This collection started with apples—and a lot more cutting than I expected.
Here’s how the artwork, seed collecting, and apple crisp came together.
The ideas for the artwork started with a vibrant red-orange color that made me think of apples. I usually think of an apple as a pretty ordinary—even boring—fruit, but then I started thinking about how many memories it can hold: familiar smells from the kitchen, favorite recipes, and the people we associate with them. I drew some apples on my iPad. These apples led to the rest of the designs.
I never realized how few seeds an apple could have until I cut apart a whole bag and ended up with only about ten seeds. I wanted real apple seeds for the collector cards, so this part took a lot more apples than I expected.
After all that cutting to collect the seeds, I had so many apples left that I had to make something. I decided to try apple crisp.
My first apple crisp didn’t go so well—the topping was dry and uneven. I tried again, and the second attempt came out much better.
Using the apple theme, I created patterns with apples, stripes, dots, and woven dashes to make a cohesive collection that could be used for fabric, clothing, home décor, and other surfaces. Do you recognize any of these patterns or designs from your envelope of treasures?
The mockup photos below show how these patterns would look on different products. These are examples of possible uses for the designs.
Pattern applications are styled mockups. Select any image for a closer look.
First the acorns, then the pumpkins, and now the apples. Apparently I’m not allowed to start a collection without Toni sticking his nose in it. He still hasn’t offered to help.