From Reading Teacher to Sewing Teacher

Shared by Brittany, the Founder of Ginger Patch Designs

I’m Brittany, the mom and maker behind Ginger Patch Designs! What began as a creative outlet while juggling being a middle school teacher, coach, and mom has since evolved into my DREAM job. GPD began in 2016 with sewing or crocheting whatever I wanted or what I thought would sell at markets. It was fun and a stress-reliever from my day job.

After leaving my public school teaching career to pursue my handmade business full-time, the real work began. I started a YouTube channel to support my dream, and the more I shared anything sewing related, viewers were excitedly asking:

“Do you have a pattern for that?”

“You explained it so well!”

“This was so easy to follow, thank you!” 

Overcoming my feelings of imposter syndrome aside, I went for it; I mean, what did I have to lose, right? Flash forward to 2026: GPD now develops beginner-focused sewing patterns and tutorials as well as related quilted products and cozy accessories.

The biggest challenges as a solopreneur were making wise financial choices relative to efficiency and aesthetic of my business. 

To save money, many tasks were completed manually, products were produced in small quantities to determine and printables/packaging components were designed and made in-house. 

Creating social media and Youtube content with the behind the scenes processes provided opportunities for viewers to give feedback on various products or ideas through comments. These interactions are critical in helping to decide if an idea is worth pursuing with financial investment.

I invested in custom graphics, fonts, and templates in order to develop my brand. Streamlining the aesthetic of a brand is very important to building trust, thus making it a top priority even as a baby business. Investing in customizable templates is also a huge time-saver with product promotion, email marketing, and branding.

One of the biggest lessons I learned in growing a business is that making is actually about 20-30% of my workload.

Branding is central to growing a small business and is integral in every aspect of operations because it streamlines the aesthetic and cultivates trust with customers. 

I used the branding fonts and colors to design my own logo, shipping inserts, bookmark cards, color sticker labels, etc. I also invested in an eco tank printer to produce these in-house as well as a Munbyn thermal printer for packaging and labels.

Munbyn has been absolutely integral to both saving my overhead costs and streamlining my brand. I started using them for shipping labels and cute packaging stickers. I’ve since used a variety of their label sizes to create barcodes, sewing kit QR codes and box stickers, product disclaimers tags, logo labels, and SO much more. I use it so much now that whenever I do need to create a product or package-related label, I design it in a way that it will print nicely on the available label sizes.

My advice is that you CAN have beautiful branding without breaking your budget. 

A small up-front investment will yield simple, yet attractive labels and stickers that will enhance your presentation. 

I’d encourage other solo sellers to join the Highlight Your Hustle campaign because building a small business can often feel like you’re doing everything alone. Campaigns like this create a space where entrepreneurs can share their stories, celebrate progress, and connect with others who understand the journey. It’s also a great opportunity to highlight the work you’ve put into your brand and get visibility within a supportive community of makers and small business owners!