Will Knit for Food

(un)Popular.

5/18/2014

SINCE THE PUBLICATION OF THIS POST, BY HAND LONDON HAS POSTED AND RESPONDED TO MY COMMENT BOTH ON THEIR SITE AND IN THE COMMENTS TO THIS POST.

I try to keep my online presence positive. It takes a lot of courage to throw yourself out into the internet, and I think the crafting community is particularly respectful and mindful when it comes to sharing and commenting. That said, there is also space for constructive criticism. Everything boils down to a matter of opinion, and we don't all have to agree all of the time. What I'm about to say is difficult for me, because I really wanted to like this pattern and the independent pattern company who publishes it.

Over the last year, I've seen dozens of iterations of By Hand London's patterns. Everyone who sewed with the patterns spoke highly of the drafting, the sizing and the finished products they created. I was curious, but I couldn't convince myself to sew any of the patterns in their line. None of the designs seemed like the sort of thing I would be interested in wearing. I might start by saying, I truly don't believe I am their "girl" (this was further confirmed by the Manolo Blahnik-esque pattern story printed on the pattern). Still, when the Flora pattern was released, I eagerly purchased it. FINALLY, I thought.

My excitement was short-lived. I purchased this pattern with a specific purpose in mind. I planned to use it to make a bridesmaid dress for my friend's upcoming wedding. I don't typically muslin, but I wanted to make my dress as perfect as possible considering the importance of the occasion. THANK GOODNESS I did. According to the envelope, my measurements indicated that I should cut a size 6 at the bust and a size 10 at the waist/hip. I graded between the sizes. This was the result:

I asked Twitter for help, and made the following modifications:

Shortened bodice "2
Shortened shoulder strap "1/2
Graded down to a size4 bust and 8waist
Redrafted the front contour
Redrafted the lower bodice darts
Shifted the bust darts down.

Let me tell you. This was all a huge pain in the ass. I'm not "the standard" in terms of size, but the fit of this bodice came nowhere close to fitting. Even worse, the garment measurements were not the same as the finished measurements indicated on the pattern. That's unacceptable, in my opinion.
After all my tweaking, I had a better, but not great, fitting bodice:

Note the odd boob wrinkle and the, still, excess fabric in the bodice. By this point, I hoped that the skirt and the earth's gravitational pull might help to resolve some of the issues, and it did, a little. But it still doesn't FIT.

Convinced of some personal ineptitude, I started searching for other versions of the wrapped Flora. I had expected to learn that I was a complete moron; instead, I noted that NONE of the Flora's produced by sewers, much more capable than me, might I add, FIT. Every version I was able to track down had some combination of blousey and boob wrinkles. And, when the ladies of BHL used the wrap bodice to demonstrate how it might be used to sew a blouse, there was absolutely no question that this poor fit is the result of bad drafting. Oddly, a large percentage of people who have sewn this dress, do not have any complaints with the results of this pattern. Some of the bloggers who have sewn the wrap version of Flora do note issues with the fit. Most who take issue with the fit of this bodice, place the blame on themselves. I disagree. I think that the pattern produces very consistent results. And, the problem with the fit of the dress is in the drafting of the pattern pieces, and not with the body type or sewing of the maker.

I'm incredibly disappointed with my wearable muslin. Sure, it fits like a dress a person might buy off the rack at a cheap retailer, but I don't sew to have clothes that fit OK. I have made enough modifications to this pattern that it is unrecognizable from its original form. And, frankly, I'm not interested in doing anything further. I'm not interested in the alternate version; I can't get past the thought that the square neck and straps look like a lunch lady apron. I will likely follow Closet Case Files example and use the pieces to make a couple skirts so that I can dress like Meg and feel like I got my bang out of this purchase.

Ultimately, I feel this pattern was a waste of time and money, especially considering I could buy a high-low skirt pattern for $3.99 during a ClubBMV sale vs. the $34.02 (US) it cost me to buy and ship a pattern from BHL.

It's also worth mentioning that I did leave a comment voicing my frustration with the fit of the bodice on this post, and it was deleted rather than responded to.

When I buy from small companies, I expect more. I'm paying more for your product, because I expect that you are paying extra attention to detail and producing higher quality products than are available in the mass market. I also expect quality customer service. You're running a business.

I also expect honest and critical reviews from the community. That's why I read your blog. In talking about my experience with friends, the observation was noted that knitters, in direct contrast to sewers, don't hesitate to point out the flaws in a pattern. (Just hop over to Ravelry and read some of the project notes!) It's not mean to point out areas that could use improving. It helps everyone who chooses to work from that pattern and, hopefully, gives the designer important feedback for future work.

Now, pissiness and griping aside, there are some things about this pattern I did like. First the packaging and instructions are top notch. I REALLY like the method described for self-facing the bodice. It beats having to hand-stitch shoulder seams closed, any day! Also, the skirt is really lovely. I'm a huge fan of box pleats, and the high-low option is a really fun and interesting design feature.

Based on all the positive reviews BHLs other pattern have received, I'd like to think that the other patterns in their line are well done. I, however, don't plan to investigate. As I mentioned previously, I'm not their "girl". I'm good with that. And, it probably goes without saying, I won't be making this dress again.

50 Comments

Gail link

5/17/2014 11:16:26 pm

I know how hard it is to voice a negative review of a pattern, especially an indie one, so I applaud your courage in writing this post. I had a similar experience with BHL's Charlotte skirt pattern, which I wrote about in my fitting post for that skirt.

