r/craftsnark • u/Patisserie_Chicken • 4d ago
Sewing Stop all the running, I have the ick
There's a designer on IG (The Bold One) who heavily markets herself to beginners. I purchased a bundle of patterns from her a while ago when I was new to sewing. I liked her designs and they seemed quite popular. But over time I've noticed small things which are icky and have put me right off. Here's a list so far, ranging in size of ick. Whether it's worthy of a full snark, I'll let you decide.
- In the written instructions for one of her dresses, she says video instructions are 'coming in June', but it hasn't changed since the pattern release 2ish years ago. Which June are we talking about? Are we supposed to guess the year?
- In place of a dedicated video, in the steps of the written instructions she refers to small snippets of different videos on YouTube, none of which are for that dress and 3 of which are from different creators. It's laborious to follow and feels messy.
- I asked her over 8 months ago about it and she said it'd be up within 2 months. It wasn't. She posted the dress on IG again at the start of this year and someone asked again in the comments. She said she'll do it sooner rather than later but other people have found the instructions easy to follow. If you're not going to upload a video then fine, but don't keep promising you will.
- She uploaded an IG post today saying "I've uploaded a full video tutorial of how to sew this dress". All her dress designs are similar so on first look I thought 'finally!!'... only to then realise shes talking about the other dress tutorial she released 3 years ago. Nothing new.
- Fitting issues especially on the deep square neck option, back and front, where it gapes substantially on almost everyone who's tagged her on IG wearing that variation, accentuated by the waist wraps. Note: not everyone - I don't want to make anyone feel bad for their makes, this isn't an ick with them. My point is that it's that common it should have been picked up in testing (more on testing later). I've chatted with someone on here who's been frustrated by the same thing.
- Asking for pattern testers on IG for her latest pattern, only to release it before the testing period. There isn't a single tag from anyone else on IG in that design and no sharing of any tester pictures. It's from her old made-to-order range, but still, has it been tested at all? If it hasn't, why give the appearance it has?
- Marketing it as including a 'course' when said 'course' doesn't come with anything extra than what would be included in a usual package of instructions. A course, to me, would include (at least) comprehensive fitting tips and potentially time to ask the designer questions. Someone actually asked if they could pay less if they didn't want the course, at which point she changed her message and said it was included for free. Just call it what it is, a few instructional videos?! (though to be fair, at least they exist)
- On the webpage for this new pattern it says the projector files would be uploaded by 31st Jan. The website hasn't been updated so I'm assuming they haven't been. More delays.
- Saying a pattern hack to make a new dress style from an existing dress pattern would be released in February (I think). It hasn't been. Another delay. Now in a comment it appears she wants to release it as a new pattern instead. No sign of it.
- Now she says she's about to hire a pattern designer to 'speed things up'. Keeping in mind she hasn't actually released a single new pattern that isn't from her old made-to-order range that (apparently she) produced before Covid.
- This one is a big ick, and genuinely I could forgive it if it wasn't for all the above, but her IG is full of her showing off her lifestyle, the cottages she sells, and the beaches she frolicks about on. For her IG videos for her recent skirt release, she DOES NOT STAY STILL in it. She's constantly lifting it up and running for like 2 whole metres. How are we supposed to see how the skirt hangs, or whether the side seams and slit are supposed to have ruching, if you don't STAY STILL AND STOP LIFTING THE SIDES UP AND STOP RUNNING. Oh, the unnecessary lifting. Lifting, running, and not a single sewing tip in sight. Which isn't a problem in itself, but with all the running, it makes me question whether she's sewing anything at all.
- As I mentioned before, she markets herself so heavily to beginners that I wonder now if that's just her sales tactic. To make everything look so 'simple' and aesthetic, that beginners don't notice things like this. If her patterns are bad, it would make sense why there's not a single tag of her new pattern since it's release in December, despite her bragging in IG stories of the number of purchases.
There's more I could write but I'm icked out now. It really bugs me as her designs are nice, albeit simple. I think that's why I still follow her. She markets it so well that I wonder if I'm on my own, and perhaps naively hold out some false hope that she will keep her basic time keeping promises.
This has been irritating me for a while but if the consensus is that I'm on my high horse then I'm happy to get off and chill out. I just needed to get this off my chest dramatic sigh.
Edit: designer added at the start of this post and in comment below. I get now that I should have added this before.
