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Our ArticlesThe Making of a Craft PatternPosted on 2007-04-21 by Kelle ArvayCategory: Craft Business 
Let's say you've been creating your own original finished crafts and selling them either online or off. Now your interested in creating patterns of your designs and starting your own pattern business. What is the first step you need to take to make that happen you ask? Well, first of all you need to understand the actual make up of a pattern.The following are the basic components of creating a pattern: Front Cover, Supply List, Instructions, Templates, and Back Cover are the basics that make up a pattern. Front Cover: This is where your banner, logo, website and/or business address, copyright and picture of the design will go. Supply List: Using MS Word or Works, you'll need to type a list of all the required supplies for making your design. Be sure and include brand names if you used them. If it's an item that can only be purchased certain places, be sure and indicate that information. The supply list can go on the back cover and this makes it easy for the customer to see what is required without taking the pattern out of the bag. Instructions: The best way to create instructions is to take notes while your making the item. Type them out using MS Word or Works. Be as detailed as possible without writing War and Peace. Also remember to write your instructions as if your instructing a beginner. What you and I may take for granted as "a given", a new crafter may need to know that information. When your finished it's very important to proof read and use spell check. At the bottom of your instructions it's important to include your copyright information, information on the requirements you have for customers who wish to sell the finished items (ie; no mass production, give credit to the designer if selling online, etc.) and also if the creation contains small parts it's important to include that the finished item is intended for display and not for children. Templates: When you make your creation you should make sure you trace out templates on cardstock. So this way you can have them to trace onto paper again for the pattern. If you have shapes like circles or need straight lines, use a small glass, plate and a ruler. Trace your templates out on 8 1/2 x 11 paper. Make sure your drawings are accurate in size and don't resemble being drawn by a 3 year old. There's nothing worse than for a customer to get what they think is going to be a great pattern only to find the templates distorted or poorly drawn out. Be sure and put the name of the design along with your business name and copyright symbol on each template page. Back Cover: The back cover is the best place for the supply list and any additional information like size of the finished item or things you think are important for the customer to know. As well as your contact information, website address and copyright information. Some of the other supplies you'll need to send patterns through the mail is 6 x 9 pattern bags and 6 1/2 x 9 1/2 manila envelopes. Once you've finished all these steps your ready to scan your templates and save them on your computer or you can take the original templates to a copier and make copies. If your wanting to offer your patterns as e-patterns you'll need to learn how to put all the elements of your patterns into a PDF. There are many tutorials that can be found online for this process or you can hire someone to do them for you. PDF's are opened and read by Acrobat Adobe. E-patterns are a wonderful way to offer your online customers a fast and easy way for your customers to purchase your patterns and get them via e-mail. Good luck in all your pattern endeavors and keep on crafting and designing. Author: Kelle Arvay <kelle at patternmart dot com> Bio: © 2007 Kelle Arvay is an business owner, pattern designer and WAHM. She is also the founder and developer of IPM™ (Instant Product Management), an online service that enables individuals and business's to automate the way they sell downloadable products from their websites, E-mail, E-zines, Blogs, Message Boards, and Auction websites as instant downloadable products. Back to articles |
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