While She Naps

Adding an Interactive Element to a Softie

Softies are fun no matter what, but they are even more fun when they're interactive. Yesterday I sewed one of my Squeaky Snakes from super-soft minky with a bright pink felt tongue. I love the coiled shape, but the pattern actually includes three snake shapes:

a basic straight snake

a curvy snake

and this coiled version. I sewed this one from giraffe fleece, but I think it actually looks convincingly like snake skin!

These are called Squeaky Snakes because they have squeakers in their heads! It's really fun to make the snake "talk" by squeaking it while you chase your kids around, threatening to gobble them up.

The baby stole my new Squeaky Snake and ran out into the garden with it. She made it squeak, refused to share it, and then laid down on the grass. Hard to blame her.

 

It's really easy, and fun, to add a noise element to your softies. Here are a few easy ways to do it:

• Insert a squeaker - Be sure it's near enough to the "skin" of the toy that a child can easily squeeze it. For the snake I used one of the squeakers I stock in my shop.

• Add a rattle - I like to pad the rattle insert so that you can't feel any hard edges when you hug the toy. Just push bits of stuffing all around it and stuff the toy firmly to hold the rattle in place. These are the most popular supply I sell in my shop!
• Insert a music button - Press the button and a short song plays. Toddlers can't get enough of this. Trust me! They'll press that button over and over and over. I'll have music buttons that play Twinkle Twinkle Little Star in stock next week. I'm excited about them!
• Add a music box - Turn the key and hear the music play. These have a classic sound, but are a bit more complicated to insert. For a very special toy, though, I think it's worth it.
• Try a growler - Flip your toy upside down and hear it growl! These are traditionally used in teddy bears, but would be really cool in another sort of softie.
• Slip in some crinkly paper - Cut up a clean chip bag and slip it into your softie for that crinkly noise babies love.

Find more detailed instruction for using each of these in my new book, Stuffed Animals. Make a Squeaky Snake or add a noise maker to your own softie design. It's fun and you'll end up with a toy that your baby won't share, just like mine!

Photography Equipment for Crafters

When you negotiate a book deal part of the conversation revolves around what images will be in the book, how many there will be, and, perhaps most importantly, who will create the images.

There are a lot of different approaches to consider. Some craft books are text-heavy with just a few step-by-step images within the instructions supplemented by full-page beauty shots of the finished projects.  Others have computer drawn diagrams or hand-drawn illustrations showing key steps that are best represented visually. And still others rely on step-by-step photos to illustrate the text.

My first book has an opening chapter that explains all the basic techniques you'll need to know to make a fabric bird. My publisher flew me across the country to their studio and had a professional photographer take the photos that illustrate this section. Being in a real photo studio was fascinating. There were big rolls of backdrop paper, umbrella lights, and simple white foam core sheets to reflect light.

For the rest of the book they hired a professional illustrator to create watercolor drawings to illustrate key steps within particular patterns. I sent the illustrator photos and she drew these.

When I began planning Stuffed Animals I felt strongly that I needed step-by-step photos to illustrate the 16 patterns. I wanted additional photos to accompany the 52 lessons that break down how the patterns were created and really teach you how to design your own softies. We were looking at creating hundreds of photos for this book, in addition to those that would be taken by Cynthia Shaffer, the wonderful photographer in California who took the beauty shots of each project.

In order to make this happen I knew that I’d need to take the photos myself, in my studio, as I was working on each project. This was a pretty scary prospect for me. I had a digital SLR (a Nikon D-40), but I really didn't understand it very well. The last time I’d studied photography was in high school where I’d spent most of the time in class lusting after our handsome teacher, Mr. Foo. He drove a Harley to school and wore motorcycle boots. Mr. Foo, my love for you is still unrequited. Call me!

Needless to say I had a lot to learn.

After I signed the book contract I headed over to one of the last locally owned camera shops in the Boston area, Newtonville Camera, and asked for some help. I bought four things and with those four things I was able to take all of the step-by-step photos that you see in the book. Here is what I got:

1. A tripod. I bought a Benro tripod, but I think any sort of sturdy tripod will do. Play around with it when you get it home. I didn't realize at first how flexible it was. It can get seriously tall, lean forward, and swivel. I love it.

2. Studio lights. I bought two Smith Victor KT400 photoflood umbrella lights. First, I will tell you that the day I set them up was the day we went from feeling like my studio was in our bedroom to feeling like we were sleeping in my studio.

