Arrow and Indians Cactus theme // Most popular boys fabric // Spring 2015

For a while we have been focusing on more gender neutral and boy designs. There is a fun trend going on in the sewing mommy world. We are so happy to see so many adorable large scales patterns on onesies and baby leggings. It is a trend that has started a year ago and we get so many requests for fun boys patterns that is was about time to post a little something about our most popular prints and designs for boys here in the Little Smilemakers blog.

Half of our work is trend watching and researching designs all over the world. One of our biggest inspirations is are tropical economies. Like Brazil and India. Countries that get influenced by there blooming economies. Prints are amazingly lush, colorful and green. And even though green has been one of the most difficult colors to sell in fabric, home decor and print, we see those exotic colors and natural themes finally influencing European countries too.

But there is another trend going on which has been something to work with. There is much more demand for gender neutral themes. Costumers are still very conscious about making and creating new but efficient products. Like onesies and baby leggings for both boys and girls. We will still add new gender neutral designs to our collection. But with summer ahead prepare for more popping colors too.

Usually we are ahead of the trend and it is always fun to see a theme finally take off after years of maturing. That is what happened with this year's fabric hot sellers too.
All through the winter we have sold an amazing amount of geometric and woodland themes. All indian summer themes were very popular. Customers in Australia were all falling for our summer pineapple designs. But our most popular print for boys this year is definitely the woodland animals and cactus theme. It is a design that was made a few years ago and matured over time with new details and color scheme's. We are happy to see this print take off. The designs featured here can all be ordered via Spoonflower. Check out all boy themes in our Little Smilemakers fabric shop.

2015 trend colors // New retro poppy flower winter garden

Trends. It is something we just have to work with sometimes. And even though we try to stay true in our designs sometimes we have to follow the trend instead of creating the new trend. This winter we have been working around the new Pantone 2015 color scheme. Here are a few preview designs of our new Poppy Garden series.

Little Smilemakers surface pattern designs are usually clean cut designs in either bright popping colors or pastel shades and tons of white. So creating a series of designs in this new palette of colors meant creating something out of our comfort zone. Dark colors and warm tones. But new things evolve in inspiring combinations of colors too. So here is a little preview of what we have been working on.

These apple and floral retro designs are part of a new series of fabric that will be available from February. So stay tuned for their release date!

> Finished project | New collection of illustrations | spring & easter 2013

I have been designing quite a few themes for Kaartje2Go already. For party invitations, christmas, new years and Valentines Day for instance. This week I have finished some new illustrations and photo frames and borders for Kaartje2Go for spring and easter. Cute spring animals, easter eggs, typography badges, fruit and garden illustrations in both bright colors and pastels. All illustrations and frames are now available online for Kaartje2Go customers.

by Maaike Boot - Little Smilemakers Studio