Wow, we have a TON of new patterns to go through in this post! Not surprisingly, after a typically slow summer, patternmakers have been on fire with new releases for fall (or spring/summer if you live in the Southern Hemisphere). I’ll keep this intro short, as this post is nearly already twice as long as the pattern roundup posts from the summer months. Enjoy!
Decades of Style – Decades Everyday Chore Skirt
The Decades Everyday pattern line by Decades of Style has been a perennial favorite among our readers since it debuted. With their vintage-inspired styling, high-quality drafting, and clear instructions, what’s not to like? I suspect that they’ll become even more popular going forward because with the release of their new Chore Skirt, Decades Everyday has a new expanded size range–up to a 46″ (117 cm) waist and and a 55″ (140 cm) hip! The Chore Skirt itself is a pretty appealing pattern with well-placed pleats in the front and lots of pleating in the back for maximum twirlability. It also has a cleverly concealed zipper and pockets.
Decades of Style – Decades Everyday Chore Skirt
Deer & Doe – Fall/Winter 2017 Collection
French indie patternmaker Deer & Doe debuted two new (one with a maternity variation) and one revised pattern for Fall this past month. I’ve only recently started to include Deer & Doe in these roundups because they’ve only recently expanded their sizing to include curvier figures (in PDF patterns only).
If the Bleuet dress looks familiar, that’s probably because it’s been around for a few years. However, Deer & Doe re-released this pattern with updated style lines and an expanded size range (in PDF) for Fall 2017. As a shirtdress junkie, this is right up my alley, and the new size range is considerably more curve-friendly than the old one.
Deer & Doe – Bleuet Dress
While I am not personally a midi-skirt wearer, I do like the idea of this. The design lines are interesting, and its flared A-line shape should be easy to fit and wear. Also, like the other new Deer & Doe patterns, this one is also available as a PDF with the extended size range.
Deer & Doe – Azara Skirt
Deer & Doe – Givre Tee and Dress + Maternity Version
Deer & Doe is offering both a regular and a maternity version of its new Givre tee and dress. From what I can tell, these are two separate patterns (as opposed to a full pattern + add-on pack). One nice thing with the maternity version that I haven’t seen elsewhere is that it includes two different “belly” sizes, so you can adapt your pattern to how far along you are.
Deer & Doe – Givre/Givre Maternity tee and dress
HotPatterns – Metropolitan Birthday Blouse
Looking for a pretty, but easy-to-wear blouse to make for autumn? HotPatterns new Birthday Blouse might fit the bill. With its on-trend deep v-neck, this blouse is designed for drapey fabrics (wovens OR knits!) and requires no buttons or other closures. I’ve invested in some somewhat pricey rayon challis recently, and I think this blouse would be a perfect use for it.
HotPatterns – Metropolitan Birthday Blouse
Itch to Stitch – North Point Trousers
Although they’re a wardrobe staple for many women, we rarely see a traditional trouser pattern offered by indie patternmakers. Already known for well-drafted basics, Itch to Stitch’s latest pattern fills that niche. The North Point trousers offer a medium rise, straight leg, contour waistband, fly front, and both front slash and rear welt pockets.
Itch to Stitch – North Point trousers
Itch to Stitch – Brasov Wrap Top
Itch to Stitch’s other new pattern this month is a long-sleeved knit surplice top. The Brasov top features side pleats and a higher neckline than most tops with this sort of neckline.
Itch to Stitch – Brasov top
Jennifer Lauren Vintage – Mayberry Dress
Jennifer Lauren Vintage has a cute new shirtdress pattern out. And for those of you who hate making buttonholes, you’re in luck–this one only has buttons/buttonholes on the bodice, while an elastic/tie waist provides waist-shaping. I wasn’t sure what I thought of this one until I scrolled through her sample pics and saw the one with the contrast facing, which sold me on this dress. I’m all about cute little details like that.
Jennifer Lauren Vintage – Mayberry Dress
Liesl Gibson released a slew of great new patterns for basics this month, including a men’s and a child’s button-down shirt (I’m totally buying those for my husband and daughter). However, since this page focuses on women’s patterns, we’ll focus on her two new women’s patterns. First up is the Recital Shirt, a pattern that Liesl drafted and designed in response to a lack of princess seamed patterns for women in her catalogue. The Recital Shirt has shoulder princess seams and bust cup sizing up to a D-cup. The great thing about this pattern is that many pieces are interchangeable with her Classic Shirt pattern, opening up a lot of fit and design options if you own both patterns.
