Megan Nielsen Patterns One Month Update

November 21, 2011

Written by Meg

Thank you so much to everyone for all of your kind words and support of my new sewing patterns. Since it’s a month since my launch, I wanted to give you all a little update on how things have been going. And they’ve been good! I’ve been overwhelmed by orders, and have been thrilled to see how well they’ve been received. Thank you so much! I feel very encouraged, and I will definitely be releasing more and more patterns. As you know, the Darling Ranges pattern was an experiment to see if there was demand for my patterns (beyond maternity wear) – and since it’s been such a smashing success, I will be absolutely be continuing with more. Happy dance!!

I’ve been so busy filling orders and working with wholesalers, that I’m more than usually under the pump. But it’s good, it’s exciting! I am so happy to see how well this new endeavor is going. I didn’t realise there would be so much demand, but I’m honestly so so thrilled about it. On the downside – I’ve been a bit of a personal wreck and have become a pretty bad email & blog comment responder. I’m really really sorry about that. Please know that I read everything you write, and appreciate it sooo so much and as soon as soon as I can i will reply to all of you – hopefully this week :)

The funny thing is right now I’m in a weird in between stage. I’m too busy to do it all on my own, but I’m not quite at a point where I can hire someone to help me. I think I’m close though, maybe very close… and I’m excited about that. I’d really like to get to the stage where I won’t be doing everything on my own.

The future is certainly exciting :)

About Author

Meg

Meg is the Founder and Creative Director of Megan Nielsen Patterns, and is constantly dreaming up ideas for new sewing patterns and ways to make your sewing journey more enjoyable! She gets really excited about design details and is always trying to add way too many variations to our patterns.

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Emily

11 years ago

I’m glad your patterns are selling so well and that you plan on releasing more! Now I’ll be watching like a hawk for when the Brumby Skirt pattern arrives ;-)

Thanks for all your hard work! We love seeing your designs :)

Author

Meg

11 years ago

Reply to Emily

Thanks hun!! I’m hoping the brumby is only a few months away!!! xoxo

Firesparx

11 years ago

Congratulations Meg! Glad to hear it’s going well for you!

Do you think you could hire a high school student part time to help out? I’m sure there is someone who’d rather make minimum wage in your studio than flipping burgers! Or even an intern from a local design school? Just some ideas!

Author

Meg

11 years ago

Reply to Firesparx

Those are great suggestions! thanks! yeah, it’s such new territory for me, that i’m left a little stumped as to what to do – isn’t that silly? hehe

as always, thanks so much for your support and encouragement!

11 years ago

I’m really excited for you! If I didn’t already have a job I would work with you!! xo

Author

Meg

11 years ago

Reply to Le

thanks leah!!! you are the best :) (ps. i think we’d get no work done hehehe)

Claire Jain

11 years ago

It’s totally a process. Don’t wait too long to bring somebody else on, though. Remember your office help will need time for training and getting ramped up!

Author

Meg

11 years ago

Reply to Claire Jain

Thats a really good point! It’s so hard to figure out when the right point is to make the leap. eeeeeeep!

Sophie

11 years ago

I’ll move to america and work for you for free!! Can’t wait to buy that darling ranges pattern, its already ‘pinned’ in the line up of sewing projects.

Author

Meg

11 years ago

Reply to Sophie

Sophie you are so sweet!! Thank you :) By the way, how have i not seen your blog before? I love it!! I just spent the last hour reading all your archives. Everything is amazing! you are one talented lady :)

ps. I’m jealous of your locality :) my SIL went to uni in QLD and swore it was warm all the time. sigh hehe

Sorcha

11 years ago

Congratulations, it sounds like a really exciting time. So glad your experiment has turned out for the best! :)

Sorcha x
Bonfire Brunette

Author

Meg

11 years ago

Reply to Sorcha

Thanks Sorcha!!

Emily McIntyre

11 years ago

Congrats Megan! I love your work and am glad it’s happening for you!

Author

Meg

11 years ago

Reply to Emily McIntyre

Thanks Emily!! I really appreciate that :)

angie.a

11 years ago

Hello! I came over from Casey’s blog. Your maternity line is brilliant. I’ll be watching your new pattern designs as they come out too, I’m always happy to support new indie sewing pattern designers!

Just wanted to give some constructive commentary too though. You complained on Casey’s blog about “weird sizing” in commercial patterns, yet I find your sizing for your line to be very similar to commercial patterns. A size 42″ bust is an 18 (40″ bust is an 18 in Vogue). Neither of which is comparative to “RTW”, obviously. :) So which is weirder? (For comparison, a Colette pattern size 18 is 46″ bust, which is probably spot on.) I don’t know. If you want to be more realistic in comparison to RTW (which is what I believe Colette patterns tried to do), then go that direction. Otherwise… I’m not sure what the option is. Sell strictly by Bust sizes for tops and dresses and by Waist/Hip for pants and skirts? That’s what I wish most companies did, but that will never happen.

Hope you don’t mind the comment. I just found it an odd statement to make, when your pattern sizing is far more closely related to commercial patterns than, say, Colette patterns. Good luck in your venture!

Author

Meg

11 years ago

Reply to angie.a

Hi Angie! I always appreciate feedback :)

Though, with respect to sizing – i believe you misunderstood my comments. When i spoke of commercial pattern companies sizing being weird, I was referring to the fact that their sizes do not tend to accurately reflect ready to wear, and when you cut based on your measurements you often end up with much too much ease in your garments. Perhaps I should have used the term “fit” in place of “sizing” in order to make my point more clear :) For example, I am a size 6 or a small in ready to wear garments, however in say a McCalls pattern my measurements put me as a size 14. This is obviously confusing to a lot of people as the “sizes” are so different. If I then cut a size 14, I would find it to be too baggy – so not only do the sizes not match up to ready to wear, but the fit itself isn’t accurate to measurement charts.

Please know that I spent many long hours of research comparing sizing across popular retail ready to wear clothing brands and testing my garments against ready to wear pieces before coming up with my sizing charts and “fit” – and in all honesty I have received nothing but incredibly positive feedback about my sizing and my fit. I am very confident that my sizing is more closely related to ready to wear sizing than the big four pattern companies (I do not include Colette in these comments, as I believe their sizing is very good).

At the end of the day how “good” sizing is, is a combination of how well measurements relate to RTW and whether fit is accurate – both of which are very hard to judge if you haven’t actually tried the patterns :)

Thanks so much for your comments! xoxo

angie.a

11 years ago

Reply to Meg

Yup, “fit” would have made more sense (as I read the comment) than “size”. Thanks for clarifying. That’s wonderful you’ve received positive feedback about the fit, very good to hear.

Megan Nielsen Patterns One Month Update

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