a different way to become a designer
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The other day, I began sharing my story about transitioning into becoming a clothing and pattern designer. I talked about leaving my old job to return to school and learn how to create sewing patterns. I promised to dive deeper into the method I’ve discovered for teaching the patternmaking skills I use when developing my sewing patterns. Well, today, I’m going to do just that.
Customizing patterns, which we often feature on the blog, is something that professional patternmakers also do. Established fashion brands typically have a collection of block patterns—styles that fit well and have proven successful for the company. Developing and grading these patterns across various sizes requires a lot of time and expertise. However, once a pattern is perfected, it can serve as a foundation block and be adapted in countless ways.
A block pattern allows patternmakers to innovate without starting from scratch every single time. If you already have a well-fitting template, why not build on it to create new designs that also flatter? This consistency in fit is key to maintaining a brand's identity. When working with a block pattern, patternmakers are essentially customizing it—taking that foundational style and tweaking it to create entirely new looks. Mastering the art of customizing all major aspects of a block pattern empowers patternmakers to bring nearly any vision to life. Start with a basic dress block and add a Peter Pan collar or pleats to the skirt. Presto! A new style emerges. Does that make sense?
As I reflected on this process, it struck me that if I crafted a high-quality block pattern for you, I could walk you through customizing every detail—step by step, piece by piece. If I paired these instructions with thorough sewing guidance and explored all the elements of the block in depth, you’d be able to achieve what I originally hoped to accomplish when I first moved to New York, before diving into formal patternmaking studies. You could design your own garments, create patterns using the block as a starting point, and sew the final product.
With this block pattern and set of customizing instructions, you’d have the tools to design and draft your own patterns—just like professional designers and patternmakers—without needing years of training or starting from scratch each time. Sounds tricky? It’s not really. I know you can do it because we’ve been breaking down these processes in our customizing tutorials on the blog.
Seeing how eager you’ve been to learn and how many insightful questions you’ve asked over the years, it seemed logical to compile everything into one comprehensive resource. And what better format than a book?
But before we dive in, let’s talk about craft books. Have you noticed that many authors write one and never return to the genre? There’s a reason for that. Writing a craft book today isn’t financially rewarding for most authors. Many write books to boost their visibility or personal brand. It’s almost like a calling card—if you’ve written a book, people respect you more. But in reality, craft book authors don’t earn much.
It took me about two years to finish my first book, from drafting patterns to the final print run. That doesn’t include the time I spent brainstorming ideas or promoting the book later. The final book included 20 complete sewing patterns with detailed instructions for each. That’s roughly five years’ worth of new Oliver + S patterns for us.
Today, most books sell on Amazon at steep discounts, far below the suggested retail price. These discounts affect the author’s earnings significantly. Want to take a guess how much I earn per copy of *Oliver + S Little Things to Sew* (with a suggested retail price of $27.50) sold on Amazon? Take a moment to think about it. Close your eyes, and give it your best shot.
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Alright, I’m still here. What did you guess? Ten bucks? Five? Three? Wrong. For each copy sold on Amazon, I earn 55 cents. Not a typo. That’s just the way the publishing industry works today. It works out fine for someone like J.K. Rowling, but not for craft book authors.
My first book did fairly well, according to our publisher. As of the latest report, we’ve sold around 20,000 copies. Do the math, and you’ll see that it’s impossible for me to justify writing another book. Even doubling sales wouldn’t change the equation. Despite encouragement from our publisher over the years, Todd and I couldn’t justify the effort. Writing a book takes two years, during which I wouldn’t be able to focus on designing new sewing patterns, yet the financial return is negligible. We can’t live off the earnings from a book, even with minimal expenses.
But I was determined to write this book. I obsessed over it for a long time. Finally, we decided to self-publish. It was the only way to make this project feasible.
For this new book, we handled everything ourselves—writing, illustrating, photographing, designing, printing, and distributing. Just like we do with our sewing patterns. It was an exhilarating challenge, but it allowed us to earn more per sale since we were the publishers.
But let’s be honest—it’s nerve-wracking to invest two years of our lives and commit to printing thousands of copies before selling any. We’re taking a risk, putting the company on the line. Two years of work, significant financial investment—it’s a lot to bear. Still, we embrace challenges and smart risks.
We believed so strongly in this concept and empowering you to become a designer that we knew it was worth it. And we hope you agree.
All this effort has resulted in a unique guide that walks you through every stage of designing a dress—from creating the pattern to sewing it. You won’t need to quit your job or spend a year studying to master it.
I’ll share how it all came together and what the final book looks like on Thursday. Can’t wait! Are you excited too?
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Stay tuned!