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What is Thistle and Fox all about?

Thistle and Fox is all my doing. I'm an illustrator, surface pattern designer and I sew - lots! Here I offer you my designs 'printed on demand' as wallpaper and textiles for home, garment sewing, quilting and crafting. 

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Yes, I'm the boss lady and the worker bee... Everything from designing prints and sewing quilts to creating my website design, shipping orders and answering emails - it's all up to me. 

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I'm all about creating things with handmade craftmanship, lasting quality and committed to sourcing and using the best sustainably printed products available that will become heirlooms for many generations to enjoy. My customers can purchase professionally finished handmade Thistle and Fox originals or the raw materials 'by the metre' so you can DIY creations for yourself at home or for your business. 

"I'm Lauren.  the creator of Thistle and Fox fabrics & handmade"

- Illustrator, Designer, Maker - 

Hi! My name is Lauren, the Australian designer, illustrator and maker behind Thistle and Fox. Most days you'll find me in my studio creating, sewing, dreaming up new designs, tending my plants and playing with my animals, Toby the 'fox' terrier and my horse Will. My bunnies Pascal & Thistle are sadly no longer with us, but their memory lives on and continues to inspire my work.

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Some weekdays I work as a vet nurse, so each night I'm up late sewing custom orders, designing fabrics for makers around the world and taking care of everything in front of and behind the scenes at Thistle and Fox.     

 

My studio home is perched in the hills of the Mid North Coast of NSW, Australia. Nearby are rainforests, waterfalls, crystal clear rivers and abundant wildlife. It's a very inspiring place to work from. 

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Thistle and Fox began in 2011 with the first fabric designs I created from a watercolour sketch of falling feathers and a tiny flying sparrow. When the shop opened I stocked a small handful of handmade baby girl dresses and was working with felt and recycled fabrics to create plush animal toys while studying pattern making and advanced sewing skills.

 

My shop has evolved over the years as I've focused on surface illustration, designing fabric prints for crafting, quilting and the slow fashion industry. Because I sew my own clothes, I wanted to create prints and patterns to suit my personal style as well as bring something a little different to the world of fabric prints for both garment sewing and the quilt and crafting scene. Romantic watercolour florals, botanicals, delicate pencil drawings of native Australian animals, kitsch and retro inspired designs for children, modern Australiana prints and vintage style floral designs are all part of my portfolio.

 

I now live in my own cottage studio, a renovated and converted timber garage that was originally built on my parents property in the 1950's. This space has completely changed the way I create, being always surrounded by my craft it's only too easy to be always creating and have a hundred projects on the go at once. 

I hope to be working on many new designs for Thistle and Fox this year and adding some exciting new handmade products to my shop in 2024. 

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Join me on Instagram for behind the scenes sneak peeks and special things no one else gets to see! I'm busy illustrating fabrics, creating new things to wear and decorate spaces at home. You'll find these treasures for sale here on my website and in my Etsy shop.  I hope you'll love them !

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