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Meet Spoonflower: Introducing Janet Talus, a printer with an appetite for destruction!

November 1, 2011

I remember that you came to Spoonflower from a screenprinting shop. What differences between the screenprinting shop and our digital printing shop jump out at you?

Well, it’s a lot cleaner at Spoonflower and a bit less smelly. I can actually wear a skirt to work here–not that I ever do, but I could! Of course there is still the same potential for getting ink stains on the shoes. In both places I have found that an apron, a roll of masking tape, and assorted Sharpies are absolute necessities.

It’s the production side of Spoonflower that I was really drawn to. I really love working in a production environment where you are making something new every day, and you are starting with these really basic elements–ink & fabric–that you know will be transformed into something really amazing.

Where did you go to school?

I have a BFA in Fine Art from UNC Chapel Hill and a Masters in Textile Craft from HDK, the School of Design and Craft in Göteborg, Sweden. At HDK I was constantly surrounded by people doing creative things with fabric. I worked with pattern design and I was able to experiment with a lot of different printing techniques, but I was never able to try digital printing on fabric until I came to Spoonflower. Before, it could take me two days to hand-print one yard of fabric with multiple colors, and now I can print 200 yards in a day. It’s like wizardry!

What other jobs have you had in the past?

I’ve been screenprinting since 2005, but I’ve also worked as a costumer, photo lab technician, and dance teacher. One of the coolest freelance projects I ever worked on was designing and making the costumes for a production of “Hans och Greta” performed by a local opera school in Göteborg, Sweden.

What’s your favorite way to get creative these days? You bought a house recently, so are you busy making stuff to cozy up your new digs?

Currently I’m still in the manual labor stage of new home ownership, so I’ve been doing lots of drilling, hammering, painting, hauling rocks, ripping up carpet, and sanding anything that doesn’t move. I have managed to sew a few curtains, but I still have a lot of curtain-less windows that need Spoonflower fabric. There are swatches hanging up all over the house but it’s just so hard to choose between them. Now that the weather is getting cooler I would really like to start on another quilt. Maybe that’s where all the swatches will go!

What other things do you like to do when you’re not working?

The best part about Spoonflower being in Durham is the local music scene here. If I’m not working, sewing, or sanding something I love to go see local bands play, and there’s no shortage of great shows to see. However, I’m also one of the “Weekend Warriors” who print over the weekends here at Spoonflower so if the show is on a Saturday night, I have to remember my “curfew.”

What did you dress up as for Halloween?

Axl Rose, cause I have an appetite for destruction. And candy corn.

Do you have a favorite design or designer on Spoonflower?

My favorite designer on Spoonflower is Golly Bard, and I absolutely love her Etsy shop. Watercolor and quirky macabre nature subjects? I’m there!

How about a favorite base fabric?

I love the way colors print on sateen, but the texture of the linen/cotton wins me over every time. The linen is really nice and sturdy for sewing but becomes softer over time with use.

Fill in the blanks: If I could only ______ at Spoonflower, ______ would be much ________.

If I could only turn the volume up to 11 on the print room speakers at Spoonflower, AC/DC would be much louder. (I’ve found that playing AC/DC to the printers makes them print faster. True story.)

Is there anything else you think we should know about you?

I think the best thing about working at Spoonflower is the people that I get to work with. The second best thing about working at Spoonflower is the cupcakes.

Meet Spoonflower: Introducing Melodie Moorefield-Wilson, bow tie-making mama!

October 25, 2011

Melodie made this child's bow tie from KatieLukas' "Dog-tooth/houndstooth Check in Brown"
design printed onto organic cotton sateen.

What is your educational background, and did it have anything to do with fabrics or design?

My educational background is creative, but doesn’t correlate directly with fabric design. I have a Bachelor of Arts in Vocal Performance, and a Master of Science in Entertainment Business. I studied all kinds of visual and performing arts while in school, so I appreciate great art and design no matter the chosen medium.

Can you talk a bit about your professional experience? What did you do in your pre-Spoonflower professional life? What made you want to work here?

