Best Indie Pattern Companies
What is an Indie Pattern?
"Indie" means Independent!
At one time patterns were provided by a few major pattern companies. Known as "The Big 4" they included McCalls, Simplicity, Vogue, and Butterick. Other brands such as Kwik Sew were popular as well. Eventually one large company purchased all the others, so there was no real competition. Sizes were not particularly inclusive and sizing was often very inaccurate and vastly different from brand to brand.
Software has enabled independent (Indie) pattern makers to develop their own patterns to sell online in PDF form. You can either print the pattern on a home printer or send it to be printed on a large format printer much like house plans. Or, you can download an Indie pattern in a projector format, and project it directly onto your fabric with no need for a paper pattern!
Initially the Big 4 companies did not worry about competition from Indie pattern companies, but this has obviously changed. In the past few years, fewer paper patterns have been available to home sewists, and some of the Big 4 now offer digital downloads. We are a world of people wanting instant gratification...so being able to buy a pattern and print it immediately without leaving home is a big advantage.
Indie Pattern Makers are often highly skilled pattern makers working with a team of sewists that give feedback before a pattern is released. They design the pattern, digitize it so it can be shared via download, and create the instructions. This is a huge amount of work for one person, but many Indie Pattern Makers do just that.
Some Indie pattern companies do not have professional pattern-making skills, so they work with freelance pattern makers to bring their ideas to life. They may also work with independent graphic artists and other service providers to digitize their patterns so they can be made into downloadable versions for their customers.
Other Indie Pattern Makers become so successful that they can no longer do the work themselves, and rely on a team to share all the tasks involved.
The Best Indie Pattern Companies
Let me begin by saying that our list is not complete. This is because we are continually trying new Indie Pattern companies. Our list is consists of those we have tried and feel confident in recommending. As there are quite a few amazing Indie Pattern Companies, this list will take some time to build, so consider it a work in progress. We will continue to add to the list!
Do you have a favorite Indie Pattern that you've made with our fabrics? We would love to hear from you about it.
Are you an Indie Pattern Company that would like to get to know Discovery Fabrics better! Please reach out!
Our Favorite Indie Pattern Companies
The following list is not in any particular order. We have used many patterns from these Indie Pattern Companies and have been very happy with the results. In each make we have used fabrics from Discovery Fabrics, naturally!
Beneath each name we will list what we like the most about the company, as well as 1 or 2 of our favorite "go-to" patterns.
Styla Patterns
Liz King started her first pattern brand Little Lizard King for children's patterns. Although there are many patterns the brand was known for pretty dresses. LLK also has patterns for babies, and even dolls!
Styla is the Women's brand, and also has very pretty dress patterns. But Styla is versatile. They offer everything from casual athletic wear and swim to a few of our favorite outerwear patterns.
- Shown below is Liz modelling the Boulder leggings. This pair is made with our lovely Yoga Stretch. Yoga Stretch is a durable supplex nylon knit, similar to Lululemon Luon. Supplex nylon has a matte finish and feels quite cottony but is much more durable than cotton, and retains its shape better.
- We especially love the Kodiak Jacket Leslie (owner of Discovery Fabrics) is wearing below, which works well with so many of our softshell fabrics. In fact, we made a video explaining all the fabric choices we offer for this hip length jacket. Leslie is wearing a custom print made with Polartec Power Shield in one of our lightweight styles. We also recommend Pacific Tech Softshell for this pattern.
Styla and Little Lizard King are definitely two of our favorite Indie Pattern Companies!
Jalie Patterns
Jalie Patterns
We carry many of the Jalie Paper Patterns that are still available in paper format. For others, visit Jalie.
- Inclusive patterns with as many as 27 sizes per pattern. Often the same pattern can be used for kids or adults.
- Many athletic patterns, ranging from leggings and hoodies to swimwear and outerwear
- Sew-along videos
- Our favorite patterns include the Marie-Claude pullover, the Alex Pullover, and the Nico men's raglan. We have literally worn out these patterns from use! The Nico men's raglan is lovely when made with RedHeat Jersey or Polartec Silkweight Power Wool, but also in every other performance knit we carry!
