Hello, readers!
It took us a little bit longer than we planned to put this together, but we’re happy to share the best curvy patterns of 2016 chosen by our readers.
Favorite Knit Dress Pattern
Winner: Cashmerette Turner Dress
Crafting A Rainbow/Cashmerette/Stahlarbeit
The Turner Dress was the big winner in this category at 43.5%. Readers love this curve-friendly knit dress that’s easy and quick to sew and wonderful to wear. The fit-and-flare silhouette looks great on almost all body types, and like all Cashmerette patterns, is available in bust cup sizes up to a G/H cup.
Runner-up: Cashmerette Appleton Dress
Always A Crafty Lady/Cashmerette/Thornberry
Once again, the Appleton Dress makes it in at 33.3%. Curvy sewers continue with their love for Cashmerette patterns and their easy fit. The Appleton was the first pattern released by Cashmerette back in 2016, and with its classic wrap-dress design, is proving to be a perennial classic for CSC readers.
Favorite Woven Dress Pattern
Winner: Cashmerette Upton Dress
Severine/Cashmerette/Nessa’s Place
The Upton Dress is a clear favorite in this category at 40.5%. The versatile Upton dress can go from casual to cocktail, depending on your fabric choice. Choose between two different necklines and either a gored or a pleated skirt to suit your personal style tastes.
Runner-up: McCall’s 6696 Shirtdress
Craftastrophies/McCall’s/Sew Manju
Another perennial favorite, McCall’s 6696 make to second place in this category at 21.8%. This was the pattern that was known as “Mary’s shirtdress” for a while, although it’s been made so many times by so many of our readers at this point, I think we can just start to think of it as the “CSC shirtdress”.
Favorite Knit Top Pattern
Winner: Cashmerette Concord T-Shirt
Lauren at Stonemountain & Daughter Fabrics/Cashmerette/Foxgloves & Thimbles
The Concord tee was the overwhelming winner in this pattern at 50.9%. With so much potential for design interpretations, it’s a quick staple to make. The Concord includes Cashmerette’s popular cup sizing, three different neckline options, three different sleeve options, and three different hemline options. We’ve even seen a number of CSC readers hack this pattern into a t-shirt dress.
Runner-up: Hot Patterns Weekender Swingy Sweatshirt
In second place at 21.9%, we have the Weekender Swingy Sweatshirt with its loose silhouette and shaping provided via panel seams and Dior darts, you can wear this top with leggings or skinny jeans. There’s also a dress view, which looks like it would be perfect for a “secret pajamas” option. Although a relatively new pattern, we’ve already seen some really cute versions of this pattern turning up on the HotPatterns Facebook group already.
Favorite Woven Top Pattern
Winner: Cashmerette Harrison Shirt
Sweet Carolanne/Cashmerette/Lauren Durr Designs
Our readers love the Harrison shirt, which came in at 47.9% vote in this category. Is it practically impossible for you to buy button-down shirts in ready-to-wear (RTW) because the shoulders and waist are huge if the bust fits, or if everything else fits, the buttons strain and gape? The Harrison shirt solves this frustrating issue for curvy sewists by providing pattern pieces that fit up to H-cups and double princess seams for lots of shaping. There’s even a newly-available hack pack to extend this blouse into a shirtdress.
Runner-up: Cashmerette Springfield Top
Cookin’ and Craftin’/Cashmerette/Bimble and Pimble
The Springfield top comes in at second place at 16.9% and is a great wardrobe builder. The drafting of the Springfield helps avoid the armhole gape problem that many curvy sewists encounter with other patterns for sleeveless and shell-style tops. Because the Springfield doesn’t use much yardage, this is a great choice for that special fabric that you’ve been holding onto but didn’t buy much of.
Favorite Skirt Pattern
Winner: Sewaholic Hollyburn Skirt
Always A Crafty Lady/Sewaholic/Show and Tell Meg
The Sewaholic Hollyburn skirt continues to be a favorite among our readers, coming in at 28.4%, winning this category for the second year in a row. What’s not to love–it’s a twirly skirt with pockets!
Runner-up: Colette Mabel
Mexican Pink/Colette/Foxgloves & Thimbles
In second place is the Colette Mabel at 24.7% — a easy to sew and wear curve-hugging knit skirt pattern in an inclusive size range. Drafted for beefy knits with stretch, such as ponte, the Mabel includes two different hem-lengths, a gored or straight view, and an optional faux button placket.
Favorite Pants Pattern
Winner: Closet Case Files Ginger Jeans
Suzy Bee Sews/Closet Case Files/Cashmerette
At 38.5%, Ginger jeans are a favorite of our readers. With their great sewalong on the designer’s site, this pattern showed many women that they could sew jeans. The Gingers include an option for a high-rise skinny jean and a lower-rise straight-leg jean. Many of the women who have made these have commented that these are the best-fitting pair of jeans they’ve ever worn.
Runner-up: Hot Patterns Fast and Fabulous Tailored Track Pants
Sweet Alchemy/Hot Patterns/happilycaffeinated
In second place are the Fast and Fabulous Tailored Track Pants at 29%. Released a few years ago, this pant pattern continues to be hugely popular among the HotPatterns Facebook group. With a slim-but-not-skinny leg silhouette, this versatile pattern can be made up in a woven or a knit and can be dressed up or down, depending on fabric choice.
Favorite Outerwear Pattern
Winner: Closet Case Files Kelly Anorak
Cookin’ and Craftin’/Closet Case Files
40.1% of our readers love the Kelly Anorak and its utilitarian feel. The Kelly is one of the few jacket patterns with a zipper closure and an optional hood. Make it up in a twill to mimic the military-inspired jackets that have been popular in RTW for the past few years, or use a waterproof fabric to make yourself a stylish rain jacket.
Runner-up: Closet Case Files Clare Coat
happily caffeinated/Closet Case Files
Our runner-up is another Closet Case Files pattern — the Clare Coat, at 19.8%. The Clare has two distinct views with two different neck options, and an option for a button-up coat or a zippered coat. If you’ve never made a lined coat before, the Clare is a great choice because of its comprehensive instructions and minimal tailoring required.
Overall Favorite Pattern of the Year
Winner: Cashmerette Concord T-Shirt
Sew Pretty in Pink/Cashmerette/81 grad Nord
After winning both the Favorite Knit Top category and Best Overall category, it’s clear that our readers love the Concord tee and it is the overall favorite pattern at 22.4%. The Concord is a versatile pattern that many sewists have altered and turned into tunics, dresses and even cardigans and hoodies! Amazing!
Runner-up: Hot Patterns Fast and Fabulous Draped Blouses
At 16.9%, the Fast and Fabulous Draped Blouse pattern came in as the runner-up. This versatile pattern includes two distinctly different views and can be made up in either a drapey woven or a knit. Like the HotPatterns Swingy Sweatshirt, the Draped Blouses are another relatively new HotPattern offering that have quickly gained a following among this company’s fans.
We had 557 responses to our final survey.
HotPatterns Discount Code
As a “thank you” to Curvy Sewing Collective readers, HotPatterns is offering a 20% discount code on all orders for the next two weeks (ending March 18, 2017). Simply enter the code “CSC20” at checkout to receive your discount!