Rachel is a surface pattern designer, and owner of Textiles by Rachel, a paper products and freelance design brand. Rachel is passionate about pattern, print, colour, and florals and loves anything handcrafted. She created the brand Textiles by Rachel, selling thoughtfully handmade paper products, to brighten customers homes and share her love of supporting small businesses.
Rachel has recently graduated from Cardiff Metropolitan University with a first class degree in Textile design. Her three years of study have provided her with key skills such as painting, mark-making and drawing, as well as digital skills such as using the adobe suite proficiently, creative research and trend forecasting.
Rachel also has experience in working for a high-end woven textiles company, Roger Oates Design, where she worked as a sewing assistant throughout her degree. She also has work experience in Cardiff based Textiles company, as well as experience of starting, running and developing her own small business.
At the end of her degree, Rachel won the Textiles practice award at Cardiff Metropolitan University, demonstrating her drive, ambition and skills in surface pattern design. She has also been recently shortlisted for the Sanderson Design award.
All of her prints, patterns and illustrations begin as hand-painted gouache designs, reflecting the handmade, thoughtful, and unique nature of her design style. Artisanal, traditional, and specialised, Rachel’s painting process is creative and considered, from colour mixing to individual brush strokes. This traditional skill forms the unique selling point of her brand Textiles by Rachel, by offering a distinctive and eye-catching style that spreads joy and happiness.
Projects
- Summer Garden PartySummer garden party is a collection of surface pattern designs for the stationery and gifting market, lending a playful and joyful twist to bright summer blooms and foliage. This floral inspired collection is both unique and modern, through it's use of hand collage and paper cut it cleverly creates patterns that are handcrafted, original and highly trend led.
- A Victorian KewA Victorian Kew is the title of Rachel’s Final Major Project, inspired by Kew Gardens in London along with the handmade aesthetic of the 19th century Arts and Crafts movement. Designed for the high-street stationery and gifting market, the collection is highly trend-led and commercial whilst providing an original feel through its hand-crafted nature. The prints feature on a range of exciting, innovative products from unique desk accessories to thoughtful greetings cards and decoratively embellis