Kathy Barlow
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kathybarlow.bsky.social
Kathy Barlow
@kathybarlow.bsky.social
730 followers 270 following 290 posts
Textile Artist, Repeating Pattern Designer, Instructor & Traveler. Passionate About Hand Stitching & Block Printing.

Statement Accessories for Chic, Creative Living: kathybarlow.com
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kathybarlow.bsky.social
Print and Stitch in action! My roller printed and #handembroidered California Poppies are coming along. From my stash, this fabrics-store.com rustic linen piece (backed with iron-on stitching stabilizer) is a dream background.

#handprinted #printmaking #handcrafted #workinprogress #WIP
Textile Artist and Designer Kathy Barlow's print and stitch California Poppies project about two-thirds complete shown outside under a blue sky and trees canopy. Kathy's original pattern was hand roller-printed in an ombré of burgundy-magenta pink, golden yellow and orange inks onto rustic linen, then hand embroidered in an assortment of warm-toned cotton embroidery floss and pearl cottons.
July 2, 2025 at 1:24 AM
kathybarlow.bsky.social
I hunt for pattern and color in my everyday, as well as when traveling. I just HAD to share this gorgeous pizza oven with you—talk about tile terrificness! This from a delish lunch w/ my bestie at Main Street Kitchen in #WalnutCreek.

#color #pattern #interiordesign #tile #design #creativelife
The large pizza oven at Main Street Kitchen in Walnut Creek, California, that is beautifully all-over tiled in rounded ceramic tile shapes in shades of blue, green, aqua and white, with dark grout. There is a red-hot fire in the back of the oven and hot stones on its cooking surface.
June 24, 2025 at 11:35 PM
kathybarlow.bsky.social
Important in life, and in style.
And introducing my Candy Hearts Needlepoint 100% Silk Charmeuse Scarf. It's luxury with a smile.
Shop now at: kathybarlow.com/collections/...

#livecreatively #fashionsky #style #fashion #kathybarlowdesigns
June 21, 2025 at 4:18 PM
kathybarlow.bsky.social
Missing Ruth.

#RBG #onmydesk #keepmoving
Kathy's vintage secretary desktop, with an assortment of embroidery threads, a piece of hand-block printed fabric after heat setting, and a variety of creative tools and inspirational items, a favorite being a Ruth Bader Ginsburg bobblehead doll.
June 19, 2025 at 9:27 PM
kathybarlow.bsky.social
#WIP Print and Stitch in progress. Embroidering the first poppies piece that I roller-printed last month. I will stich random poppies, leaving much of the print exposed. Loving how this looks on the rustic linen.

#embroidery #handcrafted #color #workinprogress #printmaking #kathybarlowdesigns
Textile designer Kathy Barlow's hand #embroidered #embellishment in progress, on a piece of hand- roller printed rustic #linen. The linen is printed in an organic #California poppies design in a gradient of warm oranges, magenta and burgundy pinks and yellows. The stitching is being done in a variety of warm-colored cotton floss and pearl cotton.
June 17, 2025 at 9:00 PM
kathybarlow.bsky.social
Do you look at color combos everywhere? I sure do. Awhile back we enjoyed a sunset stroll across the Golden Gate, and there was just something about this 'doll'-pink ship and its palette of containers, that crossed beneath us.

#design #color #colorpalette #travelphotography #livecreatively
A 'doll' pink container ship approaching the Golden Gate Bridge from the #SanFrancisco #Oakland Bay. The photo is taken from the pedestrian walkway of the bridge, looking over a railing. Looking up from the pedestrian walkway, at one of the imposing, Art Deco towers of the Golden Gate Bridge, against a blue sky. The wild color combination of containers on a ship passing beneath The Golden Gate Bridge, as seen from the pedestrian walkway. Many of the containers actually match the rust-like bridge paint color, and there are lots of pops of bold pink, white, orange and blue.
June 13, 2025 at 8:10 PM
kathybarlow.bsky.social
Have you stitched Shisha embroidery, or mirror work? I tried a bit while traveling in India, and I'd love to do more. Someone suggested I learn on a patterned fabric that already had circular areas, and choose threads to complement that.

#embroidery #needlearts #stitching #India #textiletravel
A finished mirror stitched around using traditional Indian Shisha embroidery, or mirror work. The mirror here is attached to a flowing Art Nouveau style fabric printed in beautiful purples, pinks, gold and aqua, and is stitched with purple and magenta pink threads. Step one of attaching a mirror to fabric using traditional Indian Shisha embroidery, or mirror work. This step involves crisscrossing the mirror with long, firm stitches in an overlapping pattern of two squares. Completing step two of traditional Indian Shisha embroidery, or mirror work. You create a kind of chain stitch that incorporates, tightens, and hides the underlying crisscrossed long stiches as you work around the circle. After this, many different decorative stitches can be added around the mirror.
June 10, 2025 at 9:24 PM
kathybarlow.bsky.social
Need a fun #London activity? We enjoyed brass tombstone and engraving rubbing under St. Martins-in-the-fields, with its wide selection of replica UK brass pieces! And lunch at the adjacent Café in the Crypt - pic. in comment. www.stmartin-in-the-fields.org/visit/things...

