how long have you been in business? The facts: My name is Tina Sutherland, I’m a 52 year old former RN, current grandmother and married to a lucky guy. I own What-I-Found – sewing Patterns. (I’m one of the several pattern sellers at main street mall Online.) I have been selling patterns for about three years, selling online for 10 years.
What motivated you to go into the vintage business? I live in an RV traveling full time for my husband’s work. He does safety inspections on amusement rides so we go from big cities to tiny towns and I shop everywhere, all over the country. I owned an antique shop in Seattle and sold things online from there, but when we hit the road I needed to sell something small and unbreakable. Patterns work out perfectly, I think they are fascinating and they relocation with us (all 3,500 plus).
What’s the weirdest/best/craziest/most beautiful thing you’ve ever found? the best thing I have found is a letter and I have a dress with iron on details (warning! fake POCKETS! —Ed.) that hasn’t sold (but I admit I’ll be sad when it goes!).
What do you dream about finding? I dream about finding boxes of uncut 1920-30’s patterns. Oh, and they would be in fantastic condition!
What do you delight in many about working with sewing patterns? because we relocation so often it’s not useful for me to take a “real” job, so working with the patterns lets me be flexible. I can list a ton or take a day off as needed. So long as I have Internet I’m a pleased gal.
What do you wish someone would ask you about your site? I do wish folks understood that these are pieces of history … a sixties pattern is nearly 50 years old … it’s sort of fantastic that something made of tissue paper is here and intact.
It’s a good day at work when … A good day is when somebody discovers the long lost pattern they have been looking for. They are so pleased and send such good notes. A bride finding her exact dress is exciting too. even when it’s a fauxlero dress!
If I ran the Internet for a day I’d … If I ran the Internet for a day I’d issue everyone a sixteen year old to stand by as tech support.
The blogs I read (other than ADAD are …) Of course A dress A Day! then Lisa, aka miss Helene writes random Acts of vintage and I’d add Fabulon … it’s a treat!
You’d laugh if you knew this about me … You’d laugh to see me wearing my pink hardhat hauling steel. in some cases we relocation rides and because I have no real tool skills I get the scut jobs … but I can outwork those young whippersnappers.
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