We're Smitten with Jenny of Seamingly Smitten
/We were so excited to have Jenny of Seamingly Smitten join our team of sponsors here at Pattern Revolution. Our sponsors make this blog and all our fun content possible, so we send them the biggest hugs!
Our first big project with Jenny was the Sew off of the Ladies Carrollton Avenue Dress. Let me just say that our girls loved this project and it was a HUGE success! I have a feeling you will be seeing more of these in the future!
Now here is Jenny to share more about herself and her passion for design......
1. Can you give me a little background about yourself?
I live in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and am a southern girl at heart! My husband and I are high school sweethearts and have known each other since we were 16 – time just flies! We have two kids – John Patrick (6) and Catherine (4) and just adore them!
I went to LSU, majored in Elementary Education and taught for 7 years before I “retired” to be a stay-at-home mom. Obviously I cannot sit still too long, because a few years later I started Seamingly Smitten and began designing patterns! Designing new patterns is a passion!
2. Who taught you to sew and when?
When I was 7 years old, my grandmother laid the groundwork for sewing. During the summer she would watch my sister and I and we would love to run into her guest room and open her closet doors, where she stored her sewing machine, fabrics, buttons and trims. She would let me practice sewing straight line after straight line on old towels until she thought I was ready for real fabric. Some of my first projects were a pillow, a headband, a wrap skirt and some pants. Back then we called them palazzo pants – very 80’s! I didn’t sew again for years. During my husband’s residency I had extra time and began sewing on a daily basis again. I mostly sewed for our home: throw pillows, curtains, a duvet cover and aprons. Once we had a little boy and girl in our family I started to sew clothing and was totally smitten! My favorite things to sew are dresses and tops for my daughter; tanks, tunics, skirts and dresses for myself and shorts and pants for my son. It is really hard to go into a store and not think, “I can make that!” when I look at clothing, so my list of things to sew always grows!
3. How did you get started in design?
When I began sewing for my children I would sketch it out, figure out the measurements based on a piece of clothing they had and would go from there. The more I did this, the more I learned how to scale my own patterns and create my own designs. I sewed clothing for 4 years before I started designing patterns to sell in 2011. I was encouraged by other moms that would stop me and ask me where I bought my kids’ clothing or bought something that I was wearing. When I responded that I made it, they were shocked! I knew I had so many ideas to share with other moms that wanted to sew for their kids and themselves and I thought I could inspire others. Seamingly Smitten patterns
started with two patterns and now I have close to 50.
4. What inspires you?
Such a great question! So many things! My kids, walking through a fabric store, a great graphic print, touching different types of fabric conjures up all different designs in my mind, looking rough style magazines, going into boutiques, going shopping just to browse the new styles each season, seeing what other people wear at parties, balls and even out to dinner. I am constantly looking for inspiration!
5. What are your future plans for your shop?
More and more patterns are coming! I love designing women’s clothing so a few women’s pieces are in the works right now for my Spring 2014 collection. I just started a Mommy and Me Collection and you will find many more Mommy and Me patterns coming this year. I love seeing what others sew with my patterns so I will have more Cover Photo Contests and I am going to start doing seasonal sewing pattern tours highlighting other bloggers. Lastly, I am going to start an affiliate program – so much to do in the next few months!!
6. Is there anything you want our readers to know?
Yes! If you are just starting to sew, don’t give up! Try new techniques on scrap fabric so you can practice over and over again until you are ready to sew it on your “good” fabric. Spend money on nicer quality fabrics if you are sewing for yourself – it makes all the difference. Don’t shy away from sewing with knits – I did for way too long! Get a serger – you will never look back (and YES you CAN thread it yourself!) Keep a notebook of your drawings and pictures from magazines that
inspire you. Look back on your drawings every now and then and you will find so much inspiration! And lastly, if you are wearing something you made and get a compliment on it, proudly say, “Thank you, I made it!” Don’t tell anyone if you made a mistake – I can guarantee you they will never notice it if you don’t point it out! Always be proud of what you make AND wear!! And if you sew, teach someone else – it’s a gift that keeps on giving!
