My week

Been a busy week, or at least it feels like it.
Monday we went to fiskars Village which is small community of handcrafters and artists.

Fiskars and iittala products etc.

Fiskars was naturally main center of this place. Fiskars makes knives, scissors and other household items. 

English Porcelain

I fell in love with Wedgwood where was English porcelain, but their presentations were so romantic and delicate that really pleased my eye.

Fiskars was full of new and very old , mixed so tastefully together. And so many small boutiques filled with amazing items.

What really inspired me was Camilla Moberg, local glass artist that told as about her process, what inspires her and told challenges of small handcraft business.

Lamp by Camilla Moberg

After that school continued next day with sewing practises. We tried to do different seams.

All of them wasn´t familiar to me but probably they come handy in the future. 

Different seams

And then some more sewing practices. I made this initial handtowel. Would wanted to get it in pink color but I don´t think that blue isn´t so bad either.

Initial Handtowel

Now learning how to use adobe illustrator. Making some pattern with butterflies that I take picture last weekend when I went to nature walk with camera.

How´s your week been so far?

Printing Cat Photos

Yesterday I was printing for darker fabric, it was a bit different process than printing for lighter fabrics (I post later text abouot my rose prints).
I decided that this time I wasn´t going to use my drawings but photo instead.

Original photo

Original photo had some background that I had to take off with Photoshop. So I decided to use pink background because it´s my own favorite color and I`m going to make new pouch for myself to keep money, cards and other little things.

Photoshopped picture

Printing for fabric was different because fabric had to get pre-treatment with certain liquid.

And printing white shades isn´t so easy because printer sometimes get too white pieces as transparent, so they would be as same color as base fabric. It helps when you add contrast and shadows so whites aren´t too over exposed.

Ready Fabric

End result was a little bit too faded but I kind of like it, it´s like a bit of vintage look.
But Images size was too big for a pouch, so dn´t know if it´s going to be handbag or what.
Any suggestions?

Who made my bag?

I’m Annika, maker and designer behind AnnikaL.Designs.

Been crafting since I was little girl but started sewing after I lost my mother. I wanted to start new hobby to cope with my sorrow and get other things in mind. I wanted to learn sewing because I’m fashion stylist and always loved fashion and clothes.

I did go to sewing class but teaching wasn’t what I expected. Luckily my talented friend gave me private lessons. I started to sew some clothes for myself but after my friend gave me big pile of furniture sample fabrics that were going to be landfill otherwise and I made my first upcycled handbag I was hooked.

If I had known the joy that sewing would give me, I definetly would started a lot sooner. It´s so exciting mixing and matching different colors and fabrics and designing new handbags and pouches.
I started my etsy shop Annika L. Designs because I wanted to give others too a chance to enjoy my bags that are bringing me so much joy. And to give eco- and veganfriendly alternative for everyone bored with mass production.

Materials I use to make my bags are upcycled furniture samples for most part.

Love the fact that they are very durable and don’t pilling fast so it would been such a waste to go landfill. 

It has always been important that I recycle in my personal life too. And Thanks to my mom I have grown up with thrift store adventures and other Slow fashion values. 

I’m vegetarian myself so I don’t want to use real leather in my designs. 

My designs mainly follow the minimalist style but every piece has something eyecathing whether is fabric, buttons, cut etc.