I was a stay-at-home mom for a year, then I worked part-time at a stationery store on weekends for a few months before I moved to the Durham area to work at Spoonflower. I chose Spoonflower because there was an opening for a weekend printer operator. I was excited to be able to work weekends because it would give me more time to spend with my two-year-old son during the week. It has worked out really well for my family, and the transition into being a working mom has been rather smooth because of Spoonflower’s family friendly environment.

What’s your official role here at Spoonflower? Is there anything you’d like to do here as Spoonflower continues to grow and evolve?

My official title at Spoonflower is printer operator, but I also help out with getting our fabric ready to be shipped to customers. Because I have a business background, I would love to be able to help out with some of the administrative and marketing projects that Spoonflower is involved in. We also do a lot with local charities, and I am really passionate about giving back to the community. It would be awesome if I could be a part of that as Spoonflower grows!

Your husband, Jaysen, ended up being hired here shortly after you were which I imagine must be nice from a carpooling standpoint. Does it work well for you two to work at the same place?

We moved to the Durham area because of my job with Spoonflower but shortly after I was hired, Jaysen stopped by to visit and he really liked it here. So much, in fact, that he decided it would be cool to work here, too! It has been a wonderful experience working in the same place. We only work together two days per week, but it's nice to have the added dimension to our family life. We understand each other better because we have similar experiences at work. And yes, the carpooling situation is great!

What sorts of things have you learned since working at Spoonflower?

One of the most important things I've learned at Spoonflower is that there is nothing wrong with being really passionate about beautiful fabric, or great design, or even Dr. Who! In fact, it's an advantage. While printing, I often drool over beautiful designs, and visions of beautiful dresses dance in my head. It makes my job both rewarding and enjoyable.

Is the work environment different here from what you’ve been used to previously?

I've worked in many types of workplaces, and all of them varied in formality. But I can say that Spoonflower has been the most casual place I've worked. It is professional but lighthearted, and I have really grown to love it. Also, my coworkers have a wicked sense of humor! You can always hear laughter at Spoonflower, and practical jokes are common occurences.

What are some things you enjoy doing–creative or otherwise–when you’re not at work?

I am very passionate about music. I attend shows here in town about once a week, and I rarely go through a workday without serenading at least one of my coworkers. I also really like to sew. Most of my sewing revolves around making bow ties and neck ties for boys. It started because I couldn’t find something nice for my son to wear for Easter last year, and I have been making them ever since! (You can see Melodie's Etsy shop, where she sells her handmade neckties for boys, here.)

Do you have a favorite design or designer on the site right now?

I cannot get enough of Helenklebesadel’s “Blue Roots” design. It is so intricate, delicate, and vibrant. I just can’t decide which fabric I want to get it printed on!

How about a favorite fabric type?

For home decor, the linen/cotton canvas is my favorite. It has held up very well at my house, especially to sticky toddler fingers. I really love the knit for apparel. It is very easy to sew, and it hides my sewing mistakes quite well!

Complete this sentence: If I could only ______ at Spoonflower, _______ would be much ________.

If I could only listen to more show tunes at Spoonflower, there would be much more interpretive dancing!

Is there anything else you think we should know about you?

I really love donuts. And coffee.

Meet Spoonflower: Introducing Allie, closet glitter queen

September 27, 2011

Pictured: Allie wearing a skirt she made using CynthiaFrenette’s Paris Peonie fabric

In this installment of the Meet Spoonflower series, I’d like to introduce you to Allison Tate. Allie first joined us back in the summer of 2009 as an intern and then part-time employee. She left for awhile to finish up her degree at NC State University but has re-joined us now as a full-time employee. Read on for her perspective on the early days at Spoonflower and how things have changed!

You started officially at Spoonflower a few months ago but I know you really got your start as an intern with us back in our early days in 2009, when the office was still in Mebane. How did you first hear about Spoonflower and what made you want to be an intern here?

I started as an intern in June of 2009, worked through August, then came back that fall as a part-time weekender through January 2010. I first found out about Spoonflower through my Dad who had read an article on the NC Idea Grant. I thought it seemed like an awesome and exciting company, especially since I was pursuing a textile degree.

We really are glad you’re back, Allie! What do you think about the new space?

