How to Make a Pattern tutorial

Because of Focus Friday we are going to start a little series on How to Make a Pattern.   How to take the ideas that are just doodled and make them into a pattern to share, sell, or make real items just for yourself.  How do you make a Quilt Pattern?  How do you make a Patchwork Craft Pattern? How do you make a Stuffed Animal or Plus Pattern? How do you make a Tutorial from your own Pattern?

Coming up with new ideas is not a problem wih me. I have a plethera of ideas constantly flowing from the mind to any scratch paper I can get my hands on.  I have a dedicated book that handles most of the doodles—but sometimes it is just whatever I can get my hands on.   The problem becomes -making it real. Taking it from the paper to the real deal and then what?

Let’s begin at the beginning with—–

SKETCHING AND INSPIRATION

I have a few sketch books + any paper i find…then I copy them into these.

Check out this earlier post on finding Inspiration, if you are working on building up your sketchbooks and ideas.  Everything around us is inspiration girls.  Childrens books- fantastic pictures, shapes and drawings, usually in simplified form even-perfect.  Magazines, craft books.  Watch what is popular- animals, stiching, etc.  For example:  I made a quick stitch pattern in Owls, Hedgehogs and more…..because they were popular at the time and even now.

So first and foremost you need to get past the flat piece of paper.  It’s big girls. It is intimidating.  But if it is in our sketchbook it is ours. —until we actually share it with someone else it is sort of private- like a journal.  It is our personal zone. Don’t share it unless you are really open to others ideas and critiques.  I share with the kids, hee hee. They have great simplistic thoughts on what they like things to look like and will often give me ideas that I never thought of.  They are FULL of great ideas. Sometimes you need to fine-tune them, but that is ok.

I sketch during reading time, sometimes computer time, I am guilty of thinking up new things during church. I can’t tell you how many of my patterns are from this time. hee hee. It is quiet, I can listen to my own thoughts.  shhh don’t tell. 🙂  If I don’t have time to draw it, I quickly add a few notes on ideas and then later, when I do have time I can start the sketching part.  Sketching is fun.

Not everything will work, but it is more than likely to draw you to something else that will.  Keep something close to your bed, or reading areas. You never know when a thought will hit you. Often I find even watching t.v. I see something that I would love to expand on…so I grab it and make notes. If one is not there, I get out of bed and write it on the white board in the kitchen.  One night I thought up the idea of the Square Pegs. I got out of bed like 5 times. What a pain!!! But, it worked.

Making Your Ideas Come to Life

So you have this great book of ideas, sketches, papers hanging out everywhere…… now is the time to bring one to life.  Sit down and start open-mindingly look through your drawings and ideas.  What are you most attracted to? What gives your little heart a jump when you see it?  If you aren’t interested in it, or excited about it – it won’t be finished!  Don’t take the time to work on something that just isn’t ‘doing it for you’.  Save that for a later time, when you do get the interest.

For awhile I made dolls, then I jumped to animals, then I jumped to quilts…… don’t be surprised at the variety of sketches and ideas you might have. As of late I am back to dolls and even threw in a Picnic Pack!!   You never know where you are going, be ok with that. 🙂 Leonardo DaVinci had a lot of sketch books. He flittered from one subject to another. Great minds think alike girls. ok moving on……

When you are going through the ideas and drawings- keep track of those pages, sticky tab them, bookmark them…ect.  Then weed those down to your final one or two—-

Warning:  **NEVER cross things out in your idea book. NEVER think any idea is too little or not good enough. ** You never know when these ideas will become real or useful or the greatest thing you have ever come up with!

*  Take those one or two ideas you have drawn and start making some additional notes.   You need to narrow all your ideas to have a clear vision of what your final product- in your mind- will look like.  This will keep you on track when you need to make some decisions later on.  Refer to this note page often to remind you of what your vision is during your construction time.

To help you with these decisions ask yourself some questions:

• How large?  Get some quick measurements down. What size are you invisioning it? Wide? Is it something that needs to be adjustable?
• Does it need to be ‘kid’ friendly?  Are there small parts?
• What are your ideas for embellishments?   Ribbon? Ric-Rac? Felt? Buttons? Pom-poms? Yarn?
• What kind of supplies are needed?   elastic? wool felt? polyfil? buttons? snaps? velcro?
• What kind of materials are you invisioning using?   Cotton, wool, recycled sweaters, felt, fuzzy animal prints, silk?
• What is the purpose? Does it need any reinforcement?  Double seems?  Lined? Stabilizing material?  Weight support?
• Is there templates that are needed? or just measurements?

