As many of us in the Curvy Sewing Community know, commercial sewing patterns for women sometimes are available in frustratingly small size ranges. Luckily for us, this situation has greatly improved over the past few years with many pattern makers increasing their size ranges to more realistically accommodate women’s measurements. Unfortunately, one category of sewing patterns that still has limited options for those in a larger size range is men’s patterns. If you’ve ever wanted to sew a garment for a “big and tall” man, you’ve probably been frustrated at the lack of selection of patterns available for bigger guys. Not that there’s a lot of variety in men’s patterns to start with, but most stop at the equivalent of a US RTW size XXL. Vogue’s men’s patterns top out at a 46″ chest. Burda is slightly better, with some patterns going up to a 47 1/2″ chest. But what if you sew for a man who’s larger than that?
In this post, we’ll take a look at the men’s sewing patterns that are available for men who have a 50″ chest or larger. Most of the patterns we found are wardrobe basics, which might seem a little boring, but but you can always get creative with whatever details you decide to add.
Thread Theory
I was excited with Thread Theory first debuted–the first major indie pattern company to focus on men’s patterns, but my excitement quickly turned to disappointment when I realized that my husband was way out of their initial size range. Happily, they’ve been gradually increasing the size range of their newer patterns.
Thread Theory – Fairfield Button-up Shirt
The Fairfield is a classic men’s button-up shirt with a variety of options for sleeves, collars, and cuffs that you can download separately. Not only is it available in sizes up to a 4X (50″ chest), but this pattern even includes separate pattern pieces for men with a larger stomach! I’m as thrilled about that as I am any time I encounter a women’s pattern with larger bust cup sizes!
Photo by Thread Theory
Thread Theory – Goldstream Peacoat
If you’re looking for a peacoat pattern that’ll make a guy look as stylish as Daniel Craig at the end of Skyfall, the Goldstream Peacoat is a good choice. Using a different size chart than some of the other Thread Theory patterns, the size XXL for this pattern accommodates a chest size of 50-52″.
Photo by Thread Theory
Also available from Thread Theory
Thread Theory also has the following patterns available in larger men’s sizes:
- Jutland Pants (up to a 45″ waist)
- Comox Trunks (up to a 45″ waist)
- Finlayson Sweater (up to a 50″-52″ chest)
HotPatterns
Many of you are familiar with HotPatterns for their curve-friendly and fashion-forward women’s sewing patterns. But did you know that they also have a line of sewing patterns for men? The menswear line tends to focus more on classic designs with interesting details over trendy designs. HotPatterns’ men’s patterns are all available in sizes up to a 52″ chest and 50″ waist.
Mr. H.P Coal, Iron & Railroad Company Shirt
Inspired by RTW work shirts, the Mr. HP Railroad Company shirt is designed for durable fabrics such as chambray, flannel, and lightweight corduroy. It’s got the look of a classic men’s shirt but with some fun details, such as asymmetrical pockets and side seam gussets.
Image by HotPatterns
Looking to sew a classic men’s utility jacket? The Mr. HP Hemmingway windcheater has some really cool details–tons of pockets, zippers, and even a zip-away hood.
Image by HotPatterns
Also available from HotPatterns
HotPatterns also has the following patterns available in larger men’s sizes:
- Mr. & Mrs. HP Weekender Breton T (includes separate men’s and women’s shaping)
- Mr. HP Workaday pants
- Mr. HP Nice & Easy T’s
- Mr. HP Straight-talking Straight Leg Jeans
Islander Sewing Patterns
These days, Janet Pray is perhaps best known for her Craftsy class and sewing patterns that introduce industrial techniques to home sewists. But did you know that the men’s patterns in her Islander Patterns line (founded by Margaret Islander) go up to a size 4XL (56″-60″ chest)? Janet has just a pattern for nearly every type of men’s shirt imaginable, all available in her wide size range.
If the man you sew for his like my husband, most of his button-up shirts are made out of flannel (unless he’s dressing up for something). Out of Janet’s catalogue of shirt patterns, the Men’s Easy Shirt is most similar to RTW flannel shirts. There’s even an option to replace the collar with a 90’s-inspired hood for this one.
Photo by Islander Sewing
The Shirt Maker Express pattern is the most basic of Janet’s various shirt patterns. It includes basic options typically found in RTW and can be made in a variety of fabrics.
Photo by Islander Sewing
Also available from Islander Sewing
Islander Sewing also has the following patterns available in larger men’s sizes:
- Baja Shirt (up to a 60″ chest)
- Islander Shirt (casual) (up to a 60″ chest)
- Men’s City Western Shirt (up to a 60″ chest)
- Men’s Classic Dress Shirt (up to a 19 1/2″ neck)
- Men’s Classic Sport Shirt (up to a 19 1/2″ neck)
- Men’s Designer Dress Shirt (up to a 19 1/2″ neck)
Jalie Patterns
Also available from Jalie Patterns
Many sewists love Jalie patterns for their extensive size range for women, which often contain toddler sizes up to women’s plus sizes. Jalie’s size range for their men’s patterns is also quite extensive, and with Jalie’s focus on everyday basics and athleticwear, you can often find patterns from the Jalie line that you won’t be able to find anywhere else.
