Sunni ~ Christine, you have a rather interesting story about how you got started in pattern making/producing. Can you enlighten us a bit on the process of what you went through to get your pattern company off the ground?

Christine ~ Yes! I think my story is a bit different than the usual! After writing my book, Chic & Simple Sewing, I knew that I wanted to do more patterns, but doing another book wasn’t quite right. I wanted more intricate patterns than a book format would allow and I wanted complete control over them. So working with a publisher wasn’t going to work for me either. But printing patterns are very expensive, since the minimums are very high for the print houses, so I had to get creative about how I was going to do it.

Insert Kickstarter! I found the amazing Kickstarter site when another friend was promoting a project and thought, yes, this is perfect for me. I have loads of students, tons of friends and family, all that want to help take my business to the next level, and hopefully between them all I could raise enough to release the first two patterns. In the end, I met my goal of $6,500 and that provided almost enough to do all that was needed to produce the line. It’s amazing how much goes into it- printing of the envelopes, instructions, patterns; hiring models, photographers, and hair and make up artists; buying fabric; hiring a graphic designer; and on and on. But now they are done and I couldn’t be happier with them!

Sunni ~ Are you a drafter, draper or both?

Christine ~ Both! I would say I’m about 60% right brained and 40% left brained, so it’s a happy balance to being free and loose, all the while making sure that lines are true and straight. I am a graduate of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and grew up in a very creative arts-centric community, so making clothing was just one of many creative things I did along the way. I also throw pottery, weld, shoot film, and loads more. So working freely at the beginning works for me. Then I get more serious after working with draping for a bit and take pencil to paper and make sure that the left brain part of my personality can keep things in order. It works for me. I couldn’t imagine only drafting. It’s so 2-dimentional!

Sunni ~ What’s your favorite sewing tip or trick that you could share with us?

Christine ~ Well, it’s no secret that pressing well elevates a homespun garment tremendously, but that is my all-time tip for any home seamstress. Press, press, press! I get made fun of in my sewing classes for constantly telling my students to “press crisp!” But seriously, the difference between an un-pressed hem and a pressed one? Night and day ladies!

Sunni ~ What influences your style? Do you have any style icons?

Christine ~ I’m hugely influenced by people. Just regular people out and about. I have zero interest in making costumey retro fashions that we will never wear in our everyday lives. I want to make the dress you want to toss on everyday because it’s cute, comfortable, flattering, and good for a multitude of social situations. So watching people “live” in their clothes is what I love doing. Sit me down on a bench in a city and I’m good to go!

My style icons are mostly French ladies of the 1960’s. It’s my favorite place and time, and they influence me hugely. But again, I don’t think you’d look at my two recent patterns, or my book, and see that in any blatant way. And that’s because I don’t want to look like I’m wearing a costume. I hope to achieve a modern take of those influences.

Sunni ~ What part of the sewing process gives you the most pleasure?

Christine ~ I’m sure most people would answer, “finishing!” And yes, being done is awesome! But aside from that, I love matching up all my materials at the beginning. Finding the perfect pattern with the ideal fabric match and then hunting for great buttons to finish it all off. That part is really fun. I also love the act of sewing. Just sewing and sewing and sewing away is really pleasurable.

Sunni ~ Where do you see you and your pattern company/business going in the next few years?

Christine ~ I’m a one-woman show, so I am okay with starting small and hope to release two to three patterns each year. I am completely in love with my fall pattern and I can’t wait to finish it up so I can get it photographed and out in the world. I can already tell that it’s going to be my uniform for a very long time!

I also plan to do another class with Craftsy. I currently have one up now called the Sassy Librarian Blouse and have almost 1,400 students in it to date! I am really enjoying their website which allows me to interact directly with my students who are from all over the world. It’s pretty amazing!

In addition, I still plan to teach classes in Los Angeles, which I do currently at Sew L.A., and also I write from time to time for Sew Stylish and Sew News. I have an article coming out next spring in Sew News about the sewing scene in Paris, where my man and I try to escape to each year.

And sometimes you can find me at the occasional conference too. Earlier this year I participated in the Craftcation Conference in Ventura, CA, which was a total blast and I have plans to return next year too!

Sunni ~ Just for some fun and discussion, what are your thoughts on the future of sewing? Do you think sewing is coming back into style?

