When I was at uni I studied graphic design. The first year of my course was combined with the similar design courses (fashion and textiles, interior design, and industrial design). It meant it was a very general year, and quite frankly it was really boring! We all wondered whether they deliberately planned it that way to weed out some of the less committed students.
One of the subjects that I did in first year was called something like “designing for small spaces”. With my focus on graphic design, I chose to look at logo design for my project. I really did not like the subject, though now I can’t quite imagine why. (Maybe its because logos can be a bit sleep inducing as a subject of study…?!)
You see, now, one thing I really enjoy doing is designing for small spaces. A few years ago I redesigned our kitchen. It was so much fun working with the small space that we have, and fitting everything in, and making it work well. And it does work well – we can attest to that, having used our lovely new kitchen for several years now!
On Monday I spent the day designing my stand for the craft and quilt show that I will be exhibiting at in June. It is a small space. I’m sharing a stand with two friends. It means we can cut costs and afford to be there, but it does mean we get a small space to work with. Of course, that just means that we have to be clever!
I’ve come up with a provisional design, but given how many revisions the space went through the other day, it will probably look completely different by the time we see it in real life!
We’re planning to have a demonstration space as part of our stand, and have the three of us demonstrating our wares in rotation around the clock (during the exhibition hours, anyway!). If you’re interested in seeing me demonstrate any particular technique, please let me know.
White Threads is the blog of Yvette Stanton, the author, designer, publisher behind Vetty Creations' quality needlework books and embroidery products.
I’m relatively new to Sydney and have been to the Craft Fair twice. Hope you are teaching some Mountmellick embroidery and Merezhka, woul really love to see that. If I am working by then I hope I get some days off. All the best.
Hi Ilona, I think that there is a very good chance of me demonstrating Mountmellick embroidery, including how to knit the fringe – as that always gets people’s attention! I would probably be demonstrating strange and unusual stitches as well. Between the three of us, we will probably get two or three 1 hour demo spots per day, so I’d probably only be demonstrating two different techniques. I hope to see you there!
Maybe the logo design was taught in a particularly un-engaging way? I’ve been on short courses for designers that had almost no visual materials, and wondered “Have you even thought about who you’re talking to?”…
Oh, looking back, I don’t know that it was entirely their fault that it was boring. I think it might have had a lot to do with what I particularly chose to look at – others chose things other than logos. And also, I was only a green teenager, not willing to suck what I could out of the experience, but waiting for it to be delivered to me. Is that harsh?