After filling another page with all the additional information you are ready to start the process of getting it to the right size and making your templates and perfecting the measurements.

If you decide that something won’t work- make a note of it on this same paper. Keep it all together and somewhat organized. It will make the later steps a lot easier and less frustrating too.  Lately I have learned that keeping things in it’s own file is soooo handy! When I need to make something I can pull out that folder, and everything is there.  You would be surprised at how many times I actually have to go to the computer and print off a new pattern-of my own!-because I have lost it!! ugh. I hate that. Good thing for computers or I would be in serious trouble. hee hee

Here are a few pages of my own sketches of ideas + written descriptions:

recognize a few? do you see an extra drawing by the daughter?

Guess it really isn’t too private is it?

Now you ready to get to the next step…..templates and measurements.

I would love to know what you think. What are some tips on finding inspiration? Keeping organized- your thoughts and drawings?  What works? What doesn’t? Share it with us…..

So, you have your notes, you have your supplies readybut you have no real measurements or patterns! Let’s work on that today shall we?

Get yourself a little pile of copy paper.  I do prefer using the plain paper. I can make notes and not get distracted or confused at what is printed on the paper.    You will also need a pencil + eraser.  Use a light hand when drawingit is easier to erase.

This is where you want to answer a few of those size questions What size do I want for my final project?  What is this being used for? Does it need to be longer than my hand {hot pad}etc.   Read your notes on what your ideas are to get this figured out.

There are 2 ways to approach designing your templates.  I have found a few times that I could take my first sketch to a copy machine and enlarge it.  Not that these are perfect right from the start, but they have the most correct shapes and proportions.  {alot of times trying to enlarge them by hand distorts}  A little adjustment might be needed, but it is closer to the end product.

The other way is to enlarge it yourself. You can make a copy and then grid it outand start transfering that pattern to a larger grid. {you did this in elementary school- remember?}  You can also just freehand it.

I seriously laid the book on the copy machine and blew it up.

I had to make some adjustments, and then cut the pattern out on freezer paper so I could iron it down and reuse it a few times.

The template is about 6″ tall.

When you have the finished template {the closest you can get it to perfect} you will want to go over those final and best lines with a black marker.  That way you don’t get confused as to where your sides are.   Now, you need to make sure that seams are either added or not.  Girls, my patterns I sell in my shop– some of them are traced and then sewn on that traced line, some of them are cut along that edge because the seams had been added.

Just REMEMBER what you decide!  Write it down, so you know and so others will know it too. You don’t want to cut it all out and then what it shrunk? hee hee. That does happen.

If you are making a pattern that doesn’t need templates say a bag, skirt or something of that matter, you will need to start finding your measurements.   Figure out what that initial measurement is and add your seam allowances.  Are you using a 1/2 inch? 1/4 inch? or 5/8 inch?  seam?  WRITE down what seam allowance you are going to use, and be consistant when you are stitching it!!  Nothing is more frustrating when you are sewing something and there is no mention of what seam allowance to use and things don’t end up lining up properly.

Label all the parts/templates and cut them out.  You can cut them out of paper, and then out of a plastic or a piece of muslin.  Make sure that you make a photo copy of those patterns before cutting them out. You will use this paper for additional notes.  Don’t have a copy machine handy? Just light box/window trace it. No biggie, just make sure it is accurate though.

Go ahead and give sewing a go.  Try those pieces out. Don’t worry about writing the steps or anything down at this point. You are just testing the templates at this point.  Sew them all- when you find an issue or have a problem or there is a measurement that just won’t work MAKE NOTES on that copy of templates!!!  Example: add 1/4″ here. Make the body longer.  Sew the hair and face on first.  Snip at the corners and curves.  Rounder head, skinnier arms, put in a thumb.  keeps going and going

After doing this you will have a clear idea of what will work and what won’t.  Go back to all those little notes and copied templates and make those tweaks and MAKE NEW TEMPLATES!!!

Test these new ones. Make sure all the corrections are correct. Keep repeating this process until you have what you want and dreamed of.  Believe me there are quite a few of no. that won’t work, sitting around the sewing room. I finally got rid of a few of themand guess what?! the kids found them and use them. It’s like Sid’s world of toys and stuff from Toy Story. hee hee

Anyways- keep at it. If you really get stumped look around the internet world for free pattern, tutorials on what you are having problems with and give those a try. I am NOT telling you to copy someones work, I am merely suggesting that you give others a try. This will teach you steps, shapes, and give you ideas for your own items.  I studied a few patterns before I set out making my own.  Ask someone out there for help and suggestions.

