Have sewing patterns got this high ?? LOL
 

I saw a darling Mexican style dress for a little girl at a Flea Market last week. Didn't buy it, but can't get it off my mind. I looked for a sewing pattern on eBay and found a child size Simplicity pattern (new, uncut) for the tidy sum of $250.00!!! I'll pass, thank you.

They might as well all be this price as far as I'm concerned, I'm not paying $12-$18 for a few pieces of tissue paper either!! They've pretty much priced themselves right out of most sewing rooms as far as I can see.

Jan, I do agree. If Joann's has them on sale, I will buy something that looks good. I got a number of patterns when Hancock went out of business, so I am set for now.

besides being too expensive, I'm not thrilled that there's a dozen sizes on one pattern--seems like that by doing that they aren't fitting as well. when you can purchase such cheap (and cheaply made) clothing, sewing clothes seems silly--I would rather be quilting!

Here's an import that you might like that's already made. You might be able to figure out a pattern by looking at the dress. http://leosimports.com/girlsmexicodr...FdgKgQodVdAB5g

Simplicity will sometimes have out of print patterns available on their website. I did hunt down a pattern you could modify http://www.simplicity.com/new-look-p...gths/6444.html You'll need a bit more fabric because you are adding two ruffled skirt pieces instead of the straight skirt shown on the pattern.

Edited to add that I've also modified a top pattern to make a dress.

I didn't realize how high the prices of patterns had become until my daughter wanted a simple flared skirt and we thought the best way to go was to make it. But when we found the price of the pattern, the zipper, fabric, thread, etc. we could go to Nordstrom's and buy one.
And I don't like the one pattern for 5 sizes. At least in quilting you are just adding blocks, in patterns you have to determine which line to use.

There is a new book out called "The Tunic Bible" that you can make any size, any style tunic you'd like. The authors also have a great blog with examples of different styles. Many patterns, one price, very stylish. You can also draft your own from something in your wardrobe you love that fits well.

Too expensive. But look at the price o quilting patterns=also ridiculous most of the time. But, of course, the major problem is the idea that you can only use a pattern once and not share it with someone else unless you technically break the law. Fortunately, places like Hobby Lobby have super sales on patterns once and a while. I usually buy several.

Maybe they forgot to put the decimal point in....such as 2.50 or 25.00...in that case it automatically goes to 250.00. Contact the seller and ask them if the 250.00 is the actual price.

Years ago when I lived in Florida, I'd wait for JoAnne's to have their sale on their patterns. Then I'd sit down at their table and go thru all the pattern books, write down the pattern #'s I wanted and stock up. Sometimes I'd go a day or two ahead as others were getting the same idea.

It's crazy what you pay for tissue paper ,

There is absolutely no legal reason not to use a pattern more than once. If someone added that verbiage to their pattern, it is not enforceable. You can also give or sell the pattern to someone else when you are done with it. (But don't keep a copy.)

I don't sew clothing anymore since I'm not talented enough to get a good fit and can find what I usually wear (jeans and a t-shirt) pretty easily elsewhere. But some of the fabrics in my stash would look so nice made into a blouse - makes me think.

oh my goodness! no way!! I bought a long bathrobe pattern off ebay for about $25.00 mainly because i couldn't find one elsewhere. but not $250.00!!!

I only purchase patterns on sale at JoAnn's ($1.99) now if their is a pattern I really want and I find it on ebay I never go over $8.00 and that price includes the shipping. The patterns I purchase on ebay are out of date very old.

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*** Yes, patterns are outrageous. They were 29 cents when I started sewing.
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*** Wait until JAF of Hobby Lobby puts them on sale for $1. or $1.99 (limit 5) and get them then.
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*** That is the only time I can afford to buy them.
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*** That is about $50. worth for $5.
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maybe the decimal was in the wrong place,
most patterns are $12-18, but i buy mine on sale for $1.

I only buy patterns when JoAnn's has then on special, McCall's, Simplicity, etc. for $1.99 or so, I can't afford them otherwise on our fixed income. I wonder if anyone ever buys those patterns for the price on the pattern, as I certainly would not.

