When Toni Lipsey approached me to create a custom design for the TL YarnCrafts YarnHive, I didn’t hesitate. My response? A resounding "Yes!" A collab with the Clever Counselor of Crochet? Absolutely! And with a theme centered on honey bees and wildflowers? Well, now you’re just making it easy for me.

Toni and I quickly got to work. She sent over a mood board, and I responded with a concept board that showcased my design inspiration and a preview of the direction I wanted to take. One of my main sources of inspiration was Candace Wheeler’s iconic “Bees with Honeycomb” wallpaper from 1881. Wheeler, a trailblazing textile designer aligned with the Arts & Crafts movement, was a firm believer in women’s financial independence. She co-founded the Associated Artists design studio alongside big names like Louis Comfort Tiffany and Sanford White, and she dedicated herself to training women to become textile and interior designers. Wheeler's "Bees with Honeycomb" is inspired by Japanese textile designs. American and English designers were very inspired by Japan in the late 1800s.

From the start, I knew I wanted to incorporate a striped floral motif over a honeycomb background. To give Toni a clear sense of my vision, I included a textile design from Vlisco in my concept board—except mine would be bi-directional. Since Toni also commissioned me to create project bags featuring this original design for her YarnHive, I figured I’d make life a little easier for myself when the sewing phase rolled around.

I wanted the design to have both texture and boldness. I pulled in images that gave me that feeling, weaving in some of the flowers from Toni’s mood board. I used her suggested color palette but tweaked it slightly, taking trending color research into account. Once the concept was approved, I dove into the design process, and I have to say, I’m really proud of the final result.

Each flower petal and bee is textured, and that texture started with handwork—on paper, on fabric, or a combination of both. In the end, we decided on a more saturated color palette. The floral motifs are vibrant and bold, and the bi-directional design gives it versatility. The honeycomb background adds an extra layer of depth that ties everything together beautifully.

A limited number of project bags featuring this original design, created exclusively for Toni Lipsey, are available at a special price for members of the TL Yarncraft YarnHive. And as a bonus, since Toni licensed this design from me, she’s also offering it on pouches and totes! I even helped her source a North American manufacturer to ensure ethical production. If you want to get your hands on one, joining her Hive is the only way to do it. Membership comes with tons of perks, so it’s definitely worth checking out.

If you have a brand and want me to create something unique for you, don’t hesitate—send me a DM or email, and let’s chat! - xo, Tammi