Our first pattern design contest kicked off in 2002 (you can see the results here), and you may view the voting results of the 2004 contest as well. Entries for the third biennial contest (2006) unfortunately went astray in the postal system en route from the third judge (see this link). So the 2006 contest has been merged into 2008, as all entrants were willing to re-submit their patterns and essays. When we have all entries in hand once again, they'll go to a final judge for her evaluations, and then the three finalists will be posted on the site. The next contest deadline is in December of 2010. It's never too early to start your pattern designs! Please read our Official Rules, which contain all of the necessary fine print, before you enter. Your entry indicates your agreement with these rules and your commitment to abide by them. (Don't be intimidated by all the legalese -- it is, unfortunately, necessary, but the contest really is easy to enter!)

Now, on with the fun!

The purpose of this contest is to encourage amateur designers, ages 12-22, to try their hand at creating a historically inspired women's or girls' pattern suitable for modern-day wear. "Historically inspired" means that your design should come from a specific period in fashion history and include documentation of the original outfit, fashion illustration, portrait, photograph or antique pattern which inspired it. "Modern-day wear" means that the pattern is one that would appeal to a contemporary audience interested in old-fashioned designs without all the usual underpinnings of historical fashion (i.e. corsets, hoopskirts, panniers and the like). It also means that the pattern is drafted according to the modern American Standard Pattern Measurements for children or women. We want you to do your best to create a pattern that draws upon historical fashion and makes it marketable today. You will therefore be demonstrating your skills in research, design and pattern drafting, but you will also write a brief essay explaining why you feel your design would be especially marketable to today's audience. You may find a historical fashion that "translates" into modern wear with no needed alterations; or you may find that your chosen design needs a few "updates" to make it work for the modern figure. Whatever is the case, we hope you will thoroughly enjoy the challenge of designing something from history that can delight wearers today. If you are totally new to pattern drafting, don't despair! This is truly a contest meant for amateurs, and we encourage you to find good books on design and drafting or even take a class or two to help you get started. We want to encourage young designers to try something new or work to perfect skills they've already begun to hone. (Note: The reason we've limited the designs to those for girls or women is that Sense and Sensibility produces patterns for that market only.)

A panel of three expert judges has been selected for this contest and will operate independently of Sense and Sensibility Patterns. The judges are professionals in the fields of costume design, historical fashion, and pattern drafting. Entries will be judged in four areas:

1. Historical research and documentation;
2. Translation of a historical design to modern tastes ("marketability");
3. Pattern construction/accuracy of fit;
4. Clarity of pattern instructions and/or illustrations.

The judges will select three finalists from all entries. These three finalists will have their designs posted on the Sense and Sensibility website for two weeks' time, and the public will vote on the winning design. (The voting method will be independent of the Sense and Sensibility website and will have preventative measures so that someone cannot vote repeatedly for one design, keeping everything fair for all concerned.)

Sense and Sensibility will publish the winning pattern and add it to the Sense and Sensibility line with the designer's name on the cover. The winning designer will also receive a cash prize (amount determined by the number of contest entrants but no less than $150), a signed original of the pattern cover artwork created by Sense and Sensibility's artist, Anna Lankford, and ten copies of the final printed pattern. Having a published pattern is a fantastic way to launch a business of pattern design or just get your start in designing historical fashions! The second- and third-place finalists will receive honorable mention on the website, along with certificates of merit for their outstanding work.

The contest is open now, and the deadline for entries is December 1, 2010. Finalists will be posted on the site in Spring of 2011 for public voting. We've made this a biennial contest (every other year) so entrants have more time to work on their patterns. Please see the Official Rules for the fine print and all the particulars on submitting your design! We can't wait to see your creativity at work!