I admit that I have all the BHL patterns except the Flora, because I'm a fan of the styles. But I will say that I'm not a fan of the methods of construction for the most part, and the drafting in some cases. For all the talk about wanting everything to be "profesh," I think they tend to skimp on the extras that provide a truly top-notch finish. Because I have many years of experience, I have changed my construction when I make these patterns; as written, the result would have had a more "home-ec" feel - at least on the patterns I've used so far. My sense is that the company has rushed into publishing the patterns before working out some of the kinks.

I'm wondering if part of the difference between the willingness of knitters to critique a pattern and sewers to do the same comes from the amount of math required in knitting. With a knitting pattern, you generally have to follow along line by line, and if there's an error in one line, it throws off everything after that. I think it's a lot easier for a knitting pattern to be WRONG because of the math, whereas a lot of the troubles we have with sewing patterns has to do with fit. For construction, there are so many ways to get to the same finish, but fit is SO personal. Presumably, the block used to create a sewing pattern fit SOMEONE - but often won't fit most.

Gillian

5/17/2014 11:17:54 pm

I've never sewn a BHL pattern (the price! Yikes!) but like you, I feel like I'm not their girl. I"m not a Papercut girl either - the styling of the patterns doesn't appeal to me at all! That's the lovely part of having SO many indie pattern companies now. I can avoid the ones that aren't "me" without suffering for lack of choice!

Angela link

5/17/2014 11:21:42 pm

Michelle, that's a very well-written post. How disappointing that you don't have a wearable dress after all the changes. It's even more discouraging to read that your comment was deleted. I hope you have something else in mind for the bridesmaids dress!

Sally link

5/17/2014 11:49:50 pm

Hi Michelle! Thank you so much for writing this post - I totally agree with you that the sewing community does not write posts with critiques of indie sewing companies (but are racing to bash the big four ;) Like you said, they are a business, not your best friend who drafted up a fun pattern for you to try - when you pay money (and usually a lot of it) to professionals, it should fit. I've had a recent very bad experience with an indie pattern, but I've not posted about it because (a) the pattern was free for me and (b) I never even finished the dress, it was so bad. Usually I don't blog about "failed" projects due to lack of time and motivation - I want to show the stuff that worked! I think that may be a common factor in lack of critiques on blogs.

I have to say, I was really disappointed to hear that your comment for help was deleted - I would e-mail them the same questions / concerns if I were you, and mention that you had tried to post a comment but it had somehow been deleted - they should really be held accountable for their product. I have made the Anna dress and Victoria blazer, both of which fit pretty well with my usual alterations for size. I also have the Elisalex to try, as you know ;) I've seen some great fitting versions of that, so lets hope it works out better. Sorry about the Flora and I hope you find a more awesome pattern to use!!! :)

Denise

5/18/2014 12:05:21 am

Thank you for your honest review! I had the same problem with a popular dress pattern by a different indie company, but all reviews I saw were positive. Many finished dresses didn't look flattering on the body, and those that did had multiple changes made to the pattern. It wasn't until I was on a sewing forum on Ravelry that I saw a couple other complaints about the pattern. (As a side note, since we are in the middle of May, I find it interesting that the pattern I had issues with hasn't been featured by those who made it and are participating in Me-Made-May. To me that's a sign that the sewer didn't like the dress after all.)

I see so many positive reviews for indie patterns and very few negatives. I can't believe that the same pattern works for everyone. Sometimes I wonder if those bloggers are giving a good review simply because they were given the pattern for free as a tester. Or, since they were a tester, maybe they overlook the flaws and assume that the pattern company will make changes to the pattern based on their feedback? I know as sewers we are able to make changes to fit our bodies, but if every sewer lists multiple *major* changes they made, the pattern is wrong, not the sewer.

Also, it's ridiculous that BHL deleted your comment.

Gina link

5/18/2014 04:02:47 am

I'm really glad you decided to post this review. I think it's important to be honest about our experiences, even when they're negative, because these patterns cost a lot of money. I don't mind spending for independent patterns because I like supporting smaller businesses, but I would rather send my money to another pattern company whose offerings are more reliable and better fitting. Also, it would be sad if new sewists tried these poorly-drafted patterns and concluded that they were bad at fitting or sewing because the patterns didn't work out for them while everyone else said they were perfect.

I've been on the fence about buying the Flora pattern because I like the skirt detail, but I think it's easily replicable by self-drafting, so I'll skip it. I had noticed some of the same fit issues you had in Floras from other bloggers, so I can't say your post surprises me. I'll save my money for more patterns from Sewaholic and Deer and Doe, which tend to fit me pretty well.

I don't feel comfortable naming names and rekindling debates that have long died down, but a while back another blogger posted a critical (but not mean) review of an independent pattern and she had a very negative series of responses from the owner of the company suggesting that blogger was incompetent, which couldn't be further from the truth. It disappointed me and made me unlikely to buy any more of that company's patterns. I'm equally disappointed that BHL decided to delete your comment rather than engaging in honest critique of their work.

Miriana

5/18/2014 06:34:12 am

Well, it's very refreshing to see a review of an independent pattern that isn't entirely sycophantic.

I'm very surprised that they deleted your comment - especially as the consequence of this is that you have written this blog post that will be read by more people than the original comment. The broo ha ha that Gina mentions above damaged that particular pattern company in my view so it is foolish to ignore critical customer feedback.

Francesca

6/3/2014 07:55:12 pm

I'm not. Surprised, I mean. I bought their Anna dress as my first (and last) BHL pattern. Terrible drafting. I know the difference between adjustments for narrow backs or whatever one's body shape dictates, and bad drafting. Anyway, besides the back bodice being an exact replica of the front (how on earth is that possible???) the thing that annoyed me the most was the skirt panel. The panels are trapezoid shape, not rectangles. Rectangle or square cut skirt panels are the only ones that can meet a straight line hem - oh god, how hard to explain what i mean! Right - most skirt patterns, even a very gentle A-line, will have a slight curve at the hem end where it coincides with the side seam. None of the panels has even a suggestion of a curve on the sides of the hem. They're all the same length from top to bottom, but if you put the side seams against each other, they don't match up - obviously, as some of them are wider and slant differently. That, in my opinion, is very lazy drafting.

