The free sewing patterns include bags, table runners, backpacks, clutches, totes, pillows, placemats, dresses, book covers, skirts, sleep masks, caftans, coaster, scarves, and sewing kits. Art Gallery also has a huge selection of free quilt projects in just about every design imaginable. Threads Magazine. Newtown, Connecticut About Blog Threads is the premier magazine for sewing.
Our options for selecting patterns are growing day by day. There was a time when we merely went to my local sewing and craft shop and sat down with piles of pattern catalogs until we came up with the pattern that best suited my needs.
Before that, our mothers, aunts and grandmothers drafted patterns for themselves, their children and other family members. When it comes to deciding what to sew, or selecting a pattern in the 21st Century, we have many, many more options.
Of course, we can still draft my own patterns, and you will find several patterns on this site as well as ideas for making an entire wardrobe from one or two patterns that already exist in your inventory.
However, drawing a pattern from scratch takes a lot of time and requires an entirely different skill set… one that many home sewers – especially those new to sewing – simply do not have. The humongous pattern catalogs still exist as well.
This requires my taking a trip to the local sewing and craft shop. In this age of the internet and instant gratification, we can also shop for patterns online. Traditional, tried and true pattern companies offer their entire catalogs on the internet, as do many not so familiar pattern suppliers.
In the last few years, I have noticed an increasing number of sources that offer free sewing patterns. All that is required for one to gain access to and possession of a free pattern is a computer and a printer.
Free patterns are available for practically anything, including clothing and accessories for every member of the family, household décor items, including curtains, comforters, duvet covers, pillows and accents, attire for pets and novelty items.
The patterns that are offered as free downloads often require tweaking and adjustment, but they are for the most part usable and fairly accurate.
Of the many sites that offer free sewing patterns, we have come across a few that seem to be quite reliable.
The criteria for my reaching this conclusion are based on three major components:
- Design – even though the patterns are free, no one is interested in acquiring a pattern that is not a good design or one that is not appealing to the consumer
- Accurate proportions – regardless of the design, a pattern that is not proportionately accurate is no good. Patterns with inaccurate proportions require lots of adjustment and re-drawing. Flaws such as this defeat the purpose of having a pattern.
- Clearly written instructions – every pattern comes with instructions. If the instructions are poorly written, the pattern is difficult to follow and the end result may not turn out to be what the user wants.
The companies that offer free sewing patterns which I feel are most dependable and user friendly are:
Burda patterns on burdastyle.com– Burda – Those of us who remember the early Burda pattern books will be pleased to know that the European pattern company not only sells pre-printed patterns like the traditional US sewing pattern distributors, they also offer many free sewing patterns on their website – burdastyle.
This site contains a wealth of free sewing patterns, most of them for women and children. Unlike many free pattern sites which tend to offer lots of patterns for beginners, many of Burda’s free patterns are designed with the intermediate to advanced home sewer in mind.
I started using Burda patterns in the 1980s when they were sold as inserts in Burda fashion magazines. Back then, it was necessary to trace the desired pattern from a sheet that resembled a bowl of lo mien. With the downloadable patterns, you get only one pattern that must be adjusted to fit your particular size.
The designs for the free patterns offered by Burda are for the most part simple, easy to understand and easy to follow. The proportions are good and the instructions clear, concise and easy to follow.
Pattern offered by freeneedle.com– Freeneedle.com – This website has been around since 2007 and offers free patterns for just about anything you can imagine, including men’s and women’s clothing and accessories; home accessories including lamp shades, pillows, curtains and accents for the kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, dining room and living room; children’s clothes; and pet supplies such as pet beds, coats and toys.
The patterns offered by freeneedle are generally represented online as photographs of finished projects, eliminating the problem of guessing what a garment might look like when considering a line drawing.
Every pattern is accompanied by instructions which can be viewed and reviewed before downloading. The site also offers step by step and video instructions for some patterns, and devotes an entire section to “learning to sew” which provides step by step instructions for the beginning home sewer.
Simple and uncomplicated patterns on freesewingpatterns.com– Freesewingpatterns.com – This site is great for the beginner. The patterns are simple and uncomplicated. Most of the downloadable sewing projects offered on this site are for accessories and accent pieces and require just a few steps to execute.
freesewingpatterns offers tutorials for beginners as well as instructional videos and step by step instructions for each of the patterns. This is an excellent resource for the sewing instructor who wants to give their students something different to work on. The patterns are not challenging and appear to be designed to encourage a deeper interest in the art of sewing.
