Celebrate National Sewing Month With Easy To Sew E-patterns

Well-Suited Messenger Bag by Susan Wasinger. Tulip Skirt by Jenny Gordy. Facets Quilt by Blair Stocker. Zip Dot Hoodie by Jil Cappuccio.

Let’s Sew Together for National Sewing Month!

With the summer sewing season winding down, I’m looking forward to fall sewing. And since September is National Sewing Month, it’s the perfect time to share the kick-off to fall sewing with a new Stitch Sew-Along! As I was looking through past fall issues to pick pattern selections for you to vote on, I tried to choose patterns that would be fun and challenging to sew plus get you excited for the change of seasons.

Every pattern offers an opportunity to be creative by adding a personal twist on the original. So whether you follow patterns faithfully or use them as a base for experimentation and embellishment, I hope you will use these patterns to stretch your sewing imagination and skills.

Now it’s time to vote for the pattern you want to do most for our sew-along! The pattern with the most votes wins, and after a winner is chosen, you can join our sew-along forum here to track our progress and share questions and comments. We’ll be collecting votes until September 6th. I am really looking forward to sewing with all of you! Here are the contenders:

The Well-Suited Messenger Bag (Fall 2008 issue) designed by Susan Wasinger is a great unisex fall bag, perfect for back-to-school. Our version is made of wool tweed, but you could use any medium-weight fabric such as corduroy or home-decorator fabric. The bag is lined in cotton shirting fabric and has several interior pockets. Since it has lots of pieces and parts, it’s fun and interesting to sew.

The Tulip Skirt (Fall 2008 issue) by Jenny Gordy makes an ideal all-season skirt. It has great design details including the high waist, pleats, buttons, a tie, and contrast topstitching. Our version is sewn in heavyweight linen, but any medium-weight dress fabric with a bit of drape would sew up nicely.

The Facets Quilt (Fall 2010 issue) designed by Blair Stocker is a classic quilt with a twist. Our version is made with a variety of shades of denim cut from repurposed jeans to play up the subtle color changes. You could make this quilt in subtle shades of solids or play with prints for a more eclectic look. A cozy quilt is always great for fall, plus it’s a great way to use up scraps!

The Zip Dot Hoodie (Fall 2009 issue) by Jil Cappuccio will really get you ready for fall with a fun jacket for the cool days ahead. It features a quilted lining, pockets, contrast zipper, and colorful felt appliqué. We show it in plaid wool, making it a fun lesson in matching plaids. It would also be cute in a solid fabric.

You can find all these projects in our digital or print back issues, or get them individually from our Sew Daily ePattern store.

Happy sewing,