I wrote to them asking how come their hems were straight - not a public comment - and no one ever bothered to reply. Which is ok, as I said, I already knew it was my last BHL pattern. I don't pay expensive pricing for pretty packing and cutesie stories, but for good patterns. I love to support indies, but. Luckily for me I have never been one to leap into the crazes for new patterns I see online all the time, which often leads to people spending time making things that don't suit their lifestyle or figure. So I hadn't bought any of their previous patterns.

You may not have seen more comments/reviews because there are some seriouus sewists like myself who don't have blogs. Nor do they review. I actually did put up something at patternreview to this effect.... don't know if it showed up, because my (excellent review) for a gored skirt pattern which was impeccable drafted (sewchic) never showed up there!

Sarah C.

5/18/2014 07:21:01 am

Thank you for posting your honest perspective of this pattern. Like others have said, I am so sorry to hear that your comment was deleted rather than addressed. Very disappointing. I agree that the knitting community is much more willing to be open about honest assessments and that there is a way to communicate feedback without being "mean."

Here's a little reader secret: I have seen a lot of garments online made from BHL patterns, and so many of them are simply not flattering. I read these rave reviews, and I wonder if people are just not being honest with themselves about the finished garments? Or if they just love the BHL ladies so much that they are not willing to be honest? Or...?? Admittedly, it leaves me a bit confused about the whole scenario!

Charlotte Hintzen link

5/20/2014 07:25:16 pm

'I have seen a lot of garments online made from BHL patterns, and so many of them are simply not flattering. I read these rave reviews, and I wonder if people are just not being honest with themselves about the finished garments'

Sarah, this is just rude! Not to us, but to the ladies who posted their makes online because they think they look good in them. Remember that it remains a little scary and takes serious BALLS to post pictures of yourself online for all to see and critique!

Charlotte (from By Hand London)

5/21/2014 03:34:48 am

Charlotte, given your response, I can see that my comment did not read as I intended! Eeep! I must apologize to any sewist who feels that I have insulted her! In the interest of brevity, I was not clear, which was completely my fault. I was simply agreeing with Michelle about the fit issues that she references having seen on other versions. I take responsibility for taking it a step further and equating "fit issues" with "not being all that flattering." I do stand by that statement – not as a criticism of the sewists, though, but as a critique of the pattern. You omitted the next part of my comment, "Or if they just love the BHL ladies so much that they are not willing to be honest? Or...? Admittedly, it just leaves me confused about the whole scenario!" I was simply wondering if folks (not even so much your testers**, just ladies in general) want to support you all so much that they do not admit when maybe, just maybe, they do not love something, for one reason or another.

I think it is wonderful that BHL has such a devoted following and am happy to see you all succeed. I think the sewing community is wonderfully supportive, but that element does not mean it must lack honesty and constructive feedback about patterns beyond the testing process. I also think it is fine that not every pattern or company is for everyone. Borrowing from another comment, it is the difference between commenting on projects (creations) and products (patterns), and, again, it was MY MISTAKE to post a poorly worded comment. I truly did not mean to be rude.

I found it very brave of Michelle to post about an experience that did not work for her, and I meant simply to comment that I agreed about seeing the fit issues and the idea that they might have more to do with the pattern than anyone had said. I applaud her for writing a post on a tricky subject. A lot of people choose not to post anything, and I really appreciate an honest discussion.

Michelle, I think you are a delight! Thanks for being so open and honest about your perspective. It is not easy, and I really respect your approach. Cheers to you!

[** Re testing: One thing that an indie pattern company could take away from the overall discussion is the idea of being more transparent when it comes to pattern testing. That topic seems to be VERY murky for a lot of folks, so it could be worth exploring in more detail in a public forum. Maybe a blog series to coincide with the next pattern release? I bet you would feel a lot of goodwill from folks about it!]

5/20/2014 07:25:28 pm

5/20/2014 07:25:40 pm

Liz link

5/21/2014 05:36:06 am

Hey Sarah, I totally hear ya!

I don't think it's rude to state your honest opinions here where we're not personally attacking anyone.

I too don't post up negative comments of people on their sites, but it its hard to read their glowing reviews when a garment is ill-fitting & you know they can fit properly. Makes me think they're afraid to be honest.

5/21/2014 11:23:11 pm

Sarah! Big thanks for getting back to me and clarifying what you meant / that I'd misread you, I really appreciate it. It seems we are singing from the same song sheet then actually! Everyone should be able to be say the truth about their experience sewing up a pattern and in fact negative feedback in the past has helped us tweak patterns when reprinting / informed our decisions about upcoming patterns. Anyways, we've noted what you've said about transparency and the general strength of feeling on the matter and will make sure to be really really clear who is pattern testing for us with when releasing our next one.

Charlotte

Kathryn link

5/18/2014 09:20:29 am

This is a really interesting post, though I'm sorry you've had such trouble with your dress! I've only made the Elisalex dress & I loved the fit of the bodice but didn't like the tulip shape on me & have now consigned the dress to the charity shop pile. I do hope they respond to this post, or to an email if you get in touch.

Jillian link

5/18/2014 01:25:48 pm

Oh wow, this is very frustrating. I am also not a "BHL girl", I'd have nowhere to wear their dresses but their Victoria Blazer intrigues me. I'm so sorry to hear about your fit issues.

