A Month of Tea Towels

Whoops, got behind on posting contest results again. This is the time of year that Spoonflower does tea towels. So we need to design for a 18 by 27 inch rectangle (the size of the cotton/linen fat quarter). This year they actually have it set up to display in the contest on a fully-rendered towel, which is nice - since it's a 90 degree rotation from how the fabric normally displays, making it an awkward choice.

First, there's always a calendar challenge. I put each month into a single column and added color-coding for the seasons, also noting the equinoxes, solstices, and phases of the moon.



Here it is in the towel preview - you can see how much hem allowance you have to leave around the edge of the design.

My favorite calendar was the one with the envelopes.

For the "retro bar cart" towel, I went with a plain repeating design rather than tailoring something for the towel shape.



I don't drink, am not into drinking culture at all, and am even not particularly into the fifties/sixties type of retro they mean for this contest. So it was a bit tricky to get a toehold! I made this board and found some few elements that called to me. (You can probably spot my color inspiration there too!) I was trying to give the sensation of a carbonated liquid fizzing.

My favorite was this one that takes advantage of how the towel could be folded in half to hang it up.

Next, the theme was to do a visual pun. I used one my son told me off of a Gogurt: what kind of shoe do ninjas wear? Sneakers! I had very little time to work on this one, so I went with big and cartoony:

My favorite was the thematically appropriate Wetness Protection Program.

Next, the theme was just Animals. I had even less time for this one, so I reused the elements I made for a whale/bat design.  This is a life-size Blue Whale eye and the entire body of a Bumblebee Bat - the largest and smallest mammals.

My favorites were these swans and the bee/bear.


And finally! The recipe tea towel. I put eight of my favorites (including old family favorites from my mom and grandma) in a grid, leaving a space in the middle for someone to add their OWN recipe.

My favorite was the diagrammatic representation of a jam recipe.