Patterns 4.0
Admittedly, the preparations needed before you can actually start a new sewing project can turn out to be particularly time-consuming. If you've done it yourself in the past, then you know what we're talking about! First, you have to cut out or trace the patterns (which requires a lot of patience!) before then carefully transferring them to the fabric – provided it doesn't slip under the templates.
#sewingpattern #transfer #app
So, what about an app to make this process easier? Sounds great. If you're just starting out with sewing or if you're a seasoned sewer on the hunt for tips and tricks to make your projects easier, then look no further than “Pattarina”. They've tackled this problem head on and developed a solution that we can really get on board with.
The perfect pairing
The whole story started out quite differently. As a student of Social Studies and Business Economics, Nora Baum – the founder of “Pattarina” – was originally preparing herself for a career in business consultancy. However, the young amateur sewer had other plans over the long term. After meeting her fellow co-founder at university while studying for her PhD, the pair decided to go it alone. The duo have been working hard on their creation since 2017.
Markus Uhlig used to be a researcher in the field of information and media technology, making him ideally suited to the role of CTO at “Pattarina”. Together, the pair make a strong team with a whole host of specialist expertise. At this point, however, we should perhaps go even further back into the past...
How an app is revolutionizing sewing
The young entrepreneur Nora Baum remembers her childhood well. Aged just seven, she made her first attempt at sewing – with some help from her mother – in the form of customized costumes for Germany's carnival celebrations. A mere five years later and Nora was designing her own day-to-day clothing and bringing it lovingly to life – favorite piece factor already built in!
However, as her practical experience grew, the young entrepreneur began to notice a great deal of potential for improvements. And so, a clear vision was born: The aim was to make the craft of sewing easier by reducing the amount of time needed to prepare the individual sections of fabric. In 2017, the pair started work on the idea of using a projector to transmit patterns straight onto fabric. However, it soon became clear that this method was not practical for the mass market due to the unwieldy equipment. So, an alternative was in order!
In May 2018, Nora and Markus received a start-up grant to help them develop their idea further. The result? A free app that uses an analog “anchor” as a reference point to copy the desired pattern onto the fabric. Then all that is left to do is transfer the guidelines with a steady hand and that’s all your preparations done! The fabric is ready to be cut out – thanks to augmented reality!
Complex technology that is intuitive to use
To be able to use the Pattarina app, all you need is a powerful smartphone with a compass and gyroscope (to determine the position of the cellphone in relation to the reference point). The anchor or QR code can either be downloaded from the app’s website or purchased with the book “Nähen mit Pattarina” (Sewing with Pattarina). If you’d like to try it out first, you can even use individual test patterns for free. According to the entrepreneur, using the app itself is pretty intuitive. That’s because “Pattarina” is designed to suit both advanced sewers and beginners.
An idea with a future
Another little fun fact to end with: If, while reading the article, you get the feeling that you’ve seen Nora Baum and Markus Uhlig on TV, then you’re right! The two entrepreneurs have already braved the popular VOX TV show “Die Höhle der Löwen” (the German version of “Shark Tank”) to showcase their start-up.
The success of the current version of the app and all its functions speaks for itself. However, we can still look forward to what the future has in store for them. Customization options and countless other areas of application are already waiting to go.
Images: Pattarina