Blog - ChCh sews

Warm weather makes

As the weather warms up, it’s the perfect time to start thinking about warm-weather garments so that you can have them ready to go when the heat hits.

I also find that I sometimes hate a project as soon as I’ve finished it, but a cooling-off period of a month (or two) usually sees me come round to its charms. So, I sew them early so I have time to love them again before they’re needed!

Here’s a roundup of some great PDF indie sewing patterns for summer!

Andi Set

The Andi Set from Swim Style Patterns is Top and Skirt combo pattern which has sleeved and sleeveless options for the top. It’s available up to 60″ or 152cm hip

“The Garden at Bougival” by Berthe Morisot

Dew Top and Dress

The Dew Top and Dress from Friday Pattern Company is a cowl neck top and cocoon-hem dress for knit fabrics. It’s available up to 60”/152cm bust

“Villa with Orange Trees, Nice” by Berthe Morisot

Pyrmont Skirt

The Pyrmont Skirt from Muna and Broad is a woven skirt with a flat-front waistband, a comfortable elastic back and inverted box pleats that are proportional throughout the size range.

Blomma Tank

The free Blomma Tank from Paradise Patterns comes with B and D-cup options. It’s available up to 62”/157.6cm hip

You can get the Blomma Tank pattern for FREE! Just go to www.paradisepatterns.com and sign up to the email list, to be sent a link to download!

Howerdel Skirt

The Howerdel Skirt from Elbe Textiles is a midi-length skirt that is fitted at the waist with an invisible
zipper in the side seam and a lined top tier. It’s available up to 153cm/60.2″ hip

Hallon Dress

The Hallon Dress from Paradise Patterns is a summery swingy dress with a deep back and ruffle hem. It has B and D-cup options and is available up to 59″/150cm bust and 61″/155cm hip

Chloe Dress and Top

The Chloe Dress and Top from Silver Saga Patterns is available up to 138cm or 54.3″ hip and 130cm or 51.2″ bust. Designed for lightweight woven fabrics, this pattern has sleeved and sleeveless options and also an option for button-front.

Elwood Dress

The Elwood Dress from In The Folds includes lantern sleeve and sleeveless options, and in-seam pockets. It’s available up to 181cm/71.25″ bust and 184cm/72.5″ hip

Gibbons Slip Dress

The Gibbons Slip Dress from Aussie-based Elbe Textiles is a bias-cut dress with multiple neckline, back, and length options. It’s available up to 147.5cm/58.5″ bust and 153cm/60.2″ hip

Melba Dress

The Melba Dress from Muna and Broad is a versatile V-neck dress for woven fabrics with in-seam pockets and easy-to-sew mitered hems.

Want more summery inspo blogs?

Summer Holiday Sewing
Summer Sewing Patterns from Aotearoa
New-ish from NZ has lots of summer projects
Cotton lawn projects roundup
Sewing Swimwear patterns
Swim into Spring has more swim options
Free Tees
Oversized Shirt patterns

Cove Slip Dress

The Cove Slip Dress from Les Perlines has a bias skirt with a sleeveless, short and long sleeve option, as well as 2 different lengths. It’s available up to 140cm (55 1/8’’) bust and 153 cm (60 ¼’’) hip

Matilda Dress

The Matilda Dress from Cool Stitches is available up to 153.7cm (60.5″)

This new-to-me pattern company has some great fashion-forward sewing patterns.

Want to get printing?

Email your PDF pattern files through to hello@chchsews.com to get started. A0 printing is $6 per sheet.

Aotearoa Sewing patterns

I love to keep an eye on the releases from NZ sewing pattern companies, and I’m sure you do too!

In case you missed them, here are some of the new-ish releases that caught my eye(s).

