Many of my clients I’ve never met in-person. We chat over zoom and frequent each others’ email inboxes as we work together on their projects.
Does being remote affect the quality of my work or our communication? I don’t think so. And, more importantly, my clients don’t think so either (even those who were hesitant at first about the location difference).
So much of the pattern and development process can be done digitally now, from the pattern itself, to 3D fittings, and emailing tech packs and pattern files to the factory. Even sample fittings can be done successfully remotely! As long as someone is there in-person with the fit model trying on the samples, the rest of the team can video in.
What matters way more than a patternmaker’s location, is whether their services, skills, and communication are a good fit for your project and how you like to work. As long as you can take photos and have internet for a video call, why limit yourself to work with only the people in your city?