I gotta say that a lot of sewists seem to feel compelled to get on the bandwagon and are so dazzled by the process of being up to the minute with the Indie designers they (sometimes) seem blinded to any issues.

I've also seen many ill-fitting versions of this dress by sewists I really admire, yet the fit seems acceptable to them. I just can't understand it. But our barometers are all different I guess and I'm far from the most gifted of fitters.

But the worst? The fact they deleted your feedback. I find that incredibly unprofessional and I agree. If they truly wanted to make their patterns the best they could be they'd not be afraid of critiques, they'd embrace them. So very disappointing.

tanyamaile link

5/18/2014 01:34:22 pm

I'd much rather hear an honest opinion than a dishonest one. I've never sewn with BHL, but I generally consider indie companies to be ones that offer a higher quality product than the big 4. I have only once heard a bad review about their Anna dress and that was it. It sure is disappointing to want to love a pattern and find out that it doesn't work for you. Much more disappointing to find that it's a poorly drafted one. I can't believe they deleted your comment and didn't respond either. It sure doesn't make me want to try a BHL.... I just had this experience with a pattern I was testing and even with alterations it did not work for me. I couldn't recommend it and opted to opt out of showing it on blog when it's released. It wasn't poor drafting though, just a bad design for my shape. I don't think you should have to basically redraft a pattern to get it to work for you. Grading is different than redesigning. I sure hope you find a pattern that will work for your BM dress. It just sucks to have wasted time and money on something that didn't. Thanks for sharing your experience!

Helena link

5/18/2014 05:01:26 pm

I think your post is very important. Last year I was in a debate regarding the fact that sewing bloggers rarely give each other constructive critisism on projects, even when needed, it's all just support. I have read that a few people have had issues with fitting the Anna bodice, especially women with larger busts (that bodice worked for me, so no issues here), but none were ever really critical. Also I'm kind of glad that I'm not the only one not really liking the tank style bodice of the Flora.

On a different, but still slightly related note, I have naively thought that pattern testing was pattern testing, but I'm now more convinced that the patterns companies don't really care about pattern feedback, they just care about getting several blog posts up and I was sick of seeing the Flora all over earlier this year, BHL does this the most, I feel.

5/20/2014 07:01:39 pm

Helena!

I hope you don't think me intrusive, but I simply had to jump in and comment on what you said about the pattern testing that us indie pattern companies do. I cannot obviously speak for anyone else, but for us it is *absolutely* all about getting constructive feedback. With the Flora Dress in particular we put the release back by quite a few weeks in order to incorporate (both in the pattern itself and the instructions) all of the most popular feedback from our pattern testers. It's not just an empty marketing exercise, these blogger ladies are vocal and critical in their feedback and we consider their opinions completely invaluable to being able to release a product we are proud of. No one of our pattern testers is under any obligation to write a review or even like the pattern itself, therefore I really don't think it's fair to suggest that they would post unless they genuinely liked what we were doing. And we, for one, are very proud that the blogosphere seemed so full of Flora Dresses, because the three of us work incredibly hard on each and every one of our patterns.

Charlotte

5/23/2014 08:26:07 pm

Thanks for your comment. One of the things I do like about the indie pattern companies is there involvement in the onlive community.

I think I made a bit too quick of a judgement in my comment, but it was a bit boring seeing the same dress over and over, no matter what dress (but of course it didn't help that I personally wasn't very drawn to the Flora). I do think pattern testing should be more transparent, because you say that you get great feedback both good and critical, but that never seems to make it to the blogs.

You write below that you don't oblige pattern testers to like your pattern. I can only speak for myself, but if I was asked to be a pattern tester and the pattern itself didn't appeal to me I would turn down the offer. Therefore I see it from my view, that the testers liked the pattern from the get go, at least the style of it. If it's true or not, I don't know.

I hope I didn't sound to harsh in my comment above, I was just a bit frustrated at the time.

Charlotte link

5/18/2014 11:39:16 pm

Oh, yes. My Anna is currently sitting in a pile in the corner of my bedroom, because I just cannot deal with her right now.

I think a lot of people manage to make really attractive versions of not-so-awesome patterns, and that sways the entire sewing blogging world in favor of certain companies. Well, that, and certain bloggers with strong, appealing aesthetics are called upon to be "pattern testers," who are then obliged to post to their blogs about their findings (which essentially renders their posts sponsored, and makes them advertisers---but don't get me started on that, and the compensation issues at play).

Sometimes I wonder if it's really just that everyone is just too nice and afraid of hurting the feelings of the indie pattern drafters, or if there are a lot of people who are afraid of a mass shunning. I'm a student, and a $30 sewing pattern is expensive. I won't shell out unless it is something I'll make enough times to bring the cost down to $5 per use. I wonder, cynically, if the fact that the pattern is comped to larger bloggers might somehow influence the way in which they write about it. Then, lesser known bloggers, who might not be as confident in their editorial abilities or sewing skills, would either think a) that the flaws in construction are their own fault, because so-and-so did so well with it or b) that criticism is just not what we do here, given the norms that are radiated down form the higher end of the sewing blog totem pole.

Enough with my ranting (I was going to write a post about just this, if you can't tell), and on to your actual post: I think you're doing a great service. I was actually thinking about buying the Flora dress, because I've been looking for a good wrap-bodice dress, but I might turn to the Victory Patterns Nicola, instead. Though, I cannot believe they didn't at least shoot you an email to respond to your comment, even if they deleted it. Not good.

I think the high-low Flora skirt would look marvelous with your fabric. Do show it, if you make it!

