This has been a post that was long-time coming. I was being gaslit and fed untruths which is what held me back from sharing what I knew to be a truth. So, let’s talk about it.
I was invited to be a KnowMe Pattern Designer
And I cried.
At the time, I felt like I was fighting to be seen in the sewing world—hell, I still feel like I’m fighting now. But being invited to design was everything. It made me feel like people who weren’t plus-sized still saw me as stylish, which was really cool. I’ve never really thought of myself as being fashionable or stylish since I subscribe to comfort and color as my aesthetic but now I was given this platform and it was like… wow.
My goal was to create a capsule collection for plus-sized baddies that were into showing skin and their shape—less modest, if you will. I wanted to celebrate our bodies, not make us feel ashamed or wish designs came in our size. To do this, I researched what silhouettes would be good for different seasons and would highlight the beauty of the plus-sized body while being timeless. I booked and paid for photoshoots that weren’t reimbursed. I taught my kids how to take pictures with official cameras. I created a guide to help other designers and it was great—or so I thought…
There was no such thing as paradise.
But there was definitely trouble.
I’m pretty sure that anyone who knows me, consumes my content, etc., knows that I don’t love tissue patterns. One of the reasons why is pretty obvious—I use a projector to help me cut my patterns. But I’m an indie, PDF girlie through and through. But outside of this, the drafting isn’t my favorite for plus-sized bodies and then there was a lot to be desired with communication, timelines, and deadlines.
And then my designs stopped being approved and I was given the runaround as for the reason why. My sewing quality was called into question in what seemed like a scapegoat for the big 5 getting rid of their plus-sizes. Then the bankruptcy happened, and that solidified that it was time for me to move on.
So what’s next?
I’m going to be following the footsteps of my fellow designers Nikki, Lynn and Nefertiti and have my designs removed from the website. Why? Because I want to re-release them with revised grading that’s more inclusive. I’m currently still designing with Made for Mermaids for now but I do have some other things in the works.
Full disclosure: designing for KnowMe was fun in some ways. It got me loving seeing my designs come to life from my head to my body. Which is why the way I was dismissed really hurt. I work hard at conducting myself and business with integrity and the whole situation just left a bad taste in my mouth.
And so I took some time this year to reevaluate where I want to go and I still want to design. I still want to make sure that my plus-sized baddies have patterns that highlight our beauty. I will still be making sure my sewing patterns are not only accessible but inclusive.