FreeSewing: How to buy less, create more, and feel great about it

FreeSewing is an open source project that provides a core (Javascript) library for designing parametric sewing patterns, as well as a growing collection of designs and supporting tools. We've been around for more than a decade, and in that time have built a large user base among the maker community.

FreeSewing designs are implemented as code giving you unmatched power and flexibility. You can mix and match parts from different designs, extend them, or add options that turn one base design into many. Our choice for Javascript means you can run all of this in your browser. Suffice to say, these are not your grandma's sewing patterns.

This talk will cover why I started FreeSewing, the pain points it aims to address, and how it works under the hood. I'll also cover our tech stack, and the choices we've made in this area, as well as how we needed to adapt as we outgrew our earlier choices. In addition, I'll cover some of the lessons learned after more than a decade of designing parametric sewing patterns for bodies in all shapes and forms. I will also include tips for running an open source project for a prolonged period of time while avoiding the pitfalls of maintainer burn-out.

I'll bring some cool swag too.