Beginner’s Guide to Free Sewing Patterns

Free Patterns…what’s not to love? Whether you are new to sewing or you have been perfecting your craft for years, finding a great free pattern is a little like winning the sewing lottery. With so many options available it can be hard to know which ones are great, what to look for in a free pattern, and most importantly, where to find them. I am here to help provide you with a Beginner’s Guide to Free Sewing Patterns.

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The Free Tulip Pattern shown above from Patterns for Pirates (made with plain back and front) Fabric is feathered hacci from Mily Mae Fabrics.

Are Free Patterns Worth My Time?

I get it…sometimes things seem too good to be true. We have the world at our fingertips with all the resources available online. With such a huge group of DIY Bloggers and the ease of searching Pinterest for your project of the day, there, unfortunately, comes a lot of incorrect information, failed projects, and frustrations. In an effort to try to save you from some of those hang-ups, I am doing my best to provide you with a list of where to find patterns from reputable pattern makers. While I have not sewn all of these, I am either familiar with the company or have had these recommended by other sewists in the community. That being said, I am sure there may be some misses in here or super awesome patterns that I missed. Feel free to drop me a comment if you see anything that you think should be added or removed for my review.

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Free Apron Pattern from Made for Mermaids– Fabric from Hobby Lobby

Why Should I Sew a Free Pattern?

Free patterns from reputable pattern designers are a fantastic way to get to know a company. They give you a peek at their drafting, instructions, size range, fit, overall style, and their support/community. I have discovered many pattern makers through their freebie offers that have allowed me the opportunity to test a pattern free of charge to see if I may like their paid options.

The range of free patterns available can also be extremely helpful with a tight budget. Sewing is certainly not “cheap” as many people think it is, but there are many ways to save money while sewing. Using free patterns is a great way to stretch your resources. Just because they are free doesn’t mean they are of poor quality. Again, this is often the way the designer is showing what they have to offer you. They want you to be happy with what they can provide for your sewing needs.

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Blanket Poncho from Made for Mermaids found here.

Where do I find free patterns?

You could certainly type in “free patterns” to your Pinterest search and some will pop up, but I often find that many of these are tutorials using your own clothes as a “pattern” and aren’t necessarily going to give you what you are looking for in terms of a sewing pattern. If you are new to sewing, these tutorials may be too challenging and end with a fail or frustration…and I want you to love sewing, keep trying, and stay motivated to keep going. So, sticking with patterns by designers may help ease your frustrations. The best way to find these patterns are to know what sewing companies are out there and head to their community sites to find the options. For many indie designers there are Facebook groups that provide the support for their patterns, offer discount and free codes, and allow you to get help when needed with sewing their patterns. Join these groups and search “free patterns” and “pinned posts” for codes and info on free patterns. You usually need to answer a few questions to join (they want to make sure you are really there for the sewing) and follow their group rules, then you can enjoy the instant community many of them offer. Here is a list of some of the Facebook Groups I am familiar with:

Made for Mermaids, Patterns for Pirates, Sinclair Patterns, Chalk and Notch Patterns, Love Notions, Petite Stitchery & Co, George & Ginger, Simple Life Pattern Company

Joining non-specific sewing groups rather than specific companies is also a great way to connect with others in the sewing community, gain inspiration, and often see what is recommended among pattern companies and brands. There are many facebook groups out there, here are some that I am familiar with:

Sew Inspiring, 52 Week Sewing Challenge, On Wednesdays We Sew, Capsule Wardrobe Group

The faux fur Christmas Muff pattern above is from Made for Mermaids.

Another fantastic resource is the large sewing companies that provide many resources on their websites. Some of the places you can find free patterns include:

–Mood Sewciety, Joann, BluPrint, Fancy Tiger Crafts

What should I look for in a free pattern?

When I am looking at a free pattern, I am first drawn to the ones that come from a pattern designer. Nothing against individuals making free tutorials/patterns online (goodness knows I have shared some myself before) but the patterns drafted by pattern designers usually include multiple sizes, more complete instructions and often meet their standards for their paid patterns. Many of the online tutorials have you use your own clothing to trace off a “pattern” and while that can work it can be more difficult and lead to frustration. I want you to be able to pull up these patterns from the list below and print a physical pattern, have instructions to guide you, and most importantly- hopefully have some sewing success to feel motivated to continue.

While this list is certainly not ALL free patterns out there, I tried to list several that were familiar to me, well known sewing businesses or recommended by other sewists. If you see something I should add or consider removing, please send me a comment. I want this list to continue to grow and change as needed and provide you with an easy to use resource. If any links are no longer working or you see an error, please let me know so I can improve this list for the sewing community’s benefit!

