Guides

We often get asked where we find sewing patterns- sometimes it feels impossible to know where to start looking in the world of indie and digital pattern making. We keep our eye on new pattern releases and we sew a lot of patterns ourselves. Based on our experience we have created a selection of pattern designers you may want to check out.

Here are some of our recommended pattern companies whose patterns we have sewn and liked. This is by no means comprehensive, but it includes pattern makers whose patterns are well drafted, have good instructions, and have a good size range. We will continue adding to the list as we discover more great brands. We hope this is a helpful place to start your pattern search!

• All Well Workshop - Simple, super hackable sewing patterns that are great for beginners. Authors of How to Sew Clothes.
• Cashmerette - Originally started as a plus-size pattern brand, they are the masters of fit on a curvy body, especially larger bust sizes. They have published 2 books on fitting, and also offer online courses.
• Chalk and Notch - Stylish, professionally drafted patterns with detailed instructions. With many resources on their blog to inspire and ensure you can sew their patterns with confidence. This includes photo sew alongs, fitting resources, and fabric sourcing posts.
• Closet Core Patterns - Polished patterns with elevated design details and excellent instructions. They also offer online courses including a beloved "Learn to Sew" Capsule, as well a a free resource library and a monthly pattern membership.
• Daughter Judy Patterns - Modern and design forward, known for their excellent drafting on all body types, especially pants! Instructions tend to be clear and concise, perfect for the sewist with a few projects under their belt.
• Elbe Textiles -  Modern and minimal with a slight edge. Clear instructions with several unisex and mens patterns as well.
• Elizabeth Suzann - Modern and minimal sewing patterns of the eponymous slow fashion brand's best selling RTW styles. The Georgia Tee is a great beginner top!
• Friday Pattern Company - Laid back California style with some swimwear, and Gender Neutral/masc options. Sew-along videos available for most patterns too!
• Helens Closet - Known for thoughtful, well-designed and timeless sewing patterns. Also an extensive blog and social media for pattern hacks, wardrobe inspiration and sewing tips.
• Matchy Matchy Sewing Club- Fun, easy, and playful patterns suitable for beginner sewists. Lots of opportunities to play with color and pattern mixing, or to use up larger scraps!
• Made by Rae - Sewing patterns that allow women to connect to their creativity by sewing clothing that is both beautiful and practical.
• Merchant & Mills - Timeless, beautiful and classically British sewing patterns with a nod to vintage and workwear styles.
• Open Studio Patterns - Home sewing patterns with an industrial perspective, from their factory floor to your sewing room, They're sharing patterns, techniques and their belief that making can make change.
• Paradise Patterns - Accessible, well drafted patterns with a tropical twist. Especially great knit options. The Honeygirl tee is a shop favorite!
• Peppermint Magazine - An Australian Magazine featuring pay-what-you-can patterns published in collaboration with indie designers from all over the world.
• Ready To Sew - A french brand specializing in mindful sewing, presenting distinctive ready-to-sew patterns, fueled by a fervor for crafting new and unexpected shapes.
• Seamwork - Membership and a-la-carte patterns for everyday wardrobe building. Lots of education resources and community engagement opportunities.
• Sew Liberated - Well thought out pieces for the creative wardrobe. They offer online courses including a "Learn to Sew Clothes" class. We collaborate with Sew Liberated to offer collections of recommended notions and fabrics for their patterns here.
• Sew House Seven - Unique clothing patterns for sewists of all levels. Well drafted with excellent instructions and clean finishes.
• Spaghetti Western Sewing - "Home sewing patterns for 1940’s spaghetti western prairie disco goatherd-ess nonno-core alpine ski lodge kinda people." The Henrietta Skirt is a favorite at the shop!
• Syd Graham - Beginner friendly and easy fitting wardrobe staples. Each pattern includes a full YouTube sew-along video with additional instruction.
• True Bias - Modern, wearable sewing patterns with detailed instructions and step-by-step tutorials. 

New to the PDF pattern world but want to give it a try? Read on for some of our tips and advice, and details about how to use our pattern printing service! Check out our Sewing Pattern Resources page for a list of our recommended pattern designers to get you started.

So what is a PDF pattern exactly?

A PDF (Portable Document Format) or digital pattern is, at it's core, the same as a tissue printed pattern. The exact same pattern pieces that would be printed onto the tissue paper and folded up into an envelope are instead provided to you as a digital file, or PDF, to print with your preferred method. Nothing else is different, and PDFs contain all the same sizes and pattern markings as their tissue counterparts.

