More about the process

every pattern begins as a drawing…

Sarah’s Pattern Program has always been an extension of her studio practice. While most of Sarah’s works are created as one of a kind pieces of art, she also makes a selection of her designs available as do-it-yourself PDF patterns.

Sarah’s monthly patterns have inspired thousands to embark on their own embroidery journey and provide the perfect excuse to slow down and stitch. Meanwhile, the program pushes Sarah to stretch her own creative abilities to design something new and exciting each month. Sarah’s patterns are both inspired by and inspirational to her regular studio practice and allow for deeper dives into familiar themes and a reason to explore new types of images and subjects.

Whether it’s with paper and pencil or on the iPad, Sarah hand draws each and every #SKBDIY pattern. As she draws she considers the stitch-ability of each illustration—thinking about the scale and amount of detail and searching for a balance between interesting and achievable. She then stitches a number of samples to work out the kinks and find the most efficient and effective way to make the image and communicate the process.

She then photographs each step of the process, illustrates the necessary stitches, selects color palettes and compiles all of the information into beautiful downloadable PDFs for your enjoyment.