What I Want To Be When I Grow Up

This last year I've realised one thing (among many others): I am grown up. Whatever external criteria one might have for being grown up (independent, job, house, relationship, pet, all that stuff), the most important one is whether you feel grown up. And I do, and despite the romantification of youth that is embedded in our Western culture, being grown up is not a bad thing at all. It means you get to be what you want to be. All these years until now you had these dreams about what you would do and be, and this is the time to start realizing them. Awesome, right? And also a bit scary, but definitely worth a try.

So, what I want to become now that I'm grown up is (drumm roll...) a pattern designer!

Designing and making clothing is where my passion lies, so it would be only logical that this should also be how I sustain myself. I am ofcourse also a bit scared by the shear amount of stuff that that comes with this decision, and I am certain I have not foreseen half of it. But Stef and I will be working together on this, so I am confident that we will get there one way or another!

I decided to share the whole process of setting it up here on the blog. I'm going to need your input on lots of aspects. I will want to hear about your experiences with other pattern designers, about style and fit, but also about packaging and instructions, downloadable or paper, all that stuff. After all, the one I will be making them for is you! This way, you get to have a say in what kind of patterns, and in what form, will be available later this year.

The decision to start taking pattern making and sewing more seriously was also sparked by our dream of traveling for at least a year. That is ofcourse where the firetruck comes in, as it will be our means of travel during that year. The plan is to have the pattern shop set up by the end of September, the month we start our big journey. I will continue working during the trip, and I'm so excited to see how that will work out.

The first steps now will include revealing the name, setting up a new website and later also a shop, and finding pattern testers. The first thing I can reveal is that the first pattern will be the Folded Mini Skirt! It will be a free downloadable pattern, and, as what most of you asked for, available in multiple sizes, in two lengths and a with a proper closure. Thank you for sharing your wishes! Besides the pattern design stuff, I'll also keep showing finished projects like I did before.

So, today marks the official start of our pattern company! I hope you are as excited as I am and that together, we can create some awesome patterns!