I get a lot of questions about what I do. One of the really common questions is "how do you draft your patterns?" Then there are usually a lot of fancy schmancy phrases thrown out about CAD programs and slopers and drafters and which do I recommend...
I sooo have you all fooled.
While I have used professional drafters (which I loved working with) and fancy CAD programs (which gave me a headache) and done the whole bells and whistles bit, I find that I like kicking it old school with a pencil, scissors, and a few sheets of newspaper. I test out the pattern that way until it is right, and then scan it and trace it in illustrator. I've found this gives me much better results and takes WAY less time. Which allows me to properly test the pattern and put time into the illustrations, which are the areas I would prefer to allocate my pattern-creation time.
It's just one of the things I've learned along the way in this journey of being in business for yourself.
We'll have new patterns in the fall, just in case you missed that in a previous post. Took all the patterns down to give myself time to write this book, contemplated it endlessly, told myself it was ok and not a step back, now know it was absolutely the right decision. So excited to offer new patterns though, armed with all I've learned since releasing the first wave of them.
Ok, back to it.
OH, but first, I promised pictures of those ginormous poppies. They're the size of my hands. Which might not mean a lot to you, but I've never met another female with larger hands than me. It's my fingers - they're super long. One of my pinkies even has an extra crease mark. That bit of Sandi info was totally random, yes I know. And maybe a bit weird, to be talking about body parts on my blog? Hmm. Oh well.
Look! Pretty flowers!
And loads more to open!
Have I mentioned I am loving our chunk of earth?
Love the poppies.. reminds me of growing up, my mother had a huge patch of them.
Posted by: pam | June 23, 2011 at 09:52 AM
and what a lovely chunk of earth it is!
..and I love the low tech pattern making, that is hardcore.
Posted by: Liesel | June 23, 2011 at 11:14 AM
Do you think you will ever be able to offer the Strawberry Skirt again? I purchased it from your site and never received it.
Posted by: Erika | June 23, 2011 at 01:14 PM
Thanks for the poppy pics. Here in California, poppies are everywhere, but much different looking.
Posted by: Denise | June 23, 2011 at 06:05 PM
Love the poppies and that pincushion is to die for. Is that one of your patterns?? I have to track down the pattern for it!
Posted by: Anne Marie | June 23, 2011 at 06:39 PM
Wonderful poppies Sandi! The only thing I miss about my previous chunk of earth is...my poppies!
Posted by: Mary on Lake Pulaski | June 23, 2011 at 08:07 PM
I love how you make patterns! Paper is what I've always used. How do you scan the larger pieces? I'm trying to figure that out right now. I was thinking about cutting it up to 8.5x11 size and scanning piece by piece! I feel the exact opposite about my hands. I still wear kid gloves because all the adult sizes are too big!
Posted by: Maggie Reno | June 23, 2011 at 11:51 PM
I love that after trying all the high tech gadgets and programs that you're going with an old school newspaper method! My thoughts were the same as Maggie's—how do you scan in the large pattern pieces?
Posted by: Nikki Butler | June 24, 2011 at 11:38 AM
We have gotten many great comments from our customers and earn a good reputation in foreign makerts, more than 90% customers are satisfied with our products and service, till now our online members are beyond 80,000. As of right now, we currently serve customers from over 18 countries, and we are still growing. We really hope to expand our business through cooperation with individuals and companies from around the world.--- ercai
Posted by: Replica Handbags | September 08, 2011 at 09:01 PM