- Helpful Facebook Group
Shown below are several Discovery Fabrics staff wearing the Jalie Dolman top made with ultra soft Bamboo Stretch Jersey. It is the easiest, fastest sew and uses very little fabric!
Also shown is the Alex pullover made with Polartec 200 Fleece.
Pattern Niche Patterns
- Patterns for the whole family. They describe them as "Leisure Chic" and we have to agree!
- Shown to the right is the Calgary Cardigan. We used Bamboo/Cotton French Terry...perfect for all seasons. Its warm yet lightweight.
- Our most-used pattern is the Summit Peak Hoodie...we have made it dozens of times from so many of our Polartec fleece fabrics, we could have done a complete blog on just this pattern alone! It is perfect for every season depending on the weight and warmth of the fabric used.
- Styles to fit all body shapes and genders
- Most patterns have projector format
- Helpful Facebook Group
- Shown below is the Summit Peak Hoodie made with water-repellent Polartec Windpro Stretch. Laurie loves it for riding because hay and hair do not stick to the smooth durable face of the fabric. The pink version is made with Polartec Alpha Direct and Polartec Power Grid. The Power Grid gives added stretch to compensate for the Alpha Direct having very little stretch. We love mixing fabrics!
Love Notions Patterns
- Lots of beginner-friendly designs
- Inclusive sizing
- Helpful Facebook Group
- Sewalongs to help you understand the sewing process.
- Many patterns include built-in adjustment options like a Full Bust Adjustment.
Shown below is the Juliet top made with natural Micro Modal Jersey. The detail is so cute! Next to that is the versatile Oakley Vest made with Polartec Windbloc, a beautiful softshell fabric that is highly wind and water repellent, and super breathable!
Thread Theory Patterns
- Vancouver Island designer (close to us) with well thought out designs. We hope they will increase their range for even more inclusivity.
- Favorite men's pant: the Jutland. Its especially fabulous made with Stretch Woven, as it adds just a bit of comfort and ease. But, there are so many more fabrics that completely change the function of the pant!
The pair of Jutland pants on the right were made for a Farrier (that's someone who shoes horses). He needed extra durability on the knees as the horse rests his hooves on his leg as he works, so we added Cordura. This fabric is Polartec Power Shield, which is highly durable and water repellent. It was a stretchy style bonded to soft fleece, so they are nice and warm, and very wind repellent. The same pair is shown below, worn by the farrier.
Also below is the Jutland pant made with Stretch Woven. We like the Adventure style as its durable and water repellent, and a perfect weight for work pants, hiking pants, or just every day adventure.
Note: while the Jutland pant does not call from stretch and can be made from many non-stretch woven fabrics, we've a bit of stretch just adds comfort.
Itch to Stitch Patterns
- Stylish, meticulously crafted patterns for women, emphasizing fit and comfort..
- Beginner to advanced skill levels
- Andes jacket is perfect for our outerwear fabrics such as Pacific Tech
- Hermosa shorts...my favorite!
Shown here made with Stretch Woven. We recommend Adventure Stretch Woven. For a lighter version, an option would be Surfer style of Stretch Woven fabric. Surfer is more of a board-short weight.
Pattern Adventure Custom Patterns
Birgit is a master tailor located in Denmark. She offers a unique service in pattern making. Her designs are mainly outdoor garments, especially pants. You input your pattern measurements from one of her styles, and receive a custom fitted pattern just for you!
Birgit also offers online classes to teach you how to make professional looking outerwear. We highly recommend her classes.
Shown below are 2 pair of custom fitted Pattern Adventure pants. The one on the left is made with Polartec Neoshell, a waterproof breathable shell that comes in many styles and weights.
The other is a pair made with Adventure style Stretch Woven, and feature a durable cordura knee patch.
Apostrophe Patterns
Apostrophe Patterns creates sewing patterns that are not based on standard sizes, but instead are auto-generated based on your unique measurements and sewing preferences, including stretch of fabric. There is no upper or lower limit for size entered, and access never expires. You can create as many projects as you like.
- Custom-fit patterns for anyone...this is an amazing company. No guesswork on sizing!
- Many patterns to choose from, and we can suggest the best high performance Discovery fabrics for each! For example, My Fit leggings - perfect for Breathe Tek, Yoga Stretch , or lighter weight Caress for summer!
