Did you know that many of the independent pattern companies have top patterns that are available for free? It’s a fun way for them to get people to try their designs, and of course it’s a bonus for all of us! However, how suitable are they for curvy figures? Unfortunately only one of them extends into true plus sizes, but the others are very “gradable” and can be a good way to learn how to do an FBA or grade up. Here’s a quick round up!
The Tonic T-shirt from Skinny Bitch, Curvy Chick patterns has a classic short sleeved, scoop neck design. It’s free as a downloadable PDF (or $13 for a printed pattern). It’s available up to a 3XL, which is 54″ chest and 49″ waist.
Michelle has made up a couple of versions including this lovely striped number.
The Sorbetto is a simple woven top with bust darts, a front pleat and bias binding. It’s a great beginners project – in fact, it was my second ever garment! There’s also lots of potential to customize it.
The sizing goes up to an 18, which is a 46″ bust and 38″ waist. However, it’s also a good pattern to learn to do an FBA on, if you’re planning on giving it a go.
Many curvy bloggers have made lovely Sorbettos, including Rosie at SparkleNeedles.
The Plantain is a swingy flared t-shirt pattern made for knits, with a scoop neck, two arm lengths and elbow patches. It goes up to a European size 46, which is a 41″ bust and 33″ waist… not great. However! Many people have noted that there is a lot of ease in the pattern, and it’s also pretty easy to grade up.
In fact, our very own Laurence graded it up and loves it! So much so she’s made a bunch of different versions, and even turned it into a maxi dress.
The Hemlock is designed as a slouchy tee with drop shoulders, and it’s available in one size: 44.5″ bust and 46.5″ hip. I couldn’t easily find an example of a plus size sewist who’s made it up: have you?
Have you used these, or any other top patterns? What type of styles would you like to see in the future?
I know I’m late to the party but I just sewed my first Colette Sorbetto last week. I managed to make it work but found I needed to add lots of length and do a MAJOR adjustment for a small bust. I need to learn more techniques for grading up while making a small bust adjustment at the same time… Any suggestions?
Have you guys done a post about how you would go about grading these patterns? I would love to see something like that, done by a real person who needs to make one of these patterns just a little bigger.
All these tops look great to stitch and look really easy. Never realized there were so many out there I need to try. I can’t wait to to have a sewing budget again so I can stitch these up.
Sewing Cake has a free top (Under her old blog, “3 hours past” – I think it’s called the Blank Canvas tee?) The Kirsten Kimono Tee from Maria Denmark is also free and fabulous!
I’ve made a hemlock but it was horrific based on the fabric. My bust is 41, so way larger than Jen from Grainlines, but not larger than the finished dimensions of the tee.
LOL – and then I read the comments and found both those tops mentioned! 🙂
Oh hey, I’m actually wearing that striped SBCC Tonic Tee right now (and I didn’t know that this post was coming out today.)
Other free top patterns… Lekala has a few free top patterns where you can try their custom sizing system. My one Lekala experiment (a knit top) was a wadder, but I’ve since learned/observed that their system works better with wovens, so I’m going to give them another shot, with that in mind.
And no longer free (although both patterns once were), for those who have been wanting to try StyleArc, they’re now offering inexpensive PDF downloads for both the Ann t-shirt and Barb pants: https://www.etsy.com/shop/StyleArc?section_id=16770999&ref=shopsection_leftnav_9
I forgot Lekala has a few freebies to try custom sizing. I thought I had heard they only did a few freebies in their standard sizes.
And I love that shirt– happy colors!
Great post! Thank you to everyone sharing links to free patterns!
Not QUITE free but the Idyllwild T from Itch To Stitch is $1, with all the money going to charity. And it has a number of different varitions. Unfortunately only goes up to an XL though, 46-40.5-48″
http://itch-to-stitch.com/product/idyllwild-top-dress-digital-sewing-pattern-pdf/
I have done the Hemlock, by Grainline… love that t-shirt style, but I was not successful in grading it. I am sure there is nothing wrong with the pattern…it is for sure my lack of experience grading. And I will NOT share a picture wearing it, because I look like a bad fat hot dog badly wrapped!!!
