Looking back, I have always had a love for a pretty pattern – whether on a notebook, a Cath Kidston bag or clothing. It’s taken me quite a while to get to the point of starting to make surface patterns after a few false starts.

10 Years in the wilderness

About 10 years ago I set up a website in my own name selling digital patterns, it didn’t work out, unfortunately. This was because I had no idea how to market my little business and Facebook or Instagram weren’t the marketing beasts they are today. It was also because, I lost my pattern making software Corel Xara X, once I switched over from Windows to Mac platform. In the years that followed, I tried in vain to learn design skills in the free software, Inkscape, but I never could get a proper hang of it.

Starting again at the beginning of a new decade

A whole lot of life has happened in the past decade meaning I had neither the time nor financial resources to invest in the tools or education to learn about surface pattern design, fully.   Fast forward to the end of 2021, and I found myself in the position to be able to afford an Adobe Illustrator subscription. Some savings also enabled me to invest in a couple of pattern courses and I’m steadily developing the skills needed to make the beautiful patterns I wish to bring to fruition.

Below are a few of the creations I have come up with so far. I can’t wait to see where this journey of surface pattern design will take me in the next 10 years – and I have a few ideas up my sleeve!