Christine ~ I think sewing is back! I find it hilarious that all these articles are coming out, like the recent one in the New York Times, about how sewing is starting to come back. It feels like a long road since I started out at the second Renegade Craft Fair in Chicago, and I know a ton of other people who have been working their butts off that long or longer too, so in my world, it’s been back for kind of a long time now.

But I know my circle isn’t the same as other circles, and I know my city isn’t like other cities. So if I lived in small-town America and my only fabric store choice was not terribly hip, I might not see that it’s back in a big way. But living in Los Angeles, we are very fortunate to have amazing fabric shops, huge networks of craft support, and it feels like everyone I know is making a living doing what they love. It’s an amazing time and place and I’m extremely happy to be in the middle of it!

Thanks so much Christine! It’s been a pleasure hearing from an up and coming pattern designer on the block. Readers, don’t miss out on the Chelsea (I’ve got my own version of this dress coming up soon!) or the Derby sewing patterns. Visit Christine’s Blog and start getting excited for her Fall pattern release!

xoxo,
Sunni

Will you tell us a little bit about yourself and your background? When did you first pick up the needle and thread?

Hi, I’m Kristiann and I live in Toronto where I design PDF sewing patterns at Victory Patterns. I have a background in fashion design and teaching and I’m addicted to making things!  As a kid I always kept myself occupied with re-purposing random stuff I found laying around the house. We had an old sewing machine and some unwanted clothes so I managed to patch together a few projects. As a result of my self taught skills and weird imagination, I think I was a weirdly dressed kid, wearing shirts out of towels and pants out of curtains.  I was so excited when I got to take a home economics class in school. We got to pick our own pattern and I made a floor length purple velvet cape with a giant hood like belle wore in Beauty And The Beast. Where was my mom in all of this mess? That’s how it all started, and over the years I got better, I hope?!

What prompted you to create Victory Patterns? Where do you see your pattern company headed in the next few years?

For the past few years I have taught at a lovely sewing studio in Toronto called the Workroom, and I have seen that the interest in sewing has grown so much, and is continuing to grow. I saw people flocking to the Japanese dress books, and despite the instructions being in Japanese, they were just dying to have some cute projects to sew. I realized there was room in the market for some stylish sewing patterns and I decided to create my own line. The patterns allow me to develop a “clothing line” with the means I have at the moment, and I may want to take that further as time goes on. I want to keep developing more patterns and I’d love to put out some handbag and accessory PDF’s. I’m contemplating creating printed patterns, working on made to order pieces or producing a very small clothing line, and developing a textile collection. Time will tell.

Your designs have a lovely retro feel, but with a wonderful modern twist. What inspires you? Favorite designer/style icon?

I’m inspired by the vintage styles and I really love everything from the 20′s to the 70′s. There are so many designers that I love, but some of my favorites are McQueen, Nicolas Ghesquiere, Jeremy Laing, Marc Jacobs and Lauren Moffat for really wearable stuff. I love looking at interesting garment details and various drafting techniques and integrating these things into wearable, feminine clothing.

When I think of a style icon, I think of my mom in the 70′s. She was (and still is) such a beautiful lady with such great style. Her mom used to have her clothes made for her, and I still have a few pieces. They are all so gorgeous and delicate, and I love that they were hand made! Sometimes I imagine her when I design.

Do you sew for yourself these days? Working on anything for yourself right now?

Sad to say, it’s been a while since I’ve had the time to sew for myself. Luckily, with Victory Patterns, the samples fit me, so it’s like getting a whole new wardrobe, but I have lots of things in my head that I wish I had the time to make. My sewing to do list right now consists of altering a growing mountain of vintage clothing I’ve collected. It’s haunting me!

What are your favorite sewing materials? Favorite fabric/cloth?

I love working with leather and silk. Anything you make with either material always looks amazing! Leather can be crafted in so many ways and gains character with age. Silk looks and feels beautiful, it takes dye in the best way, and I love to paint it!

Thanks for having me, and I hope you enjoy the Patterns!!!