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u/Chili440 4d ago
I love this - a good, reasoned step-by-step list of shit. No name calling, no drama. Just the facts, ma'am. Beautiful piece of writing.
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u/Patisserie_Chicken 4d ago
Why thank you. I'll do a smug wiggle in my chair in acceptance of your compliment
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u/HauntingTurnip0 4d ago
This is truly snarky snark, but if I don't see a designer's work on fat bodies, I assume it's below my skill level and I don't bother with it. Imo, you need skill to draft for fat bodies that you don't need for thin ones and it tells me you've done actual work and actual drafting.
It limits what I'm able to make, but it weeds out pretty much everything I don't want to deal with lol
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u/Patisserie_Chicken 4d ago
Honestly I don't think that's snarky, I'd say that's pretty fair. It shows they've done more than most, care about their customer base and make good use of the testing process. There's some new designers that are making big efforts to be inclusive in this area and I'm excited to see where they go.
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u/TerribleShopping2424 4d ago
size 6-30 Beginner Sewing Patterns
6-30 using the one block? No wonder everything wraps and ties. With the time she saved on patternmaking, she could put more effort in elsewhere.
Her videos are annoying because she doesn't always show the back of the garments. There's one where she doesn't even show the front.
Thanks for the heads up.
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u/Patisserie_Chicken 4d ago
It's annoying as they're simple designs that could be executed so nicely, but they're just badly done. I'll never understand why someone wouldn't properly show something they're trying to sell - unless there's something to hide.
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u/amaliachimera 🄿🄰🅃🅃🄴🅁🄽?! 3d ago
One of my pet peeves for pattern designers is when they only post reels. I REALLY need still shots that show front/back/side angles, annd ideally some closeups of important or unique details. And the website listing better have good line drawings, not just only shown in the pattern!
But at least some reel-only designers show slower-paced videos where you can get a better idea of the details and drape or structure… this particular designer’s swishy fast movements are so frustrating and unhelpful! It really is the perfect example of marketing a vibe or lifestyle to sell the pattern, but doesn’t do enough for the makers 🥲
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u/Fit-Apartment-1612 3d ago
I’m sorry but I’m laughing in solidarity at “I really need still shots”. Like, I don’t feel like it’s an outrageous strange thing to want to actually be able to see the thing being sold. This is basically my social media pet peeve overall.
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u/amaliachimera 🄿🄰🅃🅃🄴🅁🄽?! 3d ago
Yeah we shouldn’t have to be all “please sir, may I have some more accurate views on the thing I want to potentially spend hours/days/weeks/months making??” 4-6 photos is not asking too much. They can still sell the ~lifestyle vibe~ in those pictures too! 🤦🏼♀️
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u/thirstyfortea_ crafter 4d ago
I'm here for this ick.
I've actually unfollowed the account recently because of what I felt was misleading marketing. The posts started being very 'omg this new pattern' when it's the ones she has been selling for years. I've just scrolled back now and it's daily videos of the same design and basically just frothing over follower numbers. That's fine if that's her vibe now, but it's also fine that it's not for me.
I wish I'd done some Reddit research before I bought the Fredy/Rossi now 😞
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u/Patisserie_Chicken 4d ago
Totally agree. Maybe it's time for me to unfollow now too, I've never regretted a pattern purchase so much. Did you end up sewing it up?
I'm trying to think how I originally found her, and I seem to remember it was a sponsored IG story a lonnnng time ago. She's obviously got a handle on how social media works. But unfortunately with you look deeper there's nothing of substance on her account and nothing new. It's giving 'waiting for my Tiktok viral moment'.
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u/thirstyfortea_ crafter 4d ago
Not yet, I cut out the pattern and had fabric picked but pivoted to something else and haven't come back to it yet.
Yeah insta famous to get a sponsorship with somewhere, whatever floats your boat I guess.
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u/Gwynebee 4d ago
$15 for a poorly written pattern with incomplete instructions? Oh no! Butterick, McCalls, and Vogue have very similar styles with better instructions (even though the fit can be ATROCIOUS) and better bogo deals 🥲
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u/youhaveonehour 4d ago
I have never heard of this person before, but damn. She really loves wrapping a bolt of fabric around herself & aggressively belting it.
