Following a natural, organic ebb and flow, Sydney designer Emma McNamara drew on her background in interior design to create her textiles line, Sunday Folk Textiles.
From initial inspiration to finished product, Emma’s design process is highly considered. ‘The artworks are created using gauche and oil sticks. I always start with a sketch and a general direction, and experiment until I’m happy with the outcome’, says Emma, ‘sometimes things come together in an afternoon, but more often than not, I create something, walk past it for a week and finally figure out how I want it to look.’ After this, the designs are sent to be printed on a linen/cotton base cloth in Melbourne, before they head back to Sydney to be made into cushions, in a workroom that operates under the guidelines of the Ethical Fashion Council.
Sunday Folk’s latest collection, ‘Tidepool’, takes inspiration from Emma’s coastal lifestyle. Wobbly waves in shades of blue, and colourful, rippled outlines wash over the collection of double sided cushions. ‘My family and I spend a lot of time at the beach, walking along the coast, swimming in ocean pools, exploring rock pools and tidepools, watching the ocean,’ shares Emma, ‘The “Tidepool” collection was inspired by the nuances of the Australian coast, and the patterns I noticed around me on our weekly wanderings.’
While Emma’s textiles are designed with a laid-back lifestyle in mind, looking after a toddler at the same time as running a small business begs for a few more hours in the day! ‘I love the autonomy, the challenge, the learning and I love creating’, Emma says of being her own boss, ‘Sunday Folk Textiles is where I can combine my interior design experiences and love for textiles into functional, beautiful, timeless pieces. I do need about 10 more hours in the day and a clone though!’
We hear you, Emma!