Jalie’s board shorts pattern looks like RTW and is available for boys and men up to a 47″ waist.
Photo by Jalie
Jalie’s polo shirt pattern for boys and men is available in sizes up to a 50″ chest and includes multiple options for sleeves and pockets.
Photo by Jalie
Also available from Jalie
Jalie Patterns has an entire line of pattern for men and boys. Many of these patterns are available up to a 50″ chest size:
Jalie Patterns for Men and Boys
Other Sources of Larger Men’s Patterns
In addition to the pattern companies that were the focus of this post, several other pattern companies also make patterns available in larger men’s sizes:
- Simplicity: Occasionally, Simplicity releases patterns for “husky” boys and “big and tall” men (up to a size 5X). Two of these patterns are available in the current Simplicity catalogue–S1506 (a vest pattern) and S1505 (a pajama pattern).
- Colette Patterns/Seamwork Magazine: Colette and Seamwork have several men’s and unisex patterns available in sizes up to a 52″ chest.
- Lekala: You’ve probably heard of Lekala patterns, which require you to input a number of body measurements and then generates a custom PDF pattern for you. If you are or sew for a hard-to-fit man, Lekala also offers a number of sewing patterns for men.
- Bootstrap Fashion: Similar to Lekala, Bootstrap Fashion also offers made-to-measure custom sewing patterns. Both Lekala and Bootstrap license the same drafting software; however, the designs offered vary slightly between the sites, and Bootstrap tends to have a more user-friendly interface and sewing instructions.
- Make My Pattern/Joost De Cock: Belgian-based pattern designer Joost De Cock has a goal of getting more men to learn to sew. To help make the sewing (and fitting) process easier, he offers a service of hand-drafting custom patterns based on the measurements that you send him.
Final Thoughts
I hope that this post was able to shed a little light on the availability of sewing patterns for larger men. Have you been struggling trying to find men’s patterns in a decent size range? If so, we’re considering having a “theme week” focused on sewing for big men. Is this subject something that would be of interest to you? Let us know one way or the other in the comments for this post!
Additionally, we found it difficult to find reviews for the various custom patterns for men. Have you tried Lekala, Bootstrap, or Make My Pattern for men? How did your finished garment fit?
Great post! My partner is a bigger guy, and it is hard for him to find clothes that fit and flatter. Shopping can be a very disheartening experience, and sewing for him is challenging for me because I am not well versed in fit adjustments for men. I am making progress, though! Thanks for the tips, more advise on sewing for big & tall guys would be awesome!
My husband has been always intrigued by my ability to whip off clothes for myself but when I looked into sewing him clothes I came up empty. Thanks for all the links!
I have just almost worn out my go to… S9469 pattern! An OOP shirt, slacks , shorts and tie classic. Used for my hubs, son and father… all are about the same 6 ft, xxl size! Well drafted… especially the pants! I need to copy the pattern onto oaktag or heavy plastic soon! I’ve made the walking shorts at least 8 times!
This is a fantastic post Michelle! Although one of my favourite things about sewing for my husband is that he doesn’t require the amount of adjustments that I do when sewing for myself, so many of these patterns are new to me. I’m really excited to see some more options from the Indies for the shirt he has asked for.
Great post and super helpful info. My husband is definitely a fitting challenge, a little chubby but short, but if I’m being completely honest…that’s not why I haven’t made much for him. I so infrequently feel like sewing for anyone besides myself! But I do hem up his store-bought pants… ?
Thank you for this post, Michelle! I didn’t realise that a few of these companies had patterns that might work for my mister… I’m excited to explore the options!
Silhouettes pattern George’shirt largest sizes neck 18 1/2 and chest 61″(finished garment measurement). She has also made a video on making men’s shirts that is very nice, shows lots of the detail sewing.
She also has two men’s pants C.J. Jeans and Tommy’s cargo shorts the waist only go to size 44.
My very tall and incredibly slender Mr 14 needed long sleeved shirts. Enter the Thread Theory patterns… They are drafted so well and were a joy to sew. My husband then demand his turn and scored a lovely jumper. Again from TT, and again, so we’ll drafted.
Love them!
Great information on men’s larger patterns. Thank you
Thank you this post. My husband is tall and I’ve found patterns limited. I’m off to check out these links.
I sew almost exclusively from Lekala, and have done for the past few years. I NEVER tape those silly A4 pages – all my patterns are printed – or rather, plotted, as I request plotter files – on paper a meter wide.
I also make shirts and other items for my SO – again from Lekala. He is 6ft 4″ and built to match his height. Lekala’s adjustment options for men are limited, and the range of patterns somewhat narrow (and some aimed at a Russian lifestyle, obviously) but I have had excellent results from the men’s patterns I have tried. One of the hooded jackets I made him is wearing out, it has been such a favourite. Maximum height 6ft 10″, maximum chest 59″. Lekala men’s patterns do not deal well with a man’s pot girth, though.
