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!
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!
Sew in right now?
Here’s a roundup of patterns that are currently popular on the printer, and some which I think should be on the printer!
Want to get printing?
Email your PDF pattern files through to hello@chchsews.com to get started.
Ora Pinafore
The Ora Pinafore is back in season. Available up to 119cm (46.8″) hip, this pattern is the last one which hasn’t been expanded to her new, larger sizing.
Aims Shirt
The Aims from Seamwork is a romantic button up with lovely gathers and dramatic sleeves. It’s available up to a 162cm (64″) hip
Love some romantic drama
Check out this recent roundup of patterns that are full of gathers, ruffles and dramatic sleeves.
Love the shirred look?
But don’t want to sew shirring in?
- Shirred cotton floral seersucker at TFS
- Lilac smocked crepe at Fabric Box
- White smocked knit at Fabric Box
Tie Dress
The Tie Dress from Sewing Therapy has been a popular pattern for printing recently! Available up to 137cm (54″) hip
Ormond Coat
The Ormond Coat is the latest pattern that’s part of the monthly In The Folds subscription and has been a popular print this month!
Looking for cosy outerwear?
- Outer layer sewing roundup
- Wet weather sewing patterns and an earlier roundup of rainwear
- Cosy Outers and some jacket/coat options in this Dupe This post
- Quilted Jacket roundup and a Chore Jacket roundup
Poppy Coat
The Poppy Coat from Make by TFS is cosy and dramatically oversized. Available up to 159.5cm (62.8″) hip
Kaia Coat
The Kaia Double-Faced Coat from Bella Loves Patterns is designed for use with double-faced coatings. Available up to 119 cm (46″) hip.
Double-faced coatings?
- Double-faced camel and blue check from The Fine Cloth Company
- Plaid and grey double-faced coating from Drapers Fabrics
- Houndstooth double-faced coating from Miss Maude
- Red & grey double-faced coating from Wellington Sewing Centre
- Bright yellow double-faced coating from The Fabric Store
Celine Bralette
The Celine Bralette from Closet Core Patterns is available up to 152.5cm (62″) full bust. As always, grab your findings from Nellie Joans.
Want to get printing?
Email your PDF pattern files through to hello@chchsews.com to get started. A0 printing is $6 per sheet.
Romantic drama?
Hello lovely makers, and apologies for the title on this one. If you come up with a better way to categorise this roundup, please let me know!
If you’re feeling gathers, ruffles, flounces, shirring, and quite romantic- this is the roundup for you!
Nepheline Blouse
The Nepheline Blouse from Vivian Shao Chen has B & D cup sizes and is available up to 157cm (62″) hip
Meadowood
The Meadowood from Straight Stitch Designs is available up to 153cm (60″) hip and comes in B and D cup sizes
Take your pick
The Edith Top from Fibremood on the left and the Bloomsbury Blouse from Nina Lee on the right
Boleyn Top
The Boleyn Top from Stitch Witch Patterns is available up to 132cm (52″) hip
Madhu Top
The Madhu Top from Seamwork is available up to 137cm (54″) bust
Feeling Loopy
Feeling Loopy from Forest & Thread is available up to 146cm (57.5″) full bust and can be made into a dress, a top and the mini crop top pictured (right).
Anthea Blouse & Dress
The Anthea Blouse and Dress from Anna Allen is available up to a 129cm (51″) hip
Juniper Wrap Top
The Juniper Wrap Top from Sycamore Road Patterns is available up to 165cm (65″) hip
There are cup size differences between the smaller and larger sizes.
Amalfi Blouse
The Amalfi Blouse from Sewing By Masin is available up to 142cm (56″) hip
Want to get printing?
Email your PDF pattern files through to hello@chchsews.com to get started. A0 printing is $6 per sheet.
More blazers
This week I realised that there were some classic blazers missing from my original blazer roundup, Blazer-ish workwear. Of course, this meant there was an opportunity for a whole new blog post!
Jasika Blazer
A classic choice, the Jasika Blazer from Closet Core patterns is available up to a 122cm (48″) hip.
Want blazer supplies?
For local options for blazer supplies check out Hawes and Freer. They have all the canvas and interfacing but also sleeveheads and a great selection of buttons!
Blazer
The Blazer pattern from Assembly Line is available up to 139cm (54″) hip
Keaton Blazer
The Keaton Blazer from Seamwork Patterns positions itself as a beginner-friendly blazer that is available up to 147cm (58″) hip
Want more patterns?
- Check out my original blazer roundup, Blazer-ish workwear!
- Free blazer from Mood
- Blazer pattern from Maria Denmark
- Le Blazer from Atelier Brunette
- Jorla Blazer from Fibremood
- Joni Blazer from Fibremood
- Evans Blazer (knit) from Hey June Handmade
- Blazers from Viki sews
Aava Tailored Blazer
The Aava Tailored Blazer from Named Patterns is available up to 112cm (44″) hip
Want to get printing?
Email your PDF pattern files through to hello@chchsews.com to get started. A0 printing is $6 per sheet.