Why I Decided to Take a Break from Surface Pattern Design
Let me start by saying this clearly:
I am not quitting surface pattern design. But I am taking a break from repeating patterns.
And no, this was not some grand, strategic decision. I didn’t sit down with a notebook and map out a pivot. It happened the way most of my creative detours happen — I got interested in something new!
If I’m being completely honest… I tend to have a bit of shiny object syndrome. If something catches my attention creatively, I want to try it. Not because I’m dissatisfied with what I’m doing, but just because I genuinely believe I can figure out almost anything if I just try. That probably sounds a little haughty, but it really isn’t. It’s just how I’m wired. I see something I haven’t tried before and think “ooh, I bet I could do that” and… bet made. Now, I have to try it.
I grew up in a family where we tried every creative hobby imaginable. Candle making. Scrapbooking. Sewing. Crochet. Knitting. Quilting. Making Christmas ornaments. Ceramic mosaics. If it could be made by hand, we probably attempted it. It was fun, but it also taught me something important: most creative skills aren’t magic. They’re just practice. You don’t have to be “the type of person” who can do something. You just have to try.
That lesson has been both a blessing and a curse. Because sometimes I feel a little like Doug from Up…. Squirrel!
Okay, so, this particular squirrel was stationary.
I was watching a youtube video from another creator talking about how she designs one calendar per year, and something about it just grabbed me. And I’m not even a big stationery person. I don’t scrapbook. I rarely send greeting cards. I don’t even own a calendar. And yet the idea of creating one completely hooked me!
And so, the idea of creating a calendar turned into maybe trying greeting cards. Greeting cards could turn into journals, and suddenly I was in the deep end thinking about designing for products instead of repeating patterns.
At first I felt slightly suspicious of myself. Is this just another distraction? Was I abandoning the thing I said I was building?
But then I realized something. This is all in the same realm: Surface Design encompasses all surfaces that need design. It could be fabric, wallpaper, stationary, or really anything. Seems kind of like an obvious “ah ha” moment, but here we are.
So, I decided to give myself permission to try something new in the world of Surface Design, and decided I was going to commit to completing one full calendar project. And frankly, it’s a big project! (Check out the first three months below)
Think about it: twelve months in a year, plus a front cover and a back cover. Each illustration takes two to five hours. Then there are the grids. Adding holidays and dates. Adjusting layouts. Ordering at least one copy for photos. Taking photos. Writing copy. Preparing listings.
It is not a quick, casual side quest.
And I tend to obsess. I get excited about something, dive in fully, and then sometimes get pulled toward the next shiny idea before finishing the first one. So this time, instead of bouncing, I treated it like a challenge.
Could I stay focused long enough to finish one big thing?
Could I see it through from beginning to end without pivoting halfway?
I’m halfway through now, and it is absolutely gorgeous. I’m loving how it’s coming together. Each month feels intentional. Cohesive. Thoughtful. And honestly, there’s something satisfying about committing to a project that requires sustained effort instead of quick wins.
Taking a break from repeating patterns hasn’t felt like stepping away. If anything, it has stretched me:
I’m still drawing almost every day.
I’m still learning about cohesion.
It still requires thinking about how twelve separate illustrations relate to each other (like a collection of fabrics).
And it still requires visual harmony and restraint.
I even went as far as to create my own font just for this project. Talk about next level cohesion!
In some ways, it has reinforced exactly why I care so much about collections in the first place.
This isn’t me stepping back, it’s me stepping sideways for a minute to grow.
And when the calendar is finished, I will happily return to summer patterns with fresh eyes and new energy. But right now, I’m finishing what I started.
Because sometimes growth doesn’t look like doubling down. Sometimes it looks like following curiosity and then having the discipline to carry it all the way through.
Until next time,
