When was the last time you sat here? Maybe it was just a few days ago, or sometime this month? Maybe these chairs, that long beige table and pile of thick catalogs, bring back memories of sitting here with your mother or your auntie or your son, planning what you’ll make for a recital or…
Reflections on Today’s Home Sewing Pattern Market
I just finished reading Blueprints of Fashion: Home Sewing Patterns of the 1940s. This is my first deep dive into the history of home sewing in America and it’s made me reflect on the moment sewing is experiencing in our culture right now. The role of sewing in the lives of women has radically changed,…
What is the Moda Bake Shop and Should You Contribute?
Sunnyside Diamond Zigzag quilt pattern by Better Off Thread for the Moda Bake Shop. Cutting quilting cotton into squares or strips is one of the most time consuming parts of making a quilt. In 2006, Moda, the Dallas, Texas based fabric company, began selling fabric bundles that were precut, making it easier for consumers to…
Introducing Harper the Owl: Print Pattern and Kit
I have something really exciting to share today: my first print pattern and kit! Meet Harper the Owl. Here you can see the front and back of the pattern. Harper is a really sweet little project that you can make from small cuts of quilting cotton and felt. He works as a pin cushion or…
What Happens When Your Pattern Goes Viral: The Spool Bird
UPDATED February 17, 2019: You can now purchase a copy of the Spool Bird pattern in two sizes from Michael’s Etsy shop for $5 right here. In 2008 Michael Fulkerson was working as a sewing teacher at Spool Sewing, a fabric store in Philadephia. The store owners asked Fulkerson if he could create a pattern…
How Indie Patterns Have Revolutionized Sewing
Sewing skipped a generation in my family. Growing up we didn’t have a sewing machine at home and I never saw my mother sew. The first time I sewed was in Home Economics class in 8th grade. I was terrible at it and got a C- on our final project due to wonky seams on…
How to Get Your Print Patterns Into Stores (the Easy Way): Cut Loose Press
Walking into your favorite local quilt shop and seeing your pattern hanging on the display wall would certainly be a thrill. For many sewing pattern designers, the idea of selling print patterns is very appealing. It means your designs will be sold all over the country and bought by customers who might not ever read…
The Prevalence of Free Eastern European Softie Patterns Online
I've finally embraced Pinterest. I set up an account a few years ago and was using it a little bit, but I didn't really grasp it's utility, both for collecting and storing creative ideas and for promoting my own work, until very recently. These past few weeks I've been working on a whole series of…
The Insider’s Guide to Starting an Online Sewing Pattern Business
I love to sew. I used to dream about building a business that allowed me to sew every single day. For years, I worked in my studio sewing handmade soft toys and sold them at craft fairs and online. I made a little money – enough to cover expenses and have a little left over…
How to Recruit, Manage, and Get the Most Out of Pattern Testers
It’s Sunday afternoon and you’ve got a few hours to yourself. You decide to finally tackle that handbag pattern you bought a few months ago. The fabric has been stacked up in a corner, waiting for you to get to it and today is the day. An hour or so in, though, you get tripped…