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Giveaway: Free pattern of your choice from Brassy Apple

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Brassy Apple is giving away a free pattern of choice to not one, not two, but THREE lucky Craft Gossip readers.  Wowza!   

Their Kitschy Corset apron is certainly not your mama’s kitchen apron!  If you’re going for a more sophisticated look, try the gathered neck of the Lucy Apron for an easy elegance you wouldn’t expect from an apron.  The Bunchy Scarf combines fashion with comfort to create a long skinny ruffled scarf that is totally on trend!

To enter, go to Brassy Apple and check out all of their very cool sewing patterns.  Then, come back here and leave a comment on this post telling which pattern is your favorite and why.  I’ll choose three winners at random, and they’ll receive the pattern they mention in their comment. 

Deadline is Tuesday, February 2 2010 at midnight CST.

Want to keep up with everything they’re creating over at Brassy Apple?  Check out their blog here, or follow them on Twitter.

[photos from Brassy Apple]

[tags]sewing, pattern, giveaway, Brassy Apple[/tags]

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Comments

  2. I love the Lucy apron. I wish that I could wear it for myself. I have been blessed with the inablity to see my feet for the last 26 years due to my busom. I know that my three sisters and two sister-in-laws would love to get Lucy dirty.

    Thank you for sharing yet another great pattern website.

  3. I’d go for the 10 different scarves patterns because more choices are best. Those look like great gifts.

  4. I love the Lucy apron. It looks like you could wear it anywhere not just the kitchen. The gathering at the neck is gorgeous and i love that it covers more than a regular apron does because boy am i messy in the kitchen!

  9. I just Love Lucy! The pattern is cute, modern, and still manages to be very functional. What’s not to love??

  18. I gotta tell you I really love the Lucy apron — the possibilities are endless 🙂

  19. I love the Bunchy Scarf pattern. I bought a scarf similar to this months ago and wish I would have gotten it in every color. Just figured out how to sew and this is difinitely on my to-do list.

  28. The Bunchy scarf is my favourite pattern – it’s utterly gorgeous and infinitely fashionable!

  29. I would love to win the Bunchy Scarf Pattern couse it is adorable! I love scarfs, but I don’t have any like this in my colletion 🙂

  31. I love the lucy apron. I love to sew and craft, but don’t have a lot of time. This looks like a pattern my daughters and I could work up quickly, but still have a great product for our efforts!

  33. The Kitschy Corset apron is adorable, I can definitely see myself wearing it! Thanks for the chance at the giveaway.

  36. I’d love the bunchy scarf pattern. My wardrobe needs some pizazz & I think this just might do the trick!
    thank you for this great giveaway!

  42. Oh wow! The Kitschy Corset apron totally makes me LOL. I Want It!!!

    I also am seriously considering their Mosaic Jeans tutorial e-book… I have a weird sense of style I guess…

  43. Oh to win the Kitschy Apron Pattern! It has the classic lines and sophisticated simplicity that make for sweet sewing bliss! Oh me Please! ^-^

  45. I just love the Bunchy Scarf Patterns! I’m not sure I’ve got the “brass” to step out in a huge riotous scarf…but I would totally rock one I made myself!!

Have you read?

Pricing Handmade Sewing Items Without Undervaluing Yourself

If there’s one topic that makes sewists uncomfortable faster than sewing zippers, it’s pricing. Not how to sew the item — but how much to charge for it once it’s finished.

Most people don’t struggle with making handmade items. They struggle with putting a price on their time, skill, and effort without feeling awkward, guilty, or worried they’ll scare buyers away.

If you’ve ever thought:
 “I’m not good enough to charge that much,”
 “People won’t pay handmade prices,”
 or “I’ll just price it low until I get better,”

you’re not alone. But you’re also not doing yourself any favours.

Let’s talk about how to price handmade sewing items in a way that’s fair, realistic, and sustainable — without undervaluing yourself.

Why Undervaluing Your Sewing Hurts More Than You Think

Underpricing doesn’t just affect your income. It affects your motivation, your confidence, and how seriously buyers take your work.

When handmade items are priced too low:

  • You burn out faster

  • You resent the time spent making them

  • You struggle to restock

  • Buyers assume “cheap” equals “low quality”

Ironically, pricing too low can make selling harder, not easier.

Handmade sewing items aren’t competing with mass-produced factory goods. They’re competing with thoughtfulness, quality, and care — and those have value.

Start With the Real Cost (Not Just Fabric)

One of the biggest pricing mistakes beginners make is charging only for materials.

Fabric, thread, zips, interfacing, labels, packaging — these are your base costs. But they’re only the starting point.

You also need to account for:

  • Cutting time

  • Sewing time

  • Pressing and finishing

  • Packaging

  • Listing, photographing, or selling time

Even if you enjoy sewing, your time still counts.

A simple rule:
 If someone else had to make this for you, what would you expect to pay them per hour?

The “Straight Line” Trap (And Why It’s Not a Problem)

Many sewists worry that because their items are “simple,” they don’t deserve higher prices.

Straight seams, basic construction, minimal shaping — these are often seen as beginner skills. But from a buyer’s perspective, simplicity is often a feature, not a flaw.

Simple items are:

  • Practical

  • Durable

  • Easy to use

  • Less intimidating

  • Often more giftable

A well-made tote bag, table runner, or pouch doesn’t lose value because it’s simple. It gains value because it works.

A Simple Pricing Formula That Actually Works

You don’t need complicated spreadsheets to price handmade sewing items.

A beginner-friendly formula looks like this:

Materials + (Hourly rate × Time) + Fees = Price

Your hourly rate doesn’t need to be high — but it does need to exist.

Even a modest rate acknowledges that your time matters.

And remember: pricing isn’t permanent. You’re allowed to adjust as you learn.

Why “Charging Less Until I’m Better” Backfires

This mindset feels sensible, but it causes long-term problems.

When you price low “for now,” you:

  • Attract bargain-focused buyers

  • Set expectations that are hard to raise later

  • Undermine your confidence

  • Train yourself to accept less

Your skill will improve through repetition, not through underpricing.

Selling handmade items is a skill too — and pricing fairly is part of learning it.

What Buyers Are Actually Paying For

Most buyers don’t analyse your stitching technique.

They’re paying for:

  • Convenience

  • Thoughtful design

  • Quality materials

  • Handmade care

  • Supporting a real person

They want something useful, well made, and ready to use — not a bargain-bin price.

When you price confidently, buyers feel more confident too.

Comparing Prices Without Panicking

It’s smart to look at what others charge — but don’t use comparison as a weapon against yourself.

Instead of asking:
 “Why are they charging more than me?”

Ask:

  • Are they targeting the same customer?

  • Are they selling the same type of item?

  • Are their materials similar?

There is room for different price points. You don’t need to be the cheapest to be successful.

Pricing for Sustainability, Not Just Sales

Selling handmade items should feel rewarding, not exhausting.

If your prices don’t allow you to:

  • Replace materials

  • Restock without stress

  • Enjoy sewing

  • Take breaks

…they’re too low.

A sustainable price keeps you sewing longer — and consistency is what builds sales over time.

The Confidence Shift That Changes Everything

Instead of asking:
 “Is this worth what I’m charging?”

Ask:
 “Would I be proud to sell this?”

If the item is:

  • Well made

  • Useful

  • Finished with care

Then it deserves a fair price.

You don’t need permission to charge what your work is worth. You just need to believe that your time, effort, and creativity matter.

Because they do.

Book Review – Sewing to Sell – The Beginner’s Guide to Starting a Craft Business

Selling your handmade items? Here’s how to figure a fair price.