Interview: Angela Osborn

In the spirit of supporting independent pattern designers, today I have the pleasure to have Angela Osborn on my blog, who I have found on Etsy (oh, what an endless source of wonderful things...) not long ago. Her story is very inspiring, as it always is with creative people. Enjoy!

Introduce yourself: tell us something about where you live, your origins, hobbies, etc. 

Hello! I’m Angela and I am the designer, seamstress and general crafty person behind my blog and online shop. Spending my childhood on a farm in rural South Australia has been a big influence on me. Creativity and resourcefulness are qualities my parents really encouraged in my brothers and I, while my mother taught me to sew from a young age. I work from my home studio in Adelaide, designing and making all sorts of things including clothes, home accessories, bags and softies.

Esther blouse

How did you start your shop, angelaosborn ? 

Working in an office job was driving me crazy and life’s too short to not chase your dreams, so with the support of my husband I decided to open an etsy store. While I do still have a shop on etsy, I decided to start a blog where I could sell my patterns and things directly from my own website. The blog has enabled me to connect with readers in a greater way and do more that just sell my products. Making things by hand for myself and for family and friends is a really important and rewarding part of my life. Through the projects and tutorials on my blog I want to encourage others to have a go at making things by hand and experience the joy that it brings. I have recently started to expand my range of patterns to include softies and bags as well as clothing. I think that making a piece of clothing from scratch can be quite intimidating to someone who’s never sewn before. I want my projects and patterns to be accessible to absolute beginners as well as those with more experience.

Do you have formal training (art, design, sewing, etc.)?

Yes, I have an Advanced Diploma of Applied Fashion Design and Technology.  I learned so much from this course but I must also give credit to my incredibly skilled Mum who has taught me so much over the years. I’m the type of person who likes to be constantly learning so I’m always trying new things and experimenting with new techniques.

Marion skirt

What are your main sources of inspiration? Your favorite designers or style icons?
Most of my inspiration comes from vintage fashion. I collect vintage clothes, patterns and sewing books. I find that the designs and techniques used are a lot more interesting and unique than much of the fashion on offer now. I also draw inspiration from other bloggers who are doing their own thing and expressing their own unique style rather than just blindly following trends. Movies (particularly old movies), art, books and music are all valuable sources of inspiration to me as well.

Fleur dress

What are your favorite materials to use?
I love working with natural fibres such as silk, cotton, linen and wool. I also love working with vintage materials (or refashioning vintage clothes) and vintage trims especially old lace.

 

Do you have any advice for who sells or wants to sell online?

I’m not sure I feel qualified to give advice, but I would say be open to change and don’t expect everything to come together perfectly straight away. You might find some things won’t work the way you expected and that’s okay - don’t give up, just try a different approach. Building an online business take time, patience and determination - I’m certainly a way off achieving everything that I want to, but I absolutely refuse to give up. Always look for ways you can improve yourself, your product and your business. Make sure your product is of excellent quality and is expressing your own unique creative point of view. Be organised, be kind (to others and yourself) and don’t give up!