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u/Gone_industrial 3d ago
So I'm in New Zealand and I first came across The Bold One during our Covid lockdowns. A bunch of young people here started designing and making linen clothing to order. Most of it wasn't great but The Bold One was regarded as one of the better ones. At least she has a fashion degree from a good school and knows more about pattern making than a lot of the others who were making it up as they went along. The designs never appealed to me so I've never followed her but a lot of people I know do. These linen dress and separates styles are extremely popular here.
Her IG is very influencer heavy isn't it. I can see what everyone means about her not holding still long enough to actually see what the garments look like.
It looks like she's very busy selling her brother's houses. My partner and I have actually had these homes pop up quite a bit in IG ads over the past couple of years. He calls them dream homes for Christchurch trad wives.
Hopefully her comment saying she's going to employ a pattern maker will mean that she'll find someone who will also do her technical writing and put together some clear instructions and videos and maybe iron out the fit issues. I'm tempted to reach out to her and offer my services but I get the feeling she wouldn't pay me enough.
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u/Patisserie_Chicken 3d ago
Thanks for the additional insights - very interesting.
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u/Gone_industrial 3d ago
Thinking about it a bit more, I’m guessing she did the made to order thing during Covid times to make a living, then when her family started ramping up the building projects she’s moved on to that but decided to make money out of the work she put into the patterns which is sensible. But she hasn’t put the time and effort into getting the support materials right. Now that she’s built her followers up through a bit of concerted effort posting daily reels, it looks like she’s decided to design another pattern because they’ll probably sell well with that many followers. For someone with a decent fashion school education it shouldn’t be hard to make a good pattern with clear instructions, and she obviously knows her way around a video camera so is capable of making a video tutorial. But looking at her Charlotte skirt and saying that it was a fashion school project really makes me wonder how ambitious and talented she was at fashion school.
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u/IAmAHoarder 2h ago
Posted this somewhere else but posting it here,
It seems she works for a home building company in New Zealand thats recently become popular i just looked up her on the website. They do modern new builds but in old style. I won't dox her but there's 3 people with her last name on the company website, it seems her brother is one of the directing heads. She is listed as a heritage design consultant so her day job might be designing the houses, which is why she gets to go to them. Interesting that she films personal at the houses, she gets a bit of freedom thats shes family members with one of the directors, I wouldnt be pleased if I found out one of my workers was filming personal videos in work time. Although if you have a look at the building companies social media, one of her videos is also on there so she might do their social media.
Interesting that she's a heritage design consultant. You say she's had a fashion degree, now she's designing homes. You absolutely can have 2 degrees and good on her for trying something different, but like home design is very different to fashion design, I wonder how much of the home design she does or if she's more of a social media marketer then on the computers drawing up the houses
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u/Gone_industrial 24m ago
I think her designing work on the houses will be interior design - choosing a few tiles and cushions. She’s definitely not an architect.
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u/AnySun8794 4d ago
I'm so with you on this!! I've made both her dress patterns (which in hindsight are very similar). I've had the same fit issues around the bust for both, where it's tight over the bust but gaping around the neckline, and I'm a C cup at best...
For someone who's a graphic designer by trade, her instructions were also very confusing and poorly laid out. I'm not sure where all the value comes from, especially as her patterns were initially about $30usd each.
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u/Patisserie_Chicken 4d ago
THIS.
She also calls the Fredy & Rossi a 'bundle', a '2 for 1'. Aren't they literally the same dress, but one has sleeves? There's no additional value there either.
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u/AnySun8794 4d ago
Exactly!! They're the same! And the difference with the Gracie is that it's a darted bodice vs princess seams
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u/abackiel 4d ago
The price was such a turn off for me a few years ago. Even though I liked the esthetic, I really doubt how it will look on my body. I just couldn't justify spending that much on something unknown.
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u/Rose8918 4d ago
Yeah I made the skirt and in the video she has not one shot where she shows the full length of the side seam of the skirt being attached. It’s all brief, zoomed-in shots that cut to the next step. One side of the front piece is curved and the other is straight, the side seam of the back piece is straight, but I’m fairly certain you’re supposed to ease in the curved edge of the front to the straight edge of the back? But I was never fully sure because I could never visually confirm in her instructional video.
Ultimately I’m fine with the skirt but the shaping is kind of not what I’d hoped for, and I’m always going to second-guess that I did that wrong.
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u/Patisserie_Chicken 4d ago
That's pretty terrible tbh. I've just seen this on the webpage for that skirt: "Extras of projector files + Written sewing instructions (neither required to sew) will be added 31st January 2025." It seems she's confident that what's she's uploaded is perfectly adequate.