Thank you Kristiann!

xoxo,
Sunni

It’s so fabulously put together and definitely is something I would like to try (especially on this skirt) and is an awesome touch for a more advanced sewer looking to up the ante with this skirt and many others. Gertie’s such an awesome teacher and I’ve been following her since last year when I read a controversial article about tattoos and she was mentioned. I jumped on over to her blog and found out what an amazing seamstress she is and have always been thoroughly in awe of everything she does. Thanks for sharing with us Gertie!

xoxo,

Sunni

Hello, everyone! When Sunni asked me to write up a little inspiration post for this sew-along, I couldn’t have been more excited; inspiration posts are always such fun to put together and share! When the new Ginger pattern was released I just knew this was going to be a fantastic pattern. It’s one of those styles that you can customize and really make your own using simple variations on embellishment or even more complicated ones that involve manipulating and altering the pattern. The inspiration-gathering phase of any new sewing project is often my favorite; I love to dig through my extensive image files and vintage magazine collection for details that jump out at me. Because vintage fashion is so rich with details and ideas, I collected up a few to share with you that I thought would fit the silhouette of the Ginger skirt.

The 1940s was an era that the a-line skirt ruled; the slightly flaired silhouette kept within the straighter silhouette that was popular during the decade, and because it didn’t require much fabric fit within many of the fabric restrictions imposed during the war years. This is probably my favorite era to gather inspriation for this particular skirt style; there are loads of variations!

1. View 1 and 2 of the Ginger skirt have a center front seam cut on the straight of grain, which is a great point to add some extra fabric to create a deep box pleat, such as shown here. It requires a bit more fabric, but adds some extra fullness to the skirt as well.

2. With the raised and shaped waistbands on view 1 and 2, it’s easy to see how adding a wide self-fabric sash or even a narrow ribbon, tied into a bow, would be a lovely addition! I also love the patch pocket here; sporty meets sweet.

3. Another center front pleat idea; but what I like more is the shaped patch pockets. The contrasting stitching is a fantastic idea; try using a few strands of embroidery floss or purl cotton for maximum effect.

4. A sheer overskirt split down the front is a novel idea! Wouldn’t this be dreamy on the Ginger made up in silk? Simply cut out additional skirt pieces from a sheer fabric (chiffon, georgette, etc.) and hem the center front edges rather than joining. Baste to the waistline of the under skirt and stitch to the waistband as directed. Gorgeous!

1. This whole ensemble is cute, but what I wanted to draw your attention to was the waistband embellishment. Imagine adding some embroidery, beading, appliqueing a patterned ribbon on, or even just attaching a few vintage buttons across the front. Wouldn’t that be a neat little way to personalize this?

2. I’ve already mentioned pockets a couple times, but I think they bear repeating—especially since pockets applied to the surface of the skirt are so easy. Check out this oversized pocket from the mid 40s—isn’t that wild and great for stashing things?

3.  A little ruffled peplum would be fun to add to this skirt—and super easy. Just cut out a strip of fabric about 2 1/2 times your waist measure by the width (plus allowances for hemming!). Hem one long edge and both the short ones, gather the unfinished edge and baste to the waistline of the skirt. Or attach to a piece of wide ribbon to make it detachable!

4. Another great surface design idea—applique! Super easy and could be anything from a cheeky embroidered design, to beading (which is what this looks like) to felt appliques a la 1950s.

1. For gals that have narrow hips and want to visually balance the silhouette, this is a great idea to add a horizontal seam across the hip. Simple trace and split your pattern at the level you want, add seam allowances to the bottom of the hip yoke and top of the lower skirt piece and seam! Try topstitching in a contrasting thread too.

2. Why not take a page out of this lady’s c. 1950 look book and lengthen your Ginger? Very pretty especially in bold patterns or prints.

3. Another sheer overlay idea; this time without hemming the center front edges as before. Simply construct another skirt out of the sheer material and baste to the underskirt before attaching the waistband. Easy and a great way to practice using sheer materials and creating a rolled hem!

4. I love this skirt because it really reminds me of view 3 on the Ginger pattern. Stripes are a bit tricky to cut out, but just remember to select one that is balanced and refer to a good sewing book for helpful tips.

1. Why not add a bit of shape to the hem of your Ginger? This mid 40s dress sports a zig-zag hem, but scallops would be equally lovely.

2. Or try a reverse scallop for another effect! Super fun and a great way to use contrasting fabrics!

3. Finally,  a really simple but pretty look: lace. This lace has been sewn in the seam of the skirt (easy to do: just trace your pattern, measure the depth of the bottom edge you’d like, cut and add seam allowances to the cut edges). But you could add some peeking out at the hem, or even in scallops, loops or rosettes!

I hope you enjoyed this little roundup. Using what inspires you and your imagination is part of what I find exciting about sewing. I hope perhaps a few of these caught your eye and gave you a few ideas as to how to take your Ginger skirt and make it truly yours.

