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Promoting, supporting & inspiring designers around the 🌍. Use #patternobserver for a feature.

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Find the work of Larissa Reinboth in our Directory today! Larissa is a published children's book illustrator who also creates artwork for patterns. She is based in Australia and is open to collaborations, licensing, and freelance or contract work. @larissareinboth by @patternobserver

We are so excited to be researching and planning for this fun 3-day live event for our design community, the Textile Design Lab! November 17- 19 @ 12 p.m. EST each day. Recordings will be shared promptly. We'll map out where 2029 trends are headed and help you figure out what fits your style. AND! You can join the TDL Creative Studio right now; enrollment closes November 1st. by @patternobserver

Erika Karl's practice begins before she ever sits down to paint. She walks, forages, and gathers — black walnuts yield earthy, muted inks, while berries and plant matter produce color with quiet, natural intensity. She also paints with archival Earth pigments, sustainably and ethically sourced from the land. The art starts with the materials. The materials start with the world.

@erikakarlstudio is a fine artist, illustrator, and designer whose work sits at the intersection of natural phenomena, human experience, and the mysteries between them. Her themes — impermanence, renewal, curiosity about life and death — find form through ink-wash paintings that carry the texture and warmth of their foraged origins.

Her ongoing Oracle Project is building, one painting at a time, toward an oracle deck rooted in this same vision. Her Germanic folklore watercolor series goes even deeper: a recent diptych explores the mythic duality of alpine goddess Berchta, painted with earth pigments, mica, gold metal leaf, and flax thread on cotton cold press paper.

We are glad to have Erika in the Pattern Profit Academy. Her work reminds us that the most powerful creative practice is one genuinely rooted in the world around us.

What unexpected materials or sources of inspiration fuel your own work? Share in the comments.

#TextileDesign #SurfacePatternDesign #TextileDesignLab #PatternObserver #TextileDesigner by @patternobserver

A note for anyone who's been watching from the sidelines.

Creative Studio opens in three days, on October 27. If you've been thinking about joining, this week is when the doors open.

The waitlist closes October 26. Getting on it means early access and a heads-up when enrollment begins.

Link in bio! by @patternobserver

Manisha is a California-based surface pattern designer and art educator with a background in Textile Design. After running her own textile business, she pivoted to focus on surface design and teaching (where her biggest source of inspiration comes from!) Surrounded by elementary students in her art classes, Manisha draws constant inspiration from their wonder and curiosity. Lately, she’s been exploring the magic of mark-making, transforming simple, expressive marks into playful shapes and whimsical characters. She loves creating whimsical art for kids’ spaces and is obsessed with butterflies & all shades of blue. Manisha is available for custom wall art, whimsical illustrations, and wallpaper design licensing! @patterns_by_manisha by @patternobserver

See what surface designer Shamsha Hirani of @shamshadesign has been up to lately...creating standout conversational patterns and collections! Shamsha has over twenty years of design experience working with Augusta National’s Masters private label, Tradition Sourcing, and Asian Apparel Inc., as well as with boutique designers, print studios, and her own children’s label, Minna. She is seeking partnerships with agents, studios, and brands across fashion, home décor, textiles, stationery, and lifestyle. by @patternobserver

Knowing what to charge is only half the battle. The harder part is saying the number out loud — and not flinching when a client pushes back.

If you're freelancing as a textile designer, this guide walks through the rate structures you need to understand: day rates, project rates, and retainers. It also covers how to communicate your pricing with confidence and what the market actually supports in 2026.

This guide is specifically for the freelance model — where the client hires you and owns the deliverable. Licensing is a different conversation entirely.

Full guide here: https://patternobserver.com/2016/03/08/how-to-communicate-your-rates-like-a-pro/

#TextileDesign #FreelanceDesigner #SurfacePatternDesign #PatternObserver #TextileDesignLab by @patternobserver

Michelle A is the designer behind MICHEOLA. She is currently developing pattern collections for fabric, quilting, fashion, and home décor that have a nod to her Nigerian heritage with a modern twist. Michelle has a Printify store where you can shop her current designs and she is seeking creative licensing and collaboration opportunities. Check out our designer feature to find out more about MichelleA! by @patternobserver

Kristie of @kristie.ellen.design is a retired professor of drawing and design who wants to share her love of nature through pattern design. She loves drawing, painting, creating patterns, and exploring historical design and composition. She is a member of the Textile Design Lab and is currently creating this collection for interior markets. Swipe to see more of her creative process and how these paintings repeat! by @patternobserver

Thinking about going freelance? Start with an honest look at the numbers.

In 2002, I launched my first business right out of college, making hand-painted handbags that sold in over one hundred stores nationwide. It looked like a success. Financially, it was a disaster because I priced the bags too low and lost money on every sale.

Two takeaways before you take the leap:
1. Being busy and being profitable are not the same thing. Know your real costs and price above them.
2. Freelancing rewards a strong work ethic and the confidence to deliver for clients, so evaluate yourself on both before you commit.

The full post walks through six ways to decide whether a freelance career is right for you. Read it at patternobserver.com/2014/07/01/six-ways-evaluate-freelance-career-right/

#TextileDesign #SurfacePatternDesign #FreelanceDesigner #PatternObserver #TextileDesignLab by @patternobserver

Kathleen Ruhl (@detroit_textiles) joined the Textile Design Lab in 2014 as a graphic designer who felt bored and frustrated.

Ten years later: she's found her style, found her voice, and found a community that — her words — "gets me."

This year alone: selected for publication in a juried art book, accepted into a gallery holiday market, and exploring having her artwork made into ceramic transfers.

She wrote: "I look back at the patterns I produced and I can really see a change. TDL has given me confidence in so many ways — and even in my personal life."

Ten years of showing up. That's what it looks like. by @patternobserver

Looking for joy and whimsy? Head over to our directory today to hire Teri Larson of Minimal Design today! Teri is an expert in children's apparel markets, after working for Florence Eiseman for several years before launching her own freelance business called Minimal Design. @terilarsondesign by @patternobserver