Woohoo! I’ve now released my second pdf pattern, the Cozy Cardigan, into the sewing universe! I have so many feels about this experience and I’m excited to share my latest pattern with you guys!
I started Seen and Sewn Patterns in December of 2015. I went in thinking, I know all this stuff, I can totally do this and it will only take a minute! Ha! 😂 Yes I totally can and am, but dang it has been hard. I’ve always designed what I wanted and never really thought about what others thought but when you have a business that isn’t always the best way. Since the indie sewing community is so awesome, I wanted to include them and crowdsource my designs. There are so many VERY similar patterns out there I wanted to design something fresh that isn’t just a variation of something already available. So I started with these 3 ideas and had my followers vote! 
I ended up making version b which turned into the Tracy Bee Swing Top (named after a good friend who was my fit model). It seemed so easy in my head but the triangle inserts proved to be a task. I went through several different techniques before I got it right. I also had to think about how others would complete the task.
Then came all the technical stuff: digitizing, grading, and the worst of all, written directions. I’ve been sewing since I was 12 and I forget that others don’t think like me. I also went to design school where you learn how garments are sewn in manufacturing. Many of my sewing techniques are more industry-based rather than home sewing based. So my first run of directions was rather confusing for the average home sewist.
Needless to say I learned a ton. Between work and life, it took my a good six months to launch the finalized Tracy Bee pattern. I’m so proud of it but in hindsight I think the design was a little too difficult to launch as my first pattern. So that’s when I landed on the Cozy Cardigan design.
As a teacher I layer everyday. I’m always moving around and my temperature fluctuates often. I also am always pushing my sleeves up. So this design was rather selfish: I was clearly designing for myself in mind. I’ve also been obsessed with loose flowy kimono-type pieces. Here is my first version! 
I ended up adding a rounded back to create a high low hem and widening the neck band. Then came the digitizing and all that jazz. This attempt was bounds easier than the Tracy Bee! I didn’t have to launch a website and reintroduce myself to Adobe InDesign. This one only took me about a month once I devoted time to getting it out there. I also had some really great testers, and even some repeats from the first pattern test group.
Here are some tester pics. 
Overall the testing went amazingly better. I hardly had to make changes other than to the directions’ piece. But I feel like that is the whole point of testing to get feedback and make the best pattern possible! So, I’m very thankful for my testers!
Here’s some of my pics! My friend Cassie was super awesome to model for me!
I hope you guys will give the Cozy Cardigan a try! It’s a super easy pattern and definitely the perfect layering piece! Happy sewing everyone!!
