Have a question about Sew My Style 2020? Make sure you’ve read through the whole info page first! If you still have a question, let’s see if it’s answered in the SMS20 FAQs below. If not, send an email and we’ll add your question to the list to hopefully help the next person with the same question.
Frequently Asked Questions
Newsletter – Discount Codes
Where do I sign up for the newsletter?
You can sign up here!
If I was subscribed to the newsletter already, do I have to resubscribe for 2020?
Nope! You’re all set. If you want to confirm that you are subscribed, send an email!
When is the newsletter sent?
The newsletter goes out every 1st and 15th of the month by 12:00 pm (noon) Pacific time. So if you live in Melbourne, Australia, that’s about 7:00 am the following day for you.
There may occasionally be additional emails sent throughout the month, but the ones on the 1st and 15th are the most important.
Pro tip: If you missed the first newsletter, keep your eyes peeled for the second one in the month. The newsletter on the 15th will have pattern discount codes for both the CURRENT month and the NEXT month!
Do I get a newsletter as soon as I subscribe?
No. The newsletter goes out on the 1st and 15th of the month. If you subscribe in between those dates, you’ll receive the very next one!
But I get a discount on the patterns, right?
Yep! Discounts for each pattern start on the 15th of the month before they are featured, so you’ll want to make sure you’re signed up before then. See question above for when the newsletter is sent.
Discount codes are ONLY available through the newsletter. They are not shared on Instagram, Facebook, or blog posts.
How long are the discount codes good for?
The code is valid from the 15th of the month before a pattern is featured up through Reveal Day.
For example: May’s patterns will be discounted starting April 15th and the codes will be valid through May 31st. The exact cut-off time will vary by the pattern designers, as they are located around the world. To be safe, don’t wait until Reveal Day to buy your pattern.
What is Reveal Day?
Reveal Day is the day everyone posts their finished garments! This year it will be the LAST DAY of each month for 2020:
January 30, February 29, March 31, April 30, May 31, June 30, July 31, August 31, September 30, October 31, November 30, December 31.
Make sure to post before 23:59 in your time zone to make the cut-off.
Patterns
Do I have to make the patterns every month?
Nope! You can participate as much or as little as you want. If you only want discount codes, that’s fine! But you can only win prizes by posting your finished garments in the Facebook group or on Instagram with the hashtag #sms20.
What’s a hashtag?
A hashtag is how we find your posts on Instagram! It’s a pound symbol (#) followed by a word, or words, or simply an acronym or some combination thereof. The hashtag for this year’s challenge is #sms20.
What if I already own the pattern? Do I have to buy it again?
Nope! But you should make a new version for this year (if you’ve already made it before). Give your wardrobe an update!
What if I make a different pattern than the ones that are featured?
To be eligible for a prize, only that month’s featured patterns will count.
What if I make a Sew My Style 2020 pattern later, not in the month that it was featured?
Same as above. Prizes are only awarded to participants who used the patterns in the months that they were featured. If you opted to make May’s pattern in July, that’s cool! But you aren’t eligible to win a prize.
Do I need to re-sign up to the email list each month?
No, unless you unsubscribed.
If you’re having trouble with the mailing list, please email me with “SMS20 Mailing List Issue” in your subject line so I can fix your issue.
I don’t want to sew this month’s pattern. Can I give my friend/sister/next door neighbor my discount code to use?
No, please don’t do that. The discount code is intended for you, the person signed up to the list.
But you CAN encourage your friend/sister/next door neighbor to sign up and get their own code!
Do I have to make the patterns for myself?
Nope! Feel free to sew it for anyone you want.
Why are all the patterns PDFs?
Because we’re a global challenge, the easiest and least expensive way for everyone to participate was to have patterns available for print on demand. Some countries don’t even sell all the Big 4 patterns anymore, and even if they do, they certainly don’t enjoy $2/pattern sales! If you prefer large format printing, almost all of the patterns should be available in that format.
Why am I making shorts in December? It’s COLD!
You have the option to make pants OR shorts! Again, we’re a global challenge and some of our participants are experiencing summer in December. So while it may be snowing where you are, someone elsewhere is enjoying shorts weather. This way, everybody wins!
Prizes – Instagram – Facebook
How are prizes awarded?
Randomly from all the Instagram posts that use the correct hashtag (#sms20) and the posts in the Facebook group.
When are prizes awarded?
Prizes are announced on Instagram, the Facebook group, and in the newsletter sent on the 15th. The winner will have 5 days to contact us to receive information for redeeming their prize.
How to I get into the Facebook group?
The Facebook group is secret and invitation-only. To get invited, you must be signed up for the newsletter! Your name and email address will be checked against the newsletter list.
Can I participate if I don’t have Instagram or Facebook?
Unfortunately, no. This is how the challenge is structured.
I don’t want to model the garment I made. Is that required?
No, you should not feel compelled to wear the garment in a photo if you don’t want to. Other options are to create a flat lay, put it on a mannequin, or even a hanger.
Are works-in-progress allowed?
You can post a work-in-progress on either Instagram or Facebook, but only finished garments will count towards prizes.
I have a private Instagram account, can I participate?
Unfortunately no, only public accounts are eligible. If we can’t see your posts, we won’t be able to include you!
How do I find out who won?
Winners are notified as soon as possible after they’ve won, so a few days after Reveal Day. They will also receive a tag on Facebook and Instagram (if available) and their winning garment will be in the newsletter. Follow @sew.my.style on Instagram to stay up to date!
Still have questions? Send an email!
