8 Free Sewing Patterns for Spring and Summer
I don’t know about you, but our budget this year is tight, which means I have to make-do with the fabric and patterns I already own. Thankfully, I have quite the stash from previous years. I do like to try out new patterns every so often, but with most indie sewing patterns ranging from $12-$20, this just isn’t something I am prioritizing unless I simply MUST HAVE a specific pattern. The good news is, there are many free patterns available that could help alleviate some of that FOMO you feel when you see shiny new styles and trends. In this post, I’d like to share with you 8 fresh and simple free sewing patterns for your spring or summer wardrobe.
Free Dress Patterns for Spring
I have chosen three dresses for this post, but you can find many more on both Fabrics-Store.com, as well as Peppermint Magazine. The styles I’ve selected are simple, classic, with a bit of cottagecore flare, but you can certainly use this as a jumping off point to choose patterns for your own personal style.
Avery Tiered Shirt Dress
photos credit: fabrics-store.com. Download the free pdf pattern HERE
This is a super cute and feminine style that has a lot of possibilities. I couldn’t believe it when I saw that this pattern was a free pdf download at Fabrics-Store.com. It reminds me of the popular Myosotis Dress by Deer and Doe Patterns. It features a classic shirt collar, elbow-length sleeves, a gathered skirt with two tiers, and a button front bodice. Sew this up in a lightweight linen, cotton lawn, or double gauze for a breezy summer dress.
Here are some modifications I would suggest to make it your own:
- Add waist ties – as with the Myosotis dress, a lot of people found the large pullover waist style wasn’t super flattering, so they added simple waist ties to each side seam to cinch in the back and add some shaping.
- Swap out the sleeves for a different style. Most armhole openings have basically the same shape, which makes it easy to mix and match sleeve styles from other patterns. I’d suggest a simple short sleeve with a cuff, or a long puffed sleeve (great tutorial on the Bernina website here) for that cottagecore look.
- Add length to the skirt to make it a midi or maxi length. You could either do this by adding a third tier, or you could simply lengthen the first tier (or both tiers).
- Skip the collar. If you want the Myosotis Dress look with the mandarin collar, only use the collar stand piece, but skip the collar itself.
Button-Up Dress from Peppermint Magazine
Photo credit: Peppermintmag.com. Download the pdf pattern Here.
This is a classic 90’s retro style dress that has so many possibilities. Peppermint Magazine gives you option to pay what you’d like for this pattern, or download for free. If you search the hashtag on Instagram, you’ll find many of them sewn up and worn as a jumper over T-shirts and tights. But this simple style also looks fabulous on it’s own for a casual spring or summer look. You could even make it in a fabric and color that could be interchangeable between the seasons! I’m thinking a natural linen, a lightweight denim.
This dress features flattering princess seams and a v-neck.
Basically the only modification I would make is to lengthen it to a midi or maxi length if you want a bit more coverage.
Jane Gathered Shirt Dress
Photo credit: Fabrics-Store.com. Download the free pdf pattern HERE.
What a gem of a pattern! In my opinion, this dress is basically perfect in style. It has a notched collar, short sleeves, pockets, and a full button front, which makes it so easy to get on and off. No struggling trying to put a dress over your head!
Make this up in any lightweight cotton or linen fabric. I would stay away from anything to heavy or flowy, as this could distort and pull on the button placket.
More Coming Next Week….
This post is already getting quite long. I can write about patterns and fabric forever, so I will save the rest for a part 2 (and possibly 3). Join me next week as I dive into more of the 8 free sewing patterns for spring and summer!
