Patternmaking 101 : How Do I Start Making my Own Patterns?!

In this comprehensive article on the skill of patternmaking, I'll sketch out the learning process, the ideal aptitudes in the maker, the skills, the timeframe, and the critical thinking skills you will need in order to really be a good pattern maker. This article will help you determine if learning this skill really solves your problems, or if you can take another approach that gets you to your desired outcome more easily. 

In the free workbook included with this post, I’ll introduce you to how a patternmaker looks at a design, so that you can understand the conceptual process I’ve used in my own work and with our students. Whether or not you are going to be drafting your own patterns, or interpreting commercial patterns, this workbook will help you look at patterns from a different perspective and how they serve you in design.

5 Lessons Learned from Building a Creative Business in 2016

I’ve heard it said, creating your own business is like the biggest exercise in self development you can take on. In this post, I want to share with you some of the key lessons, situational takeaways, and solutions to problems that I learned in 2016 while growing a creative business. Because building a business is a creative act, just like building a shirt, building a wardrobe, building a family, relationship, or friendship. Its an act of making, and I feel like a lot of these lessons are helpful even if you aren’t running a small business yourself. They apply to any creative thinker, project or endeavor. People email me and tell me, “Hey Andrea, you know how to get things done.” Well, trust me, I’m not special or have some secret super power (magic wand). I have strategies. Let’s dig into some of those today :)

How to Sew a Fly Zipper

Fly zippers are a popular tutorial request when I am with my private lesson students. Even though they are pretty simple, some pattern instructions can make them seem so complicated that I always have to consult the method that I learned from my favorite sewing book. 

In this written and video tutorial, I will walk you step by step through the process of sewing a fly zipper in a fast and easy method.  

How to Sew a Collar

Collars frame the face and neck, which makes them a focal point on your garment. They make or break a shirt, and if you want your collars to look professional and polished, they take some practice. 

The method I am sharing with you today came from a seamstress who shared it with me to speed up the production of sewing multiple shirts. Its a real cheat, because unlike most collar techniques, once you have it constructed, you pop it on and sew it all in one step!