The Crafter's Guide to Patterns: Create and Use Your Own Patterns for Gift Wrap, Stationary, Tiles, and More - Softcover

Jessica Swift is a full-time artist, surface pattern designer, and author. Her artwork is licensed by companies and manufacturers for iPhone cases, fabric, stationery, and much more. She is coauthor and illustrator of The Declaration of You! How to Find It, Own It and Shout It from the Rooftops, published by North Light Books in 2013. Jessica blogs and displays her colorful creations at jessicaswift.com. She lives in Portland, OR.

“You’ll never look at any pattern, whether for home, clothing, or work, in the same way again after reading Swift’s treatise. It’s less of a ‘follow this pattern and the result will be great’ than it is an education in and encouragement for how to experiment with design. Most of the text and excellent color photographs center on either planning or using patterns. For the first, she carefully explains the rudiments of design—color and inspiration—then builds 9 tutorials that show, in step-by-step format, exactly how to use techniques from rubber-block stamps to simple silk screens. Tutorials (a total of 19) continue into the ‘using’ section; each of the five chapters—fabric, gift wrap, stationery, packaging, home—features notes on how to apply patterns; an interview with a designer (Hitomi Kimura, from Japan; Heather Moore, from South Africa); and a great gallery of patterned items. The final touch? Twenty copyright-free motifs, with URLs, that’ll get your hands itching to pattern.” —Booklist

“Surface design involves a variety of decisions, including color palettes, layout, and design. In this guide, pattern designer Swift introduces the basics . . . Interviews with successful artists working in pattern design add inspiration, and Swift includes a series of simple motif templates that can be photocopied or downloaded and freely used. The tutorials are well constructed, with a clear listing of supplies (most of which are readily available), straightforward instructions, and plenty of photographs for the visually inclined. ­VERDICT This orientation to basic principles and practices for surface design will appeal to crafters interested in creating their own fabric, gift wrap, or decorative prints.” —Library Journal