People sometimes ask me, “Kate, wouldn’t it be easier to just get these printed at a factory?” And I laugh—because yes, of course it would. It would be easier, cleaner, faster, and I could probably save my back from bending over fabric tables for hours. But the truth is, that’s not why I started doing this. And it’s definitely not why I’ve kept going.
Printing by hand is more than a technique for me it’s a way of being. It keeps me connected to the work, to the materials, and to my own instincts. There’s a kind of magic in the moment when ink meets fabric under your hands. You feel everything the pressure, the texture, the alignment and somehow, that physical engagement makes the whole process more alive.
Machines might be more efficient, but they don’t laugh when the ink smudges in a way that unexpectedly looks like a bird. They don’t do a little happy dance when the print turns out just right on the tenth try. (I absolutely do, by the way happy dances are frequent and uncoordinated in my studio.)
Each piece I make carries the imprint of those moments: the small imperfections, the quiet choices, the spirit of someone who cares a little too much about the curve of a fern leaf. And honestly? I wouldn’t have it any other way.
So yes—printing by hand is slow. It’s a little messy. And it’s exactly how I want it.