I invite you to spend a day in my studio

I invite you to follow me for a day in my workshop. Of course, each day is different and my tasks vary depending on the projects I’m working on. That’s one of the things I love most about being a solopreneur. But I always keep a common foundation, with routines that help me stay organized and avoid feeling overwhelmed during the busiest periods.

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My day starts at 9 a.m. after dropping the kids off at school. If my husband takes care of it, I use that time to read or do a bit of tidying before getting to work. I work from home, in two rooms dedicated solely to my activity. So my commute is very quick!

I always begin my day by answering your messages and comments, whether by email, on Instagram, Facebook, etc. This is an important moment for me: keeping that connection with you is essential, and I admit I struggle to move on to other tasks before my inbox is fully cleared. Download issues, advice on patterns or fabric, technical explanations, sharing your successes—topics are varied and constantly help me improve the content I offer in my sewing patterns. This morning ritual is always paired with a nice breakfast 🙂

I then take some time to work on communication: writing a blog post, editing a reel for Instagram, retouching photos of my latest sewing creation, updating my Pinterest account, optimizing my website for SEO, sending out newsletters like this one… The tasks are many and varied, and most of the time involve being behind a screen. It’s essential work to maintain visibility and ensure the sustainability of my business.

Lately, I’ve been working on the English translations of all my sewing pattern instruction booklets. More and more English-speaking sewists are discovering my patterns, and I want to make sure the sewing experience is just as high-quality in both French and English. So, I carefully reread all my patterns to catch typos or poorly translated text.

To stay organized and avoid scattering myself across all these small tasks, I make an effort to plan my content as much as possible, a little ahead of time. For the past few months, I’ve been using the Notion app, which allows me to jot down ideas as they come and then organize them later. It’s perfect for freeing my mind from endless lists and keeping a lighter mental load. I keep an Instagram calendar there, moodboards for upcoming patterns, to-do lists for shop developments…

It’s time for a break. I try to exercise as regularly as possible, by going to a Pilates class, following an online video, or trying to go for a run (but that’s tough!). At the moment, I’m subscribed to Clarisse Ernoux’s studio, whose classes are effective, quick, and enjoyable 💪

Then I have lunch, usually something very simple, so as not to spend too much time on it. I definitely feel more at home in a sewing studio than in a kitchen ;-)

I’m back in my workshop and can focus on developing my future patterns. As I explained in a previous newsletter (which you can reread here), each new release goes through many stages, so my schedule varies depending on the stage I’m in. Mock-ups, step-by-step photo guides, sewing prototypes…

Right now, I’m still figuring out the next new patterns I’ll be offering you. I have several ideas in mind, and I’m letting them simmer to make sure I’m heading in the right direction. In the coming days, I’ll be working on drafting a pattern I’d like to offer future brides. Then, I have the instructions for another pattern to prepare. For these projects, I’ve chosen not to impose deadlines or strict schedules: this allows me to work more deeply, let the ideas fully develop, and avoid the stress of a rigid calendar. So, you’ll need a little patience… but I’m certain it will be worth the wait :-)

These sewing sessions are often accompanied by a podcast. In my ears: Nouvel Oeil, Fait Main, Grand bien vous fasse, Basilic, Beau Voyage… And I also enjoy having my favorite series playing in the background, ones I’ve already watched countless times! (like Friends, Gilmore Girls, or The Office).

Lately, I’ve also spent time assembling Paper patterns to restock my inventory. It’s the kind of task that lets you disconnect and is, in the end, quite enjoyable. Very meditative… a bit like sewing ;-)

The last must-do task of the day: preparing your Paper pattern orders. When I launched this new format 5 months ago, my biggest fear was that it would take up too much time, leaving none for the rest. But I’ve found my routine, and my little homemade logistics space now works quite efficiently.

After that, I close up my workshop, drop off your orders at the pickup point or the post office on foot or by bike, then pick up my kids from school. And the whole routine starts again the next day!

Now, after more than ten years of being self-employed, I’ve managed to find a good work/life balance, and it’s very rare that I work in the evenings or on weekends. Of course, there are still exceptions—during new launches, when family life shakes up my well-established routine, or during holidays when I never fully disconnect from emails—but it’s a balance that suits me well.