Reviews, #ConfidentSpotlight
{gar}Meant for You – A Subscriber’s Perspective
As you may know, in 2020 we launched a unique, subscription Swatch Experience designed to introduce you to new fabrics and patterns. There are two subscription options: one for quilters called We Quilt This City and one for garment-makers called {gar}Meant for You!
Subscribers to {gar}Meant for You can choose between our Cool or Warm options. Cool is for people with pink, red, or blue undertones in their skin, while warm is for those with gold, peach, or yellow undertones. If you’re the type of person that looks good in cool and warm colors, you can also subscribe to both!
Then, every three months, subscribers receive a card which contains a curated collection of 10 seasonal fabrics. The fabrics complement one another, and each fabric comes with a pattern suggestion and information about content, care, price, which needle to use, etc. There’s also a special 10% discount code!
Because we built this Swatch Experience from the ground up, we’re constantly looking for ways to improve it. So we reached out to current {gar}Meant for You subscriber, Liz Bewley, and asked her to provide a little first-hand feedback for any would-be subscribers out there. Here’s what she had to say!
Subscriber Q&A
Q: Can you tell us a little about yourself and your sewing experience & interests?
A: I have been sewing most of my life – my mother taught me to sew when I was about 8 years old. She made clothes for herself and for me, so I was always around hand made garments. I make all my clothes now – pants, tops, dresses, jackets/coats and the occasional backpack. I am currently retired, after 30 years as a technical writer for software products.
Q: How long have you subscribed to the {gar}Meant for You swatch experience?
A: I’m about to receive my 4th {gar}Meant for You swatch card – can’t wait!
Q: Do you subscribe to the Cool Tones, Warm Tones, or both?
A: Cool Tones
(Some of the selections from our Spring 2022 Cool Tones collection.)
Q: What convinced you to subscribe?
A: I found The Confident Stitch online last year, and loved the fabric selections. But I live in Ohio, so couldn’t visit in person. The swatch service is the next best thing to being there!
Q: What do you think of our fabric and pattern choices?
A: I like both. Even if a specific pattern doesn’t suit me, it gives me an idea of how the fabric can be used. I really like how the different fabrics all coordinate too!
Q: What do you think of our review videos and Resource Pages?
A: The videos are great! It’s nice to see how the fabrics drape, and to get Kate and Maisie’s comments about them. The Resource Page is helpful and I like (in each fabric description) that it mentions additional pattern possibilities for the fabrics.
Q: Have you ever purchased the garment fabric or suggested patterns featured in this service? Have you made anything yet?
A: I got a burgundy twill from my first swatch card, and the blue ITY from the second. The ITY has become View C of Simplicity 9275 and the twill is slated for a pair of jeans.
Q: Has this service grown your sewing skills and/or fabric knowledge?
A: Swatches help me learn about fabrics I haven’t used before. I keep all the swatch cards for future reference.
Q: Would you enjoy receiving this service as a gift?
A: Yes!
Q: Has this service encouraged you to connect with other makers and further expand your sewing community?
A: I am a member of a large online garment website, so am already connected. But I have enjoyed “meeting” Kate and the rest of the Confident Stitch staff.
Q: What is your favorite thing about the {gar}Meant for You swatch experience?
A: Getting to see and feel the actual fabric is the main thing. And I like that I can choose just Cool Tones, because Warn Tones don’t work for me at all. Also, I am bad about making items that will work with each other, so the coordinating fabrics really help me with that.
Q: What about this service do you think could be improved?
A: It’s a great service already, but if the swatch cards could arrive maybe a month earlier that would give me more time to get a jump on sewing for a specific season.
(Great news, this switch is already taking place! Swatch collections will now be released in August, November, February and May!)
Tell us what you think!
Thank you for your great feedback, Liz! Your thoughtful notes and constructive criticism have already helped us devise new ways to make this service better!
If you’re current a subscriber and interested in lending some feedback regarding our Swatch Experiences, please send us an email at info@theconfidentstitch.com.
If you’re not yet a subscriber but would like to be, you can subscribe to the Swatch Experience that suits you best by clicking here! The Fall 2022 collection releases on August 24th. Subscribe before then to receive it!
Great Q&A….
I would love to know what sewing community Liz is a part of, I am always interested in expanding my garment sewing group.
I, too, would like to know what online garment website Liz is part of. Also far from Montana, I grow by learning from others. Am thrilled that the swatches will arrive a month earlier. Thank you.
Hi Sherry (and Jan!)
Liz says that she’s a part of PatternReview.com
On this website, individual makers can discuss their experience with patterns, and, as I understand it, there are also discussion forums, contests, and classes available. The Confident Stitch also has a Facebook community where people can share their makes!
Thanks so much for reading,
Maisie
This service sounds good.
I’d like to know is at least half or more of your pattern suggestions are sized to fit plus sized wearers – a big selling point for me and many others!
Hello Kate,
Thanks for asking this question! I’m glad to report that many of the independent pattern companies we carry have expanded their sizing in the past few years. So, as a result, at least half of the patterns we suggest every season are in the plus size range. (And by ‘plus size range’ I mean they go up to at least a woman’s size 28 and often higher to 2XL or 3XL.)
Let us know if you have any other questions! Thanks for reading,
Maisie
I made my yearly visit to the shop last week and talked with Kate. Most of my comments agree with what Liz had to say especially getting the swatches a month earlier. Yeah, I’m glad that is happening. I also love the videos to get a sense of how fabrics drape. Without a local apparel shop near me this is a valuable service!
One suggestion I have is that when ordering fabric it would be nice to have a reminder of fabric content and washing instructions, included on the invoice maybe.
Thank you for being there!
Thanks for this feedback Judi! We’ll see how we can implement it.
Maisie
Neutrals are my favorites. How about a neutral swatch selection?
Good suggestion Dee! We do have an Assorted Fat Quarter Bundle item where you can receive a assortment of 10 fat quarters in any color you choose, and Neutral is an option! Check it out here – https://www.theconfidentstitch.com/product/assorted-fat-quarter-bundle/