Meet Katie Sinclair
Before I ever stepped into the world of surface pattern design, I was a brand new mom, deep in the trenches of newborn days, postpartum depression and sleep so scarce my dark circles felt permanent. Somewhere between three a.m. feedings and the fog of trying to remember who I was outside of motherhood, I had this gut level urge that I needed something for myself. I could not imagine returning to the same hamster wheel after maternity leave, missing all the little moments my daughter was experiencing. So I started the Immersion course literally one handed, holding my daughter in the dark with the other while everyone else slept, and working through lessons in the evenings whenever I could carve out time.
I took Immersion because I wanted a different kind of life. One where I had flexibility, where creativity was not always pushed to the back burner and where I was not trading every day of my daughter’s childhood for a full time job that left me drained. I wanted a path that felt like mine.
The thing that almost held me back was the cost. Taking most of the earnings from my tiny business and investing them back into myself felt terrifying. But it also felt like a declaration that I was worth investing in and that my dream deserved a chance. That alone was a huge mindset shift.
Once I joined, everything started to click. I felt clearer about my artistic direction and began noticing what made other artists succeed and how their unique styles were their greatest strengths. As an architect in my full time career, everything in my world is straight, precise and black and white. Immersion gave me permission to embrace the whimsical and imperfect style that feels the most true to me.
The best part was the community. My study group and the Love Squad were incredibly encouraging. It is one thing to learn a skill alone, but it is completely different to grow alongside other artists, share your work, receive feedback and actually see yourself improve.
One of the greatest skills I gained was understanding that we are all different and that there is room for every one of us. That sense of community and individuality is something I still carry.
Since completing Immersion, I have opened a Spoonflower shop and even made a few sales. I also felt inspired to learn how to sew so I could better understand fabric for my own projects. In the process, I got my grandmother’s sewing machine from the nineteen sixties running again with a few new parts. My goal for 2025 was to create a pattern for a tablecloth, learn to sew it and then host a dinner party with it. I accomplished it in July.
I am still moving toward the dream of eventually leaving my full time job. With the sleepless nights mostly behind me, I can finally feel my creative energy returning. For the first time since 2021, I feel like myself again. And with what I learned in Immersion, I am excited to keep creating with confidence and hopefully land my first licensing deal in 2026.
