Dispatch no. 46 - Updates Podcast

Hi Bianca 👋 How exciting/nerve wracking! I legit told myself a few weeks ago: hey [me]. You've adjusted a half-dozen commercial patterns. You can draft a sloper. And I did! I turned it into a shoulder princess seam with an A-line skirt and I just finished adjusting the final mockup. I am so stinking proud of myself. I'm making 2 dresses. One with a woven and lace overlay and the other will be a cowl neck knit. I may do the shoulder pleats instead, but I think the cowl will work with the fabric better. I'm SO happy I found your channel 💛 💓 💗 😊

I just finished my latest block with some help from the Reddit /sewing and /sewhelp communities. I posted my first dress and the moderator asked me to provide information about how I drafted my basic block. Here’s where you come in. In the note from the moderator, they specifically referenced Helen Joseph Armstrong’s book - and - The Closet Historian as an example of sources for drafting a basic block. Like others here, I’m amazed that you don’t have more subscribers-hopefully this new project will help with this - and get you more patrons too. I evangelize you often in the Reddit boards - I love how what you taught me changed my sewing life!

Thank you for this vague update. I just love listening to you talk...fast. :) keep up the great content!

Whatever you need to do over the next blah blah weeks, you do. We'll be here watching, waiting. Whatever this project is, they have to give you enough time to complete it. Already having a completion date before they even contacted you doesn't seem very fair to you.

Hi Bianca, again….Ive been reading the replies you have been receiving from this podcast and just wanted to add that if ithe ‘project’ is a book, it would be truly wonderful, splendicious, exciting…I have been wishing that you would make a book for ever, since I came across your YouTube channel , and you have given me so much more confidence in making my own blocks and in sewing in general. (And I sew for work!] I’ve been sewing since my first job at the ballet wardrobe so many years ago, but never felt as comfortable adapting blocks as I am now and it’s all due to YOU! 🥰 You are truly a gifted person, with such a wonderful personality and charisma. And, a true artist who weaves magic into those blocks and fabric. You have the aura of a magician who inspires creativity in those who watch you. Am I a little in love with you? Mmm, I think I might be….Or at least, I can’t stop thinking about your work and words and what you might do next! Wish you all the best for this …if your ‘project deal’ doesn’t come through then (a) they are mad; (b) they are not the best ‘fit’ for your creativity and you haven’t found the right people to work with you on this; (c) don’t abandon the idea….I believe in your talent and it seems everyone here does too, so gently put it aside until you feel like trying with a different partner/publisher. (Assuming it IS a book….and I might be barking /meowing up the wrong tree here,😹😂

I am so excited for you! WHEN this opportunity comes through, I think everyone will be okay with you dedicating as much time and energy as you need to that project. We are here to support you!

«Epic wardrobe of your dreams» is such a indicative sentence! Good luck, Bianca!

My brain is also full of bees right now, but for a way less cool reason. I hope you get an answer soon, and I do hope it's a pattern drafting book. Deep breath <3

I actually really appreciate your encouragement to draft our own patterns. I spent YEARS frustrated that it took so much work to make patterns fit me, especially from the Big 4. I've created a bodice and skirt block thanks to your encouragement and am currently working out fit on a sleeve block. I'm looking so forward to drafting what I want to wear and it actually fit me! Thank you so much for the tough love/encouragement to do it myself!

I completely understand. Waiting for something exciting is hell on earth. I guess it's a book on pattern drafting/building a wardrobe. Whatever it is, I'm sure it's gonna be great!^^ I keep my fingers crossed for you.

So very excited for you! ✨🎉 Drop the Patreon content and comment responses if you need to, we’re all here to support you! We just bought our first house in Dec and the buzzy bees are very familiar. On the other side of it now, my biggest regret is that I didn’t enjoy it more. Try to take some time to be proud and excited for yourself once you are more certain. You got this!!!

I don’t think anyone deserves a great opportunity more than you! ❤️ You have a heck-tonne of integrity and work ethic, creativity and talent, and honestly I think everyone who watches you feels the same and believes in you wholeheartedly. I for one have found a lot more confidence and understanding of drafting through you, and am definitely inspired to work on my sloper soon!! (And also I think I’m just a better sewist for having watched you work, so there’s that too!) All the best with the new mystery venture!