If you can believe it I used the same template for him, of course tweaking a few things:

and him:

Hey girls Share your process with us- comment and let us know how things are going. Have any special tricks, suggestions?

Now, it is time to figure out the instructions, steps, & tweeking any of those templates and measurements you have.

Gather up your goods and let’s get to work.  You will need a pencil & new piece of paper. One to write down the steps & any other little tid-bit others might need.  You will need to write down everything you do. Even if you think it is insidental.  You never know when that little bit of info is what you needed!   I find that keeping all these in a spiral notebook works the best. Papers don’t get lost.  You can write everything down, cross out things, add things, and then they are all together. Let me tell you this is important!! I hate not having a few steps or something is missing or crap, I just cut up my instructions or wrote a note on it and stuck it into the purse and now it is lost forever.

Now, I am a picture person too girls. I take pictures. You wouldn’t believe how many ‘patterns’ I have taken pictures of and haven’t written anything for. They didn’t work outor I am saving them for later.or whatever. But I seriously take pictures of each stepand write them down.  {don’t tell the kids, but i think i have more pics of projects then of them}

ok. now.

Step one write down step one.    You would think that this would first be the material list.well, it sort of is. Right now you need to write down how much material you start with.  After you are finished with the whole thing you can check what is left and make the adjustments.  I find it a bit easier to think of fat quarters, half yards, full yards.   This makes it easier in the end.  What supplies are needed. Zippers, ric-rac, buttons, fusible web, interfacing, elastic whatever.

Stick in a quick reference here too if you would like-  use a 1/4 inch seam allowance, thread weight, needle sizes, fancy stitch references, explanations of abreviations.   Help them figure out the fabric too. Do they need to match? Contrast? Big prints? Calico? What kind of fabric weight. Help them out. Nothing is more frustrating than to make something out of wrong fabric and so it WON’T WORK!!

Step two It is usually the instructions for the templates.. print off the templates and cut them out.  Or it could be your cut list if there aren’t any templates used.   Include anything that you need to point out- seam allowance is included, or not.  place on fold and then cut.

Step three Now comes the construction instruction.  This is where you follow your first 2 stepsand then what comes next?  What will you be sewing first? You can section this out to keep it more organized if you like like sewing the body.  Then a different section- sewing the arms and legs {if this was a doll}.  Or- Sewing the pocket. then sewing the outside of the bag, Then sewing the lining.  etc. get it?

KEEP GOING!!  If there is anything that you need to add- hints {example- snip corners, iron flat, fold here} then make sure you add those!

Don’t assume everyone knows everything! You never know when someone picks up your pattern and it is the first thing they sew. Make it easy on them. Don’t scare them away with big instruction gaps! I feel like it is better to have too much info than no enough.

If the process is repeated for another piecethen just say repeat steps 2-4 or repeat this for the lining.there is really no need to write out those steps again. Less paper too- save those trees!

Step four- finish it up.  What are the last steps to finishing it up if it is a quilt, give hints on quilting patterns.  Bag adding embellishments, Dolls/animals facial features.  This is where you add snaps, buttons, paintingetc. Most of these are done at the end so they aren’t in the way.  If it is needed during the process of making the item {like a magnet snap closure} This clearly needs to be during those construction instructions.

Step five Type them up.  I use a Word Perfect from who knows when, but it works and I know it. Would I love EQ? of course!! but, you know. whatever. I love pictures on my patterns. They are similar to a tutorial. Love that, so I do that.  I use tables to keep things all orderly like.  Go back and figure out what you really used and needed for the supplies and materials list. Make the adjustments.

If you are using pictures label them and then refer to that label in the instructions.  Everyone likes each step layed out 1)  2)  or A) B) keep consistant. That way if there are any questions they can say what do you mean at step 7 when it says  see how handy that it?

Here are a few different layouts for patterns. Everyone makes them a bit different.  Do what you like! You want to draw the pictures? Take a look around at others patterns and how they set them up. What do you like? What don’t you like? Do you prefer a certain style?

When finished get it into a pdf so everyone can open it. No one can open my Word filesand i mean no one! So, pdf is the way to go! To change it to a pdf you click on print..then you can pick where it is printing to {usually shows your printer} but if you use the drop down menu it will show Cute PDF printer. Highlight this.  Then click on Print. Don’t freak out-it won’t really print. It will take a moment, but then it will bring up a window.what would you like to save the pdf file as. Choose a name and place to put it and click on save. TaDa! finished!

