It’s absolutely astonishing to me that it’s been a full decade since I launched the first Cashmerette pattern, the Appleton Dress. When I initially had the idea to launch a pattern company focused on the average sewist—that is, someone plus size, with big boobs (we’re 70% of the population, if you haven’t already heard…)—I had a gut feeling that it might work.
But truly, I didn’t know! I’d worked for 15 years in corporate jobs where I had access to tons of data. However then, as now, that data simply didn’t exist for the sewing pattern world. We know that there are millions of sewists out there, but there’s no information on how many are garment sewists, how many patterns they’re buying and so on. So when I decided to quit my job to focus full time on launching Cashmerette, I was mostly definitely taking a risk. Would anyone buy them? Would I be able to pay my bills? Who knew.
The very first photoshoot in Grey’s Fabrics, including some samples that never saw the light of day!
Well boy did that risk pay off! 10 years later and together with my team we’ve launched 100 sewing patterns, published 2 books with Penguin Random House, created our incredibly popular Cashmerette Club membership program, recorded dozens of online classes and a lot more.
I can honestly say that I love my job, and there’s never been a day I regretted leaving the corporate world. Not only is the day-to-day interesting and fun, but the fact that it’s all rooted in a deep mission, to help all sewists feel good about their body by making clothes that make them feel confident – that’s what truly gives it meaning.
As I look back, here are some of the biggest things I’ve learned.
Plus size sewists aren’t a niche, and we shouldn’t be treated like one.
People still congratulate me on my “niche” business. But I just cannot fathom in what world catering to 70% of the population (now even more with our size expansion to 0-32) is a niche. Yes, Ready-To-Wear treats it as such, but they’re wrong! Although we now have a broad size range, we are still plus-size-first. What does that mean? We develop every pattern first on plus sizes, and only when we’ve nailed the fit do we look at the smaller range. Every single pattern has at least one plus size model. And we’re true experts in what we do, not least because 75% of the Cashmerette team is plus size (and all of us are E+ cup!).
Plus sewists aren’t a monolith – we have the widest possible variety of taste!
Try to shop for plus size clothes in stores and you know what you’re going to find. Synthetic fabrics, tons of very oversized silhouettes, rarely things that are on trend. But here’s what I’ve learned from launching 100 patterns: being plus size has zero influence on your personal style! Every possible style should exist in all sizes – because everyone’s entitled to channel their minimalist/cottage-core/office maven/goth/glam/casual tendencies. And it’s easy to assume things like “plus size people don’t like sleeveless” – nope! We have many passionate sleeveless lovers – AND huge numbers of sleeve fans. Short? Long? Low-cut? Modest? Separates? Dresses? There are sewists who want every possible style. That’s just one of the reasons launching our Club has been so amazing – it lets us launch so many more styles!
It’s OK to learn as you go
When I started Cashmerette, there were some things I knew about: marketing, a bit about eCommerce, strategic thinking. But almost everything else I learned from scratch – many, many hours were spent literally weeping over Adobe Illustrator. Luckily for me I grew up with entrepreneur parents who also learned as they went, so I had a certain confidence I’d be able to figure it out, especially if I drafted in some experts.
Over the years we’ve had many changes: in physical location, being mostly printed to mostly PDF, selling fabric and kits (and then not), expanding our size range up and down, launching the Club, and so many more. We’ve evolved with our community and with the greater indie sewing pattern world, and we’ll continue doing so. You won’t know everything before you make a big leap – but you should still do it!
It really does take a village
Yes, I had the first idea that created Cashmerette, but it’s very much been a team effort from the start! I don’t think I’d ever have had the idea if it wasn’t for the Crafty Foxes sewing meet-up from Grey’s Fabrics back in 2012-ish, where I met Ashley, Katy, Doga, Ping, McKenzie, Jessica, Meri, Sarah, and perhaps most consequentially Carrie, who has been with Cashmerette since day 1!
Most of the Crafty Foxes crew
The Cashmerette team grew (and occasionally shrank) over the years, but my current super-gang of Carrie, Ayelet and Jen are all officially veteran Cashmerettes, and do the vast majority of the daily work so that I can have big thoughts, forget what I’ve already asked for, go away for months on end to have a baby, and generally disrupt things when it’s getting too cozy. I am eternally grateful for them!
Jen, Carrie, me and Ayelet at the Empire Waist showing
We’ve also worked with many freelancers over the years to bring our ideas to life. Special thanks to supremo-drafters Alyson and Betsy, our ride-or-die makeup artist Amy, and Ken, who’s been our photographer since day 1 and seen every step of our evolution.
An early fitting of the Upton Dress with Alyson
The sewing pattern world is also uniquely female and somehow mostly late 30s-mid 40s, and incredibly supportive in a way that I never experienced in my previous business life. Huge thanks for the moral support and help over the years, in particular to Heather (Closet Core Patterns), Helen (Helen’s Closet), Camille (Deer & Doe), Tilly (and the Buttons), Jen (Grainline) and Elisalex (By Hand London). A very consequential call with Helen and Camille led directly to the Cashmerette Club and the transformation of the business, and I will always be grateful! I also want to acknowledge the great work all of them have made in expanding their size ranges, too – together, we’ve created literally hundreds more options for larger bodies than existed when I started sewing in 2010.
