Pattern Designer Interview - MamaNene (Irene) from Serger Pepper

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1. When did you start designing patterns and how did it come about?
We can say I've sewn from my whole life!  I've learned from mom when I was a little girl, but she used to follow patterns directions LITERALLY! I am much more a free spirit, so I started adapting  them because they weren't flattering neither fitting well.  I started drafting my own patterns some year ago, at first using paper, pencil and rulers … but it was too much time consuming and not enough practical for my needings: I didn't have a sewing room with a huge sewing table (like the one I have now – I'm a lucky girl), so it was always necessary to wait the kitchen table to be free for some hours... and It rarely happened. I started google-ing to find an answer: Illustrator! I was already using Inkscape at my day-job, for drawing posters and flyers, so I loved using something similar and skipping a good slice of the learning curve.

2. What training do you have or how did you learn?
No formal training on my side, excluding drafting and grading books and the best and most complete course you can ever find: PatternWorkshop by  Lauren Dahl: she refined and distilled the whole process I was already roughly following and, each and every time I watch a new video or read some comments in the sweetest secret fb group ever I learn some new-to-me “secret tip”...  Anyone seriously interested in designing his/her own patterns should give it a try!

 Serger Pepper Basic Leggings Pattern

3. What is the process of designing a new pattern like?
I know that every designer has its own process. For me it's more or less this:
While I'm swimming, a design materialize in my mind and, as soon as I get a piece of paper and a pencil (while my hands are no more wet), I draw an awful sketch. Then I look over it and decide what kind of “basic shape” it can be assimilate and start drawing it in my daughter (or mine, or dad's) size.  I sew the first muslin,  usually with old bed sheets or duvet cover or t-shirts jersey (I'm a frugal mom) and make any tweek I think it needs, changing the Illustrator pattern an sewing more samples until I'm satisfied with the design.  I grade it to the other sizes in my range, sew one more sample and take literally a thousand pics, to create the tutorial. Send out to the testers, wait their feedback and make changes basing on it. We always chat about my patterns and their testings and suggestions into our secret fb group, for “The Crew” only, the most awesome testers in the world!

4. What is the hardest part about designing a pattern in pdf form?
Maybe sorting images for the tutorial! I always take So. Many. Pictures. that choosing is maybe the hardest part!  I find also somehow hard write release posts and Craftsy/Etsy descriptions... I'm a shy person and find really hard describe strengths and virtues of my patterns... I have a lot to learn to be commercial! Sometimes I read some descriptions that sells  product very well... I'm still not that into it!  On the other side, I love to fill my excel tables with numbers and formulas, could draft in Illustrators for hours and hours without stopping, so I really can't find hardest parts in this part of the process!

The Free Mod Dress Pattern

5. What is your favorite of your patterns and why?
One of my favorite is the Mod Dress, which is downloadable for FREE on my Craftsy page. It's born as a refashion from a T-shirt and a pair of trousers, all bold lines and sixties! One of the most challenging is my new one, thee Hands-Free Asymmetrical Bag: plenty of pouches for a cross-bag band that leaves mom's hands free for childrens. For adventurous intermediate seamstresses, is a practical bag with a fashionable shell!

6. Do you sew for your own family or for sale?
I don't sew for sale, while I sew for my family. I used to sell some little things on the past but it takes too much time and it's simply not worth the time I spend on it: everything must be perfect, in my sewing, I hate poor finishings!

 7. What do you prefer more, sewing or pattern design, and why?

 I love both the parts of the process but, when I have to relax, I sew without worrying of long thread tails and cleaning the sewing table just to have clean pics... Simply sew! I usually draft late at night, because... it doesn't make noise, as my serger/sewing machine do!

 Free Refashion Raglan Shirt pattern with skirt

8. Have you learned anything from feedback from customers that you would like to share with other designers or wanna-be designers?
The most important thing I learned is that  you can't satisfy everybody, anything you do. It always makes me giggle when I read feedback and A says “please give me only measurements, so I can save paper and ink” and B says “thank you for giving me pattern pieces to print and not only measurements... I feel lost with them”... Been there?

