Making Clothes Should Be Accessible

thoughts on The Garbie Shirt and Community

I am in the middle of developing a sewing pattern called The Garbie Shirt and I have to tell you about it because I am finding the process so fun and grounding. I can’t quite describe it, but I feel like I am living in my purpose by bringing this project into the world.

I am collaborating with a professional pattern maker (Hi PaTTernHack!) who is taking a shirt design of mine and making it fit a wide range of people (XXS-5X). There is virtual fit testing happening on so many different types of bodies and I am about to start making samples in various sizes so that we can refine the fit even more and make it work for people.

My biggest goal with this pattern is to make it as accessible as possible in terms of the language used to provide instruction. I want it to read like I am on Facetime with you and you have never touched a sewing machine before. I want you to set down to make this shirt and feel taken care of from start to finish.

When I started Garbie, I knew that its mission was to bring as many people to the sewing party as possible. I feel like I have been able to do that with my videos, but now I will be able to do that with my products as well. It just makes me SO EXCITED.

If you have any ideas of what to include with the pattern, please leave a comment! Thank you for reading and for being here while I slowly chip away at building something for us all. My heart it full.

Also, I had my pictures taken!