#travel #travelart #design
June 9, 2025 at 9:35 PM
kathybarlow.bsky.social
Watching a block printing artisan align a repeating pattern is fascinating. To help, elements near the edges are exposed during carving, like my polka-dots here. One can print a long length of polka-dot fabric with just one well-made block.

#blockprinting #handprinted #printmaking #howto #craft
Three of designer Kathy Barlow's hand-carved Indian wooden printing blocks, in a large polka dot pattern, laid out upside down on a piece of fabric to demonstrate how one would align the dots while hand printing.
June 3, 2025 at 11:40 PM
kathybarlow.bsky.social
A fave #citystyle meets #grandmacore outfit of the day #OOTD today w/ my Mod Black & White Needlepoint, Unisex Bomber Jacket, for sale on the website. I love pairing a fab print w/ its perfect product. Thanks to @geegdandy.bsky.social for the #outfit layout inspo!

#fashionsky #kathybarlowdesigns
Designer Kathy Barlow's stitched pattern black, white and grey Unisex Bomber Jacket, in an outfit of the day flat lay, paired with checked wool pants, a flowing ruffled-edge long black tee, damask print sheer knee socks, brown leather Clarks clogs and silver and black jewelry. A closeup detail of Designer Kathy Barlow's stitched needlepoint pattern black, white and grey Mod Unisex Bomber Jacket showcasing the print detail and its silver-toned zipper. A closeup detail of Designer Kathy Barlow's stitched needlepoint pattern black, white and grey Mod Unisex Bomber Jacket showcasing the print detail, its sleeve and slash pockets, with a pair of silver-toned aviator sunglasses peeking out of the pocket.
May 31, 2025 at 4:02 PM
kathybarlow.bsky.social
Next time you travel to #Vegas, be sure to visit The Neon Museum! Many signs you'll remember from the Strip, and a magical lighted late-night to do with friends! Here's me in front of a classic piece from The Flamingo Hotel and Casino.

#travel #LasVegas #colorlove #travelsky #travelfun
Kathy on at night at The Neon Museum in Las Vegas, posing in front of the historic 1976 pylon lighted pinks and red neon piece from The Flamigo Hotel and Casino.
May 30, 2025 at 9:30 PM
kathybarlow.bsky.social
I wish I could learn from Designer Meche Correa’s Peruvian embroiderers. Take this stunning goldwork on black tulle cape, from the Fashion and Textile Museum’s Weavers of the Clouds show, 2019 #London. Um 😍!

#fashionsky #peru #style #embroidery #textileart #museumsky
Meche Correa's ruffled black tulle cape, hand stitched in large-scale florals in gold embroidery threads. The cape is displayed on a mannequin as part of a show at London's Fashion and Textile Museum. Closeup detail of Meche Correa's ruffled black tulle cape, hand stitched in large-scale florals in gold embroidery threads.
May 29, 2025 at 10:23 PM
kathybarlow.bsky.social
Send 20 textile artists to find the embroidery shop among Jaipur's numerous Bapu Bazar stalls & success will ensue. Our jaws & Rupees dropped as for the next hour we occupied this kaleidoscope of embellishments. Here a snippet of the Trimmings section.

#embroidery #needlearts #travel #textileart
A section of the numerous luscious, multicolored and embellished trims crammed into shelves, and on offer at the embroidery shop in the Bapu Bazar in Jaipur, India.
May 28, 2025 at 9:00 PM
kathybarlow.bsky.social
So. Much. Fun. 😗

#handmade #handcrafted #needlepoint #embroidery #craftsky #crafts #crafting #color #design #QRCode #kathybarlowdesigns
May 24, 2025 at 4:07 PM
kathybarlow.bsky.social
Looking for a sign or an excuse to do something creative today?

#qotd #quote #creativelife #creativeprocess #inspiration #quotesky #quotes #quotation #KathyBarlowDesigns
A creativity quote from Albert Einstein. "Creativity is Intelligence Having Fun." This is displayed in a celadon bubble atop an image of Surface Pattern Designer and artist Kathy Barlow, painting her bubbles design.
May 23, 2025 at 9:02 PM
kathybarlow.bsky.social
Hmm, why I was drawn to Van Gogh's 'The Italian Woman' at the Musée d’Orsay? Was it the #color? The patchwork-like #pattern? What about you?

#artsky #MuseumNerd #inspiration #travel #Paris #art #livecreatively
A photograph of 'The Italian Woman' painting by Vincent Van Gogh, as viewed in Paris at Musée d'Orsay. The painting is of a seated, woman dressed in an embroidered blouse and a fanciful, multicolor skirt that has a patchwork look. Detail of the multicolor skirt or blanket in Vincent Van Gogh's 'The Italian Woman.' It has a patchwork quilt look of reds, oranges, pink, aqua, green and black.
May 22, 2025 at 10:01 PM
kathybarlow.bsky.social
Embroidery theme? ✔️ Nature? ✔️ A Lively Stripe? ✔️ Flaunt your love of handicrafts, #color and #nature with my eye-catching #fall leaf phone case:
kathybarlow.com/collections/...