This is what you don't see in the shots of me working in my studio: the bed that's right behind me. Glamorous! This is also why we shot the trailer at Gather Here instead of where I really work.

Umbrella lights in your bedroom will do that. But, these puppies are amazing. That’s two 500 watt bulbs. I can take photos after dark and on cloudy days with no trouble. It's tempting to leave them on while I'm working because they flood the room with light and I love light. But, alas, that wouldn't be good for the electric bill. Natural light is still best, of course, but I love my umbrellas.

3. A lens. My camera came with a standard 18-55 mm lens that I still use all the time. In fact, I took the photos for the book with that lens because it hooks in with the autofocus on my camera so I could feel confident that my shots were in focus. But I bought a nifty 50 mm lens while at the camera store and ended up using it to take all the beauty shots for my self-published patterns. You can dial it down really low and get wonderful depth of field that really highlights the details in a handmade toy while gently blurring the background.

This plush rubber duck is one of my two dozen self-published patterns.

4. A lesson. I’m a thrifty DIYer and tend to always feel like I have to learn everything on my own. "Pay someone to help me? Oh, no, I'll just figure it out." You know what? This last piece ended up being the most important on the list. While at the camera shop I asked if they knew of a photographer who might be able to give me a one-on-one lesson in my home studio. Sure enough, the guy who helped me choose all the equipment said he'd be happy to do it. We set a time and he came over and it was incredibly valuable! Why? Because we were in my space, with my light, my camera and lenses, and my softie parts. I took tons of notes. I asked every single stupid question I ever had. When he left I knew I was all set. I had this thing under control.

I have a permanent photo studio set up on my workspace in our bedroom. It's a low table with a big piece of fabric taped to the wall so that it drapes down to create a seamless backdrop. I have a brick I wrapped in white fabric and taped up with surgical tape that props up a piece of white foam core to reflect light. Sometimes I change the backdrop to a piece of white poster board or various other big sheets of paper.

Do you need to go out and buy the exact equipment I use? No, of course not. In fact, I'm sure there's other, better equipment to be had. But if you're serious about creating craft tutorials, whether for your own blog, as a guest blogger, for magazine work, or to write a book, I think it’s worth saving up for some quality equipment and some know-how. There are great online tutorials, books, and online classes for taking better photos. Start there and play a lot, then get yourself a one-on-one lesson. It's worth it.

How to Design Cut-and-Sew Softies and Dolls on Spoonflower

 

 

A few weeks ago I got in touch with the folks at Spoonflower, the print on demand fabric company, to see about getting some cut-and-sew softie and doll fabrics to play with. I thrilled when they agreed to send me a few fat quarters and today I’m ready to show you what I’ve made and give you some tips for designing these fabrics.

Spoonflower allows anyone to design and print their own, custom fabrics. For creative people this means endless awesome possibilities and for doll and softie designers it means you can have pattern pieces and sewing instructions printed right on the fabric for an easy cut-and-sew project. I’ve had my eye on cut-and-sew softie fabrics since August of 2011 when they were the focus of Spoonflower’s weekly design contest.

I did a search on Spoonflower's website for "plush" and browsed through so many great fabrics. In the end I went with:

• Kawaii Kitchen and Mister Zombie by Bora
• Zakka Ice Cream Cones by Katarina Dragutinovic Roccella
• Amelia and her Kittens by Stacy Iest Hsu.

Each of these designers has several (or dozens) of gorgeous Spoonflower designs, including multiple cut-and-sew softies. I had so much fun looking through them all!

I’ve never designed a cut-and-sew softie or doll so after I chose a few fat quarters to try out, I contacted two of the designers to find out more about their process. One of them is Stacy Iest Hsu. Stacy is actually a trained textile designer. She says she isn’t much of a sewist beyond 4-H as a child, but her dolls are adorable. I also talked to Katarina (Nina) Dragutinovic Roccella who designs prolifically on Spoonflower and has lots of doll and softies among her fabrics.

Stacy and Nina shared some valuable tips with me for designing this specific type of fabric. Here is what they said:

Getting Started

Nina often starts with a drawing of the doll on paper. She’ll then cut out pattern pieces and sew a prototype to get the shape right, before scanning and playing with the colors and patterns in Photoshop. Nina shared this collage of her process with me:

 

Stacy recommends designing the doll with a fairly simple silhouette to keep the sewing simple and Nina agrees. Nina says, “Try to avoid narrow small spaces within the design especially at the neck. The first boy doll I created looked like a giraffe! Try to avoid acute angles because these can be tricky to sew.”