9. Best time and place to design?
Whenever! Usually, I need to send my daughter out for some daddy-time... I simply am not able drafting with a curious 5 year old daughter around, asking questions all the time!

10. . Favorite fabric of all time?
This is hard for me... I usually refashion fabrics from pre-loved garments, but often I have access to out-of-the factory cuts: I live in a textile area where people have looms in their garage... There's an old tradition in fabrics and textiles here around!

10. Favorite thing to do for fun?
… sewing? Just  joking! I love to grow my vegs, starting from seeds and I'm a soapmaker too (olive oil and lye)
But the best thing I can think to do is putting together a 250 pieces puzzle with my daughter!

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Note from Kathy. Irene lives in Italy. It is so fun to be part of a sewing community that stretches around the globe.  Please see yesterday's post for my first sewing with one or her fab patterns. I definitely plan to do more!

Pattern Designer Interview - Lynn of Handmaiden's Cottage

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1. When did you start designing patterns and how did it come about?

My love for sewing and all sorts of needlework began as a child.   I vividly remember sitting next to my Mother as she made clothing for my Barbie dolls without patterns, draping fabric scraps over the plastic "mannequin" and stitching them up!  At that time I was way too young to operate machinery,  so I started out sewing by hand and it wasn't long before I was making my own doll clothes.  When I went to high school,  sewing was offered as part of the Home Economics curriculum, not as a precursor to a career in design, but basically as a "homemaking" skill.  I can still remember the fabric I used for my "runway" project (we had to design, sew and model our perfectly-fitting creations!)  As my interest in handiwork grew, so did my library of  sewing and craft books but it had never occurred to me to pursue a career in design, let alone patternmaking, so I went in another direction that seemed more practical and entered a business program at a local vocational school.  I was pretty good in math and my goals were simple and limited to getting an office job, marriage and babies!  Of course,  life is never simple and long story short,  I had to support my family, found an entry level position in a government agency and developed a successful career by "climbing the ladder", spent ten years in night school earning my bachelor's degree, worked on my MBA,  raised my twins, left my day job and decided to open my Etsy shop five years ago and sell handmade!  When I started receiving requests for patterns and as I found myself sewing around the clock and enjoying it less and less, I knew it was time for a change.  I resisted the idea at first (technical writing and computer work are not my favorite things to do!), but I wanted to remain in the creative marketplace.  Then I thought about my Mother and what an excellent cook she was, but never wrote down her recipes, so thinking about my own granddaughters and passing something on to them was the motivation I needed to get through my first pattern.  Now here I am, making doll clothes again!

 

 Dolly Swing Dress addition to The Handmaiden's Cottage Swing Dress Pattern

 

2. What training do you have or how did you learn?  

Without formal training, I did what I normally do when I want to learn something new, I searched out books on the subject and purchased "How to Publish your Patterns"  by Nancy Restuccia and began to study!   I had already been designing my own clothing to sell and had previously acquired some tools including the book "Children's Clothing...designing, selecting fabrics, patternmaking, sewing" by Selma Rosen complete with a set of slopers in perfect condition!   I had also purchased a professional children's dress form in a size 6 and had saved all of my notes and measurements from  children I had dressed over the years.   Because I had a "vision" of walking into a quilt shop and seeing my patterns hanging there, I started out with printed patterns.  My husband-to-be, Brad, a custom home designer, is proficient in CAD (computer-aided drafting) and other design programs offered to help,  so together we managed to release our first pattern to see if this was something I wanted to pursue.  I still consider myself  "in training" and just recently purchased a book  on patternmaking with blocks and some new tools so I can standardize my sizing and refine the fit of my designs.

