We’ve interviewed indie designer Stephanie Carton from The Eli Monster to hear about her journey to becoming a full time pattern designer. You can find out more about her below and don’t forget to check out her patterns, they’re currently on sale until Sunday 16th.
“I was excited about making NEW things instead of just doing the same design over and over again…”
How did you come up with the idea of launching your own brand of sewing patterns?
I started my handmade journey making cloth diapers and selling the finished product. The business grew and I couldn’t keep up with demand even though I had a few assistants helping me sew. Around the same time, my husband’s job was allowing the family to travel a lot more for extended periods of time and I needed something that would work while we were on the road. I decided to digitize some of my paper patterns I had developed for my own kids. This combined my love for sewing and making with my obsession with anthropometry (the study of measurements and proportion of the human body). I was also excited about making NEW things instead of just doing the same design over and over again as I was when I was making diapers.
Do you work full time as a creative?
The Eli Monster is my full-time gig. It allows me to continue working in a yurt halfway up a mountain (with no running water) while we were house hunting, or in a furniture-less apartment in Alabama while my husband had a fellowship, or while we were long term camping as we transitioned from the upper Midwest to Colorado. I don’t know many other jobs that allow that flexibility. If I had my sewing machine, my computer, and the internet, I was good to go! I love the process of sketching something and then engineering some flat pieces of fabric into a 3D object. That problem solving is the best part for me.
What obstacles did you face in launching your brand of patterns?
Most of my obstacles were self-inflicted. I fight “imposter syndrome” constantly. Finding a consistent feel to my line was a struggle in the beginning. In the end, I chose to stay with my vision instead of making patterns for things that were/are popular (it will be hard to find a cold shoulder top or a million ruffles on any of my patterns).
Why did you choose to sell your patterns on Makerist?
Makerist seemed like a great way to expand the exposure of The Eli Monster. I love having control of the backend of my patterns and can update them as needed since this business is a living, growing thing. The vibe of Makerist just seems cool too! Makerist is attracting all these great designers and wanted in on that community!
I’ve always loved the shift and tent dresses from the 1960s (and again in the 1990s when I was in grade school) and just NEEDED to make this into a pattern! Oversized retro prints work best with this dress.
What are – beyond the quality of your patterns – the little tips that have allowed you to succeed?
On the business side, I’m working with a local entrepreneur program this summer that has been chock full of business secrets. And some of those secrets are pretty obvious once you know them – like literally just asking your customers specific things about your product line to help you create better products that people value more. On the creative side, being consistent is a biggie. I have a framework set up that allows me to not get stuck in the creative process because I know what to do and it keeps my line consistent. This works for branding, social media marketing, and actual patterns. You’re not all over the place and inconsistent and you can focus on the fun stuff because you aren’t as worried about being too far off from your overall vision.
Sweet or Spooky, The Süsse Skirt is an adorable skirt with optional straps. The full knee length skirt is highlighted by a scalloped edge and has a button or snap closure in the back of the wide waistband.
What advice would you give to someone who wants to start designing patterns? What is the most important thing you have learned?
Get a great size chart established ASAP! I do love that anthropometry and it bothers me that I didn’t establish a more consistent size chart sooner so now I’m going back and redoing some of my earliest patterns to “fix” them. It instills confidence in your brand if someone can make, say, 5 different garments from your line and they all fit the same way.
What does selling patterns bring you?
Selling patterns brought me the flexibility to be around my kids while they’re young (and probably even more now that I feel like I’m mom taxi for all their school activities) while at the same time fulfilling my need to MAKE stuff. If I’m not making things, I get weird and sort of cranky.
Tell us a bit about your journey to where you are now.
After the first few patterns I had drafted on paper for my own kids, I felt lost at sea a bit. This came after I decided to stop making physical items to sell and solely focus on patterns. There was a definite “now what happens” moment. But as I continued, I developed more of a process and can clearly see the start to finish path and feel more confident about starting new patterns. I’m more systematic with my process and it became a serious business for me.