#KathyBarlowDesigns #embroidery #needlepoint #fallleaves #autumn #boho #gift #birthdaygift #accessories #creativelife
Kathy Barlow's stitched look fall leaves phone case in striking stripes of yellow, golds oranges, berry, browns, purple and green, available now in her shop.
May 21, 2025 at 10:02 PM
kathybarlow.bsky.social
It's Good to Have Options.

#color #colorlove #creativelife #needlework #needlepoint #embroidery #needlearts #embroiderydesign
A kaleidoscopic, wool pom-pom trivet used as a pincushion for many hand-stitching needles, pre-threaded with an assortment of colorful hand-embroidery threads. There is also a small pair of embroidery scissors, and a metal needle threader atop a magnetic needle catcher and a pinked edge felt circle.
May 20, 2025 at 9:01 PM
kathybarlow.bsky.social
You weren't born crocheting granny squares, painting en plein air, or stenciling the bedroom wall. So who were your artistic role-models? New on the blog—Two Sisters Creative Legacy: kathybarlow.com/blogs/creati...

#artsky #craftsky #crafting #ancestry #womensart #herstory #creativelife
Two young sisters in their 1940's finest beachwear of seersucker shorts, a cotton jumpsuit and bobby socks, posing in front of the sand dunes at Swifts Beach in Wareham, Massachusetts.
May 19, 2025 at 10:00 PM
kathybarlow.bsky.social
One can achieve an amazing range of values using a single color w/ ‘blackwork,’ counted thread #embroidery. This red sampler can be seen @ The International Museum of Folk Art in Santa Fe.

Have you done blackwork? It is on my ‘to learn’ list for sure. #pattern #color #handembroidery #craftsky
A detailed 'blackwork' embroidery sampler, stitched in red threads onto an ivory base fabric. There are 49 rectangles embroidered in seven columns and rows, and each sample is stitched in a different pattern, showcasing the wide range of color values that can be achieved while using a single hue of thread.
May 17, 2025 at 4:02 PM
kathybarlow.bsky.social
I felt the need to roller print California poppies in a bit of an ombré, onto a rustic linen scrap from my stash. This is a fave of the rollers I've created. Next? Embellish the poppies with hand embroidery, of course!

#ArtYear #printandstitch #kathybarlowdesigns #WIP #printsky #printmaking
A peek into Designer Kathy Barlow's studio where she has printed a rectangle of tan rustic linen in a rolled print of California poppy motifs, in shades of orange, deep magenta and gold.
May 17, 2025 at 1:01 AM
kathybarlow.bsky.social
One of my favorite doorways in Paris. The paint color, the woodwork, metalwork and stonework details -- fabulous!

#inspiration #design #architecture #Paris #creativelife #travel
A beautiful Parisian double doorway, with ornate, teal-painted woodwork, fanciful ironwork and carved stone corbels. A closeup of the portal window atop a teal-painted, ornately detailed Parisian doorway, framed by a stone corbel.
May 15, 2025 at 11:01 PM
kathybarlow.bsky.social
Be first in your circle to accessorize w/ the mesmerizing Bargello Diamonds scarf and you'll turn heads. My vibrant stitching translated onto luxurious silk charmeuse, it will become a wardrobe staple. Shop now at kathybarlow.com

#fashionforwomen #fashioninspo #giftsforwomen #creativelife #colorful
Kathy Barlow's colorful Bargello Diamonds silk scarf in beautiful blue, purple, green and white, tied around the neck of a linen mannequin.
May 14, 2025 at 11:30 PM
kathybarlow.bsky.social
You know those pieces that draw people in? These stitched currency portraits by Stacey Lee Webber, fit that bill. I couldn't stop smiling! From this winter's 'Stitched' show @ bedfordgallery.org. View Stacey's incredible portfolio @ staceyleewebber.com.

#needlearts #museumsky #embroidery #stitched
A close up of some of the embroidered international currency portraits in artist Stacey Lee Webber's colorful piece. Historical figures don stitched fun glasses and hats. Another close up of some of the international currency portraits of historical figures by artist Stacey Lee Webber, embellished with stitched accessories like fun glasses and hats. The full array of stitched international currency portraits by Stacey Lee Webber, framed in bright yellow.
May 14, 2025 at 12:00 AM
kathybarlow.bsky.social
As a pattern designer & #architecture nerd, I hunt for repeated details. And Cape Cod childhood summers gave me an affinity for wooden shingles, that I obsessively photograph. This layout from Fort Bragg, CA is a fave .

#inspiration #design #patternlove #patterndesign #shingles #cottagecore
Weathered wooden cottage shingles in an interesting pattern that incorporates half-circle cutouts, resulting in circles every other row.
May 9, 2025 at 7:15 PM