Whilst this is a great question, it’s rather tricky to answer as unfortunately there’s no definition of a “good” pattern that you can observe from the outside and apply as a formula, which is something that would make life easier for all of us.

Sadly the best way to know if a pattern is well drafted is to use it. Again this is a very subjective choice, as what is a great fit for one user may not work for another maker.

There are no standard blocks used across different sewing brands, and as a pattern block is the first step of every garment design, if the block used isn’t quite right for you, then all the patterns from that brand may not work for you, even if they are loved and reviewed well by others.

The good thing however is that because there is no one standard block used by everyone, just because you rule out one pattern brand doesn’t mean that you have to rule out all pattern brands.

• Make use of Online Sewing Communities:
  • Check out Forums, Facebook groups, and Reddit threads where other makers share their pattern experiences. For example The Foldline is a great pattern platform where you can search pattern reviews. Another place is pattern review dot com, a much older platform with masses of reviews even if the site itself is a little outdated
• Pattern Testing Groups:
  • Join groups that test and review patterns to gain insights on the patterns without investing in a purchase. by doing this, you’ll also learn about the instruction style and level of detail, as well as learning more about the expertise of the creator
• Check the about page of a pattern brand:
  • You should be able to see what experience/training they have on a pattern designer here. If they started sewing in lockdown they may be early stage career & that might not be great yet if you need a thorough set of instructions from an experienced pattern maker. This doesn’t mean early stage designers are bad, if like me you’re only interested in an interesting or unusual draft then a new designer may be just for you.

If when doing your research,  you can’t find any mention online of anyone else making the pattern, or you can’t see a lot of engagement from the designer on social platforms, this again that might indicate either a newbie pattern designer, or a lack of experience. And whilst this doesn’t mean those patterns are automatically “bad”  it might indicate the pattern company are still on a learning curve.

Look out for AI generated patterns

One thing worth mentioning in our modern time, is the rising use of AI across all industries including the sewing pattern industry. The Craft industry alliance recently wrote about the impact of ai on etsy products, and whilst it’s not specific to sewing patterns, it has lots of useful insights

My top tip if buying indie patterns from a platform like Etsy is to check the photos on the pattern listing. Should the listing not have many photos, or the photo is just one garment on one person then that might indicate it’s ai generated. Google the pattern and see if there are any pattern tester’s reviews. An ai product listing is unlikely to have been well tested.

PS– There is nothing wrong with using etsy to purchase sewing patterns, as it affords many new designers an easy way to sell their patterns when they get started without requiring a website and selling software. Often there are interesting designs available there that are unlike many other patterns

PS-  If  you’d like my exclusive sewing tips and tricks then don’t leave without becoming a Thrifty Stitcher “Insider”