Expert’s First Garment

Like Tasia, I can’t remember my first sewing project either! I’ve been sewing since I was about 6, so that’s 20 years of projects to try and sift through (the ol’ brain just isn’t up to it!). Instead I thought I’d share with you on of the first I was really proud of and felt started me on the path to becoming a better seamstress. When I was a teenager I became fascinated with learning how to draft patterns and decided to enter a pattern competition in which you had to create your own historically-inspired pattern. Not daunted by my lack of pattern drafting knowledge, I made a pattern for a mid 1830s style gown (complete with enormous leg-o-mutton sleeves!). I really took my time on this project, creating muslin after muslin, studying pattern shapes from the era, and details of construction. Although I ended up not entering the competition, the learning experience of drafting my own dress from scratch and learning to persevere through the inevitable hiccups that come with any project were invaluable. Lessons learned that I still use today!

Image: Christian Dior’s Signature A-Line look from 1955.

A-line skirts seem almost magical in their ability to flatter so many body types. While the flared skirt with a fitted waist has been around a while, it wasn’t until the 1950s that the modern idea of the A-line began to develop.

The first use of the term “A-line” in fashion dates back to Christian Dior in his Spring 1955 collection. Dior and other Paris designers set the trends at this time, and Dior capitalized on this by organizing his collections around specific themes with descriptive names. From 1954 to 1955 he designed three collections, each based on a letter (H, A, and Y). These each marked a turn away from his previous hit collection of 1947, the “New Look” characterized by small waists, and full skirts.

However, the A-line created by Dior isn’t quite what we think of when we talk about A-lines today. It had narrow shoulders, a long smooth waistline, and a flar of skirt towards the bottom. It’s signature look was a flared jacket over very full skirt.

It was in 1958 that Dior’s successor, Yves Saint Laurent, truly captured the modern A-Line shape. In his first collection for Dior, Yves Saint Laurent introduced the dramatic “trapeze line,” consisting of dresses that flared outward from fitted shoulders.

Images: A dress from the Trapeze collection, a sketch by Saint Laurent, another trapeze dress on a model.

Saint Laurent’s extreme new silhouette was not immediately adopted, but less extreme versions began popping up in the early 60s, and were to remain popular through the 1970s. A-line skirts and dresses were absolutely everywhere at this time.

Image: Vintage Vogue pattern from the 1960s, from Vintage British Style

Of course, neither Dior nor Saint Laurent invented the concept of the softly flared skirt. We can see examples of similar shapes in the 1930s and 1940s, and even dating back to the Edwardian Era. But it was at this time that the A-line as we know it developed, and entered the fashion lexicon.

The term “A-line” is most often used to describe skirts or dresses, but can also be used for jackets and coats. At its most basic, an A-line shape is characterized by a fitted top that flares out to form an A shape. When it comes to skirts, the fit comes from darts or seams rather than more decorative fullness, like gathers or pleats.

Image: A modern A-line skirt from Kate Spade

The wonderful thing about this silhouette is that it flatters just about everyone. It creates a more defined waist, while the shape draws the eye upward. The hip-skimming shape is very flattering on women with larger hips, balancing out the area with the flare at the hem. For slimmer figures, it creates an illusion of curves. And for top-heavy figures (like mine!), it balances out the bust to create more of an hourglass.

Expert’s First Garment

The first dress I ever made myself was an A-line. It was a simple little 60s-style shift dress, which I made up in quilter’s cotton. The print was a psychedelic red and black swirl, and I trimmed it with some cheap ruffled black lace. I laugh to look back on it now, as I’d never make those kinds of fabric choices today. But I loved that dress and wore it all the time to high school, and even my best friend was envious of it. Still, though I might cringe slightly at my 16-year-old taste, I knew what shapes fit and would look good on me, and I still adore that early 60s silhouette.

Sources: Thanks to the Clothing and Fashion Encyclopedia

Hi Sew-Alongers! I’m thrilled to be talking about fabrics today. When Sunni asked me to guest-post on fabric selection, I was thrilled to come over here and offer my two cents. Today I’ll give you some suggestions, ideas and tips for picking fabric for your Ginger Skirt.

Whenever you’re about to pick fabric for a pattern, the first thing to do is read the back of the envelope! Often the pattern designer will give you recommendations on fabrics. Following the fabric suggestions will give you the best results!

