Thanks so much for all of your support and encouragement for my new sewing patterns! I am honestly so excited! (and so overworked! ha!)
I’ve been dying to give you a little tour of my patterns. It honestly took me so long to figure out what I wanted, and then finalise everything – but i feel really really happy with them!
Okay, so from the outside – for the cover designs I worked with a really amazing graphic designer (but I’ll tell you all about that later!) – and I’m using these lovely large envelopes. I wanted something that is easy to get things in and out of, sturdy and actually closes properly. And I LOVE these! They open on the side, and have velcro closures (could that be cooler? seriously?).
Obviously there’s all the important details on the back – but I wanted to set things out a little differently. Having an actual shopping list was really important to me, as I hate it when the envelope doesn’t clearly tell you all you need, and then get home without buttons or something silly. Then on the inside there’s the pattern and instruction booklet.
The pattern is printed on really sturdy semi-translucent paper – and I honestly think this is one of my favourite features. Every time I’ve ever used a commercial pattern I find that the damn tissue paper rips (for no good reason), so I end up tracing my pattern onto sturdier paper or muslin before even starting. That’s just infuriating! I think patterns should have longevity – so I really want mine to be able to be used over and over without ripping.
I’ve made the instructions in booklet form – because it seems almost everyone finds that style much easier to follow. (Seriously what is with those giant fold out map instructions anyway?!). I spent a lot of time trying to make everything as clear and as easy to follow as possible – and I added a lot of details that I find valuable.
Since patterns are standard, I find that whenever i use one I end up making little adjustments for myself – or I learn something i want to remember for next time. I end up scribbling all over the pattern envelope trying to find a bit of white space to take notes on – so I added a section in the back of the booklet for notes.
Another thing I love doing is keeping track of the times i’ve used the pattern, how it turned out and what fabrics i used (whether they work or not etc etc) – so I created a little pattern log, to record the times you make it, what fabric you used and maybe some ideas for what you’d like to do next time.
And lastly – I honestly think that you can get so much mileage out of a pattern by making tiny alterations, or adding little details – so in each instruction booklet is a little section of ideas (complete with sketches!) of how you might further customize your garment design, if you’re so inclined.
I really hope you enjoyed my little tour! I’ve put so much of my heart and soul and time into these patterns – and I just hope you love them as much as I do!
I’m so excited friends!
The Darling Ranges patterns will be available in my store this afternoon!! XOXO