Considering the Front and the Back

Stacy says creating a front and back for the doll makes it come to life, as opposed to just putting a print on the back or leaving it solid. Nina does this by duplicating the front, flipping it and then deleting the face details.

Adding Special Elements

Both designers recommend adding a place somewhere on the doll for the customer to personalize it. Usually these dolls are made as gifts so this gives the customer the opportunity to add their own touches and makes them feel they had a part in the design process

Use some of the extra space on the fat quarter to make a label with your brand name, website or blog that can then be attached someplace on the doll. As Stacy says, “These dolls are your best tool for advertising and they will probably go to many places where other moms will see them.”

Natalie Doll by Stacy Iest Hsu on Spoonflower

Look at how Stacy added to her doll. She says, “Think of ways to allow customers to embellish the doll or toy with embroidery or ribbon.”

Write Up the Sewing Instructions

Stacy points out that you should make your sewing instructions simple and easy to follow. Use the same language used in conventional sewing patterns and proofread them well! And Nina says to be sure to indicate that the curves and corners should be clipped  before turning and stuffing because beginners may not know this.

Remember to add a ¼ inch seam allowance. Stacy likes the front and back of the doll to meet without any white showing at the seam lines once the doll is sewn up.

What's it Like to Sew These Toys?

Here's what I made!

 

As a customer I appreciated clear, well-written and thorough sewing instructions. Be sure not to skip any steps, such  as stuffing the arms and legs. It helps to have someone else read your instructions, too, given that once they’re printed you can’t go back and edit them!

I really loved the little extra graphic bits some of the designers added in the white space. These would be great to applique on a t-shirt or a tote bag to accompany the finished doll. And I appreciated that these designs were all on just a fat quarter of fabric. This made the project affordable and quick! One of these fat quarters would be a great gift for my 9-year-old who just learned to use the sewing machine.

 

Other Cut-and-Sew Softies from Spoonflower

Choosing just a few fat quarters from the thousands of cut-and-sew softies and dolls available on Spoonflower was hard. Here are some more of my favorites:

• This owl

• This turtle

• Super pig!

• Hank (in a bowtie!)

• Funky Retro Robots

• Incredible Super Sheep

And there are so many more. I must say that this was one of the most fun blog posts I’ve written!

I really hope the design tips from Nina and Stacy are helpful to you if you are interested in designing some cut-and-sew softies or dolls using Spoonflower. Both of them are happy to answer your questions in the comments so please don’t hesitate to ask!

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Pepper the Penguin, the sew and crochet pattern I designed in collaboration with Stacey Trock of FreshStitches, is being released today! This is such a cool 2-in-1 pattern and we hope you love sewing AND crocheting Pepper. Read more about our collaboration here and get the pattern now in my shop on Etsy!

Outtakes

When I set up a photo shoot for the cover image on a new pattern I take lots and lots of photos, sometimes close to 100. There are so many variables in a shoot like this: the child has to have their eyes open and look happily engaged, the toy has to be facing forward, the right parts need to be in focus, the lighting has to be perfect so that the colors are vibrant and true.

If all goes well, I'll get one shot that works. Often, though, in order to get better lighting or find a child in a good mood I have to set up more than one photo shoot on different days.

It's great to have a lot of product photos anyway. I use them as alternate views on Etsy and Craftsy listings. Generally I save lots of shots just in case.

Here are some of the best of my outtakes:

Topsy Turvy Doll. The baby is in focus, but the doll isn't. Look at that baby face, though!

Scooter the Turtle. You can't really see his body, but he's so cute up there! This was taken at Morses Pond in Wellesley, MA.

Beastie Bags. She got distracted by a neighbor's dog. And her shirt is...rather dirty.

Squeaky Snake. Scaring someone, but whom?

Cute Critters. I love this shot, but the white is too washed out.

Animal Neck Pillows. The blues here are so rich, but I had a better shot with my older daughter and the pig pillow.

Animal Rattles. This one is going into her baby book. Sadly, the duck was blurry.

Lovey Dovey 2nd Edition. I snuck into her room at naptime to set this up. You can see her real lovey, Mr. Purples, underneath.

Hobby Horse. I lent my friend, Carolyn, the hobby horses for the weekend. She took this shot of her son and his expression is so great here, but you just can't see the horse's face.

Jungle Puppets. Looking awfully sneaky with the zebra puppet for some reason. Sneaky and blurry. Great fall colors, though.