Liesl & Co – Recital Shirt
Sometimes I feel like I have a million tee patterns already, but I don’t have any that are similar to the new Chai tee. The Chai is available in bust cup sizes up to a D-cup and features a shoulder yoke, shoulder pleats, and two cut-on sleeve length options.
Liesl & Co. – Chai Tee
Love Notions – Forte Top and Dress
Love Notions’ newest pattern is a knit top or dress designed to have a number of different neckline, sleeve, and skirt options. I’m personally not much of a flounce person, but if you are, you’ve got a lot of different options for them with this pattern.
Love Notions – Forte Top and Dress
Oh McCall’s. Usually, I can pretty reliable find at LEAST 2-3 patterns in every new McCall’s collection that I want to buy. Disappointingly, this collection had a very “warmed over” feeling to me and IMO, isn’t very inspiring. Here are the two that jumped out at me.
McCall’s 7657 – Misses’ Top and Tunic with Banded V-neck
M7557 is a woven pull-over top with an example of the choker-style neckline that we’re starting to see pop up pretty frequently these days. It also includes a few sleeve variations and a peplum/tunic option for those who don’t like their tops/tunics particularly fitted through the mid-section. Shoulder princess seams should make this top easy to fit, too.
M7657 – Misses’ tops and tunic
McCall’s 7666 – Misses’ Lined Flared Coat
I’m not imagining that the design of this coat was inspired by a TARDIS, am I? I mean, I guess it could just be the styling, but that blue and those buttons… But, if you’re not into Dr. Who, it’s a nicely-shaped fit-and-flare coat that could be styled differently with different fabric and different buttons. I dig the piping detail, too.
M7666 – Misses’ Lined Flared Coat
Named Patterns – Fall/Winter 2017: Earth Science Collection
As they have done with their last few collections, Named has included (slightly) extended sizing with a few of their patterns in their new Fall/Winter collection. As luck would have it, the patterns that I really zeroed in on don’t have the extended sizing, but here are a few that do:
Named Patterns – Stella Raglan Shirt and Dress
Of the new patterns with (slightly) extended sizing, the Stella shirt and dress was my favorite. It’s a woven, raglan-sleeved blouse with pussybow and shirtdress options. The dress is even lined so that you can use sheer, floaty fabrics without having to draft your own lining.
Named Patterns – Stella Raglan Shirt and Dress
Named Patterns – Amber Pinafore Dress
Pinafores (sometimes called “jumpers” in the US), overalls, and their related garments are very trendy right now. Unfortunately for the curvy among us who want to sample this trend, many of the indie patterns for these garments aren’t available in curve-friendly sizes. Granted, the Amber’s sizing isn’t super inclusive, but it’s better than we’ve seen elsewhere for this type of garment.
Named Patterns – Amber Pinafore Dress
Pearl Red Moon – Pheenie dress
For Lagenlook fans, Pearl Red Moon released her Pheenie dress pattern last month. The Pheenie is a throw-on and go dress with statement pockets and lots of options for mixing and matching textiles. This dress is designed to hit mid-calf on a 5’8″ tall woman.
Pearl Red Moon – Pheenie Dress
For those looking to dip their toe in the Lagenlook-style waters, but perhaps not commit to an entire “look”, the new Aurana top offers a relaxed shape and some fun piecing and opportunities for embellishment and can easily be worn with a pair of jeans.
Pearl Red Moon – Aurana Top
Pearl Red Moon – Theodora Tunic or Jacket
The new Theodora Tunic or Jacket can either be made as a pullover top/tunic or as a zip-up jacket/vest, depending on which view you choose to sew. You can use either a woven or a stable knit to make up either option!
Pearl Red Moon – Theodora tunic or jacket
StyleArc – September 2017 release
StyleArc has served up a few nice transitional pieces in September, as the Northern Hemisphere transitions to cooler weather, and the Southern Hemisphere transitions to warmer weather.
The Janie Blazer is a relaxed, double-breasted jacket with two piece sleeves and welt pockets. This jacket is unlined and can be made with linen, fine wool, or other suiting fabric. Since this appears to be a soft jacket with a looser fit and minimal tailoring, this pattern might be a good option for someone looking to try their hand at sewing a jacket without having to learn tailoring steps first.
