17 Great Free Sewing Patterns
Kick start your sewing with some great free patterns.
Sewing isn’t exactly the cheapest hobby, and this can be a bit off putting when you are starting out, or even if you just find yourself in a rut and need to reignite that sew-jo. If you are still working out what you want to make and what you like sewing it is often hard to know where to begin.
The great news is there are a huge number of free sewing patterns out there you can use to get going. It can also be a great way to test our different designers and pattern companies. Their free patterns will be a good reflection of what their patterns you have to purchase will be like. It is actually why a lot of indie designers have a selection of free patterns on offer.
A lot of my time is spent working our how to get all of you sewing as much as possible so to this end, I have pulled together a great selection of free patterns for you! I have included a range of skill levels in here too, so there is something for everyone. Usually you will need to do something to get your hands on these, be it sign up to a mailing list, purchase something at £0 and so on. Enojy!
Merchant & Mills Drawstring Bag
1. Merchant and Mills Drawstring Bag
Great for – simple construction practice, use of drawstring, optional extra for embroidery.
Merchant and Mills produce great sewing patterns, but this free project is a perfect beginner one. Clear instructions and diagrams make this an easy one to adapt to your needs. A really useful little bag for everyday too, so you are sure to make good use of it.
Peppermint Magazine Loungewear Set
2. Peppermint Magazine Loungewear Set
Great for - relaxed garment construction
Peppermint Magazine have a huge range of patterns that are available on a ‘pay what you can’ scale, and often including a $0 option. This loungewear set would be great for summer, or for wearing layered up at home in the winter beside the fire. This is a great option if you want to try your hand at garment construction as it does involve quite a few foundational dressmaking techniques. You are constructing a pair of trousers which will require careful attention to which pieces you are sewing to which, create a facing for the top, and be attaching pockets and turning up hems along with creating an elastic waistband.
Closetcore Dog Coat
3. Closet Core Dog Coat
Great for – quilting and binding
Now who doesn’t want a chance to sew something for your pet? This free dog coat pattern from Closet Core is super cute. It’s a great one to get to grips and practice binding and even have a go at some quilting.
Tilly & The Buttons Detachable Collar
4. Tilly and the Buttons Detachable Collar
Great for – adding details and trim
You may recognise Tilly from the early days of Sewing Bee. She now sells a range of patterns and her website has a wealth of sewing tips, instructional blogs and projects. This detachable collar is super cute and a really great way to change up the look of your outfit. It is a nice introduction to ruffles, adding trim and turning pieces out.
Cloth House Orion Vest
5. Cloth House Orion Vest
Great for – a base vest pattern
Vests or waistcoats (whatever your preference) are a brilliant way to layer up and as we come into Autumn here in the UK, they are a wardrobe staple you don’t want to miss. This one from Cloth House is great. It includes ties, pockets and a smart placket. I’m not going to lie, the instructions for the placket attachment are not the best here (remember what I said about the instructions in a free pattern not always being the best) but the finished article is smart. It would be fairly straightforward to use the pattern pieces and not bother with the placket or details, and simply bind the edges if you wanted a more straightforward construction.
Notches Robin Cap
6. Notches Robin Cap
Great for – quick and easy sewing
This is basically a triangle scarf with a visor – so simple but so effective! You can really play around with fabric scraps and different weights and how you wear it. You could even use a water resistant fabric to have something weather proof to protect you from the wind and the rain. (if you are in the UK this is VERY appealing as we approach horizontal rain season)
Matchy Matchy Sewing Club Craft Studio Tee
7. Matchy Matchy Craft Studio Tee
Great for – accessible garment construction
This is available to buy, but all you need to do is subscribe to the newsletter to get it for free!
A really great oversized top with drop shoulders this is a really great garment. Anything oversized/ boxy in fit is going to be much more accessible to sew as you aren’t having to worry too much about really close fitting it to your shape. This means you can focus on the construction, the sewing and have a really great piece you can throw on at the end.
Helen’s Closet Costa Tote
8. Helen’s Closet Costa Tote
Great for – construction techniques
This is a freebie for subscribing to her newsletter. A decent tote bag pattern is a great thing to have in your pattern library. I have come across several other free ones and they have quite odd construction methods which in all honesty, I think are rubbish. Helen’s closet patterns are brilliant, clear, come with good instructions and diagrams. This tote is no exception.
Sewing Therapy Free Pattern Collection
Two One Nine Studio (Sewing Therapy) Free Pattern Collection
9. Hanbok Vest
10. Sun Hat
11. Double Loop Headband
12. Sleep Mask
13. Wedding Clutch
14. Cami Top
15. Tiered skirt
Great for – so many things!
I adore Sara’s patterns, and she does brilliant videos to go along with the projects, especially helpful when you are starting out and getting used to construction. Here you can actually grab a whole bunch of free patterns! The listing does state that the written instructions are scant, and this is indeed the case. But this is because they are all supplemented by brilliant video instructions. The Hanbok vest is a gorgeous one, and once you have started to make this I think you will find it difficult to stop! The headband is also a really great pattern and perfect for scrap busting.
Peppermint Magazine Wrap Top
16. Peppermint Magazine Wrap Top
Great for – hacking options
Another great staple from Peppermint. This one features a couple of darts and a set in sleeve. The relaxed style means it if forgiving on the sizing, which alleviates any complex additional tweaks there. Once you nail this one it has huge potential for adapting – change the ties, play with the length, add a skirt, even add some gathered sleeves for a bit of drama.
Merchant & Mills Bucket Hat
17. Merchant and Mills Bucket Hat
Great for – really nailing your top stitch
Another great. on trend offering from Merchant and Mills. What I love about this one is they have included instructions on how to make the brim wider. This instantly changes the look. So if recreating the 90’s indie vibe isn’t exactly what you are looking for, you can still create something practical and lovely. This beibng said using a fabric like the ginham in the photograph here shows how fabric choice can really change the look (no Wonderwall vibes in sight!)
Remember, not every free sewing pattern is going to be great, so you do have to be discerning. This will be very apparent before you even begin to sew if the instructions are very scant or non existent. As long as you give it a test run on something less precious from your stash it is just another great learning curve on your sewing journey. One thing I will say is that some free patterns do not stay free forever. So if you see a free one you love, download it straight away! I’d love to know which ones you try!
Happy Sewing - R x