Let’s take a look at the fabrics listed on the back here:

• Medium weight fabrics such as poplin, twill, silk dupioni, wool challis, gabardine, suiting, crepe. For version 3, choose a striped fabric for a chevron effect.

These recommendations will help us pick the best fabric for the Ginger! Medium weight is the first and most important. We’ll want to make sure our fabric isn’t too light, or too heavy, or it won’t sew up nicely.

The next clues are all fabric types: twill, poplin, suiting. Take a look at the Colette Patterns’ fabric series for help on what these fabric types mean! Or refer to a sewing book – Claire Shaeffer’s Fabric Guide is a great reference. As a beginner, don’t worry if none of these names make sense to you right now. The more you sew, the more you’ll learn!

Poplin is a type of lightweight woven fabric, often cotton. Think of a white cotton button-down shirt – that’s usually poplin! Shirting is another term you might see in your fabric store. Remember, you don’t want to choose a fabric that’s too light, we’re looking for medium weight.

Twill refers to the weave of the fabric. Think of denim – it has a diagonal stripe woven into the fabric. That’s a twill weave! Twills can be lighter weight than denim, and may be made of cotton, polyester or blends. This skirt would be really cute and versatile in a denim fabric.

Silk dupioni is one of the recommended fabrics, shown in the photo below:

Silk dupioni would make a lovely, luxurious skirt! Once you learn what silk dupioni looks like, it’s easy to identify. It’s shiny, lustrous and has a natural slub appearance on the surface.

Stripes are easy to find! Remember to look for a stripe in a medium weight fabric.

Also, you’ll want to match the stripes at centre front so they form a ‘V’ pattern. If your stripe is really wide and large, you may need to buy extra fabric to match the stripes. Stripes can be subtle, like the denim stripes shown earlier, or bold and bright!

If you’re new to sewing, be kind to yourself and choose an easier fabric! Silks are gorgeous but need to be handled with care. Wools are easily handled but can become shiny with over-pressing.

If this is your first skirt, I’d suggest choosing a cotton fabric.Cottons are easy to sew with, easy to press and can look just as beautiful as silk. These fabrics below are cotton lawn, a slightly lighter weight than poplin. Easy to sew with and very pretty!

The last thing to think  about is the drape of the fabric. An A-line skirt pattern is wonderfully versatile! Made up in a crisper fabric, it will hold more of a true A-line shape.

Using a softer, more drapey fabric will give you a flowy, softer skirt. Hold up the fabric against you in the fabric store, and find a mirror. Does the fabric stand straight out, or does it curve and cling to the body? If you’re not sure, look for something in the middle – not too stiff, not too fluid.

Another thing to thing about regarding fabric selection is to consider what you will wear it with. I love a bold, bright print, but then I’m limited to what I can wear on top. Do you have a blouse that you love, but nothing to pair it with on the bottom? Now’s the time to make a coordinating skirt to complete the outfit!

Expert’s First Garment

Sunni’s asked me to tell you about my first ever sewing project. I’ve been sewing for so long I can’t remember what my first real garment project was! I started off sewing as a little girl, sewing clothes for my Barbie doll, my earliest sewing memories are sewing small clothes out of fabric scraps for Barbie.

I do remember my first high school sewing project – a pair of elastic-waist shorts. It’s the first project that everyone learns to sew in high school. I used a teal, purple and orange cotton Southwestern-style print that I thought was pretty cool at the time. They sort of fit, as good as a one-size-fits-all pattern fits, and I remember wearing them to gym class even though they were hideous!

If you have any questions on fabric selection, Sunni or I will be happy to help you out. Happy sewing, everyone!

A Fashionable Stitch ~ Tell me a little about yourself and how it is that sewing and designing came to be part of your life.

Cal Patch ~ Well, I would really have liked to major in art in college. But despite being creative, I am also very practical, and I knew even at a young age that an art major would leave me without many job prospects. So SOMEHOW I figured out that if I went into Fashion Design (even though i hate the “F” word!) i would be more likely to be gainfully employed. My main rationale was that “everyone wears clothes!”

I didn’t learn to sew properly until I was in college. I still lament the way we were taught to sew; it was very outdated and laborious. I think we should have made a garment per week, but it was more like a garment every three months. To this day I’m very slow at sewing (and everything else I do!) and wish I could go faster.

Basic Pant pattern from Cal’s book Design it Yourself Clothes

A Fashionable Stitch ~ Right into the burning question of today, what is it exactly about pants that makes them hard to draft and hard to fit?

