I'm so excited to finally share something I've been working on behind the scenes for months… my brand new Garden Flowers napkin collection!
If you've followed my work for a while, you'll know that a lot of my designs start with things that are close to home, and this collection is no different. The inspiration came from my mum's garden here in Norfolk—a garden that's always bursting with colour through the spring and summer and is one of my favourite places to wander with a cup of tea.
Every flower in this collection has been chosen because it reminds me of that garden, from the delicate blue Forget-me-nots tucked away in the borders to the cheerful orange daisies and striking red Scabiosa that seem to attract every bee in the county.
The finished set includes six different designs:
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Blue Forget-me-not
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Yellow Echinacea
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Green Cosmos
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Pink Blossom
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Orange Daisy
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Red Scabiosa
Each napkin has its own illustration, so every place at the table gets something a little different.
It All Starts with a Pen
People often ask how my designs begin, and the answer is refreshingly low-tech!
Every illustration starts life with a fine liner pen and plenty of paper. I spend hours sketching until I'm happy with the balance and shape of each flower. I love working this way because it keeps the drawings loose and full of character—you can always tell when something has been drawn by hand.
There's no clever shortcut here, just lots of cups of tea, plenty of scribbled sketches and, occasionally, wondering why I've decided that drawing tiny petals over and over again is a sensible career choice.
The Colour Obsession
Once the drawings are finished comes what might actually be my favourite part… choosing the colours.
Or perhaps obsessing over the colours would be more accurate.
I mix all of my own screen-printing inks by hand, and I can spend an embarrassing amount of time trying tiny tweaks to a colour before deciding it's just right. Is that yellow too bright? Should the green be slightly softer? Does the pink need warming up a little?
It's a process of trial, error and lots of test prints, but when all six colours finally sit together perfectly, it's incredibly satisfying.
I wanted this collection to feel colourful and joyful without being overpowering—something that would brighten a table all year round, whether you're eating outdoors in the sunshine or trying to make a Tuesday evening dinner feel a bit more special.
Printed One by One
Once everything is finalised, it's time to head into the studio.
Every single napkin is hand screen printed in my Norwich studio, one at a time. There's no giant production line here—just me, my printing table, plenty of ink and a growing pile of cotton napkins waiting for their turn.
Screen printing is one of those wonderfully satisfying processes. Pulling the squeegee across the screen and lifting it to reveal a fresh print never really gets old, even after hundreds of prints.
Of course, every napkin then needs drying, heat curing, checking and folding before it's ready to be packed into a set.
It's definitely the slower way of doing things, but I wouldn't have it any other way.
Made to Be Used (Not Hidden Away!)
These napkins are designed to be enjoyed, not saved for "best."
Whether you're hosting friends, setting the table for Sunday lunch, eating in the garden or just making beans on toast look a little more sophisticated, I think beautiful table linens have a way of making everyday moments feel a little bit special.
Because they're made from natural cotton, they're reusable, machine washable and can be enjoyed again and again—much kinder to the planet than disposable paper napkins.
They also make lovely gifts for gardeners, flower lovers, enthusiastic hosts or anyone who appreciates something that's genuinely handmade.
Coming This September
I'm currently busy printing all of the pre-orders here in Norwich, and the first sets will be ready for delivery in early September.
Launching a new collection is always a mixture of excitement and nerves. These designs have lived in my sketchbook, on my printing table and pinned around the studio walls for quite a while now, so it's lovely to finally send them out into the world.
I really hope they bring a little bit of the Norfolk garden that inspired them to your own table.
As always, thank you so much for supporting handmade. Every order helps me keep doing what I love—drawing, printing and making everything right here in my little Norwich studio.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a rather large pile of napkins waiting to be printed! 🌼