Step seven Email it to someone and have them test it! There are 2 things here Make sure that they understand that they need to follow each thing step by step. Have them write down suggestions, problems, misspelled words, confusionswhatever.   and then make sure that you understand this will make your pattern better!!  You have to be open to others likes, dislikes, problems, suggestions, and whatever else they say. Make a note of it and change it. Ask them again.does the wording work now? Would it be better if I?  This is a process to refine your pattern.  Try not to take it personally. The end product is much better because of it.   Don’t worry girls- it will be ok.

I even advertised for a Pattern Tester and had a great response. So just ask and you shall find.

Added comments:

Check out some free patterns that have wonderful layouts and designs:

MMM crafts

Twiddletails

Quiltville

Wee Wonderful

Oh Franson

Do you have a pattern that you want us to check out? Let us know about itmake a comment

Do you know of a free one that has a great layout? Let us know about itmake a comment.

Today- we are finishing up the Focus Friday on How to make and designer your own patterns.

Let’s talk about what to do with your patterns after you have figured out the design, templates and measurements, sewing steps and instructions.  Those were all the steps leading up to the biggie.what is in it for me? What do I get out of it?    Oh, come on. We all are in it for the return on investment aren’t we? Even if you offer it as something free you are getting a ROI. ego {everyone loves you- hee hee}. So let’s get to it.

How do you figure out: Where? How? Price?

Let’s start off with the WhereBecause of the internet {love that technology}  there are 2 options for selling your patterns:

• Online There are multiple resources and places to sell your patterns.  There is Etsy, Ebay, Cotton Spice, Art Fire.ect. I am sure there are many more out there..{share it if you would in the comments, but these are just a few.}  The internet allows you to open up a shop online and sell them yourself alsobut those big distributors pull in the buyers a lot easier when you are just starting out.  When you sell online you are typically selling an e-pattern.  Usually, this is a pattern that is not a hard copy.  They purchase it, and recieve an email with a dowload link, or you attach the pattern to the email for them to open.   You can sell a pattern hard copy, but alot of buyers these days love the ability to have the hard copy within 24 hours in their email.  Because of this option, the buyer has the option to save it forever on their computer and print out just the pages they want. Need a new templateno need to panic! Just print another copy off. Easy as that.  Because you are the boss of your own pattern you can determine the sell price.  The other great thing with the online option- it’s open 24 hours.    **Drawback starting out is hard. Finding your spot and having people find you and your great pattern.  Fees- there are costs for transfering money and listing fees.

• In Store There is just something about going to a store, looking at all the wonderful eye-candy, touching, smelling, chatting, loving..oh sorry. I was in a trance there. I do love real life shopping!!  With a store you can sell more than one pattern at a time, usually they purchase in groups of 10-12.  This can also open up to a few more options teaching, finding some new contacts, your item of the pattern on display, notoriety, guest spots in local sewing groups and so much more.  You also build a reprior with the shopand sometimes they present you with more opportunities than you had anticipated.  **Drawback A brick and morter store closes, is only shopped by those in local vicinity, can run out of your pattern, and it isn’t open 24 hours.

How? How do you go about selling?

• 1st step- Just get out there and do something!!!  You have all the other steps done. Just do it   This is what i have a hard time doing. I easily add it online. No biggie. In person though, whatever.  If you can believe it, I currently have nothing in the shops!! ugh. I haven’t made that next step/jump. Not sure really why.
• Set up your store.  Open an account on Etsy {i find it the easiest and friendliest site}.  Decide on your name you should have one by now.   This is the quickest and easiest way to do it.   If you are daring enough to just go for it and start your own online store here are some to check out ecrator,  mals e commerce,  zencart.
• Load it up with all your patchwork crafts and goods!!!  Get listing, tweeting, blogging and facebooking.  Let everyone know about what great patterns for beginners, intermediates + you have, and how wonderful it is.

Price?  How do I figure it out?  What do I charge?