Clothes are about way more than fashion
Finally, creating sewing patterns for clothes is about SO much more than fashion. There are many aspects to this, but perhaps the most profound for me and the Cashmerette community is we live in a fatphobic world that continues to put plus size people on a lower social rung, and make it extremely hard for us to find clothes that fit AND reflect our personality. That means that sewing clothes that are made for your body type, that are marketed with images that center and celebrate you, and that make you feel confident – well, that’s a radical act. Who cares what fashion designers think you should wear? You can take back the power. And I’m so glad that I’ve been able to be a small part of that.
Cashmerette Club Glover Jean Jacket
Here’s to the next ten!
What a beautiful and inspiring blog post, Jenny.
My heartfelt congratulations to you and the whole team — what you’ve built is so much more than patterns; it’s confidence, belonging, and true representation. You really are trailblazers, and I feel so proud and grateful to carry the Cashmerette flag wherever I go.
So, so, so happy for you and your team! Most heartfelt congratulations. What you do is awesome! Wishing you many more years of happy work!
Congratulations on this achievement! The home sewing world is richer for the dedication of Cashmerette and other independent pattern designers. Thank you for providing us with well-fitting and fashionable patterns to fuel our sewing dreams
Congratulations on bringing to life a community of Real People!
My congratulations to you and your team. You are so right about shopping for plus size clothes. So many made from synthetic fabrics–some feel like elastic. Although I don’t sew like i used to. I keep meaning to get back to sewing. So nsny lovely fabrics out there.
I wish you continued success.👍😁
I am glad you brought some lower sizes. I am a little over 5ft. According to Cashmerette sizes. I am 8 on top (still DDD), 20 at very apple waist, 6 at hips-wild. I am very top-heavy. I appreciate that I am able to figure out how to make a pattern work. I am in my 80s and sewing has always been my go-to to get my mind off events in a crazy world. New technology is still a struggle for me- how the world has changed.
You are an inspiration, Joanne. I’m 78 and just under 5 ft. I love knowing that there’s someone like me in our community.
I’ve been sewing since childhood. I dreamed of becoming a seamstress. Life, however, had other plans. Work and raising children came first. The colors, patterns, and especially the sizes of store-bought clothes never fit me. A size 44 blazer and size 46 trousers — they just didn’t match.
I gathered my courage, and at 50 years old, I enrolled in and completed a fashion tailoring course. We also learned pattern drafting. The Cashmerette website caught my attention. I became a follower because it’s high-quality and offers exactly what I’ve been looking for: the ability to sew my own clothes in the colors and patterns I choose.
I’ve bought a Cashmerette book and some patterns. Translating them into Hungarian takes me a bit of time, so I use some help with that.
Although I work as a teaching assistant, I sew on weekends. Sometimes I sew with the students too, in a playful way.
I wish the Cashmerette team continued success! Beata
Congratulations! Love your patterns, but I especially love and appreciate your books. Both books are the best, hands down, fitting books I have ever had- and I have purchased a lot of them! Wishing you much continued success.
You always always ALWAYS inspire me. I am older, don’t have a lot of time for sewing, but without doubt, Jenny, you are an amazing and remarkable inspiration. Every time I read one of your heartfelt posts/blogs, I feel like there is a wonderful tomorrow ahead regarding young women everywhere. It’s ok to love yourself and your body, even if it doesn’t seem to fit an image. This is a lesson I have only begun to learn (the last 10 years or so, and I’m almost 70). It started with Cashmerette. Learning it isn’t me, my body, my weight, my shape; it is the clothes in my closet. Slowly they are being replaced. Thank you.
Congratulations to you and your team on this milestone! Thank you for filling this need in the sewing community. I felt you had come up with a pretty amazing idea from the start and am so proud of what you’ve all achieved.
Love it, made me cry as I remember the frustration of shopping and never finding anything to fit. It was soul destroying one outfit at a time. Then I read a newspaper acticle featuring Jenny and never looked back. I enjoy the anticipation of last day of the month waiting for the following days club pattern drop and the feeling it is not for me. Then seeing what others have made and throwing myself into making garments I didnt think I could wear and the joy of being wrong. Age, height, and width with big boobs are no restriction. Looking forward to the next 10 years. Thanks Jenny and the true believers,
Jenny & your staff have been a god sent to me for my clothing. I am 3 different sizes rolled up into one person who stands under 5 feet. I now can make tops & dresses that fit me & look good. I still have to tackle a pair of pants & a pair of jeans ( I have the patterns, but been chicken to try them). Before Cashmerette I gave up on sewing my own clothes. I paid mega bucks to have store bought clothing altered. Now I don’t have to. I can make them myself. The only down side is my husband is complaining about all the fabric I have. I just say to him, Now you know how I feel about all that wood you have in the basement we had to move 4 times to different homes. Can’t wait to see the new website. CONGRADULATIONS!!!!!!!!!😂🤣😍
Congratulations on the first 10 and onward!. It is a pleasure each month to look forward to the newest pattern.
I don’t always get to the pattern but each one brings me a boost of enthusiasm for sewing my clothes knowing that there is so much help available to help me achieve a good fit. Thank you to you and the team.
I can still remember getting the very first email saying you were launching the appleton (I may have been with you since the early blogging days!) and being so excited to be able to make clothes that I knew would fit me, instead of taking a punt that the alterations I made worked. Cashmerette has been the biggest part of my personal sewing wardrobe, and I don’t know if I’d have stuck with sewing if I couldnt make for my body. Congratulations to the whole team !!