Meet Virginia from Gingercake Patterns

Let’s meet our first designer! Virginia Lindsay from Gingercake Patterns!

We asked our designers to give us a little peek into their life as a designer. Have fun as you get to know the first designer in our Spring Sew Fab Bundle!

Virginia, how do you structure your days?

“I try to spend 3- 4 hours in my studio during the work week.  I would not say I spend 40 hours a week working!  Before I head to work, I get the kids on the bus, get the household stuff done, try to exercise (maybe) and then get to work.  around 3:00, the kids start coming home again and I am busy with my family again 🙂 “

Where and how do you work best?

“I work in my home studio.  We finished a room in my basement and now I have a large room.  YAY!  I work best with music on.  If I am writing a complicated section of a pattern or when I was writing for my books, I either listened to quiet piano music or nothing at all. “

What tools do you find indispensable when sewing?

sharp scissors, seam ripper (I have many!), pin cushions & pins. rotary cutter and self healing mat, plexi glass ruler

What would you have done differently when you first started sewing if you knew then what you know now?

“I would have bought fabric I liked and spent a little more money. Just because you get a great deal on fabric doesn’t mean you are going to sew something great with it!  I think back on those projects I spent so much time on and then never used because the fabric was ugly!  It makes me sad!”

What’s the best advice you ever received?

“Early on, I read about the catch phrase of “shameless self promotion“.  I used to be embarrassed to openly promote myself and ask people to buy from me.  Throwing up your hands laughing and saying “shameless self promotion!” helped me to get over that hump.  You’ve got to ask people to buy or they never will. “

Who are your biggest influences? Who do you admire most? Who or what inspired you to do what you’re doing now?

“I think back to when I first got into sewing and I admired the gorgeous fabrics of Anna Maria Horner and Amy Butler.  AMH especially seemed to have it together- fabric lines, patterns, blog, big family, gorgeous style.  It was great to see her in action online.  I also loved the work of Hillary Lang of Wee Wonderfuls and bought all her patterns at the beginning.  That was eye opening, to be able to create those gorgeous dolls by using her instructions.”

What is still your biggest challenge?

“Self promotion and discipline to go to work! Haha! Just punching the clock people to going even when I feel unmotivated is a big challenge for me.  It can be lonely working by yourself all the time and you are only accountable for yourself.  That is also the best thing about my job! (see photo below)

What’s your best advice for handling criticism?

“Try to take your emotions out of the comments.  Think, will this make me better at my job and better for my business?  Also, you can’t please them all and thinking about changing just for one person, might not be best for your business as a whole.”

How do you balance work and family demands?

“Frankly, family wins.  But when I have a deadline or something important, I tell everyone I need some space and they respect that since I usually try to put them first.”

What’s next for you?

“I am going to continue making sewing patterns and making videos.  I am working on releasing some patterns in Spanish!”

Thanks again Virginia for letting us learn a little more about you! We can’t wait to see your Spanish Patterns, and see more of you in the future!

Tomorrow we’ll learn about another one of our designers in the bundle. Thanks for learning about Virginia, you can check out her patterns and blog here.

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