5/19/2014 12:37:06 am

The sewing blog totem pole (great term) and the opaque commercial arrangements are definitely the basis for a rant. I'm tempted to start a blog just to indulge myself.

5/20/2014 07:46:29 pm

Hi Charlotte,

I've addressed this in my comment to Helena above, but I want to stress again that, for us, there is no obligation to a.) get on board as one of our pattern testers b.) blog about it afterwards c.) like our pattern at all! Our testers have always been very very honest about their feedback, including fitting issues, unclear instructions, suggesting different construction methods and even simply opting out of being a tester altogether because they feel a particular style simply isn't something they like. I don't believe that they would do their own hard-won reputation a disservice by posting about something they thought was no good! We are incredibly appreciative of the time and effort that they spend effectively working with us on our product, which is why I can't help but bristle slightly at the suggestion that their involvement and any subsequent blogging is simply something sycophantic and/or perfunctory.

We have always been open to criticism, good and bad, and every time we reprint a pattern we tweak something based on customer feedback. This customer focus has really been at the heart of our mission from the word go, so I must stress that we did not delete the comment - we would never do that! We just hadn't yet got round to approving it - a necessary evil because of the amount of spammy comments we get. Elisalex has replied more in depth to this particular point in the comments below.

Charlotte

5/21/2014 01:33:30 am

Hey, (Other) Charlotte.

Thanks for your reply! I should open by saying that my comment was not about BHL, specifically. I didn't mean to imply that your or anyone else's testers were posting things that they didn't stand behind. Rather, I meant to say that I think the pattern testers whose work seems to make the rounds are really good sewers, who put in a great deal of time in order to get good results. I'm the sort of person who wants to burn down the house after my third or fourth muslin, and would not make a comparatively good garment, given the same pattern. I see their garments, and I think, "What a great dress!" I get the pattern, and have to stick a straw into a bottle of gin to get through it. Then the me-or-it questions start popping up.

Also, I'm not in the practice of (intentionally) saying mean things about nice people. So I think that we, as a community, might tend to couch our criticism for patterns with faces and names---Charlottes and Elisalexes, rather than Simplicities---which makes it hard to reconcile withering criticism for the Big Four with the gentler brand of critique that tends to get whipped out for companies with which we have a more personal connection. Sometimes I read a review and leave it more uncertain that I was when I started.

I'm really glad to hear that your testers aren't obliged to post about their garments. I think I've read some people mention having to get a post up by a deadline, or on time, (again, not specifically for BHL), which to me made it seem as if there were an arrangement. That always struck me as sketchy. (I come from the land of unpaid interns and writers, and get really testy around the issue of unfair compensation for good, hard work.)

I'm going to stop hijacking Michelle's comments section now. Thanks again for your reply! There just might be an Elisalex in my future, after I tame my unwieldy Anna (I don't think I have the shoulders for kimono sleeves, and have to have a do-or-die talk with myself about them).

Thanks, Michelle, for prompting such a great discussion.

5/21/2014 11:54:04 pm

Hi again Charlotte,

This *has* been a great discussion! Sarah (above in the comments) suggested showing more transparency in the whole pattern testing process, so this has been duly noted and we'll be sure to make it really really clear which bloggers we asked to test our patterns - starting from the release of the next one.

Thanks for getting back to me and explaining everything, it's very much appreciated.

Charlotte

crab&bee

5/19/2014 06:28:56 am

I really appreciate your candor, Michelle! I do value the positivity of the sewing community, especially the encouragement on each others' projects. I think there are enough situations in life where I feel insufficient without receiving unsolicited negative feedback on sewing projects, although I love how giving the community is about giving advice on particular problems I'm experiencing or how to improve in certain areas.

That said, I draw a line between projects and products - I really appreciate honest product reviews. I think it's a tricky dynamic with a mix of amateur bloggers, semi-sponsored bloggers, and full-on businesses all sharing the same online space. Even more confusing is when a previously-amateur blogger starts a business! I don't have any answers about how to navigate these waters at all, but I think honesty with a foundation of positivity is a good approach.

Based on what I know, pattern companies (from the smallest to the largest) have different fit profiles. I'm guessing smaller pattern companies' patterns fit the pattern maker, and larger pattern companies have access to more data and/or build in loads of ease (but that's just a guess). I avoid pattern companies that don't seem to have my shape (broad-shouldered, rectangular, tall-ish) or style in mind, but have also gone through enough muslins to make anybody insane using a Burda pants pattern. I've been slowly working on a bodice sloper for myself, so I'm *hoping* to spare myself some fitting pain on simple patterns. Fit is so complicated, and I think your post brings up a great question - where's the line between good drafting and a pattern that just happens to fit your body type?

Anyway. I'm sorry your dress didn't turn out as hoped, and think your idea of taking the parts you like from this pattern is a great one.

katie metzroth link

5/19/2014 06:51:19 am

Well, that is a bummer! All that and no dress. boo.
Wrap tops are tricky (never tried one on that fit)

I try to be positive online, so I totally get where you're coming from. I think that's why I enjoy testing knitting patterns so much. If I can help find errors before things go to print, that makes me HAPPY. :)

BUT, if a company is charging that much for a pattern, well..............I don't blame you a bit for being hot under the collar. That's more than a hank of NICE sock yarn!
Sorry for your loss! :(

sezza link

5/19/2014 06:26:00 pm

wow, I can't believe how expensive a sewing pattern is!! What a shame it wasn't a good one, good on you for writing a review. As a knit designer I always appreciate constructive critique, and I think its a shame that a company (no matter how small) are happy to take money but not admit fault.

