Love Sewing — Issue 45 2017

YOUR WAY

Your wardrobe

We chatted to Christina Albeck, founder of Scandi-inspired pattern

house Wardrobe By Me, to fi nd out how she creates instant classics

15 MINUTES

WITH...

on, garments that you return to season after season

both because of the flattering fit and comfort, but

also because of the classic silhouettes that never

go out of style.

How do you think your 20 years of experience

designing patterns for fashion brands has

helped you make your business a success?

The experience helps me create garment patterns

that have the right proportions. I know which finish

works best with which type of fabric, and I don’t

need to experiment with pocket placements, button

placements, placket widths, sleeve lengths, collar

widths etc. That may sound obvious but the right

proportions set a garment apart from looking ‘right’

to looking home cooked. When these things are

unbalanced the garment looks wrong. Little details

such as what direction the buttonholes should be

placed on a placket (vertical), or the direction of a

striped waistband (horizontal) on a pair of striped

pants, make all the difference.

I design patterns with the sole

purpose of making something

that fits well and is flattering.

How do you take an idea and

turn it into a pattern?

I sketch the design, and develop the

pattern using PAD-system (apparel

software for pattern making and

grading). Then I plot the pattern

and sew a prototype that I fit,

check for balance, proportions

and ease. I decide if the design

invites any ‘natural’ variations, and

incorporate those into the final

pattern. Next I lay out the pattern

pieces, write instructions, and

open the pattern for testing.

I test it over about 10 days,

and usually have 15-

Hi Christina, tell us what inspired you to start

Wardrobe By Me

I discovered the growing interest for home sewing

and PDF sewing patterns. Making and selling

patterns this way was completely new to me and

I was fascinated with the possibilities of reaching

people all around the world. I was blown away

by the enormous amount of women who felt

that high-street clothing just didn’t fit right and I

thought it would be fun to see if my perspective on

well-fitting garments could make a difference.

How would you describe your brand aesthetic

to someone who hasn’t come across your

patterns before?

Wardrobe By Me (WBM) patterns are designed to

be the pieces in your wardrobe that you can depend

Try Christina's

ponte trouser

pattern on

page 47

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