Cal Patch ~ I think the main reason is that pants have to cover an area that is an intersection of 3 cylinders (your torso and two legs) AND it’s probably the section of the body with the most movement. Think about it: you’ve got your waist, hips and knees, and they can all bend and twist so many ways. So we expect our pants to give us a complete range of motion while fitting very closely, which really sounds pretty impossible for a woven fabric! Then there is also the fact that every person has a unique set of measurements, shape and proportion…

Annie Trousers from Cal’s Book

A Fashionable Stitch ~ Have you made a pair of pants for yourself and if so, what kinds of problems did you run into?

Cal Patch ~ Honestly, I’ve made very few pants! The only pants I really wear are jeans, and I kind of think that they are best left to manufacturers like Levi’s because we can’t do all of the hardware and heavy-duty stitching on home sewing machines. But I have made a pair of corduroys from one of the Built by You patterns; they came out great except they don’t fit well! I should have made a muslin but I didn’t. And then I made all of the pants for my book, which I made to my own measurements so they fit me (and didn’t fit the models very well)…

Carla Palazzo pants from Cal’s Book

A Fashionable Stitch ~ Any tips to keep in mind? Things to look for as we sew pants/trousers?

Cal Patch ~ I think the best tip I can give is that pants definitely require a muslin first, so the fit can be checked and adjusted before many hours are wasted. Unlike a top or dress, a lot of pant issues won’t be fixed by adjusting side seams. If the crotch is too low, it can’t be raised because the fabric has already been cut away! The rise seam is often the trickiest bit to get right. Good luck everyone! I’ll check in on your progress and remember, I’m here if you need me ;n)

Thanks Cal! This little question and answer prompted a few questions I would like to put to you now. Have you tried sewing pants? If it ended badly, what was the main problem? Where did the pants pull, bunch or not fit at all well in general?

Don’t forget to check out Cal’s sweet little book on patternmaking! It’s really great for beginners just learning the ropes of how to draft patterns for yourself! Drop by her blog too and Etsy shop!

Next up: shopping list for our trouser sewalong. Oh what fun!

A Fashionable Stitch ~Just to get started, can you tell us a little bit about yourself and your background in clothing/pattern design?

Sewaholic ~ I’ve always loved sewing, for as long as I can remember. When I graduated from high school, fashion school seemed like the natural next step! I completed a four-year degree in Fashion Design, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Pattern drafting, sewing, costing, sketching, studying the history of clothing – the whole process was fascinating! It was wonderful and inspiring to spend my days surrounded by people who also loved sewing and creating.
A month before I graduated from college, I applied to a real fashion industry position advertised on the school bulletin board, a local company looking for a ‘Design Coordinator’ – and I got the job! So I finished my last month of school while working in the industry a couple of days a week, spending weekends at my part-time job, and evenings sewing up my graduation fashion show pieces. It was hectic but fun!
I worked at that very same job in the fashion industry for eight years, starting at the very bottom and working my way up. It was great hands-on experience learning about the apparel business, working in almost every department, and watching a company grow. When I left, I was managing purchasing and production – dealing with factories, writing orders, negotiating, costing. Exciting and fast-paced work, although not very creative. Yes, I had to be ‘creative’ in solving problems, but not in the way where I was able to create things. That’s when I started my blog Sewaholic, as a creative outlet and a way to stay inspired.
So my background comes from my fashion degree as well as eight years working in the apparel industry. Also, my mother is a talented seamstress, so you could say it’s in my genes!

Sewaholic ~ Drafter – that’s the way I learned to make patterns, so that’s where I always start. Though, once the pattern is translated in fabric, there’s often little tweaks to make that involve a little draping.

A Fashionable Stitch ~ I for one am very interested in the process from concept to published pattern. Can you walk us through the design process?

