JLV Patterns Update - March

Friday, April 10, 2015

Goodness, I can't believe it's time again for another one of these - a tad over due even... I've actually been feeling a bit burnt out lately, and while it was unintended and unannounced, taking most of this week away from blogging has been a really good thing for me. I hope everyone had a great Easter, however you celebrate.

March was a funny ol' month. A great high and a few lows that when combined, did put a bit of a dampener on the whole thing. It's trickled on into April as well, but I've pulled my big girl pants up and have (hopefully!) graciously accepted the good with the bad - I can't control everything, and sometimes these things are for the best. After all, it can't (and most certainly isn't!) good all of the time for anyone, no matter how perfect their lives look on the outside. I'm only human, and without the not-so-great, how can you appreciate the actual great?

So, focussing on the positives then, let's move onto what I wanted to achieve in March shall we?

Business-wise -
  • The Bronte Top re-release with extra sizes is now live! BUT...

    I had been in discussions with Etsy about whether people who had bought the older file would be able to access the new one - I had hoped it would be like Ravelry, where all versions of a pattern you had bought were automatically available to you. As it turns out, this is not the case and there's no easy solution.

    I investigated downloading sales spreadsheets, at Etsy's recommendation, to find the individual sales from those, but as it turns out, they are completely useless since none of them come with email addresses. And trying to send out an updated digital file to people with no access to their email addresses is a little, well, ironic.

    SO, if you bought the Bronte Top Pattern before I updated it with the two extra sizes and would like the newer version, please forward me your Paypal Receipt or Etsy Direct Checkout receipt to jenniferlauren.is@gmail.com - I will collate them and once a week send a bulk email to all those who requested the latest version.

    Thank you for your patience with me on this one. It's potentially going to be a huge task and this is the best way I can see doing it for the mean time. Etsy has taken my suggestions on board though and have sent them on to their development team. Let's hope something comes out of it!

  • The Felicity Dress Sew Along - we're in full swing. The post for this week will go up on Wednesday next week, and the Wednesday one on Friday, so I don't fall behind. I've been adding things and changing the order of some posts as I go and there has been some really great discussion going on. I love it! I love sharing my thoughts, ideas and processes with you all and I really love hearing about yours and whether you agree or disagree with me on various aspects.

    I don't think people need to or should agree with each other all the time, with sewing techniques or anything else for that matter (cause that'd be boring!), but I think listening to others view points, while it may not change our own (nor should it), opens us up to new ideas and ways of looking at things that we may not have thought of.

  • The Great Sewing Room Tidy - I've actually stalled a bit on this now. It's pretty much looking exactly as it did when I talked about it last time. It hasn't regressed, thankfully, but there's still some things that need sorting. Then I'll take you on a tour :)

  • Re-branding - this has slowed quite a bit unfortunately. Though, I've pretty much designed my new logo and can now get to work gearing up for re-designing the Bronte Top pattern for print, which was the catalyst behind the whole re-branding thing anyway. The website may take a bit of time to catch up, but we'll get there.

  • And possibly the most boring of last month's tasks, taxes. I spent a good week sorting everything out and we're nearly at the end of the road on that one. No more detail necessary - my brain can't handle it. I vow to keep much better records this year, all in one place. I'm sure with a new born, it'll be a breeze...

And this month, what's happening this month?

  • Well, the focus will still be on the re-branding and new layout of the Bronte Pattern for paper. I'm not sure if I'll have the paper pattern before I take some maternity leave around the end of May, but I tend to be on the optimistic side of the glass, so you never know.

  • The Felicity Dress Sew Along will continue - as always, if there is something you'd specifically like to know about, please let me know.

  • A new pattern (sort of). This really isn't going to be ready until the end of the year realistically. Some of you may remember when I announced I was pregnant, that I was planning to release a maternity pattern in March/April? Yeah, waaay too optimistic on that one.

    I have the idea and have started drafting the pattern and stitching samples, but there is no way I'm going to have it ready any time soon. I could rush the pattern and release it, but it'd probably be crap. I like to take my time with these things, it's not a race and I don't want to release a pattern just for the sake of it.

    The pattern itself has also morphed from a maternity pattern into a standard pattern that is breastfeeding friendly and can be easily adapted to accommodate a growing bump (why yes, it is another knit!). As much as I'd like to release a maternity-specific pattern, I've realised that making a pattern that is so specific to one thing really isn't what I'm into. I hate the thought that you could only use the pattern for one event, and a relatively short one at that, so making it more versatile and open for everyone to use, just makes more sense to me.

    Again though, while that will be my next pattern, it's not due anytime soon. But, I'll be testing it's breast-feeding ease while I adapt my samples, and maybe that'll be a great time to let you into my pattern making process? From idea to actual pattern? I've never released a pattern idea before it's been turned into an actual pattern before, so it'll be a new one for me!

  • Free patterns! I've been working on some small free patterns that I hope to make available soon. They are mostly bebe related though, so, apologies if that's not really your thing :) I'm also working on the Maternity Bronte Pattern hack tutorial, so, watch this space.

I can't believe we're a third of the way through April already...

xx
J
8 comments on "JLV Patterns Update - March"
  1. You are busy. Remember to take it easy a bit, you don't want to burn yourself out before the baby comes!

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    Replies
    1. Yes, busy busy, but I am trying to slow down (or at least get the unfinished things finished) so I don't feel too panicky when the baby is born about all the things that haven't been done - not long now!!

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  2. Is the updated Bronte pattern available to those of us who purchased it through the Perfect Pattern Parcel?

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    Replies
    1. Hello D - yes, I will send on the new pattern to Pattern Parcel folk, just forward on the receipt you should have received from them and I'll send out an email early next week :)

      Delete
  3. I love the honesty of your posts! "I could rush the pattern and release it, but it'd probably be crap" My best friend is pregnant, so a versatile pattern sounds great -- a wearable muslin for me, and a 'real' garment for her! Can't wait to see what you have in store :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hehe, sometimes there's just no other way to say it than be frank and just say it like it is :) Hopefully I'll be able to come up with the goods, but I'm fairly confident at this stage, it's looking pretty wearable and easy to adapt, so fingers crossed!

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  4. Excited to see what the small free patterns entail! Especially the baby-related ones :) And, off topic, would totally love to see how your house renovation projects are coming along!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Argh, a house post!! YES! I am so far behind on that one - I will do one asap. I actually have one pretty much complete, I just need to tweak a few things and then it'll be ready to go :)

      Delete

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