Do you need help with getting your patterns ready for the home sewing market? Or do you have plans for creating written content for your blog, but other priorities constantly get in the way? Running a pattern company has a lot of moving parts – releasing patterns for home sewing is much more than simply drafting a pattern. Below are the services I offer. Email me or DM me on Instagram for a quote.
1. Sewing instruction editing
I will edit and proofread your instruction files to ensure they are as clear and easy to follow as possible for the home sewist. This includes:
- feedback on overall look and feel
- checking for grammatical and format/layout errors
- checking that illustrations match the corresponding words
- suggestions for illustration changes or edits to wording for clarity
- suggestions for adding or removing construction steps
- sanity check of the measurements and sizing tables
In addition, I can also review pattern pieces for completeness and accuracy. This means checking they are labelled in accordance with the instructions and that they contain grainlines, cutting information and appropriate markings.
Would you like your instructions written for you? This is also possible, in which case the text and accompanying photos will be provided (not illustrator line drawings).
Why would I want this when I have a testing group?
Testers are typically volunteers (or paid fabric costs) with varying levels of sewing ability. This means they may not consistently pick up errors if they don’t know what to look for. It is far more efficient to have your sewing instructions and pattern pieces checked before releasing your patterns to anyone, so you can concentrate on feedback related to fit and sizing etc.
2. Blogging services
As well as being traffic drivers, blog content can help answer common sewing questions your customers might have. Blog posts and articles that I write and can film include:
- full sewalongs
- “how-to” tutorials
- sustainability-related content
- frequently asked questions (FAQs)
You can see examples of my commissioned video work here, Instagram live sewalongs here and technique tutorials on my personal account here.
3. Sample making assistance
During the pattern development stage, it is very useful to have another pair of eyes to feedback on the design and construction of your garment and see how it looks with different fabrics. I can make a sample for you using your basic pattern pieces (no finished instruction file required) and give you feedback.
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Who am I?
A sewing writer, editor and teacher, known within the sewing community for my sustainability writing. My 13+ year background in consulting and product development (financial services), combined with sewing and teaching skills, means that I am ideally placed to help you give your customers the best possible user experience with your patterns.
Sewing clients past and present include Fibre Mood pattern magazine and the independent pattern labels Just Patterns and Halfmoon Atelier and Paper Theory Patterns. Previously I was an editor and writer for the Sewcialists (diversity and inclusion) blog and I have also written for the US magazine Sew News.
Read more about me and where I’ve been featured here. You can see my sewing makes posted on Instagram here.
