I have a friend who copies me even to the point of ordering the same food at a restaurant. Every. Single. Time. I find myself purposely not showing her things or telling her where I get things from for fear that moments later she’ll be Googling and adding to basket. I don’t feel flattered, I feel irritated. She’s a chronic copy cat, infringing on my self expression, it’s a form of identity theft but without the consequences.
However…
Sometimes I am flattered when people copy me, at least that’s the case when it comes to sewing. If someone buys a pattern or some fabric after being inspired by what I’ve made, it gives me that warm fuzzy feeling and I take it as a huge compliment. I welcome it and positively encourage it.
But imagine if someone made the same dress in exactly the same fabric in exactly the same size with exactly the same features and…
OK, I have a confession to make. I fell deeply, madly in love with a dress. THIS DRESS. I just could not get it out of my mind. I had to have it. I had to copy it. Well, it is one of my favourite patterns (the Groove Dress) and one of my favourite fabrics (Nosh Organics), made by one of my favourite sewing bloggers (Inês), all combined into one beautifully cool dress of utter awesomeness.
When I told Inês I loved her Groove Dress, I wasn’t being romantic or dramatic…
“A lady’s imagination is very rapid; it jumps from admiration to love, from love to matrimony in a moment.”
Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice
….I really did love it, like a flower loves the rain.
The striped stretch sweatshirting in taffy/black from Nosh Organics is nothing short of amazing. It’s soft, thick and snuggly warm. You can never be disappointed with NOSH, it’s the benchmark for quality knit fabric. Being able to collaborate with NOSH is sewing bloggers dream.
I’ve lost count of how many Groove Dresses I’ve made, but I’m heading into the twenties. Scout had 3, but all of them too small for her now. Hence her new long sleeve hooded version.
Scout is 5 years old, I usually make size 6 dresses, but this time I decided to cut out the middle man and go straight for a size 7 with the hope that she can still wear her Groove Dress next winter.
As it happens I really love the oversized look that 2 sizes up produces. The low back nearly goes down to her ankles. It makes a real statement. I’ll be doing it again next time, cutting out the middle man is the way forward.
Thank you Inés for being the inspiration for this Groove Dress that me and Scout love so much. Please take my copying as a compliment because you are my sewing hero. And if our daughters ever meet, rest assured that mine will not be wearing her Nosh Organics taffy/black, striped Groove Dress on that day.
If you are reading this blog post and loving the Groove Dress as much as I am, then please, feel free to make one exactly the same, you have my permission. Get the pattern from here, the fabric from here and tentatively ask Inês if she minds here.
Do you have a friend that copies you? Do you take it as a compliment? Or are you guilty of being a shameless copy cat? Come on, let’s hear your story (comment below).
Needle and Ted 
Oh my dear Olu! I’m so flattered that you made the exact same, I love it ❤ love that length on her, maybe I should try next time I make one 😉
I don't have anyone who copies me so I'm totally cool with anyone who wants to hehehe 😀 Thank you for making my day sweet friend xo
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Phew! I had a sneaky suspicion that you wouldn’t be irritated 😉 Ha ha, I suppose it’s good to have least one occasional copycat, lol!
Yes the length is really striking combined with the fabric, you certainly should try it, I don’t mind 😉
xx
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It was really very easy to be tempted to copy. A great fabric and sewing pattern combo, and your little one is gorgeous!!
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Thank you Miren. Yep, the temptation was too high lol!!!
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I would find it irritating rather than flattering, for sure. To act like that the friend must be deeply insecure. I think I would have to have a heart to heart talk explaining my irritation and trying to get them to understand what the basis of their insecurity is….
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Yes Pearl, either insecurity or lack of creativity and originality 😉
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Haha love this post, you two are awesome together Olu and Ines
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Awww! Thank you Thao, I’m relieved Ines took it as a compliment. I thought she might but you can never be too sure.
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Oh my god this made me laugh when I did click through to Ines’ post 😂 Seriously though, beautiful dress 2.0! It looks so cosy and comfy and I’m getting ever closer to buying the groove dress every time you post about it 😍
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Thank you so much Max California, how have you not caved in to temptation yet? Hee hee!!!
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Perfect copy! Really love both the dresses. The fear of copying in the sewing community is a really weird thing, isn’t it? As sewists we are constantly trying to think of new ideas, new garments, which have to be totally unique. At the same time we are getting constant inspiration by eachother. Suddenly we all want the (same) newest pattern, (same) newest fabric. So some sort of copying is inevitable and definitely flattering! The average person is not worried at all that the same outfit is being sold thousands of times. But the sewist can actually worry if their outfit looks too much the same as an outfit that was made thousands of miles away…. I really feel a good copy is never a bad thing. And still I try to make unique clothing, because hey, I am a sewist….
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That is so true Marieke, when we buy things in the shops we don’t think about people who live in a totally different country wearing exactly the same garment at exactly the same time, ha ha, I never thought about it that way.
But I think when we sew we like to make our garments a bit more personal and usually each persons turns out differently just by default.
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We have all had a ‘Single white female’ moment. But with sewing it seems to copy is to flatter. Love both dresses.
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My dear friend orders the same food at the restaurant every.single.time. I’ve even shown indecision at the menu on occasion to allow her to order first, then after I order she says to the foodserver “you know what, I’ll have that too”. Am I flattered? I was at first, but now it’s just a bit irritating. She acts differently, however, towards me in front of friends and other people. She very subtly and artfully discredits me and my abilities, usually by her silence and not acknowledging my contributions to an event (but acknowledging everyone else’s!). I’m at a loss trying to figure out why this happens and what I can do. I’m not even sure if this is the proper forum for this discussion! Thanks anyway for listening. 🙂
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