Narrative Surface Design

Roslyn develops seamless repeat surface design patterns that highlight different stories of her family's migrations in the United States and the plants which have been a part of their history.

If you would like to purchase fabric with Roslyn's surface designs, you can buy it at Gattacho's Spoonflower shop. If you would like to buy a finished product with her surface designs, you can buy from Roslyn directly at one of her events.

Skagit County is a wonderful gem of Washington state. Nestled near the Cascade foothills, the lowlands are home to many farms. Every spring, Skagit comes alive with the scents and colors of spring bulbs with the annual Tulip Festival. Before online bloom predictors were a thing, if you were from other parts of the state, you had to just show up. If you came too early, you were treated to the daffodils. Skagit Ankara pays tribute to my experiences growing up by blending bright and cheery daffodils with a West African inspired geometric triangle design representing the Cascade foothills.

Before Juneteenth was a national holiday, it was mostly celebrated by African American communities with connections to Galveston, TX (where the celebration originated). My aunts lived near Galveston and told our family about the holiday which we began celebrating in the Seattle area with other African Americans in our community in the 1990's. The park where we celebrated each year was lined with Himalayan blackberry bushes which were in bloom in the early summer. My siblings and I would sometimes steal away from the celebration to the edge of the park for solitude. If it was quiet enough, we would see families of valley quail run in a straight line from one patch of blackberries to another.

There are many mysteries of Washington state. Some of which are known unknowns and others which are unknown unkowns. Like the sea creature in this design. Can you tell what it is? We can't... because no one has ever lived to tell the tale. Mysterious, murky, lurking.... that is sea creature ankara.

This design features the southern magnolia, the state flower of Louisiana. When I was younger, my great uncle planted one in his yard in Washington state. I remember my mom leaning over the tiny shrub to smell the flowers. Now the tree towers over everything (and is taller than his house). This design combines southern magnolias with a geometric design for a kick of American style and West African style.

Eastern Washington is home to the state's fruit industry. For many summers, we would take time to go east of the Cascades to pick stone fruit, especially cherries. This beautiful agricultural zone is also what inspired Armenian immigrants to the region to create their own version of lokum or Turkish Delights in apple and apricot flavors. While traditional lokum is often adorned with pistachios, the local version has walnuts. They are both flavored with rose water and dusted in fine powdered sugar.

In a photo album that my grandfather owned is a picture of his parents standing in front of his family's house in Ohio. Of the photos at their home, one is labeled "in the dahlia garden". According to my mom, her grandparents earned income from selling the dahlias that they grew at their house. 

What goes better with new beginnings than just a dash of good luck? This design is inspired by the traditional southern dish (Hoppin' John) for a sublet touch of good luck and good fun.