New ideas for interesting sewing projects on thinkliz.com– Thinkliz.com – This site is a good resource, not only for free sewing patterns, but for sewing tips, techniques and instructions as well. For example, one link, Adventures in Dressmaking, describes how to dismantle a men’s dress shirt and use the pieces to make a pencil skirt.
Other links are equally creative and filled with lots of great sewing ideas that you may not have considered. It is a good idea to bookmark this website if you have the time and are looking for some new ideas for interesting sewing projects.
Not only will you find free downloadable patterns, you will also be able to get instructions for patternless garments, accessories and home décor accents.
– AllCrafts.net – This site offers more free sewing patterns for accessories, home accents and gift items than clothing for men, women and children. One thing we found very interesting was a link to a pattern for a reusable Swiffer mop cover.
The cover is attached to the Swiffer mop with buttons and can be machine washed after each use. If you live in a home with lots of tile or hardwood floors, this little gem could save you hundreds of dollars each year. Other free sewing patterns available at allCrafts include stuffed animals, purses and holiday novelties.
AllCrafts also offers instructions for the new home sewer, book reviews, serger ideas, embroidery machine tips and a variety of sewing tips and pointers, including information on how to clean and care for a sewing machine.
Amy Butler Designs– Amy Butler Designs – This site appears to specialize in free sewing patterns for quilted projects… wall hangings, clothing accents, duvet covers, and various quilts.
If machine quilting is your thing and you want to have access to free quilting patterns, we strongly recommend that you visit amybutlerdesign.com and take time to explore this website. No doubt, you will find something there that will suit your fancy.
– Freepatterns.com – Whether you are looking for sewing patterns to make clothing, accessories, novelties, gift items or home decor accents, you can find patterns for your sewing projects at freepatterns. This site offers many free patterns, as well as a link to a paid pattern site – e-patterns central.
Sewing patterns on Freepatterns.com
The choices on both sites are broad. Needless to say, there choices available on e-patterns central are wider and more eye appealing than those on freepatterns. However, with a little bit of time and sewing know –how the free patterns can be altered to give you a finished product that closely resembles the patterns on the paid site.
– Traditional pattern companies – In order to maintain a solid presence in the marketplace companies like Simplicity and Butterick offer free sewing patterns as well. A visit to the Simplicity, McCall’s or Butterick websites will reveal that the free patterns offered there are mere teasers when compared with the paid for patterns.
One may wonder why they bother to offer free patterns at all. The answer is simple. These companies have loyal followers who will use only a specific pattern brand.
By offering free patterns for accessories and gift items, they are able to keep this loyal base of customers. No doubt, some of them may not even be aware of the many other free pattern providers that are at their disposal.
Conclusion
When it comes to shopping for patterns in the 21st Century, the free pattern is definitely a viable option. My observation however, has been that free patterns are available primarily for simple, easy to construct items that require little more than basic sewing skills.
Even the free patterns offered by Burda, which are generally more complicated than the designs offered by many other free pattern sites do not include patterns that require lots of tailoring or intricately detailed workmanship.
It is a good idea to perform a test before attempting to make a garment using a free pattern for the first time. When you download a free pattern, measure each and every piece, making sure they are proportionate and that the finished garment will fit you.
We suggest making the garment with muslin or some inexpensive fabric first and making any adjustments to guarantee a good fit before you cut your good fabric.
Few things are more devastating than to spend a lot of money and time making something out of a piece of fine fabric just to toss it in the trash because a free pattern was out of proportion, the seam allowances were not included, or the instructions were written poorly.
When it comes to saving time and money, free sewing patterns are more than just a viable option. All one needs to do is look at the growing number of sources for free sewing patterns to realize that they are definitely a great resource for the busy home sewer.
We encourage you to explore all of your available pattern options before making a final choice, including the many free sewing pattern sites.
The advantage of purchased sewing patterns is that in most cases, you can be assured that the proportions are exact throughout and that seam allowances are clearly indicated on each pattern piece.
Best Sewing Magazine With Patterns
When working with a free pattern, especially one that you download, you must adjust the pattern and in most cases, re-draw it to your proper proportions and add seam allowances yourself.
Love Sewing Magazine Free Patterns
When you use any sewing pattern that you acquire free of charge, we strongly urge you to be sure to make all of the adjustments you need in order for your finished garment to fit the way it should. There is no time when the old adage of all home sewers holds true… measure twice and cut once.