Today we’d like to introduce you to Amy Collins.
Amy, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I’ve always been a creative person, but I didn’t really discover sewing in the sense of making clothing for yourself until college. I studied Theatre at the University of Houston, and it was working in the costume shop there that opened my eyes to the world of sewing and all the possibilities there. I bought my first sewing machine on layaway at Walmart and started experimenting on my own. When I moved to NYC to pursue theatre, I quickly realized that I was more passionate about sewing (not to mention auditioning is the WORST). I decided to continue my education and studied Fashion Design at the Fashion Institute of Technology. While in New York, I tried to gain as much experience as possible working with fashion designers, a pattern maker, and a tailor to really round out my skills. When my husband and I decided to move back to Texas for a quieter life, I took my offerings online through my sewing blog, selling my own PDF sewing patterns, and drafting patterns for independent designers. I’m so grateful for the online sewing community and the ability it gives me to work from home doing what I love.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
I definitely was not a success from the start. The first time I applied to FIT, I didn’t get in! My boyfriend at the time (now husband) encouraged me not to give up. I took a couple of extended study classes at night to improve my fashion illustration and sewing skills and re-applied the next semester. For most of my time at FIT, I felt like a fish out of water. My peers were young city kids fresh out of high school who all knew they wanted to be fashion designers since they were in diapers. I was just starting out! My love of learning and strong work ethic kept me going.
Please tell us more about your work, what you are currently focused on and most proud of.
I am a sewing blogger, pattern maker, & seamstress. I offer a multitude of services but most of my work involves drafting and marketing my own patterns to sell to other home sewists, doing tailoring and alterations for local clients, and drafting patterns for other independent fashion designers. I’m most proud of my sewing pattern business that I created on my own from the ground up! My patterns are drafted for petite sewists who want to add fun and unique pieces to their wardrobe. Being a sewing pattern maker really speaks to both sides of my personality. I get to be creative in designing each look and creating the samples while drafting the patterns is more like a puzzle. For those who may not know, the pattern is like the blueprint of the clothing. It is a flat piece of paper that gets cut and sewn up into a garment. There is actually a lot of logic and math involved!
I’ve also been exploring my passion for sustainability with a line of upcycled clothing and accessories called Honey Darlin. Being conscious of the environment and ethical practices in clothing production is very important to me. I’ve enjoyed trying to be part of the solution while challenging my creativity in using pre-existing materials in my work.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
For me, success isn’t about how much money you make or how much Instagram followers you have. Success is waking up every morning excited to go to work and being so inspired you to find it hard to go to sleep at the end of the day. It’s being able to support the lifestyle you choose to live with something you are intensely passionate about.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.amynicolestudio.com
- Email: hithere@amynicolestudio.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/amynicolestudio & instagram.com/heyhoneydarlin
- Facebook: facebook.com/amynicolestudio
- Yelp: shophoneydarlin.etsy.com
- Other: youtube.com/amynicolestudio
Getting in touch: VoyageHouston is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