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Made for Mermaids Bowtie Pattern and Tessuti Fabrics Monroe Turtleneck

Kid’s Free Sewing Patterns:

• Wee Lap Tee– Patterns for Pirates
• Bonny Leggings– Made for Mermaids
• Walk the Plank PJ Pants – Patterns for Pirates
• Kid’s ABB Tee– DIBY Club
• Sporty Skirt – Winter Wear Designs
• Tiny Tulip Tee– Patterns for Pirates
• Ringer T – Brindle & Twig Sew and Tell
• Paige Piko Top and Dress – Made for Mermaids
• Cora Culottes – Made for Mermaids
• Woodstock Swing Top – Hey June
• Hooded Raglan – Brindle & Twig Sew and Tell
• Petite Stitchery & Co. (dress, skirt, joggers, top)
• Tupelo Shorts – Sew Like My Mom
• Ginger Shorties – Sew Like My Mom
• Baby Footed Pants– Makerist
• Slope Tank – Greenstyle Creations
• Acacia Shorts – Sewalicious
• Racer Back Dress – Hey June Handmade
• Monkey Bar Skirt – Hey June Handmade
• Sophia Skirt – Violette Fields
• Patsy Party Dress– Rebecca Page Patterns
• Magnolia Top and Dress – Stitch Upon a Time
• Summer Romper for Kids– Purl Soho

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This is the Paige Piko Top and Dress listed below. I wrote a full review of this pattern here.

Women’s Tops Free Sewing Patterns

• Plantain Tee (a personal favorite!_ – Deer and Doe
• Monroe Turtleneck – Tessuti Fabrics
• Paige Piko (clearly I am fan…I am on the cover LOL) Made for Mermaids
• Blanket Wrap (available in kids and dolly too) Made for Mermaids
• Cross Hem Tee– Winter Wear Designs- free with code
• Vera Knit Top – Forget Me Not Patterns
• Abb Tee– DIBY Club
• Key West Tank– (code in facebook group) New Horizons Designs
• Green T – Greenstyle Creations (code in facebook group)
• Women’s Coat Pattern– Grasser.ru (Russian Pattern Company- may not be in English)
• Stellan Top – French Navy
• Polly Top – By Hand London
• Stardust Top – Halla (code in facebook group)
• Lago Tank -Itch To Stitch
• Neck Tie Top – Winter Wear Designs (free with code)
• Drop Sleeve Top – Avid Seamstress
• Blanc Shirt Pattern– Melly Sews
• Laundry Day T– Love Notions (code in facebook group)
• Sorbetto Top – Seamwork
• Durango Tank – Hey June
• Krissa Crop – Amy Nicole Studios
• Hello Sailor Top – The Foldline
• Hemlock Tee– Grainline Studios
• Wrap Top -Peppermint Patterns
• Ruffle Sleeve Top – Peppermint Patterns
• Peplum Top – Peppermint Patterns
• Uvita Top – Itch to Stitch
• Scarf Neck Cardigan – Swoon Patterns
• Mica Tee– Laela Jeyne Patterns – sign up for newsletter
• Yoko Square Neck – Jalie Patterns
• Sakura Kimono – Sewalicious
• Cardigan or Jacket – Sewalicious
• Tulip Tee– Patterns for Pirates
• Avast Circle Vest – Patterns for Pirates
• York Top – Seamwork
• Toronto Tee– Rebecca Page Patterns
• Mandy Boat Tee– Tessuti Fabrics
• Cloud 9 Tee– Striped Swallow Designs (code in Facebook Group)
• Racerback Tank – Life Sew Savory
• Athina Top – Tessuti Patterns
• No 00 Denmark 5 different top variations– How to Do Fashion
• Felted Wool Vest – Purl Soho

Women’s Pants/Dresses/Skirt Free Patterns

• Louise Wrap Dress – Untitled Thoughts
• High Low Skirt – DIBY Club
• Veronika Skirt – Megan Nielsen Patterns
• Cora Culottes – Made for Mermaids
• Justine Skirt – Ready to Sew
• Annie A-Line Skirt – Sew this Pattern (learn how to install a zipper in this project)
• Ninjas leggings by 5oo4 patterns
• Get It Together Dress – Petite Stitchery & Co.
• Circle Skirt – Petite Stitchery & Co.
• Agnes Dress – Halla (code in facebook group)
• Portia Party Dress– Rebecca Page Patterns
• Festival Freebies skirt – George & Ginger
• The Lounge Gown – George & Ginger
• Everyday Dress – Peppermint Patterns
• Wide Strap Maxi Dress – Peppermint Patterns
• Wrap Skirt – Peppermint Patterns
• Wide Leg Pants– Peppermint Patterns
• Norah T-Shirt Dress – Laela Jeyne Patterns
• Mountain Rose Pants – Hey June Handmade
• Just Write Skirt – Patterns for Pirates
• Peg Legs (a personal favorite) – Patterns for Pirates
• Pirate Pencil Skirt – Patterns for Pirates
• Rose Tunic or Dress – Sewalicious
• Silk Skirt– Grasser.ru (Russian Company – may not be available in English)
• Lawley Skirt – Elbe Textiles
• Paris Party Dress – Rebecca Page Patterns
• Lindy Petal Skirt – Itch to Stitch
• Orla Dress – French Navy
• Spring Dress Vichy – Schnittquelle
• Libby A-line Skirt – Tessuti
• Georgie Dress – Victoria and Albert Museum
• Mary Quant Dress – Victoria and Albert Museum
• 4 different Dresses and Skirts– Lekala Patterns

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Another look at the free Paige Piko. This one I modified a couple things and used the softest fabric to make this dress super comfortable. You can read about it here.

