Book Description: The "How to" book for anyone in the "soft craft" world (quilting, sewing, needlework, doll making) who wants to take their original designs and turn them into patterns. Section I, "From Idea to Paper", covers coming up with the idea, writing how-to instructions, creating a cover, delivering files to the printer, and packing patterns into bags. Section II, "The Marketing Approach", describes the five elements of the marketing mix — product, package, price, distribution, and advertising/publicity/promotion — and shows how to use them to maximize sales. Section III, "Business & Legal Issues", has advice for setting up and running a business, including administration, finance, record keeping, and copyright registration. Section IV, "Appendices", contains resource information including list of distributors, trade shows, trade publications, printers and more.
Targeted How-to Information Short on style but packed with terrific, detailed how-to information. A lot of start-your-own-business books seem to have mostly vague information. Not this one. Included are names of specific software that is helpful, printers, etc. If you have any thoughts of publishing patterns, you need this book. It will quickly become a much used reference guide.
Essential handbook for the Pattern Designer I love this book. Very seldom does a book live up to its billing once I get it, but this one definitely does. Excellent writing style also.
Publish Your Patterns This book was much more then I expected. It walks you thru step by step from conception to completion and all the variations. Great book.
I wish I had this 25 years ago I had been designing for needlework, craft and quilting magazines on and off for over 25 years when I decided the time was right to start my own pattern business and take my hobby seriously. One of the first things I did (on the recommendation of several professional designers) was to purchase this book. I can't say enough good things about it. Through the years I've read literally dozens of book on selling your arts and crafts, home businesses, and the like, but this is the ONLY book I've ever seen that gave designing one's own patterns more than just a couple of vague sentences, and specifically addressed the questions I had.
Not for Garment Designers This book should properly be titled "Publish Your Craft Patterns". There is no information on garment drafting, grading, sizing, and nothing on getting the actual patterns printed. It's a decent book, as far as it goes, but it doesn't go nearly far enough.
Anything Goes Trivia
Trevor
Megaton Man
