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Maybe things have changed? (Moderated by Deepika, EleanorSews)
Posted on: 1/25/19 8:02 AM ET
I received an email from the Rebecca Page brand that says the following:
Maybe it's too early to tell, but I feel like this is a positive change after all the promotion-disguised-as-testing of the past. I would love for others to emulate.
What do you think? Outlier or new, lasting trend?
Quote:
It's that time of the year! Our Brand Ambassador AND Pattern Testing groups are open for applications 💖 Yay! 👏👏👏
BRAND AMBASSADOR (BA) GROUP - This is a sewing promo group. The idea is that you get free Rebecca Page patterns, then you sew them up and share photos of your sews!
PATTERN TESTING GROUP – This is a testing group only. You get the patterns earlier in our process, (before they are released) and sew & check them, then give feedback. You do not need to do any sharing or promotion.
Details:
BRAND AMBASSADOR AGREEMENTS - Our BA agreement involves sewing 1x Rebecca Page pattern each month. You need to sew a minimum of 10 months out of 12 per year (you get 2 months 'holiday' per year to take when you choose). There is a list of available patterns each month we put up in the group for you to pick from, and lots of help in the group for new members to learn how we do things. Those who do not keep up with their one sew per month agreement may be removed from the group. We're a fun group and while there is an agreement to adhere to, we also try to make it really chatty, friendly and relaxed ❤
PATTERN TESTER AGREEMENTS - Our Tester agreement involves sewing 1x pattern test every 3 months. You can do more often if you fancy it, but every 3 months is the agreement. We will add you to a private Facebook group and post upcoming tests in the group so you can volunteer for the ones you are interested in. The pattern you receive will have been fit checked, but it will be early-stage and you'll be helping us find any edits and finalise it. You will need to do a muslin (a test sample garment out of inexpensive fabric) and provide fit photos & feedback (selfies in the bathroom mirror are fine but need to be well lit and easy to see the garment). You then need to sew the garment out of a final fabric, following the pattern fully, no hacks and provide final photos.
WHATS THE DIFFERENCE? - Testers get a more 'early stage' pattern that they may have to help us troubleshoot, BAs on the other hand get a more polished finished pattern. Testers only get a finished copy of the pattern/s they test, BAs on the other hand get allllll the patterns (those they sew and those they don't). Testers only have to sew once every 3 months, BAs on the other hand have to sew every month.
INTERESTED IN BOTH? - That's awesome. You will need to do 1x pattern test every 3 months to stay in the test group. Whenever you do a pattern test, it will count as your BA sew that month (eg you won't have to do both a test and a BA sew that month).
Who should apply?
Anyone with a love of sewing RP patterns! We’re looking for a mix of styles, abilities, sizes and backgrounds. We want beginners, intermediate, advanced. Those with gorgeous photography skills and those who just point and click, bloggers and non-bloggers, those sewing for themselves and those sewing for kids. Really, really anything goes.
The beauty of the groups are in their diversity. The more of a mix in the group, the more helpful feedback we get in testing, and the more our customers can see real people sewing and wearing the patterns from the BAs. So it doesn’t matter your experience level, if you love RP patterns and you love the sound of this, then apply!
The application is quite long and detailed. We’re genuinely looking for a mix of applicants so some of the questions may be relevant to you and some might not. If you’re interested, please just fill it in as best you can.
It's that time of the year! Our Brand Ambassador AND Pattern Testing groups are open for applications 💖 Yay! 👏👏👏
BRAND AMBASSADOR (BA) GROUP - This is a sewing promo group. The idea is that you get free Rebecca Page patterns, then you sew them up and share photos of your sews!
PATTERN TESTING GROUP – This is a testing group only. You get the patterns earlier in our process, (before they are released) and sew & check them, then give feedback. You do not need to do any sharing or promotion.
Details:
BRAND AMBASSADOR AGREEMENTS - Our BA agreement involves sewing 1x Rebecca Page pattern each month. You need to sew a minimum of 10 months out of 12 per year (you get 2 months 'holiday' per year to take when you choose). There is a list of available patterns each month we put up in the group for you to pick from, and lots of help in the group for new members to learn how we do things. Those who do not keep up with their one sew per month agreement may be removed from the group. We're a fun group and while there is an agreement to adhere to, we also try to make it really chatty, friendly and relaxed ❤
PATTERN TESTER AGREEMENTS - Our Tester agreement involves sewing 1x pattern test every 3 months. You can do more often if you fancy it, but every 3 months is the agreement. We will add you to a private Facebook group and post upcoming tests in the group so you can volunteer for the ones you are interested in. The pattern you receive will have been fit checked, but it will be early-stage and you'll be helping us find any edits and finalise it. You will need to do a muslin (a test sample garment out of inexpensive fabric) and provide fit photos & feedback (selfies in the bathroom mirror are fine but need to be well lit and easy to see the garment). You then need to sew the garment out of a final fabric, following the pattern fully, no hacks and provide final photos.
WHATS THE DIFFERENCE? - Testers get a more 'early stage' pattern that they may have to help us troubleshoot, BAs on the other hand get a more polished finished pattern. Testers only get a finished copy of the pattern/s they test, BAs on the other hand get allllll the patterns (those they sew and those they don't). Testers only have to sew once every 3 months, BAs on the other hand have to sew every month.