Rabbit in a Hat Puppet. Black is so hard to photograph. I ended up shooting this guy inside with no model. But I love how the bunny looks so alive here.

Jeremy Giraffe. In the end I found the red plant distracting. We did have a good shoot at the greenhouse, though. Winter in New England makes you creative.

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Do you take lots of photos when you are trying to get a good product shot? Are you ever surprised in the end by the one that makes the final cut? Do you save the outshots?

The Economics of Selling Sewing Patterns

 

How much is a sewing pattern for a stuffed animal worth?

When I sell a single sewing pattern to a big company, such as a book or magazine publisher, or to one of the big pattern companies like Simplicity, I can generally expect to get $250 for that pattern. Then, six months or a year later, the pattern will be published and hit bookstores or newsstands or craft stores. No further money comes in. With the big pattern companies the contract spells out royalties you could earn after making up the $250 advance (at a tiny fraction of the wholesale price), but in all honesty a pattern isn't likely to make enough to earn back the advance. So really it's $250 and that's it.

When I sell a sewing pattern myself, as a PDF download at a reasonable price ($9 per pattern), it takes about two months on average to sell 28 copies or the equivalent of $250.

What's the difference? It’s $250 either way, right?

The difference is that I can sell my PDF pattern forever. The tail is infinitely long. I could very well make $250 every two months all year from that pattern for an annual total of $1,500. In two years that's $3,000 for just one pattern. You get the picture.

Okay, that’s nice. But then you’re never published. Being published exposes you to a new audience and lends your design portfolio a nice big stamp of approval.

So here’s the best thing, the way to really make the most financially from a project: make a project do double duty.

Let's take a craft magazine as an example. Following the submission guidelines on the magazine’s website, usually a theme and color scheme, create a project and submit it. Once it's accepted ask about the terms of the contract. You want to be sure the copyright reverts back to you either on the magazine's publication date, or shortly thereafter. Once the magazine is out, go ahead and sell the pattern a la carte in your online shop. Now you've got a cash infusion upfront for this pattern, plus the cache of having it chosen for publication, and then the infinitely long tail of earnings with no middle man. Even better, find out if you can get your sample back. If so, have a sample sale and sell that, too. The more doubling up, or tripling up, you can do, the more financially successful your business will be.

Once you become a designer you should begin to think of how every project might do double duty. Last year I designed and made felt hibiscus flowers for National Nonwoven's booth at Spring Quilt Market and then sold the pattern to a publisher to be included in a book. This makes it worth my time. National Nonwovens gave me the felt, nearly $100 in materials, and the publishing company paid me for the pattern.

This is the way to make it work. I’m not kidding you.

It takes many, many hours to create a stellar sewing pattern and it's very hard to make a living as a crafter. Double duty is one of my best tricks and I hope it helps you, too.

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Pattern Design Week: Topic #5 Putting Your Pattern Up For Sale: Pricing, Marketing, and Customer Support

This week I'm talking about how to turn your craft projects into pattern instructions that you can package, market, and sell online. Whether you sew softies or do another type of craft, creating patterns is a great way to add an income stream to your handmade business. Pattern sales produce small bits of income that can flow in while you are in your studio being creative.  

In this series I’m focusing on creating patterns to distribute digitally as PDFs. On Monday we talked about how to choose a good project to turn into a pattern. Tuesday we explored breaking the project instructions down into manageable steps. Wednesday was all about layout and beauty shots and yesterday I conducted a video workshop on the "whys" and "what ifs" of pattern selling. 

Today we wrap up Pattern Design Week by talking about pricing, marketing, and customer support. Here we go!

Putting Your Pattern Up For Sale: Pricing, Marketing, and Customer Support

 
My brand new Cute Critters pattern launches today! My favorite? The koala. 

Pricing for Patterns

Putting together a pattern is a lot of work and you want to feel fairly compensated each time one sells. Before you can choose the right price for your patterns do some research. Go online to Etsy and Craftsy  and look at the prices of patterns that are similar to to the one you've made. 

Before I began selling patterns in March I bought two patterns from two different pattern sellers on Etsy whom I admired. One pattern was $10 and the other was $12. I bought the patterns because I felt like I needed to see the experience of buying a PDF pattern from start to finish before I could begin selling them myself. I wanted to see how the pattern was delivered to me, what language the seller used, what the pattern instructions and template looked like, and how the sellers’ copyright policies were worded. Buying patterns for research purposes was really helpful. I got to see what $10 or $12 got you when it came to patterns.