I keep my fingers crossed for you. Someone so talented and humble at the same time should have every opportunity the world has to offer ❤️ (Personally I hope it’s a retro pattern drafting book, that’s something I would love to have🫢)

Best of luck on this opportunity, I hope it pans out because I love seeing you succeed AND because I’d love to buy the final version of what I think you’d be creating. Just to remind you that your work matters: I am making my wedding dress (!!!) and part of why I feel so confident making it is because I am using skills I’ve learned from you! I’ve turned my darted bodice sloper into a princess seam garment and I’m about to adjust the neckline. So far the mockups look sick so thanks for being part of my journey!

Very exciting news, fingers crossed for you! Re the flooring issue: for future ref could try roll linoleum. It is very historic, has retro options, is easy to lay down and roll up. Re content for Patreon: I would be totally thrilled to read your first Book Chapter 1 please!!

If this is the ahem *industry* I think it is, definitely don’t take the vague emails and long periods between contact as any hesitation on their part. They’re notoriously bad communicators. I also wouldn’t be surprised if you could negotiate that deadline (or if you can’t, at least get a hefty advance to account for it). And if it doesn’t work out with this person, I wonder if you could take the sample materials you had to prepare for this deal and parlay it into a pitch you could send to other companies! Whatever happens, I know you’ll be successful. Best of luck, I’ll be crossing my fingers for ya.

But did you wear a killer outfit for your zoom meeting? Shoulder pads for sure! ETA: I love getting a response to my comment, but it’s never necessary :)

Yes!!!! I watch you so I can make the epic wardrobe of my dreams!!!

Just got so excited about what you were saying and agreeing to all you said (emphasis on drafting!) that I messed up my comment and deleted it. Oh S 🙃! But yes, very excited for you and keeping fingers crossed metaphorically speaking for your project. I love ❤️ your content. Don’t change a thing. Just keep doing what you do best. BTW just read your blog posts…man, there are some seriously beautiful photos on your blog! Gorgeous.

What I think we need to make us all jump into drafting our own patterns is a demonstration of what good fit is and isn't. I know you like very little ease in your personal clothes but many translate that into skin tight, like painted on jeans. That's not the same thing. We need a basic course in good fit. I think that is why pattern drafting has not been well accepted.

pattern drafting is a wonderful thing. The most difficult part for me has been fitting myself. Evelyn Wood on YouTube suggested using a cell phone on a tripod to take a video of yourself to help you see how your mock-up is fitting. I think this will be a great help. The other huge problem we as untrained sewers run into is the reality that we don't know what a well fitted garment looks like or feels like. We have been wearing clothes that don't fit for so long, no one knows what a good fit is.

I know nothing about sewing or pattern drafting. In fact I usually scroll through to the end to see the final result and I love your look book videos and watch those straight through. I support you because you are talented with a passion and dreams that I believe are very achievable because of your talent driven ambition. Sometimes people have one of the two (talent or dreams) but not both; you have an abundance of both. Great things will come your way because that. Good luck with this mystery opportunity. 🙂

And here is an even scarier thought, you may have to hire help :-o

Looking forward to these puzzles unpuzzling themselves. We know you will take the smartest path, even if nothing is purely balanced, it will be the most logical move you can do. And chocolate is the answer!!

Also, I know your YouTube is your job, not just a lark, so it is totally appropriate to be upfront with the potential partner about realistic timelines. Every client thinks they are the center of the world, and they are often 'fussy' when you say "no, you may not have three pieces of candy before dinner.", but a good client actually will be more accepting of being prepared for reality as opposed to getting disappointed by a surprise delay.

This sounds amazing. And it is part of being a self-employed professional - hurry up and wait, shift/clutch left turn! So this is good. Also, another way to make your content go further is to break your big productions into multiple smaller ones. I am sure your followers will still enjoy watching them, especially when you say why they are going to be smaller ones for a bit. And we'll all love to see the "reveal". Good luck and ENJOY the fun of the potential project!

Sounds exciting. Don’t worry about us, speaking personally I’d be happy with a Dispatch update now and then if you aren’t allowed to share this “project”. There’ll be a big reveal at some point. For the channel, there are lots of projects here on Patreon you can use on a more regular basis whilst it’s all happening, rather than as an occasional filler. (Hope some of that makes sense, bad case of brain fog going on here and I’m losing my words.)