The new space is wonderful, especially the ability to climate-control! I am happy not to have sweated all summer and expect I won’t be warming my hands by the heaters this winter. I also love all the special decorating touches put up by Spoonflower employees. It’s really added to the character of the building and makes it feel like Spoonflower home.

You’re a recent graduate at N.C. State University. What did you get your degree in? What were your favorite textile-related classes while you were there?

My degree is a BS in textile marketing and brand management. My favorite class was Computer Aided Design which I took the semester after my internship with Spoonflower. One of our major projects was actually designing fabric for digital printing using the same printers we used at Spoonflower! Surprisingly, I also loved the more technical courses in textile technology and polymer and color chemistry. It was very interesting learning the science behind textile formation and the chemistry behind dyeing and printing techniques.

How have things changed at Spoonflower since the time that you were interning and now?

Things at Spoonflower are a lot more fancy since my interning days. From the air-conditioned building to the iPads to the full-sized fridge, we’ve really moved up in the world! The process of handling orders has also become more concrete and logical, which makes processing orders much more smooth and efficient.

What sorts of creative things do you like to do in your spare time?

In my spare time I like to get creative in a number of ways, covering things in glitter being a favorite. I love sparkly things! I also do a little sewing and have so far made lots of un-wearable things. But I did recently make my first wearable skirt! I enjoy various crafty things and love trying new techniques, but I have the habit of starting projects and never really finishing any of them.

Do you have a favorite design or designer on the site?

I love Holli Zollinger’s designs, like most of us in the office. I love the way she balances simplicity with fun interesting touches. Of her designs, I’d have to say the elephants with umbrellas is my favorite. I think they’re just perfect!

What’s the most surprising thing you’ve ever seen come off the printers?

Wow, that’s a tough one considering all the exciting designs we receive. In general, I’m often surprised by how creative our customers are. I see designs daily that surprise and inspire me. It’s unbelievable the range of beautiful designs we print!

What’s your favorite Spoonflower base fabric?

Currently, I’m loving our new cotton silk because colors print so beautifully on it. But I’ve always been a fan of our organic cotton sateen since it’s a nice weight for various projects.

Complete this sentence: If I could only _____________ at Spoonflower, ___________ would be much _______________.

If I could only be as talented a sewer as other employees at Spoonflower, my wardrobe would be much cuter.

Is there anything else you want Spoonflower readers to know about you?

Without my wonderful family I wouldn’t be a Spoonflower employee at all. My mom has always encouraged creativity and supported my ever-changing creative outlets. My dad introduced Spoonflower to me and went with me to tour the Mebane offices, which opened my eyes to the exciting world of digital textile printing. My lovely sisters provide inspiration and support and are recipients of lots of handmade gifts, some of which probably aren’t the best constructed! And lastly, I give credit to my grandmother, whom I believe to be Spoonflower’s biggest fan. She shares my love of fabrics and is always amazed by the beautiful works of art we produce. I’m working on a fabric stash to rival hers!

Meet Spoonflower: Introducing Chad the shoeless!

September 20, 2011

Seen above in one of his own unique, hand-inked t-shirts, Chad Graves is a coder extraordinaire here at Spoonflower. As our second non-family employee hired about 6 months after Danielle, he’s been here longer than most anyone. Chad comes from a family of folks who have worked in the fabric industry, and he now spends his days at Spoonflower producing spiffy new changes to our profile and shop pages among other things. You can read more about him below–enjoy!

You’re one of the people who’s been with Spoonflower since almost the beginning. How do you think things have changed since those early days?

The thing that really stands out to me since starting here is how the pace of things has changed. It’s hard to imagine that just two years ago we got a new batch of three printers and thought the sky was the limit! We barely filled the new building we were in. Now we have 12 printers and print more in one day then we did in an average week. We have 4 or 5 times as many employees. We are already pushing the seams of the building we moved into just a year ago. The scale at which we’ve grown has been nothing but impressive.

One of the things that has not changed since I’ve been at Spoonflower is the sense of community that we share here and with our customers. Everyone, good day or bad, enjoys what they do. It’s apparent as soon as you walk in the door. The best change though, hands down, has been getting air-conditioning. It was so hot back in Mebane.

What was a typical work day like for you back then? How about now?

