Last week, my second set of digitally printed textile samples arrived from Spoonflower and I have so say I’m finding sampling very addictive right now. Maybe it’s the thrill of working with new materials and having to patiently wait to validate what I’m doing, or the way in which using bold injections of colour is energising my work. I’m getting a real buzz out of it…
I ordered a one yard Spoonflower colour map, with almost 1500 colour chips and their hexadecimal (#) codes, which correspond to RGB colours, and a test print of my own design both printed on silk crepe de chine. The fabric is quite sheer with a nice handle and drape and I am impressed with the clarity of print. The week prior, I also received a one yard Spoonflower colour map and the same test print of my own design printed on a cotton/silk blend fabric, which is heavier, not as sheer, but also has a lovely handle and drape and the most beautiful sheen on the front face of the fabric. It’s interesting to see how the colours developed across the two different fabrics – on the silk crepe de chine they are not as vibrant as the silk/cotton blend, and in fact are quite soft and powdery in appearance. They both have different qualities and I think preferences would be subjective…
Sampling or prototyping is a valuable part of any new product development and while it brings some anxiety with it, the pay off is a well-considered, resolved result and the pure enjoyment of the process.