Pattern Paper Scissors

Meet Becky, the designer behind Pattern Paper Scissors. 

I worked in the fashion design industry for about 16 years before I switched to starting my own pattern sewing business. When I started a family, I realised how bad fast fashion was and soon became disillusioned with how I had accepted it as a standard. Working within those fast fashion companies and seeing the factories that were producing all these garments unethically just didn't sit right with me anymore. 

I either had to stay within the industry, admittedly trying to change, but too slowly, or I could take myself out of it and work from a smaller side of things. This way, I could show people that when they buy a t-shirt off the shelves, it isn’t just another red t-shirt they can buy in any different size they want. I want people to know that somebody had to use their hands to make that shirt, which is not all done by machinery. There are people doing every single part of that t-shirt, which is what kind of drove me to show and teach others how they can do that themselves. As a mother, I also really wanted to show my kids a better alternative to fast fashion while creating pieces for them that were made with a mother’s unique type of love and care. 

The inspiration 

After becoming a mother and seeing how the industry no longer suited my needs, I left and started my own sewing pattern and fabric business, Pattern Paper Scissors! My kids inspire me a lot, and I want to help others learn how to sew and create their own clothes for their children. Just knowing where each individual piece comes from and being able to create something unique for their children is very motivating and joyful for me. As my kids grow older, this business is something they can see and be proud of since they can understand what I do a little more because it is so much more than just sewing. 

A lot of my inspiration also comes from having kids and realising how practical and comfortable clothing needs to be, especially for children. Even looking at women’s wear, I want the clothing I wear, the things I use repeatedly in my wardrobe, to be the easiest to put on when you’re in a rush but still look stylish and maintain a style about yourself. I want to focus on creating a practical yet eye-catching and unique type of garment that is just something you created and have for yourself that nobody else has. I also believe these handmade items can be passed down, which is great, especially with kids, because they grow out of things, and you can pass them on. My youngest is wearing my eldest garments now, and it works well! 

Aside from those, I also love being inspired by the actual fabrics that are being used. For example, the prints or the type of fabric inspire me to think about what I would make with that specific fabric and what types of patterns I would use. In terms of sewing patterns, there’s a long process as I could start with several different ideas for one type of garment, and then it comes down to one final style or a couple of variations that I can do within a sewing pattern. It can take me so long to reach that point because different ideas and fabrics constantly inspire me! You must see what works and doesn’t and mix and match a little to produce that final product. 

Transition from the industry to starting a small business 

Leaving the industry to start my own small business has been quite the journey! It is very independent since I’m not necessarily working in a team anymore. Instead, I’m working for myself, and it has to be something that you truly enjoy and love to do because otherwise, I don't think you would have the motivation and enthusiasm to keep going with it. Fortunately, sewing is something that I really love. 

It wasn’t until I had my own family that I realised that having a small business could mean working more flexibly around my children and their school hours. However, the big difference is that I don’t have anyone telling me when to do things, and I get to be my own manager, marketer, and stocker. 

When coming up with a name for the business, I loved that the words “rock, paper, scissors” reminded me of childhood nostalgia, which made me stick with the name because sewing is also quite nostalgic. It was also passed down from each generation in my family! 

Behind the scenes of being a pattern designer 

Favourite part: I really enjoy the freedom and flexibility that come with this job and the fact that I get to be creative and work on something I love! I loved my time in fashion but always designed for another person. I was always designing for someone’s company and their aesthetic, so the fact that I get to design and make it uniquely what I think is right is lovely! 

The hardest part: I find a few things quite challenging at times. Administration can get difficult; marketing is constantly tricky since gaining visibility and getting yourself seen constantly changes. Keeping up with the marketing is quite hard. Also, when you’re the only person in the business, it really needs 50% of your time, which can also be tricky. 

Becky’s favourite pattern from the Pattern Paper Scissors collection 

I love all my designs since everything takes a lot of time and creative output to put together! They are all precious because there’s so much behind them, and it’s difficult for me to pick only one! However, if I had to pick, I’d say the dungarees and rompers are my favourites because they’re quick to make and more effective since you get an entire outfit out of them.

Favourite fabric stores and designers

Fabrics Galore, in London UK. I'm usually there getting fabrics. They've got some great basics and some great kidswear fabrics. There's another one near me called The Good Fabric store, which is great for ethically minded, clean fabric. She's doing a lovely job. She's based in Wimbledon in the UK. Lamazi is also fantastic. They're based in Horsham in the UK.

I buy a lot for my freelancing work, so I buy from quite a few different small companies around.

Looking to the future and advice for beginners 

I’m really excited to start doing more patterns for the future! It has been a few years of working part-time on the business because I have young children, so there’s a different amount of time I can spend on the business. So, I’m hoping to gain more visibility and start working on women’s wear patterns to add that option for people. 

For those who are looking to start their own sewing and fabric business, do your research! Research as much as you can, and before you start anything, look at offering digital patterns rather than printing straight away because digital printing is so accessible for people, whereas printing paper patterns has more upfront costs. Looking back at the start of my business, I would also make sure I spent more time upfront on learning how to market my product rather than learning along the way.

Aspen sweater from Paper Pattern Scissors.

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Thank you Becky for spending the time to chat with us!