Harriet Gray is a designer-maker whose pretty stitched hearts you might have seen in an earlier post on Pass the Pattern.
As a practising illustrator, Harriet produces beautifully delicate drawings with a stylish edge, and she's now developed her own label making cushions, ornaments and mini mirrors.
I caught up with Harriet to discover how she's gone from paper to fabric and whether she can offer any advice for those who want to see their illustrations come to life.
What's the idea behind your new range? I love drawing and creating new illustrations but I had the feeling that I could do more with them, which is why I started experimenting with putting them onto products like fabric, badges and mini mirrors. I love the character of handmade items and knowing that someone has personally put the hard work into making it.
Do you make all the items yourself? My handmade items are only ever made by me, either on my sewing machine or tedious hand stitching! I also use a badge and sticker maker which takes up a lot of my time – oh, and stuffing!
I am a bit of a control freak when it comes to my work so I like making the items myself to ensure everything is exactly how I want it.
How do you get your illustrations onto fabric? I tend to shop around suppliers depending on my needs for the product I'm making but I generally locate them on the web. I use Spoonflower (who are based in the States) for my fabric printing as they offer a variety of options for the weight of fabric/layout of design and I’ve always received high quality products, good prices and a fast service.
They only offer digital printing though, and as I love screenprinting I am now on the lookout for somewhere local where I can screenprint some of my new drawings onto tea towels and other items.
How would you describe your style? My style of work is quite delicate and girly so I think the items I make suit my drawings quite well. I get a lot of inspiration from nature, fashion, the human form and generally the little random things that happen around me – most of my items have been made specifically with someone in mind.
I usually keep to small runs for my products and don’t generally tend to make more than 20 of any one item – I think it makes the item more special if you know there are only a few of them in the world. This also keeps ideas new and fresh and stops me from going insane trying to make hundreds of one item!
What advice would you give to those who'd like to have a go at selling their wares? To anyone wanting to start being crafty I think it’s important to make things that you like yourself – get involved with local craft fairs to get your work out there, go for it and don’t be afraid to experiment!
Images courtesy of Harriet Gray. Find her work online at www.soupa.bigcartel.com