Hi Friends. Today I have the pleasure of Introducing you to Carla C of
Scientific Seamstress. I admire Carla's work and thought you would like it too! Carla has taken her love of sewing and turned it into a profitable business designing e-patterns for dolls, children, and women. Her designs are fresh, and playful with a touch of whimsy. She started her business by following a favorite hobby and did it by repurposing the basic computer programs she already owned. She is an inspiration to anyone that would like to start a cottage business on a dime.
If you are new to e-patterns, they are sewing patterns that you can download instantly in pdf format. The benefit to e-patterns is you can get them in minutes, tracing is eliminated since you print off only the size you need, and typically they are more detailed in instructions and photographs which makes them perfect for beginners. Carla's are very professionally done and my favorite of the e-patterns I have used.
A sewing pattern is a great investment, especially if you plan to use it over and over again. I'll use a cute pattern in lots of different fabrics as a foundation for a wardrobe and for gifts. I love buying from designers like Carla because it supports a Mom allowing her to be home with her children, and it is a higher quality pattern than I can get from a huge design house.
Q. You learned to sew in an amazing way. Tell us about it.
When I was very little, I remember my parents having a mustard yellow, plastic sewing box. It would come out whenever a button fell off or something ripped, and I was fascinated by the contents. There were probably 10 or so spools of thread, needles, and other assorted notions. I so wanted to play with that stuff! I was pretty little when I started hand sewing, and had my own sewing machine by the time I was nine. I didn’t have formal lessons or anything…I just learned as I went along.
Q. How did your mom feel about your sewing at such an early age?
I’m sure she was nervous at first with all the needles and sharp scissors and such. Plus, she doesn’t sew so I’m sure it seemed odd to her. She went along with it, however. She made sure I had the supplies I needed, and she would get the neighbor ladies who did sew to save their scraps for me. She also cleaned up a lot of sewing messes and stepped on a few pins, I’m sorry to say. She is still very supportive of my sewing, and just loves everything I make for her.
Q. You didn't start your career in the sewing world. Tell us about your formal education and why you transitioned into sewing and design as a business.
I actually come from a science background, hence the catchy business name. I have a Ph.D. in Plant Physiology from Virginia Tech, and I did 4 years of postdoctoral work at Cornell. When I was in grad school, sewing was a wonderful, relaxing hobby. I would come home from the lab and stay up crazy hours working on quilts, clothing, and home decor projects. I became a stepmom to a sweet little girl in 2002, and it opened up a whole new world of fun things to make. She was really into American Girl dolls at the time, and I had an absolute blast making clothes for her dolls. I enjoyed it so much that I started making doll clothes for craft fairs and eBay. I would sit in research seminars, dreaming of new designs and making sketches. After I had my son Louie, I couldn’t imagine going back to work – I just wanted to be with him and the sewing machine all day.
Q. Where do you get the inspiration for your designs?
I find inspiration everywhere – vintage clothing shops, malls, and magazines. I tend to gravitate to really simple, timeless designs that lend themselves to embellishment and use of fun fabrics. Currently, I’m collaborating with fabric designer Jennifer Paganelli, and she is just bubbling over with wonderfully creative ideas. I’m also very lucky to have a team of “lab personnel” – a great group of sewing friends who give me design ideas and test my patterns. They really have a great sense of what styles will translate into doable, popular designs for patterns.
Q. One of the things I love about you is your frugal nature. Did it cost a lot of money to start your sewing and pattern business?
When I left work, we were very concerned about making ends meet. We survived the first few years just by cutting back and “tightwadding” to an extreme degree. My sewing brought in a little extra money, but it wasn’t a sustainable business because of the time and cost of supplies. I had gotten a lot of requests for my patterns, and I decided that would be a nice way to supplement my little income. I could draw it once and sell it over and over again! Then YouCanMakeThis came along and gave moms like me the perfect place to sell our patterns and tutorials. Since I am working in e-format, it costs very little to produce a pattern. I’ll sometimes splurge a bit on the fabric for the models’ outfits, but that is it! And since I am working at home, I don’t have to spend money on work clothes, day-care, lunches out, etc.
Q. You have a darling 4.5 year old son. Many of us are mothers of young one's too. How has being a mother impacted your business?
When Louie was tiny, it was so easy to care for him and get lots of work done. I’d put him on a blanket or a boppy and he would be happy as a clam in my studio. Once he got mobile, I thought my sewing career was over. He was into EVERTHING! For a period, I really couldn’t have him in the sewing room unless he was in a backpack. That is when I started writing more than sewing – the computer room was pretty kid-friendly. When he was about 3, life got so much easier. He learned that the sharp things and hot things were off limits, and that unthreading the serger makes mommy cry. Now he is the best little companion while I’m working. He organizes my supplies, and we talk about how things are made. He is really good about entertaining himself, both in and out of the sewing room. He lets me know when my full attention is needed, however.
Q. One of the things I admire about you is the quantity of designs you put out. Can you give us some tips on how you manage your time, and accomplish so much while working around your family's needs? What does a day look like at your house?
It takes me about 2 months to write a pattern. That is probably really slow compared to commercial pattern production, but like anything handmade, it is a labor of love and I feel like the end results are so worth it. The truth is, I spend an embarrassing amount of time at the computer. I wake up with all these great intentions for exercising, gardening, playing, etc., but usually end up working all day. It isn’t because I feel obligated to work so hard, I just really enjoy what I am doing. I really need to get better at balancing out my days. I tend to let the housework slide and the laundry pile up when I am focused on a project. I am very blessed to have a chef for a husband, and he does ALL of the cooking and kitchen clean-up. He is pretty tolerant of the clutter and only complains when he runs out of socks or underwear. Having a partner like him truly makes all the difference.
Q. What advice would you give a friend interested in starting her own home business in sewing or design?
I would tell them to make sure that are making a product that they absolutely love, and that it is unique and fun to make. Making the same thing over and over again can get pretty tedious. It makes all the difference to work on something you are truly proud of and want to share with the world. Also don’t expect to make a ton of money right away. It takes a while to gain a following, so just start small and slow and watch things grow!
Q. Without spilling any secrets, what's new at your design studio?
Jennifer and I just finished two peasant top/dress patterns – one for girls and one for women. There are lots of sleeve and length options, and I just love the style. I’ve been living in peasant prototypes all summer, in fact.
Q. Where can your patterns be purchased?
My patterns can be found on YouCanMakeThis.com, and I just set up an Etsy Store under the ID scientificseamstress. Check out my blog (scientificseamstress.blogspot.com) for direct links and updates about new products.