• This area is up for grabs. I started out charging more for my patterns. For some reason I have found the lucky number of $5.00 for my e-patterns.  I am really kind of cheap girls.  I have a hard time paying a lot for a pattern and then have to purchase the fabric/supplies on top of it.  That is my reasoning for keeping my patterns where they are.  Plus, I took a lot of time to make that pattern..but.. I can sell it over and over again without spending any money on gas, printing, color photos.  I send that pattern via email.  2 clicks and it is off to its new owner!
• Finding your price means you have to take into consideration a few things:

      Time– look how long it took you to make that pattern.  Try to keep track of what you have spent, and add in the time of marketing, selling, listing..ect.  Keep the time on the same pages as the pattern. That way you know what time refers to what pattern. After a few you will be able to kind of guess How long does it take to type it into the computer? How long does it take to make the pattern pieces?  How long does it take to test the pattern?  How long does it take to go to the store and purchase the supplies? How long does it take to promote? Drive?

Supplies– I am not quite sure if we can count the supplies like fabric, zipper and stuff like that. I mean, we aren’t selling the item..only the pattern for someone to make the item with.  So really we are talking- paper, making copies, photo development, color copies, slider top bags to sell them in, anything you want to include with the pattern. aka- plastic templates.

      Cost to sell– when you sell to a store it is a one fee they pay. Online, there are listing fees, money transfer fees, selling fees.  There are always more incedentals  For more pricing help check out this pricing post.  The price that you come up with will be huge! I am sure to take into account of all those items. Be Realistic though, it will take a bit of time to recoupe the costs.

*When selling on your own your price will be the retail value.

* When selling wholesale or to a store you will be selling at a discounted rate. Wholesale is when you sell a bunch of one thing to someone at a discounted rate. The retailers will be marking up their purchase price 40% {is this right? someone help here}  It is lower than selling it on your own.but you get money right then, and you sell more than just one, and your name is out there getting publicity and it is networking for you.

Research your Competition I think this is very important to the process of pattern design.  Know what is out there price wise.  What do the more expensive patterns have that the cheaper ones don’t? How do you feel about paying that price for a pattern?  Take a walk around that store just looking at the patterns and their pricing. This will give you a great idea of what the going rate for a pattern is.  I totally love staking out the others patterns and looking at them and critiqueing them. hee hee

Really I guess Just enjoy the moments and the fun you have figuring out the whole process and designing something new that is an origional made by you!!

By the way, even if you have decided on a price that doesn’t mean you can’t give a few for free, change the pricing or whatever. It is YOUR pattern and you can change anything you like or dislike about it.  And hey- there are a few patterns that are free in one place and are priced and sold in another. You can do that too.

Great link on pricing and finding out where your profit is going.

Clickety Click Here by sewing business blog

What about letting others sell items they make from your pattern?  This is again totally a personal thing.

At first when I started selling patterns I had at the bottom of the page please don’t sell items. But do you know what? I like that others like my pattern enough to want to make them to sell them. + really I am not a sewing machine when it comes to my own items. I sell things at boutiques occasionally, but I am not a mass producer of them and I don’t ever see myself becoming one either. So I say- Go For It!!  Let me see those cute things you come up with!

There are a few out there that you must get specific permission from to sell things from their patterns. Made by Rae sells the right for one of her patterns. Oliver + S is Very specific in their rules for selling items.

So think about it, and again if you change your mind noone will ever know but you! How do you feel about it? Do you like it when others offer this? What about charging an additional cost for the right to sell?

Whatever you decide make sure that you have that written warning or permission on the pattern itself.  It’s always better to have it in writing isn’t it? They have been for-warned.

Now, just quickly let’s chat about protecting yourself.  This onewell, is a hard one.  You need to decide how serious you will take it when you find something that is wayyy to similar to what you have. This happens.

I will be frank here-everyone is a copycat!!! Everyone has in their mind, hey I can make thatand then, we do! So really I guess what comes around, goes around. BUT, if this does happen to you don’t worry you have some rights.

Here are a few sources for checking out the copywright info:

By Craft Designs

by Laura

Since we started I took you on a little journey of design, templates and measurements, sewing steps and instructions. and selling your patterns.

Hasn’t it been fun?

I am expecting that everyone that is following along made a pattern!! oh, didn’t you?  Well, anyways. When you are ready to you know where to come.  If anyone has any questions contact me. I would love to help.

Oh, hey- just a quick side note- make sure you have contact info on the pattern!!!! This should be your .com address or your real address or business address or something.   That way if there are any questions or mistakes or whatever there is a way they can contact you. I have been asked a bunch of questions on patterns- no biggies- but just some clarifications.  People learn differently, so just in case they need it have it there for them.

Did I miss anything in this little series? DId you want to talk about something else? Let me know I am pretty sure we can fit it in.