Sewaholic ~ Absolutely!
First, the design is finalized. I draw a sketch and work out the measurements of each part. For example, if there is a ruffle, I figure out how long it should be, and where it should start and stop. This might change, but at least I have a starting point. The first pattern is made, based on the sketch and the measurements.
Then, the fun part! I sew up a muslin version of the first pattern. It’s almost never perfect, so there’s a lot of tweaking, adjusting, and revising that happens at this stage. The pattern is adjusted, and another muslin is made. This goes back and forth until the design is perfect, which can take a while! While I’m making the muslins, I make very rough notes on how it’s constructed, so I have a starting point for the instructions.
Once the design is perfected, a couple of things start happening. One, I start making a real version of the design. I’ll take photos wearing the item, and I’ll also wear-test it for comfort and fit. (If I don’t like wearing it all day, you probably won’t either!) Two, I start writing up the instructions. This takes a long time! I draw up the little pictures for each sewing step, and work out the wording to use.
Then, the pattern is graded into different sizes. I figure out the fabric requirements for each size, view, and fabric width, and work out the fabric cutting layouts.
After all of the information is finalized, the envelope and instruction sheet artwork is created. I have the help of my lovely and talented sister, who is a graphic designer! She’s the talent behind the envelope design, and I couldn’t be happier with how it looks.
Once the art files are ready, they are sent off to print! The printer receives the files, and prints me a test sheet (called a proof) to approve before they proceed. I receive the proof, give them the go-ahead, and printing begins!
I think that’s it – it’s a long process! I’ve learned that everything takes twice as long as you think, but it’s been an eye-opening experience and the next run will go much smoother, I’m sure!

Sewaholic ~ I’m glad you love the blouse! The inspiration was simple – I was looking for a blouse pattern that I wanted to make over and over with subtle variations, and couldn’t find one that I absolutely loved. I wanted to eliminate the details that make it harder to sew – hemming slippery blouse fabrics, hard-to-sew necklines, and zippers or buttonholes. I figured if I didn’t like hemming sheer or lightweight fabrics, then maybe there were others that felt the same way!
Back when I dreamed up the idea of my own pattern line, my plan was to start with something different. In fact, the first design was originally going to be a dress pattern! However, I was playing with a couple of ideas at once, and the one that immediately came together and fell into place was the blouse. It just felt like the right place to start – a simple pattern with unique design details, that would be easy to sew and fit – so I went for it!

Sewaholic ~ My hopes are to run a profitable company, and support myself doing something I love. I hope to never compromise my beliefs and values, and continue to stay approachable even if the business grows. Most importantly, I hope to inspire more people around the world to sew!
I’d like sewing to be cool again. I’d like women to realize that they can feel beautiful in clothing they create, that so-called “figure problems” can be easily tamed when you learn to sew for yourself and fit your body, and that there is no right way to dress. If fashion magazines are saying pastels are in, and all you want is a bright red dress, then make yourself one! I’d love for people to think of sewing not as a cheaper alternative to shopping, or an artsy-craftsy thing, but a way for real, modern women to dress themselves.
Five years from now? Everything is so new that it’s hard to imagine where I will be in five years, I’ll have to re-read this post in a year and see if I’m on track or not! In five years I’d like to have a full line of patterns in the collection – maybe fifteen or twenty styles that make up a complete wardrobe. I’d like to have retailers carry my pattern line in stores. I’d like people who sew to know about Sewaholic Patterns. I’d like to find new and fun ways to share my love of sewing, maybe look into teaching, or designing fabric, or creating new pattern collections. Who knows where the future will take me? I’m just excited to see what happens next.

Sewaholic ~ Here’s a hint – you can wear it with your Pendrell Blouse!

Cheers Tasia! Here’s to you and your pattern company! A big thank you for a peek into your design process.

It’s been quite some time since I’ve had a guest over here on the blog. Ms. Chie of Vivat Veritas contacted me last week and so sweetly agreed to do a guest post over here. As many you are probably aware, this stellar designer came up with that infamous backless dress on Burda Style I saw awhile back. I’ve seen so many versions of this idea since then. And isn’t it just to DIE for? Yeah, it is. So without further adieu, I present to you Chie of Vivat Veritas and her beautifully inspired world:

Hi! My name is Chie Duncan of the Vivat Veritas Clothing Line. I am so honored to be a guest blogger at one of my favorite sewing blogs, the Cupcake Goddess.

I love sewing. It all started when my close friend from college, lent me her sewing machine. I first used her sewing machine to remake an old hippy looking maternity dress I bought from flea market.  I liked the fabric but not the style so I thought it would be fun to turn it into something a little more appropriate for my age and time in life. I immediately starting cutting and sewing but had no real plan in mind. The whole process was fun but, unfortunately when I finished the project, I couldn’t fit into the dress. I didn’t realize that the fabric had no stretch, and I didn’t think to add zippers or buttons. After this I realized that I had some learning to do before I tried to remake anything else.  So I started researching about sewing and patterns and the steps required to make something which would actually be wearable.