StyleArc – Janie Blazer
One of the “freebie” (with a paid pattern order from the StyleArc website) options for September, I can’t think of any other patterns currently available that are similar to the Maude tunic. At first glance, the Maude looks like a boxy, relaxed-fit button-down shirt. And it certainly is that, but it has a few truly unique details, including a lack of shoulder seams, extended shoulder doubling as a sleeve, and outside-top-stitched side seams.
StyleArc – Maude tunic
For as ubiquitous as a staple garment that they are, a pattern for cigarette pants can sometimes be difficult to find, especially if your measurements fall into the plus-sized range. StyleArc helps to address that need with its new Luna pant–a pull-on cigarette pant that is drafted to be made from a stretch woven, such as stretch bengaline.
StyleArc – Luna stretch pant
True Bias – Lander Pant and Short
In addition to Itch to Stitch’s traditional trouser pattern, we get a second non-pull-on-pant offering this month–the sporty Lander Pant and Short from True Bias. The Lander has a high rise, patch pockets, and a straight leg. Perfect for fall, True Bias designed this pant and short to be made out of twill, linen, corduroy, or denim.
True Bias – Lander Pant and Short
Final Thoughts
Congratulations! You’ve made it to the end of the post! What new patterns from September are going onto your “must sew” list? I particularly love the Decades Everyday Chore Skirt, HotPatterns Birthday Blouse, Jennifer Lauren Mayberry dress, and pretty much all of the new Liesl & co patterns (including the kids’ and men’s ones that I omitted from this post).
The Chore Skirt, for sure! Maybe the Metro Birthday Blouse, it is way outside of what I usually wear but I like the looks of it.
Some of those necklines are so wide. Even on RTW they seem to be getting so wide it is hard to hidebra straps
I have already bought the Chore skirt although I might wait until our autumn to make it, as it’s just starting to get warmer here. But I am very excited about it, it’s exactly what I was thinking of drafting for myself this winter and was too lazy to! I like the deer and doe patterns too but still have residual resentment about the original small size range. Which I should get over. but then again, do I really need more shirtdresses? (The answer is always yessss). And I love the skirt but probably I would wear a simple 3/4 circle as much or more. Considering my overflowing pattern drawers I won’t be buying it any time soon. If only I had more time to sew! (and stick pdfs together)
I also really like the Maude tunic but I’ve bought a couple boxy shirt patterns lately so I should make those up first before buying more! And I like the True Bias pants. The shorts look long enough to avoid the dreaded chub rub, without being frumpy. So maybe I’ll give them a go…
some of those McCalls patterns are yikes! There’s a couple cute but basic dresses… I did like that there is a men’s athletics pattern. There’s so little and so little variety in men’s patterns that that’s encouraging to see!
I’m completely with you on the leftover resentment for Doe & Deer. I’ve always LOVED the Bleuet and have constantly found myself almost buying it, because I was always just *barely* out of their size range. Now that they’ve expanded, so has my waist, whomp whomp. I’m still out of their size range! Is it so impossible to imagine that a person could have a 40 inch waist measurement? :\
Oh trust me, I hear you on the Deer & Doe small size range. I’m always hesitant on whether or not to include “borderline” patterns like these or the Named patterns…but it was kind of a boring month otherwise, so they made it in. And to be fair, the new size range(s) are better than the old ones, so I figured that I’d highlight the first few releases with the new size range just to get the word out for less-curvy-but-still-curvy sewists, who might fit into the new size range.
The style of that fit-and-flare McCall’s coat would make a great dress. . If I didn’t already have half a dozen shell patterns to make silk shells and tees, I’d buy that Chai tee pattern. Nice summary of what’s out there. Jumpers do appear to be making a comeback!
Love the Leisl & Co recital blouse (love the collar, I hate regular shirt collars:o) and the Pearl Red Moon (always love her patterns) Theadora tunic. :o) Oh and the flouncy top I loved, all the variations of it. I personally think of myself as liking the “ruffly” look! LOL!
Otherwise I was disapointed in the new Fall patterns. Today Kwik Sew e-mail a selection I thought was boring too.
THANK YOU! For this review!
Yeah, I saw the Kwik Sew a few days back. It was so lackluster (IMO) that I didn’t bother including it in this roundup.
Not a great month for me. No must buys. Which is actually a relief. But the Hot Patterns Birthday blouse and the Deer and Doe midi skirt were my favorites.