Indie patterns are on the rise, and with that, more and more patterns are hitting Etsy, makerspace, individual websites, and local sewing shops. With that rise, means that the variety of pattern types are out there. (i.e. some of these patterns are written well, and some…not so well) Here on my blog, I want to share pattern reviews from the eyes of a previous technical designer and sewing professional. To help make that process easy, I’ve created a needle point system to help you know if a pattern is worth the fabulously delicious fabric you’ve hoarded away for the perfect project.
The needle point system is as follows:
🪡 1 Pin: Sew Over It
- Pattern Quality: Poorly constructed or confusing instructions.
- Fit: Needs major alterations to fit correctly; measurements aren’t accurate.
- Ease of Use: Requires high skill or experience to follow; unclear markings.
- Final Result: Not worth the effort; might turn out differently than advertised.
🪡🪡 2 Stars: Sew-So
- Pattern Quality: Instructions lack clarity and require lots of interpretation.
- Fit: May fit okay but usually requires some modifications.
- Ease of Use: Challenging for beginners; advanced sewists may manage with effort.
- Final Result: Achievable but doesn’t look exactly as expected without adjustments.
🪡🪡🪡 3 Stars: Sew Far, Sew Good
- Pattern Quality: Instructions are okay but could use improvement.
- Fit: Fits close to measurements; minor alterations might be needed.
- Ease of Use: Doable for intermediate sewists; beginners might struggle a bit.
- Final Result: Decent outcome with some tweaking; worth trying with patience.
🪡🪡🪡🪡 4 Stars: Sew Close to Perfect
- Pattern Quality: Well-drafted, with mostly clear instructions.
- Fit: Matches measurements well; requires minimal alterations.
- Ease of Use: Accessible to intermediates; beginners can follow with patience.
- Final Result: Good outcome and satisfying to sew; project looks close to images.
🪡🪡🪡🪡🪡 5 Stars: Stitch Goals
- Pattern Quality: Excellent construction, with clear and thorough instructions.
- Fit: Fits as expected with accurate measurements.
- Ease of Use: Easy to follow for most levels; even beginners can tackle confidently.
- Final Result: Great outcome, looks like images, and is a fun and satisfying project
How to use the needle point system
What you are reading a pattern review, the needle point rating system will be listed at the top of the page, generally under the title. Just a heads up, this is not a system to rate how easy to sew the patterns are. This system is to rate the quality of the pattern. I find a quality pattern that is well written, designed, graded, and prepared is an easy pattern to sew. Please also note, these are just my opinions as a technical designer and fashion design instructor. These reviews are meant to help you make an educated decision if you’d like to sew the pattern based on details that you may not find in the reviews of the listings.
As someone who works in the industry, I love seeing more and more people fall in love with pattern making and sharing that love through selling their completely unique patterns. My hope is that these pattern reviews and this needle point system will help sewists of all levels make educated decisions to ensure the success of their sewing projects. (Because let’s be real, fabric is NOT cheap today!)