From that point on I slowly taught myself how to sew women’s clothing.  I used online resources, such as BurdaStyle and other video tutorials. When I first began this process it would take me three days to complete one project, but slowly, I got better at sewing:)

I usually get inspiration for new sewing projects from blogs and other BurdaStyle member’s projects. My favorite fashion blogs are The Glamorai, The Cherry Blossom Girl, Late Afternoon, Karla’s Closet, Natalie Off Duty….just to name a few. I subscribe to many more fashion, sewing and design blogs, and reading their new posts is one of my morning routines.

I have a folder on my desktop, called “inspiration” where I save some pictures which I revisit often. When I fall into sewers block, I go there and use those resources to get my juices flowing again.

I love going to any and every fabric store I find. Visiting fabric stores has almost become a hobby in and of itself. I usually don’t have a shopping list when I go to a store because I always end up buying something different than what was on my original list.  Because of this I decided to just go and buy whatever strikes me at the time. I like
fabrics that are comfortable to wear, such as jersey and cotton. I am more prone to use prints than solid color. My usual M.O. is fabric first design second.  If I like the fabric, I usually buy a couple of meters and then begin to think of the best use for it.

My favorite garment at the moment is the dress pictured. It is a modification of the JJ blouse from BurdaStyle. I always come up with new ideas for garments while I am sewing.  I first sewed the JJ blouse without any modification but over time thought of my own modifications. For this JJ, I shortened the blouse, added a waist band, and square gathered the skirt and added a side zipper.

So, I’m curious, do most of you start with a plan in mind or make things up as you go along? For me the freedom “to see what comes next” is half the fun.

Sandra from Sandritocat Vintage Patterns has graciously offered some of her vintage pattern expertise here today. I do love a good vintage pattern find and Sandra has one of the best vintage patterns shops I’ve seen. She has a wide variety to choose from and in fact, I purchased my first vintage pattern from her. My Red Vixen Dress was a 1960′s pattern straight from her shop! Without further adieu, here some great info on vintage sewing patterns! Thank you Sandra!

How did you come to start selling vintage sewing patterns? I actually happened on a large lot of patterns at an estate sale and sat for days looking through them, enjoying them and remembering many of the children’s patterns that my mother had made for me. Then I decided to take a look online to see if anyone bought these vintage patterns. Much to my surprise, people did and many paid good money for them. I put a few on Ebay auctions and I was hooked.
As for my pattern/vintage addiction, I have an Aunt who was in the antique business for all her life and as a girl I use to love to go over to her house and go out to the “room” filled with antiques and look around. She had dolls and linens and all this beautiful stuff that I wanted to touch and feel and smell. I think her passion has rubbed off on me. I just can’t pass a box of patterns without rescuing them. I’ve rescued some from being used as wrapping paper or just thrown away.

How do you go about finding your vintage sewing patterns? What sorts of vintage patterns do you mostly find and what are the most coveted ones you are looking for? Oh, I find them in many odd places. Truthfully, wherever I go, I’m looking for patterns. When I take a trip, I like to look at antique stores, but I mainly find them at estate sales.
My most coveted patterns that I look for are swimsuits and evening gowns because they are far and few between, and I get so many requests for me to watch or look out for this pattern, and it’s usually a swimsuit pattern. Personally, if I ever found a Lucille Ball pattern, I probably would scream, since she’s my all time favorite actress.

Are you a seamstress? If so, do you enjoy sewing with vintage sewing patterns? It’s funny, but I haven’t sewn since I was in high school and I’m now in my early 40′s. My Mom recently passed away and I inherited her sewing machine, so I plan on starting to sew again.

What is the number one thing that someone should keep in mind when buying a vintage sewing pattern? The sizing is very different from today’s sizes and you should look at the measurements, not the actual size.

Do you have a stash of vintage patterns of your own and if so, what is your most treasured pattern? Any of the 1970s Simplicity patterns for girls. The ones my mom made for me, because bring back such great memories. My stash is put away but this is one in particular that brings back great childhood memories:

Thank you Sandra! I’m so glad you were willing to impart some of your knowledge of vintage sewing patterns with us. You are such a treat! Everyone go have a look in her shop and start dreaming of making a vintage pattern with a few modern frills and trills!

PS ~ All the above images are sewing patterns from Sandra’s shop! I highly recommend buying one from her as she is so great to work with and has lightening fast shipping!