When I initially put my patterns up for sale I priced them at $6.50. I knew that they were underpriced, but self-publishing was new territory for me and just wasn’t sure what to expect. I raised my prices a few months later so that now all patterns are $9.00. It was a scary move, but sales didn’t drop off as I had feared and I knew that the content of my patterns was worth that price.

Marketing Your Patterns

Setting up a mailing list is one of my goals for 2013 because I think sending out an email newsletter is probably the best marketing tool for online sellers generally. (Hold me to this, okay! I’m going to do it!).

Shortly after I began selling patterns I set up an Abby Glassenberg Design Facebook page geared toward my pattern customers. Each time I email a pattern to a new customer I invite them to join the page and they almost always do. On Facebook I work to build excitement and anticipation by posting updates on what I’m working on, give the heads up on release dates for new patterns, and soliciting suggestions for new pattern ideas. I also tweet 2-3 times, at different times of the day, when I release a new pattern and I post about it here on my blog. Clearly there's a fine line between marketing and being overbearing so I try to not overdo it.

Sending out review copies of your pattern to other bloggers can be a good marketing tool, especially if that blogger has credibility when it comes to your particular type of craft. Reach out to bloggers that have broad reach and to other bloggers that deep expertise in your niche.

And finally, I’ve found it very helpful to create free patterns from time to time. Sometimes these appear as guest posts on really large blogs such as Sew, Mama, Sew! and other times they are free patterns here on my blog. When I start my newsletter (I’m going to start a newsletter!! I really am!), I’ll give out a free pattern to new subscribers. Free patterns give a taste of what your paid patterns will be like. Some people who download a free pattern will turn into paying customers right away and others will later.

Cute Critters on my ironing board. My kids like the green bird best.

Customer Support

As we talked about in yesterday’s video workshop, selling patterns does provide you with passive income indefinitely. No matter how many sell, you can sell an infinite number more without having to get back into the studio to create anything. But I think the term “passive income” is a bit of a misnomer. No income is truly passive, and pattern-based income is no exception.

Customer support begins when you list the pattern for sale online. Be clear in the listing’s title and description that you are selling a digital PDF document. While most people read listings carefully before purchasing, some will purchase the item thinking it’s a finished piece or thinking it’s a print pattern that will be mailed to them. You’ll need to work with these customers when they later realize that they aren’t going to be receiving what they thought they’d purchased.

Most customers who purchase PDF patterns do know what they are buying and are really excited to receive their pattern from you. You’ll need to deliver it promptly. I email my patterns, but there are services you can sign up with that will automate this process. And some pattern sellers use digital storage and delivery services like DropBox to get their patterns to customers. Your can send larger files this way, and easily do business remotely.

To me, customer support also involved building community. I think it’s really nice to feature customer work from time to time, whether it’s on Facebook or on your blog. Nothing is more convincing to prospective buyers than seeing that other people just like them are using your patterns to create awesome things. I also try to promote the shops of customers who are selling toys made from my patterns. Dolls and Daydreams is a master of this kind of customer community building.

Responding to customer emails is, of course, a vital part of providing good customer service. Customers sometimes need help downloading and printing patterns, choosing fabrics, using particular tools, and following your instructions. Answering these emails promptly, thoroughly, and with encouragement goes a long way to building your reputation as a pattern designer.

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I had so much fun talking about making patterns this week. I hope this series was helpful to you! And if it was, consider supporting my work by purchasing one of my patterns. Then you can make yourself something awesome. That would be nice. Thanks everyone!

 

Pattern Design Week: Topic #4 The "Whys" and "What Ifs" of Selling Patterns

This week I'm talking about how to turn your craft projects into pattern instructions that you can package, market, and sell online. Whether you sew softies or do another type of craft, creating patterns is a great way to add an income stream to your handmade business. Pattern sales produce small bits of income that can flow in while you are in your studio being creative.  

In this series I’m focusing on creating patterns to distribute digitally as PDFs. On Monday we talked about how to choose a good project to turn into a pattern. Tuesday we explored breaking the project instructions down into manageable steps. And yesterday was all about layout and beauty shots.

Today I'm really excited to bring you a video workshop on the whys and what ifs of selling patterns. In this 26 minute workshop I chat with fellow plush maker and Etsy shop owner, Claire Chambers, about:

• Why crafters might want to consider branching out into selling PDF patterns.
• Whether selling patterns will diminish demand for your finished items.
• The timeline of creating a pattern and the basic steps involved.
• How to list your patterns clearly so that customers know exactly what they're getting.
• What your expectations should be for providing customer support.
• And whether you should allow customers to sell items they make from your patterns.

