Meet the Maker Yaling Hou Suzuki

We’re always impressed when a Spoonflower maker and small business owner also designs their own fabric. Our latest featured maker, Yaling, was born and raised in Taiwan and loved to draw and sew as a child. After earning a bachelor’s degree in English, she moved to California at age 21 to study design. She launched her small business, Flowie, after earning a BFA in applied textiles. Her store offers beautiful made-to-order bags and accessories featuring her charismatic watercolors, plus she recently opened a Spoonflower shop with never-before seen designs. Read on to get to know Yaling!

My day starts with:

“A cup of coffee, getting my son ready for school, taking him to school, and then checking emails.”

custom designed tea towels

I fell in love with making goods when:

“I was about 7 or 8 years. As far back as I can remember, I was always making something.”

When I’m in my studio/workplace, I feel:

“Creative and energized.”

Yaling working on her pouches | Display of four pouches from Flowie

Who or what influences or inspires your work and why?

My grandmother. I learned to sew on her sewing machine at age 10.  She is one of the hardest-working people that I know.  At age 90, she still has an active schedule every day. Her hard work and positive attitude inspires me.

​What’s in your toolbox as an artist and maker?

“Watercolors, brushes, scissors, and rotary cutters.”

Scenery from Taiwan | Yaling at work in a sewing studio
Left: A rice field Yaling loves in her husband’s hometown in Japan | Right: Yaling at work in a sewing studio

My proudest accomplishment over the last year is:

“My little boy turned 5, and he became a kindergartener!”

What piece of your wardrobe best represents your style?

“Striped shirts. My friends say I wear a lot of striped clothing on a daily basis. But, for dresses, I LOVE floral and colorful patterns.”

watercolor floral design by Yaling | finished pouches from Flowie

Before starting a small business, I was told to:

“Polish my math skills.”

What has been an important resource to you as a small business owner and why?

“I use a lot of Photoshop and Illustrator. These two are essential programs to design my patterns.”

Two brightly colored pouches and a floral bag from Flowie

My favorite Spoonflower fabric to work with is:

Linen Cotton Canvas, because I like the natural texture of this textile.”

An array of brightly colored pouches and bags from Flowie


Flowie Logo

Yaling’s designs are so perfect for spring and summer—we’re just swooning over those florals and adorable zipper pouches! Follow her business on Facebook and Instagram to see the latest additions to her swoon-worthy collections.

Are you a maker using Spoonflower fabrics? Don’t forget to tag your Instagram photos with #Spoonflower for the chance to be featured on our feed!