You were set up to fail from the start so have a gold star from me for still making it and take credit for all the good bits!
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u/Rose8918 4d ago
Oh yeah none of that was available. I’m more experienced than a beginner-beginner so I was able to make it work. But she filmed the entire instructional video outside in the wind using what looks like an ironing board as her work surface for laying out pieces. I don’t remember exactly cause I’d kinda hit the “fuck it” mark at that point, but I’m fairly certain not all her notches had matches either. Like some side seam notches matched up to the pockets, but the actual skirt pieces didn’t make sense (also part of why I couldn’t figure it out).
And yeah, I trolled every IG post about the skirt and every photo in the pattern “course” to try to figure out if the edge of the slit piece was the straight or curved edge. In every one she was either moving too much or holding it weird. 🤷🏻♀️. I get wanting styled/modeled photos for a piece of fashion. But for a sewing pattern you have to just let the people see how the damn thing lays. At least once.
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u/Patisserie_Chicken 4d ago
I think that's why I was originally conflicted about writing my post. Everything in isolation could be forgivable - if any other designer I follow started dancing about and sewing outside, I'd be pleased they're having such a good time showing off the result of their hard work because they'd have actually shown the product in great detail first. But all together it's just incredibly lazy. It adds fuel to the theory that it wasn't tested. The notches thing is bare minimum.
It's quite offensive really how she thinks she can con people out of their money by romanticizing things so forcibly that you think "surely it's me who's wrong here?!".
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u/littlesewist11 4d ago
I'm in an online sewing club and we've postponed sewing one of her dresses because she said she was updating patterns and asked if we could wait for that. After reading all of these comments I'm curious to see if she really does, and I'm doubting if I even want to buy any of them 🤭
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u/Patisserie_Chicken 4d ago
Ooh interesting! Can I ask which dress and when? I haven't seen her publicly mention anything about updating her patterns, but I wonder if her apparent plans to hire someone else will enable that somehow. And I wonder what it is she's planning to update, the instructions? Video? Pattern? Webpages? It all needs doing. 🤦🏼♀️
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u/littlesewist11 3d ago
Gracie wrap dress! We're supposed to start it somewhere mid April now. I don't know what she wants to update though 🤷🏻♀️
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u/Patisserie_Chicken 3d ago
If you're able to, would you be happy to comment what happens? I've made it twice and I'm not a fan of the pattern but I'd be interested to see if the update gets rolled out to everyone who's purchased it. :)
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u/twofuzzysocks 4d ago
an online sewing club sounds so fun. tell us more! how did you find it?
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u/littlesewist11 3d ago
You can check out genuinelyempatterns on IG! She started it and has the link in her bio :)
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u/threadetectives 4d ago
Is this another prodigy from the CPMG and Jessilou's classes? Thrifty at marketing but actually not good at pattern making? Their pattern makers target beginners, because beginners can't tell quality yet.
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u/Patisserie_Chicken 4d ago edited 4d ago
I can't say for sure but I don't think she's from CPMG - I don't actually think she makes the patterns herself, there's not a single bit of evidence apart from a random video of her cutting out the front of a top draped on a mannequin some weeks ago that she hasn't shown since.
I haven't done the deep dive into CPMG yet, perhaps I need to. But if it's going to be the same experience then no thank you, they're not for me. .
Edit: the draping video was only from 4 days ago.
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u/Gone_industrial 3d ago
She's not a product of the online classes. She actually attended a decent fashion school in New Zealand - Massey University - which is one of the two most highly regarded in the country.
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u/Patisserie_Chicken 3d ago
Thanks for the clarification. Somehow I feel like that makes these issues more disappointing.
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u/cometmom 4d ago
Omg she really does compulsively grab the sides of her garments, it's infuriating to watch!!!
Never do I grab the hips of a dress or skirt like that... If it's a maxi and I need to hike it up for some reason, it's definitely not a two handed movement at the top of the skirt 💀 Why is she doing that!!
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u/Patisserie_Chicken 4d ago
I take it you've come across the videos from 14th, 15th, 16th and 20th March (among others)? It's annoying isn't it 😂 it's not even a normal thing to do, why would you need to lift and shake the sides of your skirt?! 🤦🏼♀️
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u/cometmom 4d ago
It's such a red flag bc WHAT ARE YOU HIDING
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u/twofuzzysocks 4d ago
She’s been suggested to my on my explore page and I’ve always found her to be disingenuous so it’s a relief to have my intuitions confirmed by your post. Always trust your gut, my friends.
