Favorite patterns

I thought I would write today about my favorite web based patterns. These 3 websites offer patterns on REAL paper, not the flimsy tissue stuff you can use maybe once from pattern makers such as Simplicity or McCall's.

First there is Amy Ringger. I bought dresses and skirts from her before I started teaching myself how to sew. She actually has made it quite easy for the beginner sewer to learn, especially with the prairie skirt pattern.
The patterns I have bought from her are the prairie skirt, peasant blouse, and the bloomers/pantaloons.
With the prairie skirt, it is very simple to add length to make it maternity. With the peasant blouse I have made a maternity shirt and nursing nightgown for me. Tabitha has 2 nightgowns also from this pattern. The bloomers/pantaloons pattern Tabitha has a pair of bloomers that make wearing dresses for a very active 5 year old a must. Grady hasn't been left out. I have made him 2 pair of night pants out of the b/p pattern, you just don't put elastic on the bottom hem and they are straight pants!

Second is Common Sense patterns. I just recently made the drawstring dress pattern into a maternity / nursing dress with very few alterations, but if you are not pregnant or nursing, the dresses without alteration would still be wonderful.

Finally, I have not had a chance to buy any patterns from King's Daughters yet, but they also have real printed paper patterns and I am hoping to eventually have most of my children's wardrobe made from these patterns. I especially like the dresses with the pinafores. The pinafores are like a apron and help to keep the under dress nice and stain free. I am planning on making the pinafores out of broadcloth so that if they get too stained they are very inexpensively replaced. The dresses I am planning on using calico and quilting weight fabrics to make them last. I also like that they have infant sizes also. The dresses are just adorable and I have never seen a pattern anywhere else that you can make cotton knit leggings which are unisex, so that baby's legs stay warm in cold weather.

I'm not saying that I haven't bought other patterns, I just prefer the heavy weight paper to the thin tissue that is sent in commercial patterns. I do have a pattern I am currently working on that has infant knit gowns and accessories from preemie to 18 months. I am slowly cutting out every size so that if we are blessed with more children, I can make any size gown in about 2 hours.

On a side note, I find that infants wearing gowns are the most convenient for all those diaper changes, especially if they are not crawling yet and more frequent diaper changes with cloth diapering.

Some may say it is too expensive to buy each pattern for every size, but that is where a little planning come in. I buy felt at Jo Ann Fabrics when it is 50%+ off and then (yes it takes a little more time) I start cutting out each pattern biggest to smallest, so that I have every size that pattern has at my disposal when ever I need it, basically forever. I don't have to worry about a wrinkled or ripped pattern. I also label every piece I cut so that if they ever get out of order I still know what it is. I also keep separate pattern pieces in Ziploc bags to keep them together along with the pattern instructions. In the long run, making felt pattern pieces will save you tons of money, especially if you use it quite a bit. Plus there are no pin holes to worry about either!