SHUTTERS & SHUTTLES

AFTER DABBLING IN ALL SORTS of different artistic mediums, Allison Shelton of Nashville, Tennessee-based Shutters and Shuttles found her niche in making and selling her woven textiles and designs. She was sweet enough to send me the most beautiful, breezy cotton Watercolor babydoll dress (with some custom pregnancy tweaks for me, too!) to style. The fabric is so soft and the subtle blue watercolor dye is perfect. I'm so in love with how easy it is to just throw on and be comfortable and look put-together, especially during pregnancy! I'll be wearing this a LOT both during and after for sure. Can't wait to see what she has in store for fall and beyond!

Read on to find out more about Allison and her designs!

1. How did you get your start in design? Has it always been what you've wanted to do?
I have always been interested in art. I jumped around from one medium to another before finding something that I enjoyed enough to do for a living. In college I transferred from glass blowing to metalsmithing before taking a fiber arts course where I fell completely in love. Over the course of the next couple years, I bought my first loom and started weaving for myself before deciding to offer some of my wovens for sale. It all happened pretty naturally--had I set out with the goal to become a professional artist, I don't think it would have worked out. I had to dabble and rule out everything else before finding my true passion.

2. What are your sources of inspiration? Other designers? Nature?
There are so many amazing designers out there--I find a lot of inspiration in their work. Seeing their passion and watching them push the boundaries is constant motivation for my own work. I absolutely love the work of Erin Riley. She weaves beautiful and incredibly detailed modern tapestries. Adele from Voices of Industry has a gorgeous aesthetic and a commitment to weaving with USA organically grown cottons. Herron, Dee Clements, does beautiful work, she has an amazing eye for color and design. She also has a really great mind for business--I've run to her with all sorts of questions!

3. What is the mission statement for Shutters and Shuttles?
Shutters & Shuttles is a textile design and production studio based in Nashville, TN. We offer a small collection of products, both home goods and accessories, made from textiles designed and woven in-house. Our focus is creating American-made fabric woven from only natural materials that is unlike anything that can be mass produced--and making them available to anyone.

4. What's the story behind the name?
It took me months to come up with a name for my brand--one that encompasses all of my passions. Luckily, I have some very creative family members who never got tired of brainstorming with me. My two main passions are photography and weaving, so my brand name is Shutters (as in camera shutters) & Shuttles (as in weaving shuttles). It's a mouthful, but I still love it!

5. Describe a day off.
I don't get very many days off, but every once in a while I'll indulge and spend some quality time at home with my husband, 2 pups, and our newly adopted bunny. I'll usually drink a lot of coffee, although that's normal for a work day as well, binge watch some cheesy Netflix show while knitting, or sit on the couch and read. My husband and I are also rock climbers and there is a gym just a few blocks from our house where we'll whenever we get a spare moment.

6. Fall essentials? 
I can't wait to wear boots again! And bake with pumpkin! This summer has been SO hot, I am already craving that cool fall weather! It's definitely my favorite season, and it doesn't hurt that my birthday is in October, too :). 

7. What's next for Shutters and Shuttles?
I may be mentally craving fall, but I guess it's time to start thinking about Spring! Gauzy cottons and silks seem to be calling my name right now!