Nat @ made in home link

5/19/2014 11:07:24 pm

Well it all sounds rubbish to me - a lot of time wasted and a lot of money wasted, and on top of that they deleted your comment. What's wrong with them? I only have the Victoria Blazer pattern - and it is to make a coat and not the blazer... So already I will not follow strictly the pattern.

I am not with BHL style either - but this is probably a matter of taste and shape. I know all the sewing blogs we are following have tested their patterns and apparently all is well. I am surprised because when we test a knitting pattern we all seem to have issues - maybe testing is not the same? Or maybe the process is not the same, I suppose you can test your pattern yourself a few more times than knit a jumper.

Anyway you should not feel bad about commenting on a pattern you clearly had issues with. People who are considering buying the pattern should know - and maybe share their more positive experience, if they had one? it is your blog, and you have enough experience in sewing to make it a credible post.

I also found it very interesting to read all the other comments..

Ginger link

5/20/2014 02:58:35 am

Aww man, what an annoying experience. I tested this dress pattern and it fit pretty true to size on me (I had a fitting issue that was totally my fault... I muslined the dress using a loosely-woven cotton, but made my final version in a weird poly with no give at all, so it's a bit too snug... dumb). I wonder if something went wrong with the final version of the pattern? You should definitely email the BHL girls. I find it surprising that your comment was deleted.

Like some of the other commenters said, I think people are hesitant to criticize patterns because it's hard to tell if fit issues are caused by drafting or just by the different shapes of our bodies. With a knitting pattern, it's so easy to know if something is wrong- there's a logic and a concreteness to the patterns that you can immediately tell if, for example, they meant for you to start a repeat on the wrong side instead of the right, or something similar. My patternmaking experience is quite limited, so my rubric for a good pattern is if the construction techniques make sense and seem like the best for the style, if the notches all line up, and if the final garment measurements match what they're supposed to. I don't expect something to fit me right out of the envelope, but I do avoid a couple of companies (Colette, Simplicity) where the block they use is too far from my shape and I have to make tons of changes every time I use them.

I would also guess that we don't see many negative reviews of patterns because there are two types of sewers, from what I can tell- the type that will make 5 muslins of every garment and fix every little issue, and the type that will abandon something that's not working right away (I'm in the latter camp). I suspect that the former find that process normal, and the latter just don't get around to blogging unfinished garments.

Finally, as a blogger who's often asked to pattern test, I think there's an idea that companies are secretly paying to get good reviews or something, but that's just not true. I've never been paid or even had that offered. I only test patterns where the design really intrigues me since a free PDF is nice, but I'll still have to invest hours and hours of time + materials. I think that accounts for the glowing reviews of patterns, too- reviewers choose patterns that they're excited about. But I think that people are honest about construction issues they have and qualms about patterns- I definitely mention any issues I had, what I think it causing the issue, and what might help other people making the pattern. Patterns are expensive, in both money and time, and it's only right to give a straightforward review of your experience with them.

Elisalex de Castro Peake - By Hand London link

5/20/2014 03:20:14 am

Hi Michelle,

First and foremost I have to point out that your comment was most definitely not deleted! That is something we would NEVER do, no matter if it were a positive or negative remark. We consider our customer's feedback to be the highest priority in the way that we constantly strive to improve ourselves and our business. Like you said, we are indeed running a business - one that we are passionate about no less. On our blog, we have to approve comments before they are published on the site - seeing as we get so many spammy comments advertising pharmaceuticals and the like - and the approving of and replying to comments is my (Elisalex) job (among many, many other things of course!). I was away this weekend so I only got around to publishing - and replying to - your comment this morning, before I was even alerted to this blog post. You can see your comment and my reply here - http://byhandlondon.com/blogs/by-hand-london/14141801-pattern-hacking-flora-wrap-top

As with RTW, it is impossible to draft a pattern that will fit every body shape. The beauty often lies in the ability to tweak a pattern and make it fit your own unique shape in such a way that flatters and fits. The Flora wrap bodice is designed to have a more casual fit and more ease than the more fitted tank bodice variation. The gentle creasing under the bust as the top wraps is normal, and very pretty in our opinion, made all the prettier when used with a fabric with a bit of drape and body. The finished measurements we give on the back of the folder have been measured on the computer, and again by hand (more times than I care to remember!), so I'm not sure what kind of measurements you've found.

I appreciate the courage it takes to publish a critique of an indie pattern company, but it also upsets me that everyone seems to be up in arms about our supposed having deleted your comment. I really cannot stress enough how much importance we place on customer service and taking all feedback into account. We would never delete a comment, ignoring it rather than responding. We may be a business, but at the end of the day, it's just the three of us - working our absolute hardest to make this business work and grow. I'm sorry that you had a crappy time making the Flora Dress, and while it saddens us to think of people not enjoying the making process with our patterns as we strive so hard to make it a pleasure, we are also aware of the fact that we cannot design for everyone.

I'd also like to stress that before we even think of releasing a pattern to the public, we have an army of pattern testers to try it out and alert us of any issues with fit/instructions before we go to print.

Like I said in my reply to your comment, if you have anymore queries, please email me directly at elisalex(at)byhandlondon(dot)com - and that goes for anyone who would like to discuss any fitting issues or send any feedback our way!

All the best, Elisalex

Michelle link

5/20/2014 04:40:56 am

Thanks for your comment Elisalex, I have sent you an email.

5/21/2014 05:27:33 am

Oh my! So many comments on this very hot topic.

For me personally, I try to keep to the mantra of 'if I don't have anything positive to say, I don't say anything at all'. This is especially true when I see bloggers raving about a given garment - that I think is fitted poorly or don't really prefer myself. I'm even afraid of offering constructive criticism in fear that it's taken the wrong way.