INTERESTED IN BOTH? - That's awesome. You will need to do 1x pattern test every 3 months to stay in the test group. Whenever you do a pattern test, it will count as your BA sew that month (eg you won't have to do both a test and a BA sew that month).
Who should apply?
Anyone with a love of sewing RP patterns! We’re looking for a mix of styles, abilities, sizes and backgrounds. We want beginners, intermediate, advanced. Those with gorgeous photography skills and those who just point and click, bloggers and non-bloggers, those sewing for themselves and those sewing for kids. Really, really anything goes.
The beauty of the groups are in their diversity. The more of a mix in the group, the more helpful feedback we get in testing, and the more our customers can see real people sewing and wearing the patterns from the BAs. So it doesn’t matter your experience level, if you love RP patterns and you love the sound of this, then apply!
The application is quite long and detailed. We’re genuinely looking for a mix of applicants so some of the questions may be relevant to you and some might not. If you’re interested, please just fill it in as best you can.
Maybe it's too early to tell, but I feel like this is a positive change after all the promotion-disguised-as-testing of the past. I would love for others to emulate.
What do you think? Outlier or new, lasting trend?
Posted on: 1/25/19 10:17 AM ET
In reply to lakaribane
Still seems explitative. There's nothing mentioned here about compensation other than the "free" patterns?
Posted on: 1/25/19 1:44 PM ET
In reply to PetitePear
Good point! I was too focused on the split btw promoter vs tester to notice.
So "some" progress but not as much as would be fair?
So "some" progress but not as much as would be fair?
Posted on: 1/26/19 11:33 AM ET
In reply to lakaribane
I'd agree with that assessment.
Posted on: 1/26/19 9:15 PM ET
I agree. I see no compensation other than a pattern that in the end may be a fail and not even hit the market. The Brand Ambassador is till taking photos and promoting, ugh.
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http://lasewist.blogspot.com/
Posted on: 1/26/19 10:36 PM ET
10 patterns per year is a big commitment. It uses your own fabric etc as well as your time, plus the skills and equipment to take decent photos. There is no payment for this big commitment and it must save the company a lot of money. Larger companies do this in house and pay for it themselves. It still seems like exploitation to me. They have just tried to make it sound nice.
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It's a custom-made designer original. I made it myself.
Posted on: 1/26/19 11:31 PM ET
In reply to lakaribane
IMHO it's a baby step. Frankly speaking, while I welcome the honesty and am fully aware that smaller companies have most often smaller budgets, I find the approach stlll bold. YMMV.
For example, for testers, the agreement is basically:
"On our part, we give you four patterns per year for free because we don't know yet if it's good enough to be released. Once these four are ready to hit the market, you get them as final product.
From your end, we expect you to invest:
A - money for muslin fabric and "good" fabric,
B - time to sew a muslin and the final garment,
C - time to take photos of the muslin and final garment and
D - time to provide feedback about on the pattern."
As most often in life, different people will come to different conclusions if that's an investment that works for them.
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For example, for testers, the agreement is basically:
"On our part, we give you four patterns per year for free because we don't know yet if it's good enough to be released. Once these four are ready to hit the market, you get them as final product.
From your end, we expect you to invest:
A - money for muslin fabric and "good" fabric,
B - time to sew a muslin and the final garment,
C - time to take photos of the muslin and final garment and
D - time to provide feedback about on the pattern."
As most often in life, different people will come to different conclusions if that's an investment that works for them.
------
For 2019 committed to:
- Continue using what I have (fabric, notions, patterns, books, mags, tips & tricks etc.).
- Strive to re-use 52 items from my upcycle cupboard.
- Continue purchasing fabric and patterns mindfully.
- Continue tracking my fabric stash.
- Resume tracking my pattern stash.
- Continue with RTW fast. Exceptions: bras, socks, panty hoses, shoes. Plus anything that coincidentally crosses my way and is a truly mindful purchase.
- Prioritize replacing some plain wardrobe basics (pillars or backbones) that are close or past their lifespan over adding fun, more exciting garments that I, strictly speaking, do not need (nice-to-haves).
2018 Summary:
- Used successfully what I had and bought mindfully, i.e. fabrics.
- Got a very good grip on my stash (measured and catalogued almost all of it) but failed to sew 10% down (got 9.28% done).
- Did not meet goal to make 50 projects (new, finish or re-use UFOs, upcycle, mend, repair).
- Key take away for 2019: Set fewer number-specific goals. My sewing should be driven by needs and love, not by achieving numbers.
- Continue using what I have (fabric, notions, patterns, books, mags, tips & tricks etc.).
- Strive to re-use 52 items from my upcycle cupboard.
- Continue purchasing fabric and patterns mindfully.
- Continue tracking my fabric stash.
- Resume tracking my pattern stash.
- Continue with RTW fast. Exceptions: bras, socks, panty hoses, shoes. Plus anything that coincidentally crosses my way and is a truly mindful purchase.
- Prioritize replacing some plain wardrobe basics (pillars or backbones) that are close or past their lifespan over adding fun, more exciting garments that I, strictly speaking, do not need (nice-to-haves).
2018 Summary:
- Used successfully what I had and bought mindfully, i.e. fabrics.
- Got a very good grip on my stash (measured and catalogued almost all of it) but failed to sew 10% down (got 9.28% done).
- Did not meet goal to make 50 projects (new, finish or re-use UFOs, upcycle, mend, repair).
- Key take away for 2019: Set fewer number-specific goals. My sewing should be driven by needs and love, not by achieving numbers.
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