Hubba Hubba Ding Ding! Meet the Bowen Dress Patternmaker
- Words by Peppermint
Get ready to float your way through the day with our latest free pattern, the Peppermint Bowen Dress, a bodaciously breezy tent dress! This exclusive, highly wearable pattern was created in collaboration with patternmaker Kim Sisson from Hubba Ding and is brought to you in partnership with our good friends at Spoonflower.
Founded in 2021 by Kim (though she previously made patterns under the handle If Kim Wore Clothes), Hubba Ding is focused on making super simple, beginner-friendly patterns that will take pride of place in your me-made wardrobe.
“‘Hubba hubba ding ding, sister you’ve got everything!’ That’s what my poppa used to say when one of his granddaughters was wearing a super snazzy outfit,” Kim says. “It’s silly, but damn it made us feel good, and that’s how I want you to feel in your new me-made creations!”
In the spirit of going behind the seams and to show the Bowen Dress the love it deserves, we caught up with Kim to learn more about her label and to rack her brain for tips and tricks when creating the pattern.
DOWNLOAD THE PATTERN NOW!
Tell us about your journey into patternmaking…
My mum taught me to sew when I was young and I’ve been sewing ever since. I guess that’s what makes it really special for me – the fact it’s a craft that my beautiful mum taught me. She had the patience of an absolute saint! When I started out, I would make clothes for my Barbie dolls. That’s still some of the hardest sewing I’ve ever done – so darn fiddly! Then I graduated to sewing for myself, friends and family – I even sewed my ball dress one year, it wasn’t the prettiest dress you’ve seen, but I did it – and then I learned how to create patterns and started sharing them online.
What inspires your patterns?
I’m constantly inspired by people I see in the street, Pinterest, Instagram – I’ve got a list as long as my arm of styles I want to try to create. My patterns are just the clothes that I want to wear, so I’m lucky that when I’m adding yet another dress to my already exploding wardrobe, I have a great excuse – it’s for Hubba Ding!
Any tips and tricks for sewists when making the Peppermint Bowen Dress?
It’s so straightforward that I don’t think there are any particular tips or tricks. Just the usual – take your time and have fun with it!
Do you have any fabric choice recommendations?
Buying fabric is always the hardest part – I spend ages deciding what fabric to buy. But if I had one tip, I would say that you can, generally, never go wrong with cotton. Especially for the patterns that I design, cotton is perfect because it holds its shape and it has a beautiful structure, so it’s great for gathering but also drapes nicely. It’s also really easy to sew. I very rarely steer away from cotton and when I do, I end up regretting it! There are exceptions of course, but in general, go for cotton.
Where do you plan on wearing the dress?
Everywhere! It’s such a versatile dress, it can be worn anywhere and everywhere. It’s summer here in New Zealand at the moment, so today I’ll be throwing it over my togs and heading to the beach.
What do you love most about the sewing community?
I can’t tell you how much I love being part of the sewing community. Everyone is so kind and supportive; I can’t believe how many people have chosen to support my little business. It’s so special to me!
I get the biggest buzz from seeing people wearing the clothes that I’ve designed, and equally I love showcasing peoples’ makes on my Instagram and giving them a shout out. There are some seriously talented and inspiring sewists out there – I love seeing what they make.
Every quarter we work with a talented patternmaker to create a new design for our me-made mates. Head to the link here for a plethora of pretty patterns – all free for you to download and make to your heart’s content – along with plenty of sewing tips and tricks.
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