I have been waiting all month first from the ok to do a internship from a co-ordinating organisation, than the organisational written down stuff, now for the OK from the government (it isn't a schoolinternship, it is a "job experience internship"), and I am also stressing out about the internship in general which is supposed to start friday BUT I DO NOT HAVE THE FINAL OK YET and also not the "we'll pay your transport" ok yet, and I have to yet buy my train & metro subscriptions to get to the internships which I don't want to do before I get alll the OK's, and UGHHFUDHDFUIEDHFUEDHBFUEDHFUISZHFDHSZJFDNSJFSHEHZUIFDRH

I can't imagine that a company would ask you to do a project without the pattern drafting, unless they have really terrible researchers! I hope it goes ahead, sounds super exciting... Can you take your writing holiday while you wait for an answer? I know it's hard to budge schedules but the ideas will always be there and your wellbeing is priority

Oh, Bianca! I so hope all of the good things come your way! If this opportunity means less content here or more content from here makes its way to YouTube, I’m in full support of you.

Your pattern drafting instruction style is unique and edu-taining. Any collaboration you might consider, should have this at the core imo. I have seen blog writers, content creators etc referencing ‘Closet Historian’ in relation to your pattern drafting and explanation skills. The fact that this opportunity has presented itself means you’ve captured people’s attention, and given the value of the content you put out, I’ve often wondered why your YouTube Subscription count is not higher - I’m aware that others share this sentiment. You must already be asking yourself: would involvement in this project allow me to make pattern drafting more accessible to more people? If so, I hope you get positive feedback from the partner. Otherwise, you’re already killing it doing what you do on the channel and we all appreciate how hard you work (we’re a very understanding and reasonable bunch). Other opportunities may be on the horizon. Investing in one’s wellbeing and mental health should always be high on everyone’s list of priorities. Your transparency and humility with your patrons is admirable. We wish you the best in this endeavor - whichever way it goes ❤️

You do what you need to do! We aren't goin ANYWHERE! 😊

I hope the opportunity pans out in the best possible way for you! I’ve said it before, but it bears repeating: I’m a patron because I want to support what you’re already doing, not because I’m looking to get extras. If things get hectic and scaling back or skipping the patron-only content would help you, that’s fine by me!

Pattern drafting (baby steps category): I have used techniques learnt off your channel to make patterns for costumes for my niece. Also I made my first muslin/mockup for some pants for my daughter. Good luck with opportunity

Yeeeesssss let's gooooo! I'm so excited for you!! Speaking for myself, if you get this opportunity locked down, please feel free to drop the monthly patreon video! This kind of thing is exactly why I support you, and the pride I feel for you is more than enough! I would much rather know you are eating and sleeping and taking care of yourself while seizing the day!

Congratulations on the mystery opportunity! I’m sure nobody will mind less output here abs on YouTube while you work on this so don’t stress!!

Your opportunity sounds like something we can all benefit from. I still have a lot to learn in pattern drafting (especially armscyes and sleeves), but taking my time figuring things out from scratch would be a lot more rewarding than the wasted day I spent trying to fix a poorly drafted commercial pattern. Thank you so much for sticking to your passion for teaching the pattern drafting skills.

We just want you to be successful and happy. So do what you need to! If this opportunity comes through and makes it so that you can pay off your eventual mortgage earlier, or pay someone to edit your videos, we'll be cheering you on.

Oooh a head full of excitement/anxiety bees is a toughy to navigate. I'm very excited for you, of course, but it's going to be a long couple of weeks 😬 Definitely invest in good quality chocolate & good quality kitty cuddles in the meantime 💛

I love that you watch Lilsimsie too!! Super proud of you for this potential partnership! That's huge!! And I fully agree, once you just start pattern drafting it gets so much easier, especially with you as a teacher!! I own so much of my 2023 sewing work to you. Very thankful for your knowledge and willingness to teach.

I love the "this vegue nonsense sucks!". Lol I hope you get the opportunity sounds like a growth opportunity

If this opportunity falls within your grasp, I’m positive everyone would want to you to dedicate your time and energy on that. Use the backlog of videos from here to YouTube. Seeing you grow as a seamstress and teacher bring us joy.