3. What is the process of designing a new pattern like?

I start out by hand drawing my pattern pieces and then Brad scans and digitizes them.  I take photographs and write the instructions while I make the items in the sizes I want to offer and then create a rough draft.   After a few more steps, the pattern goes out for testing to ensure accuracy and fit.  Necessary edits are made and the pattern is finalized. 

I've only recently decided to stop selling handmade and fabric to focus on our pattern  business.  I already have a library of designs from years of selling on Etsy and I'm basically writing those up for now, but I am definitely looking forward to some new designs in the future. 

4. What is the hardest part about designing a pattern in pdf form?

First of all, I don't think there is any easy part in patternmaking!  Since we started out with professionally printed patterns with strict layout guidelines and pricing based on the size of the pattern, I think the hardest part (and possibly the best part) of publishing patterns in PDF form is how much detail you can provide in one pattern.  Sometimes I don't know when to quit!

5. What is the favorite of your patterns and why? 

My Swing Dress!  When I started receiving requests for a pattern for this dress, I really struggled with it!  I so wanted to share the design because I knew it was a favorite of  my handmade customers' little girls, but also knew it was going to be challenging because the techniques I used when I made it to sell, would not easily translate to a pattern.   I had to completely redesign it!   Now, when I look at the pattern, I think it looks fairly easy and I'm really proud of it! 

Swing Dress Pattern Set

6. Do you sew for your own family or for sale? What do you prefer more, sewing or pattern design, and why?

I just recently stopped sewing to sell and am looking forward to concentrating on sewing for our home.  I have a long list of projects, including an awning for the front porch!  Since I prefer the sewing machine over the computer,  sewing is more appealing to me, but patternmaking gives me the flexibility in my life so that I can spend more time away with my grandchildren. 

I've always sewn for my extended family and have fulfilled requests ranging from baby bibs to reupholstering the complete interior of an antique car! 

7. Have you learned anything from feedback from customers that you would like to share with other designers or wanna-be designers?

I'm not sure I've reached the level of  expertise of giving advice to other pattern designers, but I do know that good customer service is imperative if you want a successful business of any type.   I really try to be accessible and help out whenever I can and I actually enjoy the one-on-one interaction. The best feedback for me is when I get a photo of a little girl in a dress handmade by someone special to them and it's from my pattern!

8. Best time and place to design?

I'm not really sure I have a best time or place, it's more about when I feel inspired.   When I'm working on a project or trying to figure out a technique, it isn't unusual for me to wake up at five in the morning with the solution, spring out of bed and get to work testing my theory! 

 The Tea Party Dress

9. Favorite fabric of all time?

Years ago, Joann Fabric was having a closeout on Dupioni (I hadn't sewn with silk before) but it was ridiculously inexpensive, so I bought it all up, went to my sewing room and fell in LOVE! 

10. Favorite thing to do for fun?

For me,  there is nothing more enjoyable than playing with the grandkids and being silly.  Since  they live in Florida and the cottage is in Ohio, that fun comes in spurts!  Antiquing, gardening, playing with the dogs,  and (most recently) kayaking are the things we enjoy in the meantime!

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Note: I am a member of  Lynn's pattern design team because her patterns are so fabulously beautiful!  I never recommend anything not extremely well done.  These patterns are great!  

Pattern Designer Interview - Kate of Monkeysbug Patterns

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1. When did you start designing patterns and how did it come about?

I started designing patterns in 2007. Where has the time gone?!? The pdf pattern industry was still very new, so the sky was the limit on fresh ideas.

2. What training do you have or how did you learn?

My mom is an amazing seamstress. My childhood was filled with coordinating dresses for my sisters and myself. Even though she was happy to teach me, I was completely uninterested in sewing…..then I had kids…..and I had to go begging for lessons. Between my mom’s teaching, loads of research, and boatloads of sacrificial fabric, I developed enough experience to feel confident teaching others.

