Saffrons Blog

The Beetle Bugs strike-offs have arrived from the printers. This range has been worked on for few months now and I'm happy to see the results. I have listened to requests to make something a bit different for boys and I've wanted to design a boy’s range for a while.

My daughter's best friend five year-old Matisse actually gave me the clues, you see he loves bugs.
On a rainy winter day he took my hand and we wandered through his garden filling up jar after jar with snails and bugs. It was quite amazing. He diligently showed me where they live, gave them names and he created homes for them all.

So thanks to Matisse who gave me insight to his world and I guess the world of boys in general. It inspired the motives, shapes and forms for my new range Beetle Bugs. I filled up pages in my sketch book with drawings and ideas after this outing and as each design was being refined both Matisse and Sequoia were keenly interested and heavily debated each print out. He has even redrawn several himself, which he gave me and I now treasure.

I get a huge sense of relief when I can say to myself "yes, send it to the printer"; it’s the last stage that takes oooohh so long.
The ideas, concepts and inspiration for new ranges come to me quite quickly and so do the actual designs. It is the tracing and shuffling pixels on the page to refine my idea, as well as the final decisions on  scale and  colours that takes time. I am still far away from being a vector perfect designer and have Patrick to thank for making these designs polished.

While designing the Beetle Bugs I needed to put the designs away for a week or two at a time and bring them out again just to see how I would feel about them with fresh eyes, asking myself "do I like them enough?"

Often I thought they were finished only to find out they needed a tweak. As this is a boys range the colours were quite neutral for a while, however my sister said I had to make them bright, more "Saffron"! She even bundled up all her son's favourite clothes and explained "this is a green a boy will wear and this is not!"

So, brighter and more saturated they became and out came petrol blue, orange, and bits of grey on white. No pinks, purples or shades in between for this range, which I feel took me out of my comfort zone. Not to mention that flowers, birds or in fact anything remotely girly was not allowed!

The name Beetle bugs came about thanks to facebook comments on my fan page when I wrote a post asking for ideas to rename the range on the working title of Bugs. So thanks to you all for participating.

Three weeks ago I sent my little bugs off to the printer. I hoped all my thinking would result in perfect strike-offs and they were close. I learned a lot about boys fabrics in the process that's for sure.

I didn't really know what to show you as they're still months away from being ready to sell. We live in a copy cat world and there's always the danger someone takes an idea and runs with it. Usually I don't show the designs at all until the bulk is printed and selling in shops world wide but this time I thought I would show you a glimpse. After all this blog is a bit of a journal of the day to day of my working life.

When I design a a range there is a process where I start with one design and it develops into something else and then it goes another direction again. I thought I might share a few of the many designs that did not make it to print.

The design below is inspired by Charley Harper's bugs. He's just such an amazing artist and working with these bugs got me underway.

In this design I tried to convey the idea of a bug on a leaf and how they can hold on so tightly and almost defy gravity. It ended up more random and much more colourful but the essence is still there.

This design developed to be part of the final range. We aptly named it Snails and Ladders.

This spot became the Beeele Bug Spots, which you can see in the photograph at the top. Quite different now!

As always, if you feel like leaving a comment I would love to read it.

Vicky commented on 27-Sep-2010 07:03 PM

Wow, I love this range. As a mother of a 6 month old boy, I'm now looking for boy fabrics and this is just perfect (and so different from other boy stuff available now). Can't wait for it to come out.

Leslie Schmidt commented on 26-Sep-2010 04:38 PM

I LOVE Charlie Harper! The lady bugs on the leaves is very much in that vein. All the fabrics look like they would be fun to use.

Leslie Schmidt commented on 26-Sep-2010 04:36 PM

I LOVE Charlie Harper! The lady bugs on the leaves is very much in that vein. All the fabrics look like they would be fun to use.

cori commented on 26-Sep-2010 10:03 AM

Great boy fabric!! I can only find trucks and cars for boys, Thanks for the bugs, My 5 nephews will love them.

Lynn Harris commented on 26-Sep-2010 04:35 AM

I just found your website. Your fabrics are delightful.