But I am 100% on board with you posting about your fit issue with ANY pattern, not just the Flora dress. There are odd wrinkles on the wrap bodice that I have seen on at least 3/4 of the flora dresses out there.

If BHL intended those to be there, okay whatevs. But I personally think wrinkles point to *problem areas* where it's not fit correctly. In many (many) fit books that I've read, they ALL say wrinkles point to the problem area that needs to be fit properly. Being a logical statistician, if I see many dresses with the same wrinkles - it looks like there's an issue with the fit or drafting of the top - and it's not for me.

I have a 'different' body shape than most people - so no matter what I sew up, I have to do at least 3-7 modifications to a dress bodice so that it fits me perfectly. This is true of the big 4, indie patterns, as well as vintage 1940's and 50's patterns too.

Michelle, I know you and have seen that you rarely need to do alterations to have a garment fit you properly. Therefore, having to do lots of modifications to a pattern like you did just seems 'not quite right.' And I would be frustrated too.

I do feel like there are several indie pattern companies out there that have gotten too large for criticism & a backlash against a seamstress would happen. I feel like we are all entitled to our opinions and shouldn't have to feel bad about stating how we feel.

Dare I say it's on the verge of happening here it seems with so many responses back from BHL girls that are a bit defensive.

I hate to have to say this but: For the record, I'm leaving a comment for blogger Michelle, not BHL. If I was going to state my comments for BHL I'd be going to their website to do so.

*Disclosure: I love my Anna dress and it fits me perfectly - but have no other personal experience with BHL patterns, beyond what I've seen and read via other bloggers.

** Is it me or is it sad that I need to put a disclosure on my comment?!

Molly

5/26/2014 05:37:15 am

There should be more blog posts like this, to balance out the opinions. I have never tried a BHL pattern, but I have pattern tested for Sewaholic Patterns 4 or 5 times. I always choose a version and make it up exactly as the pattern states (just doing my usual short person adjustments I would do for any pattern), but I often see other people making all kinds of weird changes and I don't personally agree. Tasia has a survey you fill out with your feedback and any errors you found.
I will say that there is often a time lapse of sometimes more than a month between when I finish making one and when I can actually blog about it. That does make it really easy to forget all the details or problems.
Thanks for this post and I appreciate the honest feedback!

Laura Reed link

5/31/2014 12:32:32 am

First, thank you for posting this. I found it by searching for 'Flora dress bodice fit problems," after a whole day of stitching and unpicking. At least I know I'm not alone in struggling with this bodice! I will buy a bit more fabric and put the tank bodice on it, since the skirt is great. This is my second attempt with a Flora -- I made the tank version first. I like it a lot, though it took quite a bit of fiddling with the darts and straps and I ended up with less than perfect armholes (a little skimpy in the front, a little bra showing - not cool). This is my fault for not making a muslin first but the fabric was pretty cheap and on sale too so I just went for it! But my question is, why doesn't By Hand offer different bust versions, like the major pattern makers do? Most of my Vogue and Simplicity etc., patterns have separate pieces for A,B,C,D etc. Makes getting the fit right so much easier!!! Come to think of it, why were the armholes skimpy when I was grading it down to a B cup??? I'm confused about what adjustments to make. I want to support indie pattern makers, but it's a risk in time and money.

Carolyn link

6/2/2014 10:37:11 pm

Michelle -

I give you a lot of credit for writing a critical review, and as a fellow sewist I appreciate your honest feedback on a popular (and expensive) pattern. I regularly post critical reviews on my blog as well because I feel that one of the great things about blogs is the freedom to be open and honest about your own personal experiences. There is a difference between being "mean" and simply being critical, and in my opinion, your post was well-written without crossing the line into disparaging.

Honestly, it is quite refreshing to read a critical review once in a while, and for that I applaud you!

What is extremely surprising to me is that everyone seems to be getting so riled up by this post. Is a critical review that uncommon, and do people find it unacceptable? Unpaid bloggers have the freedom to write whatever they want, so why is negative feedback so surprising and causing such an uproar?

Of course BHL is a business and seeks to market their products, as any company would want to do, but I hope everyone realizes that putting your products "out there" means that some people will have critical feedback - it comes with the territory.

I, for one, would really welcome more critical reviews in the sewing blogosphere. Honest feedback helps the entire community and helps businesses improve their products.

Calm down, everyone. One woman just expressed her honest opinion - it happens everyday. Please don't be so surprised! :)

Nakisha link

6/3/2014 01:40:13 pm

Thank you for an honest review.

I have to say, as a newer sewer (it rhymes!) I am SO FRUSTRATED with always reading that someone was "courageous" to post a critique of an Indie pattern that wasn't full of sunshine and rainbows.

No one would call me "courageous" if I were frustrated with a BMV/Simplicity/Burda/et al pattern. Not a single person.

I'll continue sewing up fun and fabulous garments with my $1 and $2 Big 4 patterns.

LAURIE link

6/4/2014 10:20:08 am

Wow Michelle! That was quite a post! And a well written one to boot! Turned in to a very controversial one too! :) I am sorry Flora did not work out for you and you found the pattern drafting lacking. I do have the Anna pattern and love it- ofc I made my three from knit- knit is a little more forgiving IMO. And maybe I ooohed and ahhed too much over it and ignored some things because, well, I really do love it! And I love to wear it...I also confess that I am not fond of muslining and can't imagine I would ever spend 5-6 "muslins" fitting a dress. I figure if it does not fit my proportions I should try a different pattern designer. I do not make patterns- but I figure like the clothing industry they use a "block." Which means it is still meant for a certain body type. And like all clothing lines and frankly all products in this world there will always be people who love it and people who hate it. And I think that is OK! I like your blog... I think you are a pretty sweet person! And I think you are allowed to have an opinion and express it constructively- which you did! Happy sewing!