3. What is the process of designing a new pattern like?

Funny question, because I think every pattern goes through the same process in my house. I start by telling my beloved that I have a great, new idea that is “going to be so fast and easy to design”. When it’s finally finished, I tell him that I’ll never say that again. Somewhere in between, there is a lot of drafting, re-drafting, photographing, tutorial writing and (most importantly) testing.

4. What is the hardest part about designing a pattern in pdf form?

The hardest part for me is finishing! I rarely finish one pattern before I’m ready to start the next. It’s difficult to get excited by the little details, like fabric requirements and picture cropping, once a new idea has started to grow.

5. What is your favorite of your patterns and why?

Does it sound too vain to say that I still have a crush on my girls’ undies pattern? After all of these years, I still make them for my girl (who is nearly 13!). There’s something very satisfying about finishing a stack. They even make folding laundry more appealing ;)

6. Do you sew for your own family or for sale? What do you prefer more, sewing or pattern design, and why?

Aside from occasional stacks of undies, I don’t sew much for my family. They’ve outgrown my style. I love working with beautiful fabrics, but my heart belongs to pattern drafting. It’s like a crazy and wonderful jigsaw puzzle.

7. Have you learned anything from feedback from customers that you would like to share with other designers or wanna-be designers?

I’ve learned so much from customers. Simple, clear instructions and detailed photos are invaluable. For any designers starting out, I would add that I would be lost without my amazing team of testers. 

8. Best time and place to design?

I am most productive at night or first thing in the morning before my people wake up. I’m highly distractible once my house is hopping. My sewing room is a sunroom that is desirable to everyone in the house, so I’m rarely lonely.

 9. Favorite fabric of all time?

I could never narrow it down to just one fabric, but anything that makes me weepy to cut is a contender. My most recent sacrifice was some Victoria & Albert Museum – Garthwaite Collection

10. Favorite thing to do for fun?

I love reading, hiking, photography, and any board game my family can agree on. 

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What a fun interview. 

Interesting factoid here: Kate's Tiered Twirly Skirt was my first pdf pattern purchase, back in February 2010.  I have made it many times since. 

Pattern Designer Interview - Lindsay of The Cottage Mama

Lindsay's website: blog, store, and more!

1. When did you start designing patterns and how did it come about?

When I was pregnant with my first daughter, Savannah Rose, I got this urge to create things for her nursery. I really wanted to sew some things such as curtains, pillows, etc.  but I didn’t know where to start. I had grown up with my mom sewing, but never took the time to learn from her. Since my mom lives in Texas and I live in Chicago, I didn’t have her there to teach me. Luckily my grandmother lives close by so I took a lesson from her and off I went. I consider myself self-taught for the most part, but she taught me some very important skills during our one sewing lesson.

After Savannah was born, I started creating clothing for her and I fell in love with designer quilting cotton fabric. As she would wear the clothes around town people would ask me if I sold clothing or baby goods. Shortly thereafter I started my blog (www.thecottagemama.com/blog) where I shared my love of sewing, cooking and crafting and shared mostly the different sewing creations I made for Savannah (and our second daughter, Matilda). About a month later I started an Etsy shop selling handmade clothing. While it was fun at first, I slowly realized that I didn’t like creating the same piece of clothing more than once and what I truly enjoyed was sewing for my own children. As the demand got stronger, I began to lose some of the joy in sewing. And once I came to that realization, I knew I needed to make a change. I decided I would offer my clothing designs as printed sewing patterns that mothers and grandmothers could then sew themselves at home.

I offer all of my patterns in printed paper and PDF form now. The printed patterns are sold retail as well as through shops around the country and are mostly sold through my wholesale distributors. The PDF patterns are sold directly through The Cottage Mama website or through The Cottage Mama Etsy Shop and are available for immediate download.

I released my first book in October 2013 called ‘Sew Classic Clothes for Girls: 20 Girls’ Dresses, Outfits and Accessories from The Cottage Mama’. The patterns in the book are in PDF form on a disk in the back of the book and you can use the patterns to create an entire handmade wardrobe for a little girl in size 12 month – 10 years.