Julia Dress

The Julia Dress from Liam by Ruby is pure summer. There’s 3 views in this floaty A-line dress pattern and it’s available up to 155cm (61″) hip

Vista Top

The Vista Top from Twig and Tale is a V-neck darted top with sleeve options. It’s available up to 183cm (72″) hip

Ray Pinafore

The Ray Pinafore from Paper Theory is a trapeze-shaped pinafore dress with 3 different strap options. It’s available up to 165.5cm (65″) hip

Eileen Barrel Pants

The Eileen Barrel Pants from Muna and Broad are an elastic-waist pants with a darted back fit. It’s available up to 181.5cm (71.5″) hip

Charlotte Skirt

The Charlotte Skirt from The Bold One is a beginner-friendly elastic-waist skirt. It’s available up to 153cm (60.2″) hip

Cooper Barrel Jeans

The Cooper Barrel Jeans from Muna and Broad are subtle barrel-shaped jeans with a zip-front and generous pockets. It’s available up to 181.5cm (71.5″) hip

Plains Dress

The Plains Dress from Twig and Tale is a classic shirt dress with 2-views and both have pockets! It’s available up to 183cm (72″) hip

Want to get printing?

Email your PDF pattern files through to hello@chchsews.com to get started. A0 printing is $6 per sheet.

Shirts for men

Interested in finding some shirt patterns for men? Here’s a roundup of options!

The Cornell Shirt from Elbe Textiles is a relaxed-fit shirt pattern with options for a button-up front or a pop-over placket. The Cornell has a drop shoulders and a classic grandpa collar.

Also from Elbe Textiles, the Sanders Button Up is a semi-fitted shirt with back waist shaping, a collar and a great front yoke (with options for pockets).

The Fairfield Button Up from Thread Theory is a button-up shirt with all of the classic details and a modern, moderately slim fit.

The Gosling Shirt from Mimi G Style is a slim-fit shirt with modern details.

The Arbor from Merchant & Mills is both a jacket and a shirt. Workwear inspired, this shirt has a boxy style fit.

Also from Merchant & Mills, The Ludlow is a unisex pullover smock with integrated pocket.

The Jensen Shirt from Wardrobe by Me is a relaxed fit button-up pattern with traditional details, including button placket, classic collar with a stand, cuffed sleeves, and a back yoke.

The Cameron Button Up from Helen’s Closet is dartless and has a boxy fit from the chest to the hip. There’s a collar, collar stand, front button placket, and optional chest pocket.

Also from Helen’s Closet, the Tofino Top is an oversized, loose-fitting woven shirt with a relaxed silhouette and laid-back vibe. It features a classic camp collar, dropped shoulders, and a button-up front.

Want to get printing?

Email your PDF pattern files through to hello@chchsews.com to get started. A0 printing is $6 per sheet.

Sweater roundup

It’s autumn and I’m thinking about sweaters! Of course, I’ve already got a couple of sweatshirt roundups on the ChCh sews blog, so here’s a roundup of the roundups!

ChCh sews sweater roundups

Not the usual sweaters

On the hunt for a pattern which isn’t just your regular sweater? These aren’t like regular sweaters. They’re unique, they’re unusual, they’re nice.

If that’s how you like your sweaters, this is the roundup for you!

Ada Sweater

The Ada Sweater from Euro indie pattern designer Schnittchen comes with sizes for women, men, and children

Cosy cord

Cool weather calls for cosy sewing! Here, I’ve rustled up some of the best places to buy corduroy fabric in New Zealand AND some of the patterns I think would pair excellently with cosy cord!

Cobden Chore Jacket

The Muna and Broad Cobden Chore Jacket in corduroy may well be my main plan for the next couple of months!

Summer Holiday Sewing

It’s getting hot- summer sewing it here! Here is a roundup of roundups, full to the brim of pattern inspiration!

Sleepwear!

Every summer I start to think about sleepwear. Lots of crisp cotton robes, and piped traditional PJs thoughts.

If you’re looking for PJs and robe pattern inspiration, here on the ChCh sews blog we’ve got Loungeables roundup, Sleepwear roundup, Giftables roundup (includes a list of robe patterns)

Aprons!

What better way to do as little laundry as possible than having an Apron to protect your me-mades (or someone else’s)! Roundup of patterns (including many free options) here.

More shirts roundups?

Your new bag?

What could be a better palate cleanser that a project which doesn’t need any ‘fitting’?!

Check out Sewing for the Outdoors (lots of free practical bags), Bags to Sew, the ChCh sews pie carrier bag, Sewing Gifts for Men, Scrap-busting Sewing Patterns, Free giftable projects, and 20 free Christmas Gift patterns.

Sun hats

It’s best to stay sun smart, because ‘no hat, no play’! Find a roundup of hat sewing patterns here.

Want more?