For anyone on youcanmakethis.com there’s this
http://www.youcanmakethis.com/products/paco-bean-scarf-neck-cardigan
I just downloaded the fave tee from Tessuti, its one size (which I don’t normally trust) but it has really generous ease (measuring the PDF in adobe, it looks like the bust is 60″) and could also be easily “graded” by printing at 110% or something. Haven’t sewed it up yet, but I love the slouchy style. http://www.tessuti-shop.com/products/our-fav-top
i love Tessuti’s Mandy Boat tee: http://www.tessuti-shop.com/collections/pattern-books/products/mandy-boat-tee-print-at-home-or-copy-shop
Don’t forget Sewing Cake’s The Tee. It goes to a 59″ bust.
http://www.craftsy.com/pattern/sewing/clothing/the-tee/10435
not affiliated, I just like Cake patterns because they are easy to fit to my figure.
Here’s another that goes up to 47″ bust. Never made it, but it’s in my “to sew” pile.
http://seamsterpatterns.com/product/yellow-tail-camisole-3101/
And one more that’s in my “to sew” pile. Up to 42″ bust
http://www.craftsy.com/pattern/sewing/clothing/gathered-front-top/80620
Is the Seamster a true free pattern? It looks like you do have to pay for it, but I can pick what you want to pay with 50% of that price going to charity.
I thought it used to be. Maybe not anymore. I downloaded it a long time ago. I should have looked at the link closer before I posted. Sorry about that.
No problem, and honestly I can’t tell if you can get it free or not. It did add to my cart with $0 as the price, but I haven’t tried to complete the transaction. The HP Joyful top that I linked to requests a donation to charity but there’s a clear link to download for free.
Also for anyone who is a Friend of PR (paying member) the Linda top is available for free.
There’s also this one at Craftsy:
http://www.craftsy.com/pattern/sewing/clothing/spring-blouse-pattern/24249
And this one. Which makes an opportunity to try Jamie Christina patterns.
http://www.craftsy.com/pattern/sewing/clothing/4-square-top-tutorial/15860
And don’t forget BHL’s free Polly top.
The Polly top’s two piece front does not work for me (that long seam and I do not compute), but I have used the back as a sloper about a billion times. I was on a trip and needed a quick sloper, went to the computer and printed that out! Done!
Free patterns from indie companies are a great way to find out if their instructional style works for you. So many free t’s out there! And thanks for links to more, friends!
HotPatterns has a number of free patterns. Some are at HP’s site, some are at fabric.com.
Also Cake has a free T shirt as well.
I’m borderline obsessed with the Plantain, having made five shirts and two dresses out of it, with many more to come. I’d love to see more comfy, chic woven tops, like the Sutton blouse.
Some of HP’s freebies at fabric.com (the gypsy peasant top is one I remember off the top of my head) is for wovens, as is the BHL Polly. And HP’s Joyful is for mixed fabrics.
Maria Denmarks kimono sleeve tee goes up 4XL, which is 49-42.5-52. I’ve not made it yet (i’m hoping to this week!) but I’ve seen a lot of nice ones online. You have to sign up to the newsletter to get the pattern, the info on it is here:
http://blog.mariadenmark.com/?p=875
I have made Maria Denmarks free kimono tee (https://prolificprojectstarter.wordpress.com/2014/09/11/tales-of-a-full-bust-adjustment-virgin/) and afterwards paid for and made her Birgitte T shirt and was very happy. She has some good tutorials on how to do full bust adjustments. I did a comparison of what they do when I was trying them out here https://prolificprojectstarter.wordpress.com/2014/10/24/comparisons-of-fbas/
Cake also do a free kimono t shirt that is “join the dots” that I think someone mentioned, which I keep meaning to try.