Pattern Box

We were already pretty sold on the idea of Pattern Box — a new postcard box set curated by New York’s Textile Arts Center — which gathers together 100 different prints by 10 of our favorite illustrators and textile designers. We imagined sending off thank yous backed by Eskayel’s dreamy, washed-out blues or get well soons accompanied by Leah Goren’s graphic black cats. (With 100 cards to blow through, even our garage guy might get a holiday bonus paper clipped to Helen Dealtry’s abstract florals.) But then we found the little booklet tucked inside, which contains wonderful, Sight Unseen–like Q&As that delve into the inspiration and process behind each designer and we knew we had to share. Our favorite question by far is “What patterns do you remember from your childhood?” Leanne Shapton: “The papered inside of a trunk, my grandmother’s dress, the plaid of the blanket in the backseat of my father’s Studebaker.” Jennifer Parry Dodge:”Grass, fields, flowers, cornhusks — growing up in Iowa, I loved playing in the fields and woods.” Victoria Garcia: “Growing up, my family lived close to a bushland reserve and I remember dark silhouettes of gumtrees swaying in the wind against the sky. Our backyard was constantly covered in the litter of gum leaves in varying stages of decay. I also had a really great bedspread covered in rainbow ponies that I wish I still had.” Check out some of our favorites below, then head over to Princeton Architectural Press to snag yourself a copy.