I have a far higher ‘success’ rate when sewing for myself with Lekala – ~ 90% at a conservative estimate now provide me with an acceptable fit or better, even if I end up not liking the style and thus never completing the garment – than I have had with any other brand of pattern, since my age-related fitting challenges got together with my height and size-related ones and tried to force me into beige synthetic rtw…
There is no one brand of pattern which ‘fits’ everyone’s body, way of life, ability, style etc but I’ve found the one that fits mine.
I can’t wait to show these patterns to my son-in-law. My daughter has been wanting to sew for him.
Thank you to everyone. I will try some of the patterns for my son, 6ft 4. and very wide.I would love to try to make a coat for him as well.
Thank you for this post, my outsized husband wore 58″ pants and 5xl shirts and there have been very few choices for him pattern wise and even in RTW clothes were terribly expensive. I really wish I’d had this when he was alive. Being 6’4″ didn’t help either, his sons are also tall and one is large too so this is terrific info for sewing for them. them. Sewing for any guy is like knitting for them, gotta make sure they like it, too.
Frankly, I’ve not sewn for my husband because the options have not had much for options. He’s 6’3″. He has an exceptionally long torso and while requires big and tall for that length, his arms and belly don’t increase proportionately. RTW for him is a nightmare. Not super comfortably fit in the regular sizes, and B&T are just a little to sloppy to fit him and his aesthetic. I look at his clothes, and just think I’d do this, and this and that and it would be an absolutely perfect shirt.
I want to sew for him, and this gives me hope. However, this gives me hope. I have been watching thread theory and have a free undershirt pattern of theirs that I want to try for him to see what types of adjustments I might face with it. I just haven’t taken the time. I would love to make him a pea coat. He has a canvas one, but needs one slightly warmer than that, and not as warm as his full-on wool coat and this would be a good solution.
Very useful thanks! I have made my size XXL husband the Colette Negroni shirt, Seamwork Paxson sweater, and the Liesel and Co Metro Men’s t-shirt, all of which fit well. I tried a Simplicity t-shirt at one time and it was waaaay larger than the measurements indicated (although I know understand that is often the norm with their sizing). Although no one uses plus-size male models for men’s patterns! (I recall a sewing pattern for men’s shorts on Etsy that did, but that is about it.)
Thanks for a great list!
Thank you for this. My husband has a hard time finding dress shirts because if they fit his belly and chest then they are too big at the neck.
I have used bootstrap patterns and I recommend them. Once they have your measurements, they keep them so you dont have to insert them again. Both patterns were dresses and fit me well. The only advice I would give is to try one with only a few pattern pieces just to get used to the way the patterns fit together. My first one was a dress with 12 pieces and I would have been better off trying something simpler at first.
Make sure you have plenty of tape. the pattern will take more tape than you think. It is no fun to download a pattern at night and want to put it together and not have enough tape.
Instructions for assembly are sparse, I looked at the pattern and decided how I wanted to put it together and then wrote my own notes on the instructions.
All seam allowances are not the same in these patterns, I marked the different seam allowances with different colored markers on the pattern then marked them with different colored tailor tacks to remind me. If you are used to the big 4 patterns where all of the seam allowances are the same it is very easy to forget these are different and make a mistake, my markings helped, especially when I had to leave the project for a few days.
They have excellent customer service.
If you have been thinking about it, give it a try
Great post, Michelle!
Absolutely love Joost, his Make My Pattern website gives perfect patterns, easily customisable (he offers 37 options for the shirt!) and completely free! He asks for donations, but last year gave all the donated money to Medicins Sans Frontier, a non-governmental organisation that provides medical care in war torn areas.
The patterns are great, work well, you get one size only, so no tracing your lines, but that pattern accommodates all quirks (my other half has slim neck and shoulders, mid size chest, a large middle but slims down again at the hips…) and I cannot recommend him enough. I would encourage you to boost him much higher up your list of recommended patternmakers!
I’m so glad to hear you’ve had good luck with Make My Pattern- I’m really interested in trying it for my husband- I just need him to stand still so I can get all of his measurements!!
That’s so great to hear! I’ve been really curious about Joost’s patterns. My husband has a bit of a belly and is tall (6’2″)…and a lot of that height is carried in his very long-waisted torso, so any time I’ve sewn anything beyond sweat/pajama pants for him, I need to make a ton of adjustments.
Hi, when I make clothes for my husband, I use Islander for his shirts/jackets and I found that Collette has big man
s shorts and pullovers too. I found that 5 out of 4 pattern company has a free PJ/jogging pants for big men too with a low or high rise in the seat too!
Thanks! I’ve been looking for patterns for my husband!
Thank you for highlighting these companies! I have TALL, skinny men in my family and these patterns are so stylish. I am very excited to try some out!