Tula of the Sea
What does a girl who gets paid to design fabric do with her free time? That’s right, she designs more fabric. I stumbled onto this Spoonflower blog a while back and my head was all a buzz with ideas. Spoonflower is a site where you can upload your own designs and they digitally print limited quantities of that fabric. It’s a blast. I can make all kinds of wacky stuff. I just had to try it out. I plan on using this site to make all of the things that Moda would never let me get away with. It’s not their fault, how are you going to sell thousands of yards of tuna cans with my name on them?
My first print… ta da! They are Tula cans, not tuna but Tula. I think it’s hilarious. So there are really big cans and little bitty cans. A girl needs options. The big ones are about 12 inches across and the little ones are around 3 inches.
So go check it out. Oh, and please don’t stop buying my fabric even though you can make your own now. Thanks.
August 28th, 2008 at 5:22 am
Cool site! And who could ever stop buying your fabric? keep up the great work!
August 28th, 2008 at 5:26 am
That is so funny. Be sure to post pictures of whatever you decide to make with this!
August 28th, 2008 at 7:02 am
Fantastic design indeed! I love the colors…and I am sitting here giggling…It would make perfect reusable grocery bags, or PJ pants…or a skirt. Really, the ideas are endless!
August 28th, 2008 at 8:32 am
Wonderful colors and your illustration is great, love the design of the label. So clever and fun. Learning about this site is excited. I’ve thought about fabric design among other design ventures, this gives me a way to try it out for myself. Thanks for sharing.
August 28th, 2008 at 8:56 am
What an imagination you have! Cute!
August 28th, 2008 at 9:53 am
Those are so great! I’m a spoonflower memeber, but can’t seem to narrow what I want to make down. Yours is great!
August 28th, 2008 at 11:12 am
OMG! I LOVE IT!!! Wow!
Kitchen curtains! I want to try this spoonflower thing sooooo bad!
I’m a fan of big print - so I say - LARGE CANS!
Love this tula tuna thing:) FUNNY! Can’t wait to hear how things came out.
August 28th, 2008 at 2:31 pm
Tula you are such a tease with the tags!!!! You’re killing me. I’m just going to have to start working for Moda so I can see what everyone is doing before everyone else sees it. I love the tula cans, that’s darling.
August 28th, 2008 at 3:16 pm
Hello! I stumbled upon your blog and I really love it! Your tuna cans are adorable and I am going to check out that site! Best!
August 29th, 2008 at 4:08 am
How fun is that??? My daughter just received her spoonflower design. I’m hoping for coordinating fabrics so I can make her something…she’s the artist, I’m the sewer.
August 29th, 2008 at 4:21 am
THAT is very cool!
August 29th, 2008 at 5:44 am
love the tuna cans
kind of andy warhol meets chicken-of-the-sea. makes me smile. you are so talented, girl!
August 29th, 2008 at 2:41 pm
Ok, this Spoonflower is ingenious!!!! I want to join, I want to join!, can I?, Can I Please??? hahaha, did I nag enough?
Love your TULA cans by the way!!! hahaha They are all about your witty sense of humor that I have come to adore when reading your blog, (and meeting you in person at Portland Market)! I plan on being at Houston as well with my sister (Lila Tueller) again, and look forward to hanging out with you a little!
You inspire me girl!
-Lucy
August 29th, 2008 at 4:06 pm
Tula!
Life works in mysterious ways. I was fabric shopping online and stumbled upon your collection, which caught my fancy not only for the lovely visuals, but because I’m naming my daughter (to be born in late October) Tula. I love the Tula cans. What do you think about tuna-can themed baby blanket???
August 29th, 2008 at 5:36 pm
There are no words great enough to describe that fabric!!!!! LOVE IT.
August 30th, 2008 at 9:53 am
kinda like designing your own m and m…doesn’t mean you won’t buy the ones that are readily available. love this…what are your plans for it?
August 30th, 2008 at 3:23 pm
Please tell me you are going to sell your tula can fabric. It is way too fabulous to keep all to yourself. Can’t you just sell it in etsy or something? Pretty please?
September 2nd, 2008 at 1:05 am
Tula..from one textile designer to another…it totally does your head in!!Love love love your work and vibe…drop by any time..When are you next in Sydney?
September 2nd, 2008 at 5:28 am
How great is that??? I’m so ready for a small batch of custome stuff. Thanks :o)
http://homelyanimal.blogspot.com/
September 2nd, 2008 at 8:36 am
Love the Tula cans - if Moda made it, I’d buy it! I have all your other fabrics and find it so hard to cut into them that I buy extra just to have some in my stash…just in case…. Thanks for the giggle. SuzK
September 2nd, 2008 at 6:14 pm
When Tula was just a little itty bitty her teacher asked all the students in the classroom what they wanted to be when they grew up. Most said things like teacher, fireman, nurse or policeman, but little Tula raised her hand and said that she wanted to be a mermaid.
Baby, I never for one minute had any doubt that you would become a mermaid. Fish kiss!
September 5th, 2008 at 5:10 am
I’ve got the mayo and the celery…now I just need the cans of tula!
September 9th, 2008 at 11:31 am
Manner!!! =Wow! in danish. Please tell me that those little tulas also wants to swim all the way to Scandinavia:-)
Fantastic print!!!!
September 10th, 2008 at 7:57 pm
“how are you going to sell thousands of yards of tuna cans with my name on them?”
By designing fabric with mayonnaise on them, of course.
Love, love, love your Tula of the Sea. How do you ever think this stuff up??!!!
September 19th, 2008 at 2:17 pm
Oh that is soooooooooo funny. My husband the quilter stumbled upon you site and is enraptured by it. I don’t know if you giving out the link to the fabric printing site will be good for our marraige though LOL. He is now off and running on ideas for fabric ;o)
September 19th, 2008 at 6:51 pm
That Linda Hansen commentor before this comment is MY wife, and I am the quilter, and I think it is just fine that your link to spoonflower was found by me…it is probably just what our marriage needs!
And I too want to buy a couple feet of Tulafish fabric! It may not work for the masses, but us designer folk obviously find it grande!
Etsy it please!
September 23rd, 2008 at 12:55 pm
I would totally buy your tula pink can fabric!
September 28th, 2008 at 7:53 pm
Oh, Tula,
I LOVE.THOSE.CANS!! They are among the best things ever. I especially love the scale differences - that fabric looks fabulous. And I think people would buy it - maybe you should take a poll and then present it to Moda.
I’ve never commented on your blog before (I’m a born lurker, I admit it), but I love coming to your blog. Not only are your images fantastic, but you’re so funny I crack up laughing every time I read your text. Keep it up - I can’t wait to see your fishy line when it comes out - it’s going to be a huge HIT, I can tell.
October 8th, 2008 at 4:05 pm
Hello!
I’ve been a fan for a long time and am so glad to find your blog. My daughter, Gina McKinnis, the famous artist http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=105501 sent me the link to your blog. I don’t know if her etsy shop has much left in it and that’s not where she puts her best stuff but I have long thought her paintings would make great fabric. I’ve been a quilter for years and years.
Also, I just got invited to Spoonflower so it’s great to see that it works. Well, I love your designs and think you are super talented! Keep up the good work!
Cheery wave from
Bev
http://comfycollars.blogspot.com
March 23rd, 2010 at 12:28 pm
[…] a special fondness for all of the little fellers who don’t make it. There are a few of the cans I had made on Spoonflower too in there just for […]