Men’s/Unisex Free Sewing Patterns

• Sage Tee– Elbe Textiles
• Walk the Planks PJ Pants – Patterns for Pirates
• Darcy Boxer Shorts – Measure Twice Cut Once
• ABB Tee– DIBY Club
• Neck Warmer– Made for Mermaids
• Men’s T-Shirt – Life Sew Savory
• Hooded Sweatshirt – Lekala Patterns

Lingerie/Swim Free Sewing Patterns

• Noelle Bra and Undie – Madalynne Intimates
• Raquel Bralette – Madalynne Intimates
• Barrett Bralette – Madalynne Intimates
• Sierra Wrap Bralette – Madalynne Intimates
• Bralette – Ohhhlulu Patterns
• Free Panties – Blank Slate Patterns
• Acacia Underwear – Megan Nielsen Patterns (need to subscribe to newsletter)
• High Waisted Panties– Evie la Luve
• Rosy Ladyshorts– Clothhabit
• Vintage Bra Liner for tops/dresses – Pattern Union

Maternity/New Baby Free Sewing Patterns

• Peg Leg Maternity Add-On – Patterns for Pirates
• Convertible Cover – Patterns for Pirates
• Maternity T-Shirt – Blanc Slate Patterns
• Nursing Pillow – Rebecca Page Patterns
• Double Guaze Swaddling Blankets – Purl Soho
• Winter Baby Bonnet– Purl Soho

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Free Patterns are awesome come holiday time…whip up the bowl cozy or apron pictured above.

Accessories/Gifts Free Sewing Patterns

• Blanket Hoodie (my kids love these available in adult and children)- DIBY Club
• Hickory Hat – Patterns for Pirates
• Kennedy Bag – Sew Sweetness
• Beginner Bag – Pink Pony Designs (free on facebook group)
• Poppy Mini Market Tote– Craft Weekly
• Poncho Pattern – Schnittquelle Patterns
• Big Boat Tote – Purl Soho
• Oriole Bag – Sew Sweetness
• Earwarmer Bow Style – Fleece Fun
• Blossom Handbag – Amy Butler
• Alice Shopper Tote– Swoon Sewing Patterns
• Pap Fab Shopper Tote – Stoffstil
• DIY Pouf– Closet Case Patterns
• Bowl Cozy – Made for Mermaids
• Slouchy Headwarmer – Patterns for Pirates
• Pillowcase Pjs– The Sewing Revival
• Emoji Pillow – Patterns for Pirates
• Slouchy Beanie – Patterns for Pirates
• Set Sail Hat – Patterns for Pirates
• Adventure Hat – Patterns for Pirates
• Zipper Bag (3 sizes) – Greenstyle Creations
• Barnacle Buddies – Made for Mermaids
• Critter Clutch (these are super fun to make) – Patterns for Pirates
• Infinity Scarf with hidden pocket (made a ton of these- so good) – Patterns for Pirates
• Sorrento Bucket Hat – Elbe Textiles
• Dino Dragon Pillow – Rebecca Page Patterns
• Unicorn Pillow Pattern -Rebecca Page Patterns
• Hooded Towel Pattern – Rebecca Page Patterns
• Snuggly Slipper Boots– Tilly and the Buttons
• Crayon Roll Up – Made for Mermaids
• The Weekender Bag – DIBY Club
• Make Up Brush and Carrying Case– DIBY Club
• Fairy Pillow Pattern – Made for Mermaids
• Shark Tail Blanket – Made for Mermaids
• Chef’s Hat – Made for Mermaids
• Christmas Muff – Made for Mermaids
• Wool & Cotton Ear Flap Hat – Purl Soho
• Cross Back Apron – Purl Soho
• Bear Hug Rug – Patterns for Pirates
• Spa Headband – Made for Mermaids

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These cozy scarves were made using the free pattern above. I also added Dino Spikes to my son’s and he loves it. You can read more on that tutorial here.

Holiday Free Sewing Patterns

• Gone Batty Top – Patterns for Pirates
• Pirate Stocking Cap – Patterns for Pirates
• Trick or Treat Bag – Patterns for Pirates
• Winter Flower Christmas Stockings– Purl Soho
• Pocket Stocking – DIBY Club
• Bunny Ear and Face Template – Made for Mermaids
• Christmas Tree Garland – Made for Mermaids
• Santa Sack – Made for Mermaids

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My Christmas Decor even was bumped up a notch last year thanks to this free pattern!

And whew…that was a lot of links. I hope you have enjoyed this Beginner’s Guide to Free Sewing Patterns. If you make something from the list and you are on Instagram…please make sure to tag me (@indoorshannon) with your make. I would love to know someone out there found something to create from here and share in the fun of your project. Until next time, Happy Sewing