Claire had some great questions and my hope is that hearing us chat will help you in your own thinking about these issues. A big thank you to Claire for being an awesome guest! Here's the video. I hope you enjoy it!

Pattern Design Week: Topic #3 Creating the Document

This week I'm talking about how to turn your craft projects into pattern instructions that you can package, market, and sell online. Whether you sew softies or do another type of craft, creating patterns is a great way to add an income stream to your handmade business. Pattern sales produce small bits of income that can flow in while you are in your studio being creative.

I’m using my soon to be released Cute Critters pattern as an example of my pattern making process this week. Tomorrow afternoon I'll be hosting a video workshop on  creating patterns. There are two spaces left so if you’d like to join me, send me an email today (abbyglassenberg at comcast dot net)! My new Cute Critters pattern will launch on Friday!

In this series I’m focusing on creating patterns to distribute digitally as PDFs. On Monday we talked about how to choose a good project to turn into a pattern and yesterday we explored breaking the project instructions down into manageable steps. Today I’ll discuss layout and taking beauty shots.

Creating the Document: Getting Everything on the Page 

When I first decided to begin selling patterns I felt intimidated because I’m not super tech savvy. I don’t own Photoshop or any of the Adobe suite programs and I am not a graphic designer by any means. My business is small and I don’t have a ton of capital to invest in software and my time is very tight so fitting in time to learn new software can be tricky.

But here’s the thing: I’m a make-it-work-with-what-you-have type of person. I knew I could figure out a way to produce high-quality patterns anyway. My pattern layout may not be fancy, but to me the sophistication of the toy’s design and the quality of the pattern instructions is what’s truly important in a sewing pattern. I strive to make the content of the highest quality even if the page layouts of the patterns I self-publish are very simple.

Make it Fancy or Make it Simple

If you are comfortable with page layout programs and graphic design software you are going to be able to make really pretty pattern pages and I think that’s awesome!  But if you’re not, don’t let that stop you from creating patterns for your projects. You don’t actually need anything fancy.

I write all my PDFs in Microsoft Word. I really do! It’s easy to insert images, edit the text, and then save the document as a PDF. You can reduce the file size right in Word to optimize it for sending via email.

I do all my photo editing and create all my pattern covers with Picmonkey, a free online photo editor. I love Picmonkey!

I draw my pattern templates with a Micron pen, scan them and save them as PDFs. Then I use a PDF Merge, another free online program, to merge it all together into one PDF document.

Sample page from my new Cute Critters pattern.

Viola! Is it fancy? Nope. But you know what? It works great.

There are other low-cost ways of producing a digital pattern. To digitize your pattern templates you can use PowerPoint or Inkscape.  Lots of people recommend Gimp as a free page layout program and I know there are others, too. I’d love to hear your recommendations for free or low-cost software that can be used to make pattern PDFs.

Proofread

Okay, now that you’ve got a your pattern on the page, you want to proofread and double check everything like crazy! I like to print out the pattern and templates (this allows me to see how the pattern will look if customers print it, too) and then I mark it up with a red pen (I used to be a teacher, you know!). You can also send your pattern out to a friend to test it at this point and then incorporate their feedback.

Ask yourself these questions:

• Are all the photos in the right places?
• Did you describe every single step?
• Could certain steps benefit from a few more illustrations?
• Has your terminology been consistent throughout?
• Do you refer in the instructions to every tool and material listed?
• Could you break the instructions up with subheadings to increase readability?

Make a list of what needs to be fixed. Creating a good pattern often requires repeated sessions in the studio making more samples, replicating steps to get just the right photo, proofreading and more proofreading.

If your instructions are long, adding page numbers is helpful. Look carefully at your templates, too, checking that you have marked grain direction, how many to cut, where any openings or darts should be located, and any other pertinent information.

Take the Beauty Shot

Beauty shot for my new Cute Critters pattern. I had fun making this collage!

Now it’s time for a photo shoot! When you are selling goods online the quality of the main image is what’s sells the product. It’s worth your time to get a great shot! You may want to find someone to model for you, go to a particularly scenic location, or style the photo with a carefully selected set of props. Once you’re home again, crop and edit the photo and add text. Make it gorgeous. You’ll use this beauty shot as the cover image for the pattern and as the main listing image in your online shop.

