Minna Konttijärvi

Hi there!

I’m Minna, a creative patternmaker and designer based in Milan, Italy, who’s specialized in textures and volumes. I run a blog called The Shapes of Fabric where I’ve been sharing my knowledge about patterns and sewing since 2018 with readers from all over the world.

I see patternmaking as a form of art and it’s my tool for creating beautiful things. My mission is to encourage and inspire others to learn this amazing craft, too.

I enjoy experimenting in half scale because that allows me to quickly see how the flat patterns look in their 3D form. You can find hundreds of these design sketches at my Instagram @shapesoffabric.

Sleeves are one of my favorite themes, because modifying the sleeve is an easy way to change the whole look of a garment. There are so many different shapes a sleeve can have! Actually, I’ve even published a book about sleeve patterns called Mad about Sleeves.

I’m excited to have a chance to offer this course and hope you will enjoy exploring sleeve patterns as much as I do!