
Well, thanks a lot, I just spent about $50 on various test samples and fat quarters! I was just spouting to someone about how fun/easy it would be to find cool fabrics in "sample" sizes and frame them for cheap, colorful artwork. Well, that's what I'm hoping to do with some of what I ordered. I got a few for my crafty DD, too.

I haven't even looked at the option to create custom fabric, but that could be really fun. I saw one fabric with Lego heads that I wish I'd seen a few years back when my DS was really into Legos!
User
12 years ago
Spoonflower is wonderful ... you can make 1-off fabric and keep it private or offer your designs for sale.

I see a lot of custom stuff on Etsy made from Spoonflower fabrics.

And rumor has it they may be getting into wallpaper soon.
mtnrdredux_gw
12 years ago
This is too funny. We are on the hunt for a very specific fabric for outdoor furniture - i could sketch it in a heartbeat. My DD asked "why don't you just get the fabric custom made" and I explained about set up costs and the complexity of making fabric, minimum runs, etc.

Looks like I am totally wrong!

Alas, though, no sunbrella options. The should consider it. Even with a handful of high end companies bringing out lines, indoor outdoor is still an aesthetic wasteland.
lascatx
12 years ago
mtnrdredux, you are so right about outdoor fabrics -- the designs and the colors are limited and lacking. I just bought a piece for a loveseat cushion. I've looked for a replacement for 2 years and gave up, but finding fabric I liked wasn't much better. I wonder if their inks will print on poly or other outdoor-able synthetics and hold up to the elements. That would be great!

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