Balancing Textures

Materials include: lambskin, Italian virgin wool flannel, & cotton jersey

One of my favorite ways of making my designs stand out is by using multiple textures in one piece.  Even my basic solids have subtle textures and different hand finishes.

When you are ready to explore the world of textures, here are a few things to keep in mind:
1.  Make sure you understand how each material is going to behave with each other.  If the materials are too contradicting, for example, one might be really stiff and the other one is too soft to hold the shape.
2.  Make sure the materials do not affect your design in a negative way.  For example, a pattern that is meant to cut on the bias probably shouldn't be cut out of leather as it will not drape softly.
3.  If all the materials are the same color, double check that the colors from all the pieces match.  Some lights can give off a slightly different color on the piece.  4.  Don't be afraid to mix soft and hard, stiff and flimsy, etc. as long as you check 2 and 3.  Part of designing is testing!

Enjoying being creative and not only in the style, but also in the materials!

Sincerely,

Sumie Tachibana