Marcia W. commented on 25-Sep-2010 11:56 AM

Beetles is fabulous and enjoyed the story of creating the collection.

Pam T. commented on 25-Sep-2010 05:27 AM

Too adorable for words!

Cyndi Hoeller - Bee Tree Designs commented on 25-Sep-2010 01:15 AM

OMG, I thought the Purple and Chartreuse Bird Tree fabrics were just "IT" until I spotted these beetle fabrics............foer me halloween and I have 3 granddaughters who will love love love some of the other color ways just as much as my grandson, HURRY 2011!!!
Thanks for such great innovative colorful fabrics!!! Keep it up! loving them all!

jodi commented on 25-Sep-2010 12:56 AM

Love it, every last thread of it!

Kirstin Bokor commented on 24-Sep-2010 05:00 PM

I love these - you're just getting better and better. Your process is interesting, and the designs prove that it is a great way for you to work. However as the mother of a boy I have to say the boys I know adore birds. Arlo squeals at the them every day, and his best friend Harry is followed by Fairy Wrens where-ever he goes (it is true, pretty magic huh?).

I can't wait to do something with this range - saffron friend, you might just get me learning to sew one of these days if you keep designing things I love this much. xoxoxoxo Kirst

Sharon Feigl commented on 23-Sep-2010 04:24 PM

Hi Saffron,
Love the bugs...and your sister is so right...I've had 3 boys and they have all looked great in bright colours.
Hugs, Sharon

Kate Conklin commented on 23-Sep-2010 09:49 AM

Wow Saffron, I'm in love! The colours and designs are just perfect. I'm kind of wishing I'll have a boy now, so I can make him the cutest quilt ever. These fabrics are going to be a hit!! Fantastic work!

Toni Coward commented on 22-Sep-2010 11:11 PM

Wow Saffron, they are brilliant!
I know lots of sewers who are going to be over the moon with these and can see some of my "boy" patterns working perfectly with them!
Well done - can't wait for 2011!
xxx

nicole vos commented on 22-Sep-2010 05:31 PM

Awesome stuff Saffron! The designs are unique, fresh and modern looking. Great job. :)

Kate Pangbourne commented on 22-Sep-2010 05:05 PM

Gorgeous designs and colourway, can't wait to see the rest. Will start saving up, because I think these are 'must haves', even though I have enough fabric to open a quilt factory.

Kylie commented on 22-Sep-2010 04:27 PM

These are fabulous! I have two little boys and I can't wait to get my hands on these fabrics and create something special!

Kylie commented on 22-Sep-2010 04:25 PM

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Angela Moore commented on 22-Sep-2010 12:53 PM

This is a gorgeous design! I love it and it'd be great when sewing for boys.

Jen Burn commented on 22-Sep-2010 11:27 AM

These are fantastic! Love the colours. Can't wait for them to be officially released. Thanks for sharing, Saffron.

Kelli Hynes commented on 22-Sep-2010 10:03 AM

These are great Saffron, I am kinda glad they aren't here till next year, got two applique quilts on, and doing the fairy hearts too! Will there be a fantastic quilt pattern to go with these?

Jill commented on 22-Sep-2010 09:47 AM

I love these fabrics! It will be hard to wait until next year for them. Thanks for sharing a bit about your design process.

Lydia Guy commented on 22-Sep-2010 09:46 AM

I love the navy and yellow!

Sandy Norman commented on 22-Sep-2010 09:25 AM

Wow the bugs and so cute... the colours are great too


Sandyn

Netta commented on 22-Sep-2010 09:23 AM

I love the bugs. They are too fun. I showed them to my 3 year old grandson and he wanted to play with them! Definitely a hit!

Rachel Koopmans commented on 22-Sep-2010 09:07 AM

Love it Saffron, and love how you've included the kids in the process....really looking forward to these!

Gabi commented on 22-Sep-2010 08:29 AM

Absolutely beautiful. I want !!!!

Hanna Kondering commented on 22-Sep-2010 03:34 AM

Hi Saffron, those prints are just the kind of "boy" prints i´ve been looking, so much fun !!! I really like your bugs, Hanna