The Scientific Seamstress

I’m CarlaC, the Scientific Seamstress, and I’m so honored to be guest posting here today!  SewBaby has recently added downloadable e-patterns to their lineup of wonderful sewing products including Scientific Seamstress and SisBoom e-patterns.  I’ve been working with these types of patterns for several years now, and really love the versatility and convenience they offer.  If you’ve never sewn from an e-pattern, you are probably wondering how the process compares to using a traditional paper pattern.  I’m going to take you through the basic steps:

1) Select and purchase your pattern, just like you would a paper pattern. Instead of a physical package, you will receive an email that contains one or more .pdf files as attachments.

 

2) With a single click, your PDF is opened with Acrobat Reader.  If you don’t already have the software on your computer, you can download it for free from Adobe.com.

3) At this point, you have your instructions in front of you.  As with paper patterns, it is a good idea to read through all of the instructions before sewing. Many e-pattern users get the instructions right off the
screen, scrolling through the pages as they work.  Others prefer to work from a print-out (I’ll give some ink and paper saving tips below).

4) The next step is to print out the pattern pieces.  For small  accessories and tiny children’s clothing, a whole pattern piece often fits on one page.  For larger patterns, the pattern pieces are split into multiple pages.  Simply print the needed pages, and assemble as indicated on the pattern pieces.

5) The rest of the process is just like sewing from a traditional pattern – cut, sew, and enjoy!  And the best thing is, you can print the patterns again and again, in exactly the sizes you need (and you never have to worry about losing a piece, either)!

About Carla:
Carla Hegeman Crim, founder of Scientific Seamstress LLC, is a molecular biologist turned patternmaker.  She is a work at home mom with a sweet little boy named Louie and a chef husband named Delmar.  Although she was born and raised in the South, Carla has lived in Upstate NY, New England, the Midwest, and is currently planted on the East Coast.  She has a B.S. in Biology from Virginia Commonwealth University, a Ph.D. in Plant Physiology from Virginia Tech, and was a Postdoctoral Fellow at Cornell University.  She is a self-taught seamstress who has been experimenting with fabric since she was a wee little girl.  When her son came along, she decided to stay home with him and build a business out of sewing.  For the first few years, she focused on elaborate clothing and furniture designs for collector dolls.  She had many requests for her patterns, and began publishing them in 2006. Currently, her “sewing lab” is working on two different product lines:  Scientific Seamstress ePatterns, which are good basics with a touch of boutique whimsy, and Sis Boom ePatterns, which are collaborative works with renowned fabric designer Jennifer Paganelli.  Between these two series, there are offerings for all ages, sizes, and tastes.