I’ve been really busy building my stash of new sewing patterns to try!
I had a bunch already but with all my weightloss this past year none of them were the size I needed so my hubby said I should restock! {I love that man!}
I’m always looking to save money so I set out a strategic plan to stock up.
The best sale on the big 4 (Simplicity, Butterick, McCall’s and Vogue) sewing patterns is always at Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Store. {I just call it Jo-Ann’s.} You can sign up to get their mailer at your local store. You fill out a card and it can take a while to get the first one but it is awesome! You get all the upcoming sales right to your mailbox so you can plan a future shopping trip. Say, if your Jo-Ann’s is a 40 minute drive (like it is for me!) or if you need to budget for your shopping trip ahead of time.
{Note: I have no affiliate relationship with Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Store. I bought all these patterns with my money and wrote this post because I felt like it. But I did used to work there when I was a law school student years ago!}
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| McCall’s, Vogue and New look haul from last week’s sale. |
To decide which patterns to buy I do some online research from the comfort of my own home so I go in with a plan and a list of exactly what it is I need to get. That way I can be in and out of the store. We all know what happens when we hang around a fabric store for too long, right?!
A great online source for looking up pattern reviews is PatternReview.com. I love reading through the different reviews to see what others thought of it, if the instructions were easy to follow and what were popular alterations of modifications people suggest. I check all that out before I decide to get the pattern for myself.
Then I write down pattern numbers. I make a list of the ones I want for each of the Big 4 companies. Then I look and see when each of them will be on sale at Jo-Ann’s.
Last week I bought some McCall’s patterns. They were on sale for $1.99 each. This weekend I took advantage of their President’s Day Sale and stocked up on Simplicity patterns. They are $1 each!! Or 5 for $5… and the limit is 10. Later this month Butterick and McCall’s patterns will be on sale – 5 for $7! Vogue patterns usually go on sale for $4.99 each.
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| Simplicity patterns I picked up this weekend for $1 each! |
If you are looking to get into garment sewing or need a new wardrobe get your patterns when they are on sale! For $10 you could have enough patterns for a brand new closet! I especially love patterns that have 4-6 different looks that you can really make your own. The more variety, the better. Something else I have been known to do is buy a few of each pattern so I don’t have to spend the time copying and tracing it to paper. To save time I will just cut into the original and I’m not worried because I have another original in my stash. At $1 per pattern… it’s definitely worth my time! If you look at the regular price of these patterns {see pic above} you’ll easily see that it would cost you a fortune to buy this many of them! So go stock up!
What sewing patterns are on your must-sew list for 2014? Let me know by leaving a comment!
Sandy Petersen
I do something similar. Whenever the new ones come out I look at it ahead of time and create a note on evernote. That way when they do go on sale, I am ready to go right away. I try to get to my store soon after the sale begins or else risk not being able to get the pattern. I also use Pattern Review.com – wonderful site to belong to.
Hewy Dewy Lewy
~CG~
I only purchase my patterns on sale. By the looks of things, we have some of the same patterns. I pre-shop for my patterns by visiting the pattern company website. I write down what I like, so when I get to the store, I don’t have to look high or look low. I know what I want. I also get patterns ideas from Mimi G. Style. She’s an awesome seamstress (as you are an awesome quilter). I’m sooo looking forward to seeing tutorials of all the garments you’ll be creating.
#SewGoodSewCreative
marysews
I research on PatternReview and the pattern company web sites.
I keep a spreadsheet of the patterns I own – and want. The “Have” column contains the values “Have” and “W,” so I filter by “W” to print only the patterns I want when i go to the sales.
Lucy S
I do the same exact thing. I want to thank you for your post on Sunday about the Jo-ann’s sale. I was planning on going to Jo-anns this week to get some more patterns. I did catch the online pattern sale last week. I checked their site Sunday morning early and they didn’t have the new flyer up. When I logged into facebook and saw your post I immediately called them to confirm the simplicity pattern sale and I was off and running with my list in hand. I was so happy it was simplicity because they never go on sale online. I walked out of there 15 patterns happier. I can’t wait to see all your new garments.
Sarita
I do the same when I have the feeling I am going to repeat a pattern. I buy more than one when it on sale. I hate tracing unless it from a book like burdastyle.
WANNASEW
Hi there! When I took advantage of my first pattern sale (JoAnn’s and McCalls) late summer, I did the same thing. I went online, went to the beginner, easy (each company has a different name). however, because I’ve GAINED weight over the past 9 months, I have to make sure the plus size covers at least of my measurements. Some of the patterns I liked DIDN’T come in a plus size but it was all good cause it saved me time when I got to the store. I also made sure I either had the fabric OR it was a fabric I’d be comfortable sewing as a beginner.
I want to learn tracing in case I lose the weight. I agree if the pattern is over half off then it’s worth buying more than one :-). From two sales in the late summer/early Fall, I have enough to last me for a minute. GREAT TIPS–thank you. Love your site and beginner tutorials on youtube. 🙂
WANNASEW
PS: Forgot to mention:I don’t have a list per say. Just taking things stitch at a time. My goal is to learn the time when the various pattern companies have these sales. I’m on ALL of the big 4 email list (I prefer email as opposed to paper–my experience is you get the email quicker than the snail mail) and the paper version has the same info as the email-plus the email leads you right to their site for more details). My goal is to learn from patterns, you tube, sewing blogs, and I also have a couple from MimiG (as one person mentioned) 🙂
Diana B
I always wait for the JoAnn’s sale to get my patterns. You can’t beat those prices. And I love seeing the garments on real people over at pattern review. It gives you a better idea if the pattern will work for you.