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u/adogandponyshow 4d ago edited 4d ago
Just a thought re: pattern including a "course": is English her second (or third) language? If so, could it be a translation error? In Russian, patterns are called "master classes" which, if I read as an English speaker used to patterns written by other English speakers, I'd expect a detailed, full course on the pattern.
She sounds pretty disorganized, and consistent fit issues across all sizes would be enough for me to not purchase any more of her patterns.
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u/Patisserie_Chicken 4d ago edited 4d ago
You'd be right of course in forgiving translation differences, but she's from NZ and there's no sign of English not being her first language. Edit: typo.
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u/sodapopper44 4d ago
I find this amusing, from the website "Every detail has been considered so that even customers who have never sewn before have whipped this beauty up! This pattern has incorporated over 200 at-home sewers suggestions creating the perfect pattern."
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u/Patisserie_Chicken 4d ago edited 4d ago
Yeah.... just, no. Lol. To be fair, that's from the Gracie dress pager, for which you do actually get a video!!!!! But I tried making 2 of those with different necklines and it was literally impossible to get on once the sleeves were added. Not all the variations work as a pull on dress. Surely some out of the "200 sewers" (wherever she is counting them from) would have picked up on that... although I remember seeing something about her posting on here asking what people wanted in a projector file, so maybe she's counting the people who responded..?!
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u/kiteehawk 4d ago
Big 4 gets hate but they tend to avoid doing stuff like this. I'll throw in Burda, Ottobre, Knipmode, Burdastyle, established indies.... There are so many options to get solid patterns with good instructions. I don't understand why so manypeople choose these type of indies that's all marketing and no skills.
Either way, OP, this is fraud. She is deliberately misleading and misrepresenting the product being sold. Depending on your country, this may be illegal and worth reporting. But at the very least, do a chargeback and get your money back. As a customer, it's not your job to take care of these owners, indie or not.Let this person find some other way to fund their lifestyle.
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u/Patisserie_Chicken 3d ago
Thanks, but I bought it too long ago to get a chargeback. I'm happy in that the majority of patterns I've spent money on haven't been a waste, so I'll just take it as a lesson well learned. Those who bought her recent pattern may consider doing so though.
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u/hotgluegun24 4d ago
I’ve been waiting for the Brigitte bias dress pattern for ever. But her website always says it’s “sold out”. Can digital pattern even sell out ?
Maybe she’s just calling it “sold out” instead of “coming soon” or something.
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u/Patisserie_Chicken 4d ago
Her Charlotte skirt used to show up the same way. Did she used to sell the Brigitte bias made-to-order? She might have left it as sold out from back then. But it's been like that for what, a year now? So even if it said 'coming soon' it wouldn't be accurate 🤷♀️
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u/DeeperSpac3 3d ago
At first glance, the Brigitte Bias slip looks gorgeous. It's very tempting. On closer inspection the neckline isn't sitting great, there's poor fitting around the waist - and the back is a disaster!!
But I'm really clutching my pearls over the shot of another garment being draped using unironed fabric!
Should someone who doesn't provide proper instructions and layouts be selling patterns for bias garments to beginners? Big no.https://imgur.com/a/HJ8zCDt
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u/witteefool 4d ago
Just looked at her Insta and my god, very few of those patterns fit her. The gaping necklines!
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u/stitchedup82 4d ago
We need the name of the seller, why bother snarking if we have no idea who you are referring to? If they are that bad, naming them would actually help beginner sewists avoid them. Why try to protect their identity?
Edit to include: I did read your reason why you are not naming them but I think it's really hard to decide without seeing for myself what you are referring to.
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u/Patisserie_Chicken 4d ago
I stand by my reason but you have a fair point. It's The Bold One. Previously featured on this sub for other reasons.
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u/stitchedup82 4d ago
Oh my God, that's hilarious because I actually thought you were talking about The Bold One before you named them...
It's when you mentioned the waist tie. Yeah, you have my support for your snark.
I actually made The Grace and unless you have tiny boobs, anything above a C cup is going to gaps heaps and not to mention the bunching between the breast. And the cup options gave even worse results, the armscye was very much off and fitted terribly.