Thank you so much for having me today!! I hope my sewing patterns can inspire you to go sew something! And when you do, send me a picture because I LOVE to see what you all make!!
Jenny Hall
I live in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and am a southern girl at heart! My husband and I are high school sweethearts and have known each other since we were 16 – time just flies! We have two kids – John Patrick (6) and Catherine (4) and just adore them!
I went to LSU, majored in Elementary Education and taught for 7 years before I “retired” to be a stay-at-home mom. Obviously I cannot sit still too long, because a few years later I started Seamingly Smitten and began designing patterns! Designing new patterns is a passion!
2. Who taught you to sew and when?
When I was 7 years old, my grandmother laid the groundwork for sewing. During the summer she would watch my sister and I and we would love to run into her guest room and open her closet doors, where she stored her sewing machine, fabrics, buttons and trims. She would let me practice sewing straight line after straight line on old towels until she thought I was ready for real fabric. Some of my first projects were a pillow, a headband, a wrap skirt and some pants. Back then we called them palazzo pants – very 80’s! I didn’t sew again for years. During my husband’s residency I had extra time and began sewing on a daily basis again. I mostly sewed for our home: throw pillows, curtains, a duvet cover and aprons. Once we had a little boy and girl in our family I started to sew clothing and was totally smitten! My favorite things to sew are dresses and tops for my daughter; tanks, tunics, skirts and dresses for myself and shorts and pants for my son. It is really hard to go into a store and not think, “I can make that!” when I look at clothing, so my list of things to sew always grows!
3. How did you get started in design?
When I began sewing for my children I would sketch it out, figure out the measurements based on a piece of clothing they had and would go from there. The more I did this, the more I learned how to scale my own patterns and create my own designs. I sewed clothing for 4 years before I started designing patterns to sell in 2011. I was encouraged by other moms that would stop me and ask me where I bought my kids’ clothing or bought something that I was wearing. When I responded that I made it, they were shocked! I knew I had so many ideas to share with other moms that wanted to sew for their kids and themselves and I thought I could inspire others. Seamingly Smitten patterns
started with two patterns and now I have close to 50.
4. What inspires you?
Such a great question! So many things! My kids, walking through a fabric store, a great graphic print, touching different types of fabric conjures up all different designs in my mind, looking rough style magazines, going into boutiques, going shopping just to browse the new styles each season, seeing what other people wear at parties, balls and even out to dinner. I am constantly looking for inspiration!
5. What are your future plans for your shop?
More and more patterns are coming! I love designing women’s clothing so a few women’s pieces are in the works right now for my Spring 2014 collection. I just started a Mommy and Me Collection and you will find many more Mommy and Me patterns coming this year. I love seeing what others sew with my patterns so I will have more Cover Photo Contests and I am going to start doing seasonal sewing pattern tours highlighting other bloggers. Lastly, I am going to start an affiliate program – so much to do in the next few months!!
6. Is there anything you want our readers to know?
Yes! If you are just starting to sew, don’t give up! Try new techniques on scrap fabric so you can practice over and over again until you are ready to sew it on your “good” fabric. Spend money on nicer quality fabrics if you are sewing for yourself – it makes all the difference. Don’t shy away from sewing with knits – I did for way too long! Get a serger – you will never look back (and YES you CAN thread it yourself!) Keep a notebook of your drawings and pictures from magazines that
inspire you. Look back on your drawings every now and then and you will find so much inspiration! And lastly, if you are wearing something you made and get a compliment on it, proudly say, “Thank you, I made it!” Don’t tell anyone if you made a mistake – I can guarantee you they will never notice it if you don’t point it out! Always be proud of what you make AND wear!! And if you sew, teach someone else – it’s a gift that keeps on giving!
Thank you so much for having me today!! I hope my sewing patterns can inspire you to go sew something! And when you do, send me a picture because I LOVE to see what you all make!!
Jenny Hall