Summer Sewing Patterns from Aotearoa
New-ish from NZ has lots of summer projects
Cotton lawn projects roundup
Sewing Swimwear patterns

Want to get printing?

Email your PDF pattern files through to hello@chchsews.com to get started.

Perfect Apron sewing pattern

Aprons are generally speedy projects and make great gifts. In the leadup to gifting season, I’ve rounded up a few Apron sewing patterns for all of the family!

The Apreon

This cross-back apron, the Apreon comes in Small Child (3-8yrs), Smaller Adult, and the usual Muna and Broad size range (up to 71.5″ hip).

NZ Bargain fabric finds

Sometimes I find really great deals on fabric in nz, and I want to tell someone and I channel that feeling into a blog post so that you can have the benefits of my obsessive hobby of keeping track of all the cool fabric stores in nz! Here are some of my favourite local nz fabric shops, and some of the absolute bargains I’ve spotted at them recently!

The Fabric Shop

Different to The Fabric Store, the Fabric Shop is based in Ōtara and is a great discount fabric store who I have shopped with a few times now.

Pictured above, this washer cotton (the exact washer cotton which I have purchased from other retailers at a higher price) has just landed in their store for $12 per metre. Easy to sew with, and perfect for sewing lovely summer layers, this fabric is perfect for summer tops and dresses and at that price you can afford to do those fabric-heavy patterns with lots of gathers!

They also have a great variety of colours of cotton double-gauze ($14p/m), which is really lovely to wear (but always a pain to sew with)!

You’ve seen the dress in the window at World- grab the fabric from Fabric Shop!

The Fine Cloth Company

Not a discount fabric store per se, but with very well priced fabrics (and there’s often a bargain to be had): The Fine Cloth Company. If bright orange is your colour, then this $15p/m tencel is for you! Their current new arrivals include a lot of prints that I haven’t seen anywhere else in NZ- which is relatively rare in NZ where there’s often a common source for fabrics in many stores.

Use this link to save $25 when you order from them, and I’ll also get $25!

Fab Fabrics

Fab Fabrics is another Auckland-based discount fabric store. They often have a surprising selection of ‘fancy’ fabrics and silks at great prices!

Below, left to right cotton coral broderie $12p/m, unique daisy lace $50p/m, cotton/silk lawn $5p/m

Nick’s Fabrics

Another Auckland-based discount fabric store, Nick’s Fabrics. Strangely, they don’t have any options to sort their fabrics but if you click here it will order from newest to oldest or click here for cheapest to priciest.

Below left to right, viscose sage self check (also available in black) $15p/m, Liberty tana lawn $12p/m, pinhole merino jersey $10p/m

Backstreet Bargains

Based in Hamilton, Backstreet bargains often has…. bargains! I grabbed 5m of this floral viscose at $3p/m a while back (sold out now, sorry), and this stretch lace which was $3p/m for quite a while (now sold out). I generally check what’s new, their bulk bargains, their specials and their clearance to keep up-to-date. They’ve got some great new rayon prints (The Fabric Store have a lot of the same prints).

The life cycle for fabrics at Backstreet seems to be that you might see certain fabrics in print in some Auckland-based Draper stores (cough) or local fabric stores and then you’ll see them a few months later at Backstreet for an absolute steal. Looking at you floral viscose.

Your local emporium

My Christchurch-local Tom’s Emporium has been my recent go-to for finding bargain fabrics! There was an article on the Spinoff recently about the history behind the emporiums, with many across the country being involved in bulk buying agreements and then sharing the goods between them, which is true also of fabrics!

My local emporium (and probably yours too) has a great selection of knits that they bulked purchased when a local brand moved manufacturing offshore post-covid, and then they shared the fabrics across the NZ emporiums! It’s well worth a visit if you have one local to you!

Want to get printing?

Email your PDF pattern files through to hello@chchsews.com to get started.

Toasty sweaters

It’s that time of the year where NZ houses are often colder than the outside temperatures, and we start to pop on merino turtlenecks and seek out cosy sweaters- or is that just me? Regardless, here’s 11 sweaters to keep you toasty!

Toaster Sweater

What could be toastier than the Sew House Seven Toaster Sweater #1 and #2? In straight size and their curvy size range too. This pattern remains a popular one for printing!