I have over 20 patterns for sale right now and I really do love them all, but here is my favorite cover image:

Cover image for my Hobby Horse pattern.

To get this image I dropped my hobby horses off at my friend Carolyn's house for the weekend. She is a professional photographer and she has adorable sons. They ran around the backyard for an hour with the horses and she snapped these photos for me! Hooray for awesome, generous friends!

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Alright, on Friday we'll talk about two more important components: listing your patterns online and customer support.

I’d love to hear your tips or questions about creating patterns. What programs do you love? What do you think makes a particularly good beauty shot? Let’s learn from one another!

Pattern Design Week: Topic #2 Breaking it Down

This week I'm talking about how to turn your craft projects into pattern instructions that you can package, market, and sell online. Whether you sew softies or do another type of craft, creating patterns is a great way to add an income stream to your handmade business. Pattern sales produce small bits of income that can flow in while you are in your studio being creative.

I’m using my soon to be released Cute Critters pattern as an example of my pattern making process this week. On Thursday afternoon I'll be hosting a video workshop with plush makers from the Etsy Plush Team who are interested in launching their first sewing patterns and my Cute Critters pattern will launch on Friday! It’s going to be a great week.

Creating the Project: Breaking Things Down

Yesterday we thought through exactly which projects are most suited to become patterns. Today we’ll make the project, breaking down and streamlining the steps so that we can describe and illustrate them for someone who has never made it before.

The best way to record every single step of a project is to write detailed notes while you make samples. On the first page of your notebook make two lists:

• Tools (these include all reusable items such as pins, fabric markers, and embroidery needles)

• Materials (these are items you use up such as 1/4 yard of felt, coordinating thread, and embroidery floss)

As you make the samples you’ll probably remember particular tools and materials you need along the way. Add them to your lists. If special tools or materials are required, you’ll want to add a link in your pattern to the best online source for them.

I sell 4-packs of keychain hooks in my shop specifically for the Cute Critters patterns.

In my Cute Critters pattern I have a link to my favorite source of wool-blend felt and where to buy keychain hooks if you want to turn your Critter into a keychain.

I measure the finished sample and jot down its length, width, and height so that customers can know the exact dimensions of the finished item before they purchase the pattern. And I weigh my toys to find out approximately how much stuffing to recommend using. Customers appreciate knowing exactly what they’ll need. Instead of “embroidery floss” try “a 12-inch strand of 6-ply embroidery floss in light pink”.

Illustrate the Steps

In addition to a place to jot down notes, I have an area in my studio set up for taking step-by-step photos.

I illustrate all of my patterns with photos. You may choose to draw illustrations instead, or to just use text, but for me photo illustrations get the job done remarkably well. I recommend using a piece of white poster paper as a backdrop (as opposed to a green cutting mat, for example) and you definitely need good lighting for these shots. Check out this series on taking tutorial photos for more tips on taking great step-by-step photos.

Explain the Basics First

For most craft and sewing projects there are a few techniques that are so fundamental they are worth describing up front. I think it’s best not to assume that your pattern customer knows these fundamental techniques. Some pattern makers shoot how-to videos and link to them from the pattern. I think that’s a terrific idea!

In my pattern for Cute Critters it’s vital that you know how to cut detailed shapes from felt. After the materials and tools list I explain my method for cutting felt. I took a few photos to illustrate this technique, too.

Write Down Notes and Take Photos as You Make Samples

And now make the project. After every significant step, take a photo and jot down notes. Be as specific as possible. You may find you need to add additional markings to some of the pattern templates to show where exactly the stitching should begin and end or that you need to measure the exact length of a particular piece. Write it all down and photograph everything.

Sample photo illustrating how to attach the base to my new Cute Critters.

I always err on the side of too much information because if you breeze through and forget to take a photo of a particular step, for example, you’re going to have to go back and make another sample in order to get the shot you need. Take your time and record everything!

Shoot a few photos of the finished sample from various angles. These are helpful reference illustrations for customers as they are trying to figure out how to put the project together. I call these my "Zappos" photos!

Now upload and edit your photos. Crop them and brighten them and clean them up so that each photo is clearly conveying a piece of information. 

Use your notes to write up the pattern instructions. This post about how to write clear and concise instructions has all my best tips on this part of the process.  

Tomorrow we’ll talk about pattern and template layout and taking beauty shots. My new Cute Critters pattern will launch on Friday!

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Did I miss anything or do you have a particular question about creating patterns? Leave a comment here and we can talk about it! Thanks everyone!