- My Fit Tee Shirt pattern. We have so many fabrics for tee shirts, ranging from natural Bamboo Jersey and Micro Modal Jersey to high performance Polartec Power Dry and Polartec Delta. But, if you just want to try out a few, you may wish to get a Tank and Tee Pack, which is a variety of suitable fabrics to try out.
- Also offered by Apostrophe is the My Fit Underwear, Joggers, Raglan, Riding Tights and more! We offer variety fabric packs for many of the Apostrophe patterns.
To the right is a pair of My Fit Leggings made with Northern Lite Athletic, which has a soft brushed back.
Below is the My fit Raglan in both pictures. However this demonstrates how versatile this pattern is, because these fabrics are completely different in weight and stretch. The one on the left is a 50+ UPF sunshirt made with Breathe Tek Athletic. The one on the right is made with warm Polartec High Loft Fleece.
Note: All 3 garments were made by our special friend Karen Dean, who passed away since these were made. We miss her terribly. She was an inspiration to all of us in the sewing community. 💔
5 Out of 4
- Easy sews for the whole family
- Helpful Facebook group
- Inclusive sizes
- Lots of sew-along tutorials
Daniel shorts are my hubby's favorite. Shown to the right made with Bamboo French Terry. He's also wearing the Andy tank made with Polartec Power Dry in a lightweight style.
Shown below (left) is the Aspen Vest made by the late Karen Dean. Karen was always pushing the design envelope in her creativity with patterns. This one was made with Aerospace Tek, with some reflective detail. It was for dog-walking, and served to block the wind while being nice and lightweight.
To the right is the Redwood vest, courtesy of Jeannie Bush. It is made with a pre-quilted version of Polartec Alpha.
Wardrobe By Me
- Nice selection of patterns for the whole family
- Patterns for all skill levels
- Youtube channel for tutorials
- Great customer service
Shown below is the Rebel top made with sun-protective 50+ UPF Sun Lite Jersey. Very light and silky. To the right is the Mens fleece jacket pattern, made with Polartec Power Grid in a high warmth style.
Closet Core Patterns
Closet Core is one of the well-know Indie Pattern Companies.
- We stock a selection of these patterns that we feel are worthy of our lovely fabrics.
- We can recommend the Kelly Anorak, which is wonderful when make with Polartec Neoshell or Pacific Tech Softshell.
- You will also love the comfy Plateau Joggers, made with super soft Bamboo Fleece, Bamboo French Terry, or Polartec Micro Fleece.
- Some of the other patterns we stock include other jacket and pants/shorts patterns, and a few cute shirts and tops.
GreenStyle Creations
Greenstyle specializes in athletic patterns.
- Inclusive sizing
- Beginner Friendly
- Helpful Facebook Group
- Instructional Videos
We have so many options for fabric choices for all of the Greenstyle patterns, its hard to choose just a few pictures of the ones we've made. Shown here is the Trail Jacket made with Polartec Power Air, which we color blocked. Power Air is a high tech fleece. The fleece fibers are encapsulated in little pockets so you get all the benefits of fleece with no shedding!
Also shown is the Green Tee, made with sun-protective Sun Lite Jersey. Sun Lite is a favorite summer fabric because it is both functional, pretty, and feels amazingly soft.
Meine Herzenswelt Patterns
Meine Herzenswelt translates in English to "My Heart's World"
Ilona is a talented pattern maker from Germany. Although the instructions are in German, they are well designed. There is a Facebook group that was started just for translating the patterns, and its well worth joining if you want some help with understanding the pattern translations. Some of the patterns, especially outerwear, are not found elsewhere. These patterns are really worth the effort as the results are so professional.
Shown here is the Pablo, a 3 in 1 jacket style. We love this style because having 2 separate jackets that zip together means you can use each of them separately, so you get twice the use! For the inside jacket we love lightweight mid layer fabrics such as Polartec Power Grid. Polartec Power Wool, or Alpha Direct are also excellent choices for the inner jacket. For the outer jacket Polartec Neoshell is our recommendation. These jacket also come in kids sizes, so for those we also like to use Pacific Tech Softshell.
Also shown is the Pepe. The other jackets we love are too numerous to show, so we encourage you to visit the site to see the selection, then check back with us for fabric choices.