Why do we like PDF sewing patterns?

Deren, Jessamy, and Elise all prefer to work with PDF patterns for several reasons. PDFs allow for more flexibility when making adjustments. If you need to make a different size or want to hack or adjust your pattern, you can simply print it again. You don't have to worry about only having one chance to cut into your tissue, or spend lots of time tracing your pattern tissue onto different paper, you can just cut right into your printed PDF. Many PDF patterns also come "layered" which means that you can essentially toggle different size lines off and on, greatly simplifying the cutting process, especially for a more complex pattern with lots of different lines! If your pattern is layered, we recommend printing your size, along with the sizes above and below, to allow yourself room to make adjustments or grade between sizes if needed. Keeping a collection of PDF patterns on your computer is also much more efficient- instead of keeping track of lots of envelopes and hard copies of instructions, you can pull up all of your patterns and instruction files instantly. Most importantly, there is a whole world of newer pattern designers in the sewing world who are releasing their patterns only as PDFs, freeing up their need to sell physical goods to focus on designing more great patterns!

What comes with a PDF Pattern?

When you purchase a PDF pattern, you typically receive 3-4 types of files: 

1. Instructions
2. Print-at-home
3. A0 / Copyshop
4. Projector (this is a newer format and thus not as common)

It is our strong recommendation that once you purchase a PDF pattern, you should download it immediately, and save it in a folder on your computer or tablet where you know you can access it in the future. This way, when you are ready to sew, you have your files easily accessible and don't have to go looking for your pattern in your email or downloads folder! We do not recommend trying to download and save patterns on a phone, it is much easier on a computer or tablet.

You can open and view your pattern files in any pdf reader, such a preview, but we recommend downloading the free Adobe Reader, because it allows you to use all the features of your pattern. 

How to use each file:

• Instructions: Your sewing instructions come in a multi-page file, usually with detailed step-by-step sewing instructions and illustrations. Your instructions will also have information about using you pattern, as well as comprehensive sizing information and fabric requirements. We recommend keeping your instructions pulled up on a computer, tablet, or phone while you sew, or printing them on your home printer if you want a hard copy. We do not print instructions.
• Print-at-home: This format is designed to be printed on letter or A4 sized paper on your home printer, and then tiled together with tape or glue to create a really large sheet of paper. to work from. The Helen's Closet Blog has a really great tutorial for assembling patterns at home. We do not print "Print at Home" pattern files.
• A0 / Copyshop: This document format is designed to be printed on a large format printer or plotter. The pages typically measure 36" x 48", and most sewing patterns are 2-3 pages long. In some instances, patterns can be longer, and measure 36" x 96" for example, but that is less common. We can print A0 / Copyshop pattern files!
  
• Projector: The newest sewing pattern format, projector patterns don't need to be printed at all! Instead, sewists use a short throw projector to project the pattern lines directly onto the fabric for cutting. A good resource, if you are interested in learning about this method is, projectorsewing.com .

How do you get patterns printed at EWE Fibers?

Here at EWE Fibers we are happy to print your sewing pattern for you! This is a service we have been offering since 2021, and we love being able to print on demand! Please note, our printing service is intended as an accompaniment to fabric and notions purchases, we are not a large scale print shop. If you would like a large portion of your pattern catalogue printed, we encourage you to check out Pattern Printing Company for a more economical option.

If you would like to add printing of a PDF pattern to your order, Please follow the steps below:

1. Open your A0 / Copyshop pattern file and note how many pages it is. Patterns are usually 1-5 pages. If you are seeing a double digit page count, you may be looking at the print-at-home file!
2. Navigate to our PDF Pattern Printing Page, and select your page size (the A0 default is almost always the correct size), and select the number of pages in your pattern. We charge for printing by the page.
3. Type in the name of your pattern in the designated field.
4. Click the button that says "Click here to attach your large format file", and a dialogue box will open. select the pattern file from where you have saved it on your device, and click "open". Make sure to select only the A0 / copyshop file, not the entire folder of files. If you have ever attached a file to an email, you can do this, it is the same process!
5. In the text box below, please leave any additional comments such as a request to only print specific size layers. 
6. Add the pattern printing to your cart and proceed with checkout. If you want to print multiple patterns, you will need to repeat this process for each individual one.
7. If you are local to Charlottesville, we can usually have your pattern ready for pickup the same day, be on the lookout for a email notification when your order is ready for pickup. If we are shipping your order, our typical turnaround is 1-3 days to get your order in the mail.