 

Welcome to Pattern Design Week: Topic #1 Choosing the Right Project to Turn Into a Pattern

This week I'm going to be talking about how to turn your craft projects into pattern instructions that you can package, market, and sell online. Whether you sew softies or do another type of craft, creating patterns is a great way to add an income stream to your handmade business. Pattern sales produce small bits of income that can flow in while you are in your studio being creative. It can be a great addition to what you’re already doing now.

I'll share with you my process in creating patterns and I hope you'll ask questions and explore your pattern own ideas, too. On Thursday afternoon I'll be hosting a video workshop with plush makers from the Etsy Plush Team who are interested in launching their first sewing patterns! It’s going to be a great week.

Getting Started: Choosing the Right Project to Turn Into a Pattern

Creating a pattern is a multi-step process that will take you a few weeks to complete so you want to put some time upfront into choosing exactly the right project. Here are three criteria that I think a project must meet in order for it to get chosen: I love it, it’s entirely mine, and I feel it will be successful in the marketplace.

This week I’m creating a new pattern for a set of Cute Critters. I’ll use my own process in choosing and making this pattern as an example all week as we look at each step of the pattern-making process so that you can see how my thinking applies to a real world example.

Some Questions to Ask Yourself

To begin choosing a project, look over your current line of handmade goods. Do you want to create a pattern for something you already are making? How will you feel when you see other people making that item? Some crafters feel thrilled to see others creating items made from their patterns, while other crafters would prefer to keep the how-to for their most unique items private.

If you choose to create a pattern for something you’ve already made many times, you’ll give yourself a head start. You’ll be able to skip the prototype stage and head right to creating the pattern. If you would prefer to create an entirely new project  to make a pattern from, you’ll have to first spend time developing and fine-tuning the project. Either way is fine, though.

I get a real thrill when other people make toys based on my patterns and I’m always coming up with new project ideas. The Cute Critters I’m working on this week are actually an add-on to the first set of Cute Critters I released a few months ago.

Sneak peek of the new Cute Critters in progress.

Make Sure You Love It

Whether you’re using something from your repertoire, or creating something new, choose an item you really love. You’ll need that excitement to propel you forward through some of the less glamorous parts of pattern writing, and to help you market and support the pattern later. I am totally excited about these little felt animals and I have a million ideas for more variations to make in the future!

It's Gotta Be Yours

Be sure that the project you select is entirely yours. I’d advise against making a pattern for a project that uses a copyrighted image, for example. And we all learn from pattern books and form looking at projects online, but double check that the project you are selecting is truly yours alone. I got the idea for Cute Critters from looking at all the trendy plush keychains hanging on the kids’ backpacks at my daughters’ elementary school. I did a lot of research on the commercially produced plush keychains currently on the market, and lots of critter sketching, but in the end drew my own version of each animal and created my own body shape.

What Does the Market Say?

And finally, select a project that you think will be in high demand. Although it’s impossible to predict exactly how potential customers will behave, you can use some information gathered from what you’re already doing to inform your decision in selecting a project.

• Have people emailed you asking for a pattern for something you currently make?

• Is one of your items much more popular than the rest?

The Cute Critters I designed are really quick to make and they aren’t complicated. I’ve found that my customers are more likely to buy patterns that don’t require advanced sewing skills. And because plush keychains are so popular among tweens, my hope is that people will buy the pattern to make either with or for their kids. In fact, tweens could easily make these critters all on their own.

I’ve also found that customers like to collect patterns from the same series. By releasing several sets of Cute Critters I’m hoping that some customers will buy and make all of the animals in all of the sets.

Adding Value

Can you make several variations on a theme? I’ve found that customers feel like they are getting a better value if they are purchasing one pattern that includes several variations. My Lovey Dovey patterns remain best-sellers because each pattern includes four different animals. Making the variations wasn’t very much added work on my part and it significantly increases the value of the pattern in the customer’s eyes.

Generating Excitement

To get some customer feedback and buy-in I created one Cute Critter and put an in-progress shot on my Facebook page, asking people for suggestions for other animals to add to the series. I got lots of awesome suggestions (people sure do love hedgehogs!) and generated excitement about the pattern while it was still in development.

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Okay, now that we’ve chosen a project to make into a pattern, it’s time to get into the studio and get to work! Tomorrow we’ll explore the steps you take while you’re making the project so that you’ll have everything you need to write it up and create a pattern!

If you have any questions or ideas about pattern development, please leave them in the comments. Thank you, everyone!