"I’m a really creative person, and am so grateful to have the opportunity to express my creativity. I’m passionate about art and design, and am constantly inspired by what I see." Bella Blosfelds, the creator of Pins and Needles talks to us about her interest in design and shares how she had developed her hobby into a business allowing her to share her creativity with a wider community.
"I’ve always been really inspired by different fabrics and textile designers. I have a bit of an obsession with them really, and I love the idea of being able to make whatever you like with the fabrics that you chose yourself. So I suppose looking around at different fabrics and imagining how I’d use them has been my biggest inspiration. And the idea of making bags works with this idea, because they can be used as the accessory to your outfit, they can be any crazy or simple design you want. I like that they are so versatile."
Prior to starting Pins and Needles Bella sewed mostly for herself. She shares her nervousness about starting Pins and Needles and having the opportunity to showcase her designs to a larger audience, "When I first put up things to sell I didn’t really know what to expect, at the moment my audience isn’t very big at all, mostly just friends and people I know. And it was a bit nerve racking putting my work up for people to look at, but at the same time I’ve really enjoyed the feedback I’ve been given, and I’m very glad I’ve done it.
In the short time that I’ve been working on this stuff I feel like my confidence with things has grown a lot. I feel like a much more competent sewer, and I feel much more comfortable putting things on show. I’m really exited to make some new things and put my designs out there. It’s been really exciting to see how this all goes!
I’ve always enjoyed getting creative with all kinds of materials. I love to draw and print, and now I’m just really enjoying getting back into sewing, something that I’ve always loved doing but have never been all that good at!" Bella has studied a number of courses at university, most recently Graphic Design, which she shares she "wasn’t quite convinced by." So is now working in hospitality and as a Teachers Aide, saying "I'm really enjoying the extra time now I have to create. My business is more a hobby then anything else at the moment. I work a bunch of different jobs, and I’m not currently studying so I’m just making things in my spare time. I started sewing again at the start of this year and started making bags to sell around March this year. I’ve only just began to make totes as well as drawstring bags, and am hoping to make makeup bags/pencil cases etc. in the future as well.
To put it simply, I make and sell bags. I started of with drawstring bags, like casual backpacks and have recently started making totes too. I really enjoy making them both. The actual shape and style of my bags are quite simplistic, it's experimenting with different textiles and exploring abstract patterns that I like most. I like to try and make things that I haven’t necessarily seen on the market before, but which I would really like to buy. I like having the freedom to experiment and create an aesthetic that I like, and putting it out there for others to see."
Inspiration
can be drawn from almost any element of a designers life, and Bella
knows all to well about this, "I feel I am constantly inspired by nature
and by the aesthetic of fabrics from different cultures." Recently
returning from a two month trip to India, she shares "I was constantly
in awe of their textiles." She goes on, " I love their use of block
printing and tye die, their obsession with
colour and the organic form of their patterns. The same can be said of
Indigenous Australian design. I love their earthy colours and their
close connection with nature. I’m impressed by how their use of
simplistic elements like dotting or linework create such a powerful and
distinctive feel and tells such a story of their culture. I love having
the opportunity to bring these styles and techniques from all over the
world and putting them into a design that can be enjoyed in our modern
context. It’s not to say that this would be my sole focus for my
aesthetic, but I do want to draw inspiration from such things and to
experiment with abstract patterns, collage and more organic and earthy
textiles."As Pins and Needles is a young business, there have been few issues that Bella has needed to deal with that other small business owners may face from time to time. She shares "Getting my designs out there has been a bit of a challenge. I’ve only ever designed and created things for my own enjoyment. I never thought to put things that I’ve made out there for others to judge and potentially buy. But since doing so I’m having a lot of fun. It’s been really exciting so far to hear people’s feedback about my work, and I’ve been really inspired by this whole experience. I really encourage people to get there work out there. It’s really good to know that people are seeing what you’re putting your time in to, and that other people might be enjoying it too."
As a strong supporter of handmade, Bella says, "I think it’s so important to support handmade. For one thing, you’re supporting someones passion and you know that the quality of the product your getting will be good – no one wants to put their name on a bad product. For another, the person who made the product really enjoyed making it, and that will feel good for your conscience. You’re also getting new and original design. You’re supporting creativity by encouraging people to explore their ideas to evolve and your allowing a whole range of people to get their work out there. It’s just really exciting to celebrate unique ideas, and you can always be assured that what you have is original and that the person who made it put a lot of time in to making it look the way it does."
Bella's designs are created of limited stock and posts all her latest bags on Instagram. If you are interested it is recommended that you follow her page!
You can find all of Bella's designs on her website and Instagram page:
http://www.pinsnneedles.bigcartel.com/
https://instagram.com/___pinsandneedles/ (3 underscores)