Time to Make | Three Block Print Designs

At sunrise on the East Sussex coast, designer and painter Hattie Eavis takes in the view: kelp scattered across the beach, the weave of nets, fishing boats bobbing on the sea. Walks along this beach and over the South Downs feed her design practice. “Inspiration can be hard to come by,” she says, “but a lot of the time it will be just one tiny thing - like a scrap of fabric - which makes an idea snowball in my head.”

With a degree in textiles, Hattie hails from a materials background. Frequent trips to the Indian collection at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London instilled a love and appreciation for natural dyes, vivid hues, and craft techniques like hand-embroidery. “I love the warmth and richness in colour of Indian textiles,” she says, “and that they are often drawn from fauna and flora. So much work has gone into every detail.”

Now, Hattie’s practice sees her designing and making home objects using the block-printing technique. Working alongside her partner, a woodworker, he turns the lamp bases by hand from his Sussex studio according to Hattie’s designs. Much of their domestic chatter is taken up discussing collaborations, dreaming about new pieces, and expanding their output. “We really spend a lot of time talking about lamps,” she laughs. 

For TOAST, Hattie has shared techniques for making three designs using our Hand Carved Block Printing Kits: a lampshade, tablecloth, and wall mural. 

Materials

1. A natural sponge
2. Paints
3. Hand Carved Block Printing Kits
4. Material (cotton, linen, canvas, or paper works well for the lampshade and mural, and cotton or linen works well for the tablecloth).

Method

Hattie recommends spending some time trialling your designs on scrap paper or fabric to make sure that you are happy with the colour and placement. She also suggests experimenting with mixing paint colours to create a colour unique to you. 

Lampshade

“Using these blocks is a really nice way to give a new lease of life to a plain lampshade you may already have at home.”

Method

1. Apply a generous coat of paint to the chosen wood block with a natural sponge. I find that this is the easiest and most gentle way to achieve an even application of paint.
2. Press your block down in the place you would like the design. Keep a steady hand as you hold the block firmly down for a few seconds, before lifting upwards in one swift movement. 
3. Continue this process until your design is complete.

Tablecloth

“This design is about the relationship between positive and negative space. It’s important to know when to stop, as it can be tempting to overcomplicate your design. Border designs are a great way of introducing pattern without making your tablecloth feel too busy. Alternatively, small centre designs can bring a nice focal point to your table.” 

Method

1. You will need a large clean surface area to spread your fabric out over. 
2. If creating a border design, allow a few inches at the edges. 
3. Consider how your design will look overall - it’s helpful to keep stepping back to review it as a whole when you are working on something large scale like this. 
4. If creating a centre design, consider using different blocks to create artwork that is more circular to contrast the straight edges of the border pattern.

Mural

“I am always conscious to not take away from the beauty of the original wall, space or piece of furniture by over-decorating. I always try to be thoughtful in the way I work, and consider how my design will sit in context.”

1. If you’d like your print or mural to include a background colour or a bold colour, draft your design in pencil and sit it in the intended space to ensure harmony with its environment. 
2. Experiment with repeating patterns, a combination of block shapes, or geometric and more free-flowing placements of your blocks. 
3. Ensure your design has dried before placing it in a frame, if you choose to do so. 

Shop the TOAST Hand Carved Block Printing Kits.

Hattie wears the TOAST Dolman Sleeve Cardigan, Indigo Denim Straight Leg Trousers, and the Sadie Organic Cotton Boy Tee. 

We hope you enjoy this little guide on how to create with our Hand Carved Block Printing Kits. If you do make your own craft pieces, please share it on Instagram using the #TOASTtimetomake. We would love to see your creations.

Words by Lauren Sneade. 

Photography by Safia Shakarchi.