2014 Calendars are Here

It's back to school time again, and that means new office supplies (even if you aren't in school anymore). So with that in mind, the 2014 letterpress calendar is here! This border is done with a hand-carved linoleum block, and the text is added using a printing plate. It's done on a thick cream card stock, and is one of my favorite new products this year! You can find them in the shop right here.

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New Lined Envelope Sets

The red stationery sets were one of last year's bestsellers, so for this year I wanted to introduce the cards in more colors and designs. I launched four new patterns at the National Stationery Show, perfect for important thank you notes or party invitations.

Each set contains six A7 flat cards and six kraft envelopes with matching liners. Both the cards and the liners are printed with a hand-carved linoleum block. You can find them in the shop right here.

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Block Printed Quilts!

  
The quilts are here, and I couldn't be happier with how they turned out! These are lightweight quilts designed to be used alone in the summer, or over a heavier comforter in the winter. Are you sweltering at night during this heatwave? This quilt is for you (I've been using it for the last few weeks of 90 degree weather).

The quilts are resist-printed on 100% cotton, and dyed with natural indigo dyes. They are queen-sized, and reversible, with a block printed floral pattern on the front, and plain stitched indigo on the back.

The entire process is done by hand, from me carving the prototype in the US, to block carvers in India carving the hardwood block, to block printers printing the cotton, to the hand stitching holding the two layers together.

 

 

I knew I wanted to use indigo dye: I love the way it contrasts with the white print, and the way the color will fade and change with time. Just like a pair of blue jeans, these quilts are designed for heavy use and will get softer and broken in over time. I also wanted something reversible, so you could use the floral pattern, or turn it over for solid blue for a bolder look.

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

To begin the process, I carved a linoleum block with the pattern I wanted, and printed a prototype on paper. I then scanned the design and sent it to my printer friend in India, where the blocks were re-carved into wood, and used to print the cotton.

The quilts are resist-printed, which means that the design is printed with a resist and then dip dyed, so that the printed area will not hold the dye. This creates a white design on a blue background.

They are all printed by hand, then laid out in the sun to dry before rinsing. The plain and printed cotton pieces are then stitched together by hand, using a thick white thread.

You can see the quilts in the shop right here. (You'll be glad you got one when the thermometer hits 95 degrees!)

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Shopping and Shipping

We just got back to Vermont from DC, after a busy week and a very successful show. Thanks to everyone who came by the Downtown Holiday Market! The weather was so warm I didn't even have to unpack my space heater.

If you missed the market, there is still time to shop online! I will be shipping for the holidays until December 18th, so if you order by that date your package is guaranteed to arrive in time for Christmas. There are plenty of gifts and stocking stuffers in the shop, and plenty of time left to get your order!

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New in the Shop

There are a few new items in the shop today, including this year's block printed ornament. It's block printed on both sides with white ink on dark wood, and tied with a red ribbon.

Also new in the shop are new pinecone coasters in a set of six, and a new block printed single heart card. Find them all in the shop right here!

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Greetings

A new line of cards is now up in the shop! Two Happy Holidays cards, plus one I Love You and one Thank You card. All of my prints have been text-free for the last few years, but I finally decided to give it a try for the holidays. I am definitely more driven by the illustrated text-free cards (especially since I prefer writing in cards with no greeting) but I thought it was time to try something new. And, there are lots more new products in the works that will be coming out in the next few weeks! You can find the greeting cards in the shop right here.

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