Whole Punching x Alice Moore

by Sara Moore - 11 September 2021

Alice wearing a handmade top featuring her 'Find the Parrots' design

It's happened, I've finally collaborated with my talented sister Alice on a punch needle collection. Alice is a freelance print designer based in Berlin and has always been creating since as long as I can remember. I absolutely love her style and couldn't wait to translate these into punch needle projects. We have created four new hoops, two of which incorporate punch needle and tufting. So if you've wanted to try your hand at tufting but don't want to invest in a tufting gun, these kits are a great introduction. 

So you can get to know Alice a bit better, we have done a little interview. Read more about what inspires her, her style and her background in design.

Have you always been creative?

I guess so, yes! Making things, especially images, seems to have been one of my favourite pastimes for as long as I can remember really. There was luckily always some scrap paper around for me to scribble on. 

Do you have a background in design?

I have a Bachelors degree in Fashion Design, during which I fell in love with creating digital textile prints. Since then I've continued teaching myself more about creating repeating surface patterns.

Tell us about your creative process

At University we learned to develop collections evolving from a starting point or theme through lots of research, experiments and critique, and while I don't always follow that exact process in everything I do now, I think it does inform whatever I create to some degree. I like my work to stem from a theme or idea, rather than a purely aesthetic angle. I often carry a small sketchbook with me for doodling ideas when not at home, or sometimes I jot down notes in my phone when I have an idea. At home, I use different mediums depending on my mood or the idea I have, usually experimenting with paint or paper which I then clean up digitally, or sometimes I draw directly digitally. 

What inspires you?

Sometimes it feels like the inspirations compete with each other, so often a struggle is to go down one route at a time. I love colour and playing with the interaction of simple shapes and forms, so on the one hand, a lot of geometric surface design inspires me, while on the other hand I also love the organic forms and colours that are present in nature.

Landscapes, flowers and all botanical elements are the things that really make my mind wander; there are endless textures, lines and colour palettes to be inspired by. And then on the third imaginary hand, I really like people (and animal) watching, and often can't resist drawing cutesy illustrations of (usually four-legged) friends from the animal kingdom.

Do you have any creative hobbies?

I guess my art and design practices fully overlap as my creative hobbies, oops!  Although I have also recently rekindled my love of sewing. It's fun to create garments with my pattern designs that I can then live and play in - I do enjoy the full-circle aspect of that. I've also leaned into the Berlin cliché during the last few years by attempting to learn how to DJ, which is ridiculously fun, and feels like a creative outlet that's totally separate to my design work. Don't worry, I won't be asking you to listen to mixes anytime soon!

What's your favourite thing to design?

Iʼd probably have to say a repeating surface pattern design. Itʼs really satisfying when a repeat ends up working well, and the colours and forms feel like theyʼre in a cohesive balance. Plus, itʼs so fun when someone from the sewing community shares something that theyʼve made with one of my fabric designs. Itʼs almost like an extended element to the design process that I have no control over; a mini collaboration where the end result is a surprise for me. That always brings me a lot of joy!

Hair scrunchie used from waste 'Flowerbed' fabric

What inspired you for this collaboration?

Well, I had a good starting point! Sara sent me a moodboard she had put together from my designs, which in itself was inspiring for me, as she had grouped together a selection of images and patterns very much from various times that I wouldnʼt have necessarily grouped together myself. From there I pulled out a few recurring forms and then with those in mind had some sketching sessions while outside. I was also inspired by Saraʼs previous punch needle designs, especially as I havenʼt created so many punch needle designs myself yet. There are definitely different considerations to make compared to some of my regular design formats, such as the spacing between elements and using a more limited colour palette per design. It felt good to be pushed outside of my comfort zone a bit! 

Hillside illustration

How would you like to see your work progress?

There are a few mediums Iʼd like to experiment more with - both by learning the practical techniques of them and then seeing how my current style translates into them - for example more practical crafts such as patchwork/quilting, but also digital modes such as animation and motion design. I think experimentation is going to be my goal for the next little while.

Thanks so much!

Thanks Ali, even though I'm your sister and like to think I know you pretty well, it was so interesting for me to hear more about what inspires you and your creative process. I absolutely loved working together on the punch needle collection which has then in turn inspired me to incorporate some of your techniques into my creative process.

You can keep up to date with Alice over on Instagram and if you love any of her fabrics be sure to checkout her Spoonflower shop.