Back when the business was still getting its legs, everyone did a little of everything. I was hired to help develop the website but I was quickly enlisted to print, take out the trash, run to the store for soda, take the mail, sweep the floor, and cut/pack the fabric, change light bulbs, etc. As we’ve grown that’s never really changed, but within the last 6 months with all the new people we’ve brought in, I finally have been able to focus on coding. I now spend my days trying to wrangle down bugs, create fancy new things, and make our website everything it wants to be. I miss the old days of always having a hand in most projects, but we’ve grown so much that it takes a team to do each of the many things I used to do every day.

What sort of education and work experience did you have before coming to Spoonflower? What made you want to work here?

I graduated from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro with a BFA in Graphic Design with a minor in Computer Science. I actually graduated in the same class as Danielle, back in 2008. My family has been involved in the fabric industry basically my whole life. My dad has been a fabric sales rep since my early childhood and is currently VP of a company based out of New Jersey that prints fabric in China. My uncle has a furniture business based in Hight Point, NC. His company was the one that produced the chair that we showcased a while back with all the pretty colors. Personally, I spent about 3 years working in a fabric warehouse in High Point. Ironically, I didn’t want to spend my life working in fabric but when I discovered Spoonflower, I knew that I had to jump at the chance. The idea of working for a small start-up with such a grand ambition as redefining the fabric industry–and bringing it back to North Carolina–was something that I couldn’t pass up.

Is there anything that you’re really happy about having learned here?

The one thing that I absolutely love about Spoonflower is that I learn something new almost every single day. To pinpoint one thing, though, I’d have to say the skills that I’ve learned while coding are things that I could never have gotten from any class or school. Having a great teacher like Gart has been something that has defined my experience here at Spoonflower. Without his guidance I couldn’t have been half the programmer I am now.

What’s your favorite way to get creative in your spare time?

One of the hardest things for me since leaving school is finding the time to really get super creative. Most of my time here at Spoonflower has been long weeks and odd hours. I’ve spent many nights crashing on the couch, working 3rd shift, etc. That being said, I’ve been focusing on creating t-shirts lately. I spend a lot of time cleaning our printers and started to experiment with using our waste ink on different materials which led me to creating shirts. I like the idea of making my own clothes and wearing something that no one else could possibly have. I create each shirt by hand rather than with a screen, so each is totally unique. Recently, I created an Etsy shop under the name of PressInk to try and find a home for all of my creations.

Do you have a favorite design or designer on the site?

I have to say Holli_Zollinger is probably one of my favorite designers. I love the simplicity of most of her designs. The “fabric weave” appearance she creates behind her designs really accentuates the look and feel of them. I can always tell one of her prints from others, and to be able to say that given the thousands of yards of fabric I’ve printed says a lot to me. Keep up the great work, Holli!

If you could add anything at all to the site–even it’s not actually possible from an engineering standpoint–what feature would you add to Spoonflower?

The one thing I’d really like to add is a tool to allow people to create designs on the site. I know Photoshop will always be more powerful, but who really has that kind of money to blow on a hobby or single project outside of the professionals? The idea of putting creative control into the hands of the masses really appeals to me. Most of the changes we’ve made to the site in the last year are trying to give that to our community, and I don’t want to stop.

Shifting gears a little bit here, um, what’s up with the not-wearing-shoes thing?

So my true calling is a music-loving hippie. If I could sit in a field and listen to someone jam all day, I would be at complete peace. The first summer that I started at Spoonflower, I had really started to embrace that part of me. Since we are all one big family here, that was totally accepted and I’ve walked shoeless ever since. I am proud to say since then I’ve acquired a few followers.

Complete this sentence: If I could only _____________ at Spoonflower, ___________ would be much _______________.

If I could only code faster at Spoonflower, our Flickr forum would be much happier.

Is there anything else you want Spoonflower readers to know about you?

Our community is full of some of the most creative people I’ve ever had the privilege to know. I know I haven’t met many of you, but I’ve seen and heard a lot of stories through the designs I’ve printed and conversations I’ve had via phone and e-mail. Each day has been a joy because I get to see new art and so many wonderful ideas. This alone is enough to keep me working, to make things better, and want to see us keep growing. Keep up the great work everyone, because it drives all of us here to work hard for you!

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