Sewing princess link

6/4/2014 05:39:38 pm

I really appreciate this post. Have always been puzzled by different criticism on indies vs sewing magazines and big 4.
Added your blog to my reading list as I didn't come across it before.
I have tested patterns and regularly review a sewing magazine. So this topic is very relevant.

Alyce

6/4/2014 10:47:44 pm

Wow, this is quite an interesting discussion that you have started here Michelle. I wanted to share my experience with sewing my only BHL pattern, the Elisalex, and the issues I had with it. After 3 Muslins I was still not happy with the fit of the bodice, and was experiencing bad wrinkles and pull line all over it. I emailed BHL a couple of pictures of the bodice, explained my issues and hoped they might reply to me at some stage, as the girls have stated above that their customer s is of utmost importance to them and their business. 12 months on, I am stil waiting for my reply! I guess I'm not really that important after all.

6/4/2014 10:49:02 pm

*that should read customer service! not customer s

Elisalex de Castro Peake link

6/4/2014 10:59:12 pm

Hi Alice, really sorry to hear you've had trouble fitting the Elisalex bodice - and even sorrier that your emails haven't been replied to! We really do make every effort to get back to everyone (and we consider all of our customers to be incredibly important!), so I can only imagine that your email got lost somewhere along the way, or went to our spam folder or something. Do give me a shout again if you'd still like some advice - try me on my personal email elisalexdcp(at)hotmail(dot)com and I'll get back to you as soon as I can. xxx

Dagmar O'hanlon

6/5/2014 10:40:49 pm

"When I buy from small companies, I expect more. I'm paying more for your product, because I expect that you are paying extra attention to detail and producing higher quality products than are available in the mass market. I also expect quality customer service. You're running a business."

The above comment resonated with me as I would love to support the many indie pattern companies out there. With the Big 4, it is very easy to know for whom and for what shape of body they are designing as so many people report their experiences on PR and in the blog world. When a new indie company emerges, this information is less readily available to the consumer and so, customer service, as in responding to queries, becomes even more important to ensure the customer feels ready to pay a higher pattern price as well as shipping fees.

I read Elisalex's response about their efforts at customer service with a chuckle as I am one of several posting above who seem to have contacted their company with no response. After 5 emails asking about sizing so that I could purchase one of their patterns, I simply gave up as no response was forthcoming. Indie companies, listen up: it is not enough to draft and print a pattern, you need to have systems in place to handle customer queries in a timely manner! Customer service is the backbone of customer loyalty and is one of the very reasons people leave the big 4 to look into indie patterns. Years of no response from the major companies on excessive ease, missing or convoluted instructions, refusal to answer questions etc are some of the reasons we look to new designers. However, if the customer service approach becomes no better than the big 4, why spend the extra money?

6/5/2014 10:57:31 pm

Hi Dagmar,

I'm really truly sorry that your emails haven't been answered - and with 5 unanswered emails I can only assume they got lost somewhere in the interwebs along the way as we definitely would have replied! Please believe me when I say that customer service and offering individual fitting advice is something all three of us take very very seriously, and we spend a great deal of time replying to customer emails every day. After all, without happy customers we'd have no one to sell to! If you still have questions about our sizing, please try me on my personal email elisalexdcp(at)hotmail(dot)com and I'll get back to you as soon as I can.

Elisalex

Dagmar

6/6/2014 12:20:39 am

Thank you for reaching out Elisalex…I will contact you at the email you provided with my questions as I really do like some of your designs and would love to make them up!

francesca

6/6/2014 12:20:40 am

Count me among the ones who never received a reply. There definitely seems to be some naughty web pirate hijacking so many questions to BHL.....

I second and third all those who have been puzzled about the way everyone's happy to tear the Big Four apart, whilst never wanting to say anything bad about indies. I've written to Simplicity, Vogue, and New Look about problems with patterns and always had replies. In one case where my skirt was too big to my taste, they wrote back and apologised - apparently there should have been a note saying skirt will sit an inch below the waist, and it wasn't - and offered me my choice of two patterns to make up. When once considers the disparity in prices, it's quite obvious one should expect just as good customer service from indies, as well as a more special pattern... and most of the time, it's true. Whe I talk about drafting mistakes, I'm not referring to something being tight on my big butt, but to seam lines not matching, etc etc...

Bunny link

7/7/2014 12:38:31 pm

What I see in the numerous discussions around the blogosphere about Indie designers, pattern testing, and the courage to give an honest review is a case of amnesia. Have we forgotten that Big Four patterns get critiqued all the time? That sites like Pattern Review exist for the sole purpose of reviewing patterns? Why are we pussy footing around Indie designers? These are businesses like any other and when you are a business your customers will always critique. Some people write letters to the editor, others kibbutz over the back fence, Great customers take it directly back to the business because they know a really professional operation will welcome criticism and view it as an opportunity to improve and increase sales. Over and over I see these discussions descend into I'm so sorries and much much worse. Why does it decend into the personal? That's what I don't get. Where's Sheryl Sandbert when we need her?

Melissa

7/15/2014 11:18:33 pm

I just want to thank you so much fir having the courage to be honest.i bought the Anna pattern and had to alter the bodice so much I didn't ever bother finish sewing it despite the beautiful fabric I had bought. I like others assumed it was down to my sewing abilities but I noticed similar issues in other Anna dresses that had been blogged. Guess it pays to check the final photographed product rather then the

7/15/2014 11:21:44 pm

Sorry obviously had problems editing above comment. Bottom line I will now look more closely at photos of the final product and check blog text for specific information about alterations required.

Tres bien ensemble

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