Free sewing patterns are a bit harder to come by, perhaps, in part, because the patterns are difficult to translate into printable, 8 1/2 x 11 sheets. Great sites such as Martha Stewart, Stitch Magazine, Burda Style (though you have to join) and Sew 4 Home, are available to offer basic instructions and inspiration for projects from clothing and accessories to items for children and for your home.
I have found that free sewing patterns often don't have the beginner sewer in mind. The instructions tend to be non existent (templates for the pattern only) or only briefly describe the steps required to complete the project. General sewing sites such as sewing.org or sewing.about.com or investing in a great guide, such as The Sewing Bible by Ruth Singer, may help you make it through the more cryptic patterns.
clothing and accessories
There is a free template available at Stitch Magazine for the 'Biker' Wrap Skirt. Sheila completed the project using our 5 oz Organic Cotton Canvas along with scraps from her stash for the accent fabric. She left the bike applique off and the skirt is very flattering. The detailed instructions were included in the Spring 2009 Stitch Magazine which is still available for puchase online.
This reversible purse comes recommended at the Martha site. It can be enlarged to whatever size you would like, just keep in mind that you may require more (or less) than the 1/2 metre of fabric if you alter the size of the bag. I would love to see it in some of the Mod Green Pod prints, and I am eyeing up the Jubilee Butterfly in Honey, lined in Wee Jubilee in Raspberry.
This free pattern for a wide brimmed hat would work up well in any of the plain cotton canvas fabrics we carry, but would also look great in a print.
kids
We have mentioned these in previous posts but the free Lazy Days Skirt, Popover Dress and Ruffled Halter Top (shown below) from Oliver + S are lovely, simple projects for the little girls in your life. These projects are all suitable for lightweight organic cottons, though we have also made up the Lazy Days Skirt in a hand painted fat quarter.
Heather Bailey provided this Smocked Sundress Pattern (shown above) for the Martha Stewart site. More detailed information on smocking can be found here. I like the smocking in this project, as a potential take along for summer trips and think these dresses would be adorable in the new Circa 50 prints from Birch fabrics.
Patterns for boys are harder to come by, though I like this simple pattern, from the Julie-K blog, for 24 month - 2T shorts made from an adult's discarded t-shirt. The Ottobre magazine site, from Finland, has a selection of free stencils to print for embellishing Boys t-shirts and jackets. The magazine is also available by subscription, in English, if you are looking for a great source of sewing patterns for both boys and girls.
A very sweet, fluted toddler sun hat, can be constructed to be reversible by purchasing double the amount of fabric (one 1/2 metre each in two fabrics) in lieu of covering the seams with bias tape. Guidelines for another toddler sun hat, this time unisex, are available in a 12 month size at the Fabrication Blog site from New Zealand. It is sized for 50 cm or 19.5 " head size, which is listed as a 12 month size, but as average head circumference for a school age child is 18 inches, it would likely fit an older child.
home
I have had several customers inquiring about outdoor cushion projects. Our damp, Pacific Northwest climate is tough on outdoor textiles and while organic fabrics, by design, do not have chemicals to protect them, hemp is resistant to fungus and bacteria and is therefore a good, natural choice for the outdoors. Similar to regular, waterproof fabrics, natural fabric cushions should be brought out of the elements when not in use.
Though not aimed at the beginner sewer, these chair covers from the Martha Stewart site, could be completed in hemp muslin to protect expensive furniture from the elements. To help you decipher the pattern, they have also provided a pattern template for you to customize.
This site offers patterns for both standard hinged cushions for outdoor furniture as well as instructions for creating bench cushions. A much more detailed tutorial for box or bench cushions is available from the Sew, Mama, Sew blog. Their tutorial includes information on creating bias binding for your cushions for a more custom look.
Back to the Martha Stewart site, these covers for inflatable pillows, made from terry cloth, would make lying by the pool or beach much more comfortable. I also love their idea for taking bed pillows (perhaps older ones that have seen better days) and combining them to create a very comfortable chaise lounge cushion.
make your own patterns
If this list still hasn't provided you with the projects you want for summer, the Wild Ginger site offers free software that you can download to experiment with creating your own patterns. A sample screen is shown below:
The program allows you to create customized patterns for hats, bags, wraps, and footwear. and the site includes a wiki for help with using the software and customizing patterns.
As always, if you have questions about substituting organic fabrics, or need help with these projects, contact us and we'll do our best to help you through them.
