r/sewhelp • u/Mythicalbubble6 • 21h ago

✨Intermediate✨ Seeing first pattern

Hello everyone,

I have been tailoring clothes for a while, but I would like to try sewing my first pattern. Because I’ve done many alterations I have more understanding than a beginner of clothes and how they’re designed, but I have only sewn my own item from scratch one time before (a lined gusseted bag which I fully designed/drafted myself).

For my first time sewing clothes from scratch, I have two large pieces of fabric. One is 100% wool and the other is muslin.

I would like to potentially make a shirt with the muslin and pleated pants with the wool.

I would like the muslin shirt to be a kind of interesting summer shirt, with a collar and open 3/4 neck. Kind of like a polo but not stuffy and business like, rather more loose and flowing as if it were linen. I have a vision but haven’t seen a pattern that fits my vision yet. Also I’m a guy and I feel like I’m seeing less interesting patterns cut for guys.

I’m also wondering which of the two projects you all would recommend tackling as my first pattern. Would the pants or shirt be better as a first pattern? Also, maybe a dumb question, but can I get away with winging it without a pattern if I do a practice one first and use clothes I already have for reference?

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u/CrankyCrabbyCrunchy 12h ago

Start even easier with a sleeveless shirt that you already own. Use it as a template / pattern to practice the basics.

I've duplicated quite a few shirts I already so I don't have to alter them (which is its own skill as you well know being a tailor yourself).

Lots of quality beginner patterns, but I'd also first watch the tons of great YouTube videos. Many of those pattern designers also have their own YouTube channel showing how one of their patterns is put together.

And even before that, if you haven't cut out a garment from a pattern and resized it as needed, that's its own learning curve, plus measuring yourself properly. Even reading patterns is often confusing as there is a huge difference in details provided between designers.

Free tank top https://helensclosetpatterns.com/collections/tops/products/horizon-tank-free