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IndiePattern and TinyCoutureKids have over 300,000 sales combined and has made millions of dollars (1 sale can contain many items but is still only counted as 1 sale), but the operation behind them is an e-commerce person and not a professional pattern maker.
• None of the patterns are tested. Many contain serious errors. He often fixes them only after buyers point out problems in reviews.
• Every product photo is stolen from Shein listings, then edited with AI to avoid detection. He finds images on Shein, commissions patternmakers to replicate the garments, and uploads the stolen or AI-generated images. He has used over 2,500+ stolen photos. Every single image on TinyCoutureKids is AI-generated.
• Many reviews are fake and include Shein customer photos, which are taken directly from Shein’s review section.
• When bad reviews start to build up, he floods the review section with fake 5-star ratings from burner accounts. For example, one frequent fake reviewer, “Misty Hixon,” left 10 x 5-star reviews immediately after a really bad review negative one called the shop out as scammy and AI.
• In just two years, he has uploaded over 500 sewing patterns. For comparison, McCall’s, Vogue, Butterick, and Kwik Sew combined release about 250 new patterns per year (with full teams of trained professionals). It’s not realistic to produce this volume of patterns alone, especially without technical expertise.
This isn’t just a scam, it’s a deceptive operation posing as a female-owned indie brand in a niche built on trust, skill, and community. Shoppers think they’re supporting small, independent designers. In reality, they’re buying:
What You Can Do
Report the shop on Etsy if you believe the listings are misleading!! Request refunds or file disputes by “opening a case” with Etsy if you’ve had a bad experience. This is the most helpful thing you can do
Leave honest reviews and include photos when possible - it puts the review to the front of the pack.
Share this information in sewing groups and communities
Just an FYI for everyone. Google is your friend when it comes to checking out a pattern company. |
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