Xochil was recently interviewed by Evan Tart of Overtime Clothing, a US-Made workwear brand, for their "Sourcing Spotlight" series.
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Sourcing Spotlight: The Chicago Pattern Maker
America is composed of some of the greatest, most passionate, businesses and workers you will find anywhere in the world. A tremendous amount of skill, artistry, and dedication go into every material we use in the products we make. That is why, we here at Overtime Clothing, wanted to create a spotlight for the amazing people and businesses we work with that provide the high-quality materials we use in our products. While often these businesses are behind the scenes heroes, we want to make sure they get the recognition they rightfully deserve. While there may be some names you recognize and some you may have the pleasure of learning, Overtime Clothing is proud to post our bulletin - Sourcing Spotlight!
For this Sourcing Spotlight I had the pleasure to talk more with Xochil Herrera Scheer, the founder and president of The Chicago Pattern Maker. Xochil and The Chicago Pattern Maker are two names you can say to almost anyone in the fashion, garment, or textile industry and they will not only know of them, but will have an amazing story of a partnership, experience, or discussion they have shared along the way.
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What is your name and can you tell us more about yourself and your business?
My name is Xochil Herrera Scheer, and I’m the founder and president of The Chicago Pattern Maker. We provide professional product development services to brands of all sizes throughout the country. We take the creative direction from our clients and build out their designs, tech packs, patterns, and work through the prototyping process. We provide guidance for established and new brands, including material and factory sourcing, and production advisory.
How did you get started in this industry?
I have been sewing since I was a child, my grandma taught me how to make doll clothes at age 7. By age 9 I was sewing outfits for myself and I discovered my love of pattern making and tech during my high school and college years. I worked at a small brand for a few years following that, and started freelancing with small brands, along with honing my tailoring and fitting skills working with stylists and private clients. I spent a lot of time in factories, working with the cutting and sewing teams, in order to learn everything I could, and become a better pattern maker and technical designer. Eventually I grew this into The Chicago Pattern Maker, with a small but mighty team focused on creating manufacturer-ready garments and sewn products.
How are you involved with the Overtime Clothing project?
I’m working with Overtime Clothing on the product development - we are creating patterns, tech packs, and sewing the prototypes for Overtime Clothing’s first project. We are excited to see this come to market! It has been a fun process working on this and tweaking the fit and details to make it a truly special garment, and I know that with our attention to detail that it will live in people’s wardrobes for years to come!
What drives you to do what you do?
I have a passion for making - it is the most rewarding experience to see something we work so hard on for months (or sometimes longer) come to life. I enjoy being able to collaborate creatively with both my clients and my team, and connect the dots with industry partners and colleagues. I also have a strong interest in the US textile and apparel industry, and in ethical manufacturing practices.
It’s not magic that sews clothes together, but the end result definitely feels magical.
Where can our community find more information?
I’m active on Instagram, @fashionxochil primarily, and @thechicagopatternmaker. You can also find me on LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com/in/xochil). Our website is www.xochil.com. You can also catch me on the Bobbin Around podcast, which I co-host.
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I cannot express enough my deepest appreciation for all the work and guidance Xochil and The Chicago Pattern Maker team have provided as we work to launch our first product. They have been truly instrumental in turning a dream into a reality, and are a guiding light, a trusted source of information, and a leader in the fashion, garment, and textile industry. Now that we are approaching the end of our process and working on getting the product manufactured, I think Xochil said it best, “It’s not magic that sews clothes together, but the end result definitely feels magical.”
You can read the original blog post
HERE.