Buy the book here!

And finally, I have two sewing DVD’s out  too. One is a companion DVD to the book where I show you many of the techniques found in the book (it’s great for visual learners). The other DVD is about pairing fabrics and trims and I walk you through an adaptation of my Charlotte Apron Dress pattern.

2. What training do you have or how did you learn?

I didn’t go to school for fashion design……I actually went to college for musical theatre (yes, I sing and dance) and got my degree in Finance. If you would have asked me 10 years ago if I ever saw myself doing what I do now, I would have called you crazy. I learned pretty much everything from books and online and A LOT of trial and error.

3. What is the process of designing a new pattern like?

I flat draft all my patterns, so I generally draft it in a size 4 and then it is graded down to a size 6 month and up to size 10.  I use basic blocks that I’ve created and the patterns are created off of those. The pattern usually undergoes 3 – 4 modifications before I’m happy enough for it to go into grading. Once the pattern is graded from 6 months – 10 years, then the pattern goes into testing with my online Facebook group that has 55 of my beloved pattern testers that make sure that each and ever size and variation are up to The Cottage Mama standards.

4. What is the hardest part about designing a pattern in pdf form?

Interesting question. I guess it’s making sure that everyone understands how to print it properly. If the 2” test square is off when someone goes to print, the pattern won’t line up properly and the fit will be off. Even if it’s 1/16^th of an inch off, the fit will still be off. So educating people about PDF patterns and how to use them is the hardest part.

She doesn't just design for girls!

5. What is your favorite of your patterns and why?

This one is easy…….The Georgia Vintage Dress. It’s my favorite dress I’ve designed or sewn EVER. It’s everything a little girl could hope for in a dress. It’s  sweet, feminine, a little vintage, has a tad bit of whimsy and the fit is spot on (if I do say so myself). It also has a lot of wow factor and looks like an incredibly difficult dress, when in fact, it’s one of my easiest patterns to sew. Plus the fabrics can make the dress look completely different and it’s a fun pattern to use with embellishments.

6. Do you sew for your own family or for sale? What do you prefer more, sewing or pattern design, and why? 

At this point, I only sew for my family. I love sewing. That’s where my heart is, but what I love even more is inspiring others to sew and creating patterns is what helps me to do so. My favorite part of my job is traveling around the country and teaching classes because I get to meet all these amazingly talented women who share the same passion as I do………the love of sewing. I feel so blessed.

7. Have you learned anything from feedback from customers that you would like to share with other designers or wanna-be designers? 

I have learned that designing great patterns is wonderful, but not only do you want people to love your patterns, you want them to know about you and who you are as a designer. It’s not just the pattern that creates a loyal following, it’s the love for the designer that creates customers for life. And the feeling is mutual……..I absolutely love and adore my customers and many of them I can now call my sewing friends.

8. Best time and place to design?

Saturday morning with a cup of coffee………when my husband takes the kids out of the house. Listening to my Caro Emerald station on Pandora. That’s a very happy place for me.

9. Favorite fabric of all time? 

Seaside by October Afternoon for Riley Blake Designs. LOVE, love, love it!!

10. Favorite thing to do for fun? 

I’m a big foodie, so I love going out to eat! 

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Note from Kathy: Lindsay is one of the most genuinely nice people I have come across in the online sewing world.   I hope you enjoyed my interview with her!

Pattern Designer interview series

Click on the designer's name, below, to read a fun interview with her!

Beth of Lilygiggle Patterns

Deanna from Birdsong Patterns 

Amy of Brownie Goose

Meagan of The Mean Princess

Mira of Tulips and Edelweis

Melissa of Lilac Lanes Patterns

Jodi of Jocole Patterns

Sara from Molly Blossom Design

 Sara of Sara Norris Designs

Jen of Tie Dye Diva

 

more coming soon