Something I don't talk about too explicitly around these pages, but is a huge part of my other waking hours, is graphic design. I'm a ridiculously proud graduate, with a bachelor of FINE arts degree in design (man, those extra hours of studio classes did me in so I have to make some kind of big deal out of them.) And besides figure drawing (I know, not actually graphic design there), one of the areas that I enjoy most is logo design.
I had the opportunity via Instagram (you just never know where opportunity will knock) to work with this lovely lady, Jenny Yarbrough of The Southern Institute, to create a logo design for her huge pattern sale. Jenny is exactly the kind of partner you want in the logo creation process; she had ideas but was open and knew just what she needed by when. Perfect. Indecision and design are not good friends.
As I grew to understand more about her business and this pretty awesome sale that she hosts, I thought I ought to share it with you lovely, creative people because you might want to hop on in. Plus, the way she promotes and rewards individual pattern designers is completely sympatico with my love for collaboration. So I snookered Jenny into an interview. Here goes. Check out the Sew Fab Sale May 5-13! I'll have a sidebar button over on the right to remind you. :)
The Sew Fab sale is on online PDF sewing pattern sale that bundles together several patterns from some of the best-known pattern designers out there as well as newer designers who are quickly making a name for themselves in the world of pattern design. As far as I know it was the first pattern sale of its kind and the largest. We bring customers an entire collection of patterns for a deeply discounted price, but the catch is that there are only two, one-week sales a year!
I got the idea for the sale when I was participating in eBook bundle sales in the health and wellness niche. I had an eBook on natural childbirth that was included in eBook bundle sales, but no one who read my blog was really interested in those bundles. I started wondering what kind of product I could bring to my readers that they would love and that would benefit them. As a crafts and sewing blogger my thoughts turned to pdf sewing patterns, and the rest is history… I went for it!
I am always looking for new contributing designers! I read other sewing blogs and look curiously at pattern reviews to see who is out there designing pdf patterns and what they are creating. There are always several new patterns coming out at any given time, it seems, so there's never a shortage. Sometimes I contact designers myself, but I also have a lot of designers who email me expressing interest in being a part of future sales.
As far as purchasing a bundle… anyone can purchase the Sew Fab Pattern Sale bundles. The best way to be in the loop is to sign up for the Sew Fab Newsletter or like Sew Fab on Facebook. The Spring Sale is coming up soon, on May 5th- May 13th. We're really excited about it!
My hope is to have this sale do even better than last year's sales, of course. Last spring was the very first sale. It went so well that I put on a fall sale, which ended up being even bigger. This spring I hope to blow the previous sale out of the water! My favorite thing is to pay the designers for their sales at the end of the whole process, and the more money I send them the happier it makes me.
Phew! I had been paying different people to create different graphics for the first two sales. When it became clear that I was going to continue to have the sales I decided that it would be smart to have a new fresh look for the sale… a Sew Fab Pattern Sale logo. I wanted something that I could use for every sale, something that people would recognize from season to season. I had a semi-vague idea in my head of what I wanted it to look like, with the different articles of clothing representing the kinds of patterns that might be found in the bundles.
What I ended up with was even better than I had expected! I absolutely LOVE it! You were able to take my ideas and put them into a logo that is fun and colorful, which is something that I could never have done. It really makes me happy every time I look at it.
Oh wow. I do a little bit of a lot, it feels like, ha ha! I have a husband and three amazing kids who keep me busy. I homeschool my daughter, who is finishing up her 5th grade year, and that takes up a lot of my time during the weekdays. I try to update my blog, The Southern Institute, on a regular basis. I love to sew and play tennis as much as I can. I dabble in pattern design myself and have several ideas running through my head right now just waiting to be acted upon. And then, you know, the usual household things with a lot of help from my wonderful husband whom I love dearly.
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Jenny is totally charming and so is her sale. If you're passionate about patterns or dabble in sewing, check out the sale happening next week!
And if you're on the hunt for a new logo, business cards, stationery or any other designs, send me an email at parscaeli@gmail.com, and let's see how we can collaborate!
I'm announcing a new summer series tomorrow with some of my favorite, talented ladies...
xoxo, MJ