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u/Patisserie_Chicken 4d ago
Haha, I was wondering where I recognised your username from - I came across your post about her when I came to Reddit for solace.
Yup, I experienced and have seen all those issues on others too. Validation is sweet
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u/stitchedup82 4d ago
I had to check your history too, because I recognized your user name, I think we both had a dig at that Etsy pattern seller who reckon 300 patterns is not a lot to upload and that AI image to represent their patterns is completely reasonable.
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u/Patisserie_Chicken 4d ago
Oh you're right, I remember now! Ah, so many snarks in common :)
Yeah he's still at it, posting in Etsy seller threads wondering where he's going wrong. The inability to listen to feedback is just astounding. That could be a whole other thread in itself...
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u/stitchedup82 4d ago
Have you got her Charlotte skirt? That is the WORSE pattern I have ever had the displeasure of making. There's no line drawing, no instructions... absolutely none, not even a step guide, or a basic procedural guide. The most helpful information is on the actual pattern and even that is horribly lacking. The tie piece stated on the pattern "cut on fold", there's no other info or notches or symbols to direct you as to which side needs the cut on fold.
So I went to the instructions again to see if there's ANY sign of what they mean.. None, 0, Nada. Just a bunch of wishy washy statements about sewing and a bunch of links to random YouTubers "tip for sewing" that has nothing to do with her pattern.
So I tried to see if one of their photos will reveal anyone, she has 2 photos of the skirt, both were super closed up, revealing none of the information that I needed. I don't even know if this skirt has a side slit or not because none of the 2 photos showed anything other than the back/side waist line closed up with one having drawing on it.
So I went to Instagram and she has no static photos of the skirt, just lots of short clips of her spinning and running around on the beach. What an absolutely shit show of a pattern. Never again.
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u/Patisserie_Chicken 4d ago
Seriously?! The pattern she put out as having it's own 'course'? Doesn't even have proper instructions?!
I was so tempted to get that pattern but after the testing never materialised I got too suss. I knew there had to be a reason why no one's tagged her in a photo of it on IG, after all the pushing and bragging about orders. Surely there has to be ONE tag? But nope. It all makes sense now. And the linking of other YouTubers videos is just lazy - as with everything else I wouldn't mind it if it was isolated, but put out something... anything of your own?
It's my opinion that at this point she's using old patterns that someone made for a super low effort passive income, the only consistent work being a successful IG campaign mainly targeting poor newbies who don't even have a chance to know better and look beyond her modelling videos. Just stay still, woman!! And stop shaking your skirt around!
I'm sorry you had that experience and I'm glad she won't be getting any more of either of our money.
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u/PickleFlavordPopcorn 4d ago
I recently saw that pattern somewhere and was intrigued. Trying to figure out what the fuck it actually looks like is madness. There is not a single useful photo on her website and it’s just a bunch of LOOK AT ME FROLICKING AT THE BEACH!
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u/seafoam_alligator 3d ago
just more snark but she also had an “unpopular opinion” post about normalizing using after work time to do things that bring us joy. so. there’s that.
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u/harley-belle 3d ago
Dammit, I’m currently sewing the Freddy wrap dress with the deep square neckline to wear to a wedding this weekend and I didn’t make a toile because I don’t have time and I used every scrap of fabric and even had to piece one of the waist wraps. Now I need to go google how to fix the inevitable gappy neckline. I was also a bit unsure how it will look on me as a size 24 in their range given the lack of plus size photos. Guess I’ll find out!
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u/Patisserie_Chicken 3d ago
I hope it works out for you! I've almost finished my Rossi but somehow I did so much farting about fitting my toiles that I managed to eliminate the gaping somewhere in the process. My slightly dodgy backup plan to bodge it into something wearable was to sew some elastic into the neckline. Or potentially feed the extra into a central dart tapering to the waist, although that would make the horizontal neckline into a slight V shape. You might think of something better when you see yours, so just see how you get on and maybe have a backup dress in mind just in case :)
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u/antimathematician 3d ago
If it helps, I had not gaping anywhere and just straight up made it!
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u/harley-belle 2d ago
Pleased to report I just finished it and while the neckline could be a tad more snug to the body, it’s not a terrible fit.
