Introducing the Swallowtail Farm Collection
This spring, Design Pool introduced the Swallowtail Farm collection. This collection of fourteen patterns was inspired by a trip Kristen Dettoni took to Holland with herbalist Lauren Pignatello. In Holland, Lauren introduced a group of travelers to the herbs around the countryside and discussed their traditional medicinal uses. This sparked the idea for a collection of patterns featuring medicinal plants to bring the spirit of these benefits into our everyday lives.
As a young adult, Lauren was first introduced to alternative medicine while living in New York City. Waiting tables with no health insurance, she sought other ways to stay healthy and treat sicknesses. She found apothecaries in her neighborhood, where she began teaching herself about the power of plants. Many years later, Lauren is now a farmer and herbalist, making her living on Swallowtail Farm in rural Maine with her husband and seven children. There, they run a commercial dairy and make products such as yogurt, butter, and cheese for sale regionally. In addition to the dairy, Lauren makes health and beauty products such as tonics, tinctures, elixirs, salves, and makeup.
Lauren's love of the outdoors is infectious.
Whether foraging in the woods or along Maine's rugged coast, she loves to be joined by others to share her knowledge about the plants around her. Additionally, she hosts workshops and retreats at her farm or sometimes in the Netherlands throughout the year. She wants to empower people to learn more about the plants surrounding them and see how they can incorporate them into their lives as part of a healthy lifestyle.
She encourages those interested in using plants more to start simply by using more herbs in their cooking. Even common herbs such as sage or thyme have medicinal uses that are often overlooked. Teas are also a safe and easy way to add more plants to your diet. Also, think about switching some of your health and beauty products to natural alternatives.
Another way to incorporate plants into your life is with beautiful products!
We've taken some of the patterns from the Swallowtail Farm collection and added them to products such as mugs, journals, shower curtains, bags, and pouches.
Use one of the journals to start your own explorations with local plants and herbs. Keep track of what's growing around you and what it looks like throughout the seasons. Use a tote to gather items while out on a walk. However you use them, you'll know these products aim to bring a sense of beauty and well-being to your everyday life.
This blog post was written by Kristin Crane.
