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2024 Holiday palettes are here! Download the Holiday .ASE color swatch files BELOW to use in your holiday designs from now through the winter season.

I’ve been researching seasonal colors and would love to share them with you. There are 7 color themes for 2024. Some palettes are very focused and some have a broader range. All incorporate metallics to some degree. In surface design, metallics can be simulated through the use of silver greys and warm golds. All together the color themes make up a timeless, cheerful palette that has the traditional colors we love along with some sparkle and shine and colors that make the holidays accessible to all tastes and styles.

I’ve included some of my own favorite geometric patterns to show how the colors can be used.

Three palettes incorporate traditional themes. Cozy Home, Glamour, and Candy Cane Brights focus on varying degrees of red, gold, green, white, and black. The newest color focus is on the saturated yellowy green to brighten the traditional palette.

Two more palettes also use bright non-traditional colors. Look for Traditional Twist, and Vivid Pastel palettes in the download. The aqua blue and aqua green along with red, white and silver are important combinations to note.

The two remaining palettes include Forever Blue, the blue white combination that has universal appeal, and Botanical, a natural palette of softer tones. This one incorporates the an important brown-gold tone like a dark bronze, along with the gold and silver that delineate the holidays from every other season.

Download all the palettes HERE.

Let me know how you will use the colors. If you post images using these palettes tag me @janethilddesign so I can share your beautiful work in my stories.

 
 

Texture for Blenders

 

Hey there, plaid enthusiasts! Today, we are taking another look at the world of plaids and check patterns, affectionately known as Blender prints. So, grab your cup of creativity and let's explore!

Butterfly Trellis and Summer Plaid

Plaids and checks go with the hero print like the peanut butter and jelly of fabric - they just belong together!

I am a Textile Designer. For many years, I’ve designed woven fabrics for upholstery and wallcovering. With the explosion of digital printing in all markets, printed designs have become ubiquitous. Digital printing lets us create almost any design and lets me focus on watercolor patterns. But weaving is in my blood, I love a good weave texture! My friend Jen @manderleymakes, a quilt designer who runs the super fun membership, The Secret Society of Mystery Makers (don’t you love that name?!), tells me woven fabrics are trending for quilting. If you don’t have the resources for woven fabric, printed weave textures are the next best thing!

Rose & Blooms and Floating Square Twill

I’ve used a twill texture in several blender patterns. It adds that little special something that sets it apart from plain solid graphic patterns.

Blender prints offer endless possibilities for creative expression. They are so versatile and are often big sellers. These designs are timeless. For centuries, plaids and checks have been adding a classic charm to everything from clothing to home decor.

If your hero designs are watercolor like many of mine, or have an abundance of detail, a very graphic check can seem too flat. Weave textures are a great option to balance the simple blender with the dimension of the hero.

Little Roses and Gingham Check Twill

Last week I posted a tutorial, Create a Plaid with a Woven Texture using Adobe Illustrator. If you haven’t seen it yet, sign in HERE to try my technique. Find a PDF download of tips. too.

All the fabrics shown here are available in my Spoonflower shop.

Here are some Top Tips for adding weave textures to your patterns

  • Weave textures shouldn’t be scaled up or they become a pattern instead of a texture.

  • Weave textures that are too small will disappear in printing.

  • Find the best scale for the texture and use it for all design sizes.

  • Weave textures blend two colors of your pattern. Use color theory to keep from seeing muddy colors.

  • Try strong contrast and subtle contrast. They both work beautifully!

Until next time, happy creating! ✨🎨