After months of uncertainty, the “Big 4” sewing pattern brands — Simplicity, McCall’s, Vogue, and Butterick — have been saved. Rubelmann Capital and longtime Simplicity executive Abbie Small are leading a relaunch of the historic pattern company, preserving jobs, archives, and the last U.S. tissue pattern presses while modernizing for a digital future.
The McCall printing facility in Manhattan, Kansas has been offline since mid-October due to a network outage causing printing delays for indie pattern designers.
Sewing pattern designer Christine Haynes is relaunching her business with an eye towards creating a healthy work-life balance.
Anne Oliver of Lolli & Grace has built a business based on her love of saturated color and hand embroidery. She’s found community on Instagram and through running Stitch Alongs and both have contributed to her success.
Folkwear is one of the oldest independent sewing pattern companies. They publish global, historical, and vintage sewing patterns, often including extensive cultural history, textile information, and handwork embellishment instructions in their patterns.
Making Things is a new web app that launched on October 30 to the knit and crochet community and has provoked intense online discussion about the cost of pattern, designer compensation, and disclosure of affiliate links. Created by Megan Elizabeth and her partner, Rob Andrew, and based in Melbourne, Australia, Making Things is a monthly subscription service providing access to over 1,000 patterns as well as web-based pattern reading tools including stitch counters, row highlighters, chart grids, and editable notes, plus 24-hour live pattern support.
The ability to express your vision is essential. However, there are some common pitfalls that can trip up newbie designers that you can avoid.
Crochet – the one fiber art that will never be taken over by machine. You must use your own two hands to achieve this ancient art. Just you, your favorite crochet hook, and whatever luscious yarn you’ve chosen for your next wonderful project. But understanding a written pattern can be tricky. Symbol patterns are the answer!
Many patterns from indie craft designers include a copyright notice. But is this restrictive language valid, and can it be enforced against the purchaser?