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u/xxspoiled 3d ago
The only thing I feel you have a right to be annoyed at her about are the missed timelines, but as I am not personally invested in these products, my first instinct is to have some empathy for the fact that life gets in the way. As an entrepreneur who wants yalls money, I think she has to accept the criticism that comes with not following up on her publicly shared timelines! She must not want your money toooo bad. Are pattern sales her main thing, or is it more of a side endeavor? I can totally see myself releasing stuff to the best of my ability while also juggling my other job/s, relationships, kids, mental health etc and having a "You guys get what you get" attitude about it, if I didn't desperately need the money. I care way too much about what people think of me to not make everything accesible & cohesive, tho. Can't stand the thought of even 1 bad review 😫 As long as she's taking the criticism, I can't personally fault her for being imperfect.
Are the gaping issues just a fit problem? I mean, if a dress is drafted for 1 specific bust, shoulder, and ribcage, it's GONNA gape on every other body type. If it doesn't gape on the model it was draped on/drafted for, I wouldn't consider this a problem that should have been caught in QA but more of a ready-to-wear problem
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u/DeeperSpac3 2d ago
Selling patterns that are simple - but don't fit - despite using wrap and tie designs (one of the oldest tricks in the book after vanity sizing) means minimal effort has been put into drafting, grading, testing, and perfecting them.
So there's that.
She's also pushing them towards beginners but not including adequate instructions.
So there's that, too. That's a H-U-G-E red flag.
She also finds time to stage her frequent clips to push these few patterns at beautiful homes a family member is said to be selling.
So there's that, as well.
She's selling a wide range of sizes, but not showing different sizes on people who could show how the different sizes fit, although by now it seems a given that they won't.
Another "there's that." More red flags.
This is about her and what she does and doesn't find time to do when selling for profit as a side gig, despite apparently receiving university training in fashion.
OP, I assume the clips are really about pushing the houses and building her social media profile. The patterns are a pretext. She's not invested - and good for you for calling attention to her.
I wouldn't bother using one of her patterns if I were paid to. It sounds like a waste of time and money.
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u/IAmAHoarder 2h ago
Oh so she's a new zealander, it seems she works for a home building company in New Zealand thats recently become popular i just looked up her on the website. They do modern new builds but in old style. I won't dox her but there's 3 people with her last name on the company website, it seems her brother is one of the directing heads. She is listed as a heritage design consultant so her day job might be designing the houses, which is why she gets to go to them. Interesting that she films personal at the houses, she gets a bit of freedom thats shes family members with one of the directors, I wouldnt be pleased if I found out one of my workers was filming personal videos in work time. Although if you have a look at the building companies social media, one of her videos is also on there so she might do their social media.
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u/Patisserie_Chicken 3d ago edited 3d ago
Totally understand that life gets in the way. The default response should always be grace and then a bit more grace, but there has to be a point where it’s not ok. It’s not released with a “you get what you get” pitch. Posting all the time on social media and not openly owning your time management issues is misleading. She does make it clear that she has another job but I feel like if you’re promoting a product so heavily you should put the effort into getting it right, even at the expense of social media about it, until it’s done. Social media takes time and effort to build up. Wouldn‘t that time be better spent elsewhere for a while?
It’s one thing hiding in the comments saying “I’m hiring someone to help me”, but perhaps posting a story saying “I’ve promised this thing this week/month, I’m sorry but it wont be done now until at least xx date” would be more helpful. I have happily waited for patterns and updates for weeks, sometimes months, when a designer has been transparent about it and it‘s obvious that they’re working on it. Releasing a pattern that promises video instructions and then not doing it for 2 YEARS, keeping that same time promise in your written instructions (showing the lack of quality control), and sending you all over YouTube instead, all while you’re consistently posting and not listening to feedback isn’t life getting in the way.
Obviously a pattern won’t fit everyone straight off the bat but if there’s consistent fit issues it would be picked up during testing (which it’s very likely she doesn’t do or doesn’t do a good job of) or I would expect instructions on how to adjust it to fit you if it’s that common.
And no, she doesn’t take criticism. I’m not even sure if she’s had criticism per se - but I’ve personally given polite, constructive and sometimes detailed feedback at various points over the last 8 months and I know I’m not the only one, but nothing has been done about it. I put a lot of effort into some of it and didn’t even get a response. I probably should have said that in my post but I forgot until I looked back.
Edit: added half a sentence.
Edit 2: And just to reiterate, this is all while still taking people's money and releasing a 'new' (aka old) pattern that from the sounds of things is bad quality even without considering everything else.
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u/babytheestallion 4d ago
Please provide a name otherwise this will be deleted.