You might not have heard of Sepa Designs yet, but you will be happy that you now do!  Hagar is a professional pattern designer who started a small children’s line on etsy. She is a mother to three lovely children and lives in Israel.  Her designs are simple, but with just the right amount of detail to make them interesting to sew and beautiful to look at. So let me introduce you to Hagar:

 

1. How did you get into designing patterns for children’s clothes?

I’ve been designing children’s clothing for 9 years now for large Israeli companies. As a freelance designer, I sit behind the computer all day and send production files to be manufactured in China. During the past few years I have been loosing the excitement of designing and seeing kids wear my clothes because I didn’t feel a connection with the process. I am designing for a certain client (not my own style necessarily), behind a computer all day, rushing to get things done, didn’t feel the fabric at all…

When my daughter was born (almost 6 years ago), I spent a lot of time looking for inspiration to decorate or sew unique stuff for her. I came across this amazing community of people that I felt so connected to (even if they didn’t know of my existence…) on the internet: blogs, etsy, DIY tutorials, Martha Stewart… They were (and still are) so talented and I felt like I was learning so much from them.  I knew that some day I will try it for myself.  After my twin boys were born, and I was consumed with kids (literally, ah) I realized that designing for kids gives me a sense of fulfillment but I also wanted to design for myself, sew on my machine again and touch fabric! Thinking of a way to combine my strengths and my passion, I decided to make sewing patterns for kids.  It combines technical skills, sewing, graphic design, passing on of information and of-course designing. In my patterns I try to let the sewer become part of the design process themselves and give ideas to use the pattern in different ways.

Even though it is still not me who is making the actual jacket/skirt/pants, I feel so connected. I love the hand made process and the feeling of accomplishment that you get.

2. Do you have a specific kind of child in mind when you are working on your designs?

I do think that my kids influence my designs.  They will not wear anything that is not comfortable for them but they do want to wear: “jeans, like Daddy!” or to “look awesome/festive/groovy” (their words, not mine) like us.  However I am still is search of a unique “handwriting” and style that is my own.  It will take some time for me to find it, but I’m having fun in the meantime…

3. How do you think children should dress?

First of all I think that they need to feel comfortable.  But this means different things. My daughter would be the happiest child in the world if she could wear head to toe pink-fluffy-sequined-tulle-gathered-princess-gowns all day and everyday, but that would make my comfort level drop…

I think that children should still look like children and not style-iconic-fashionistas, but there are elements in grown-up clothing that fits them too. I do love bright colors on children and happy graphics that they can relate too.

4. Do you think what you wear influences how you dress your kids or design your patterns?

My kids usually wear what their grandparents and aunts buy them (I don’t have time to go shopping, and they get great stuff). But in creating my patterns I do try to keep a balance of different factors aside from the design aspect.  I want them to be accessible to as many people as possible by keeping the instructions clear and detailed, the fit a bit on the roomy side, the sewing difficulty to a minimum and an added value of a template/stencil and styling options. This usually sets the tone of the design more than the way I dress. Did that make any sense? Well, to tell you the truth, I’m usually in my pajamas most of the day anyways…

5. Do you also sew clothes for yourself?

I used to. A great deal actually, but as time passes I have less and less time to do that. I’m sure that in a few years I will get back to that. It was fun.

 

6. What children’s clothes designers do you admire?

There are many clothing labels that I love. Not necessarily for kids but that have a handmade look, sense of humor or somehow seem like they have an effortless chic to them. In no particular order these are just a few:

• bobo choses
• keti keta
• diesel
• queteen cante
• bonpoint

But there are so many gifted crafters, designers and makers of things on the web that have been such a big inspiration to my life these past few years.

I owe them and you a big thank you.

So thank you.

And thank you, Hagar! Check out Hagar’s shop on etsy and maybe add a pattern or two of hers to your KCWC list!