You see ridiculously high prices on Ebay because the seller is out of stock, but doesn't want to have to make a new listing later. The high price is their 'place holder' until they get more stock. They know you won't buy at that price, so they don't need to worry about not being able to fulfill an order when they are OOS. When they get more stock they will adjust the price back to normal.

You are paying for a lot more than tissue paper. The paper is only the 'vehicle' to get the information to you, info such as where to cut, how many to cut, grainline and how to sew. Have you ever drawn out your own patterns for a garment? They would be worth so much more than the paper you drew them on.

I buy my patterns at JoAnns on sale. When I'm doing garment sewing, I don't want to spend time trying to make my own patterns so i just buy one. I like the multiple sizes on one pattern. It makes it easier to use one size for the top and one for the bottom. If I want to redo things using the multiple sizes keeps everything in line.

I should add that $250.00 for a pattern is ridiculous. I don't know if it was one of those eBay weird listing like the $24,000 sewing table or a typo or what.

I have seen some outrageous prices for patterns on eBay too. Like 80 bucks for the rag turtle blanket pattern. :shock:

When sewing clothes for the Grand kids I usually buy 2 of the same pattern when on sale (5 for 5). Same with patterns for adults, since my weight goes up and down.

Didnt think about that, will try

If you live near a Hobby Lobby, they have Simplicity patterns for 99 cents,sale ends today, so that means in about a month, Mc Calls will be that price.

What is the # of the pattern , someone on here might have it ?

I will never pay the high prices that the patterns are going for now. I go in JoAnn's and look thru the patterns and write down #'s of patterns that I would like and wait until they go on sale for 99 cents each. I can remember showing my grandma a picture of a prom dress I wanted her to make for me and she would just get a newspaper out and draw up a pattern and make the dress pattern out of muslin first and make adjustments and then I would visit her and she would have a beautiful dress made out of my choice of fabrics. Let's just go back in time and enjoy sewing the way it used to be. I think I was born in the wrong era!!!

Take some time and go thru the catalogs online (Simplicity.com, McCalls.com, etc). List the pattern numbers you like. Then when JAS has the 5 for $5 sale, take in your list and get the patterns. Warning, many folks do this so you may not find all the ones you want, so make the list bigger than you planned on. My girls were different sizes, but when the patterns were only $1 each, I would splurge and buy 2 instead of playing with the 2 sizes in one. If you do a lot of apparel sewing, it would be beneficial to buy a basic form pattern and just play with making changes to it - different necklines, sleeve types, waistlines, etc.

I only buy patterns on sale at JoAnns. I haven't been very happy with the last few I bought. I made some PJpants from a parttern. My measurements, hip, waist etc matched the pattern. They were HUGE. Luckily I could cut them down.
I don't do much garment sewing any more.

I agree with Lindaschipper. It's GOT to be a mistake. That's just ridiculous.

I don't shop Ebay, but I do agree that price is ridiculous. I paid $7.98 for the last Simplicity pattern I purchased and that was in Walmart. They also have McCall's patterns, some for $4.98 and some for $2.95 (I think those are the prices I saw, but somewhere in that neighborhood.) I WISH we had a JoAnn's store closer than an hour away! Used to have one only 15 minutes away, but that store closed when Walmart was built.



I WISH we had a JoAnn's closer than an hour away! The last pattern I purchased was $7.98 at Walmart ...

I agree 100%. Something else to consider is that many apparel patterns include several garment, and all include versions of at least one garment (different necklines, sleeves, etc.), so good patterns are used over and over again to create different garments/outfits. There's a lot of value in a go-to pattern.

As for having multiple sizes per pattern, as others mentioned, I'm thankful for them! Quilters who haven't sewn much apparel may not realize it, but one very seldom gets a good fit just following a pattern. Achieving a good fit often requires using more than one of the marked sizes as well as making adjustments to the pattern itself.

I kept my old stash of basic patterns. They are great for creating a modification from.

I agree that you can find some really expensive patterns but....you can find some others that are a low price or free. Most of the stores sell some of the quick patterns and some of them are only a few dollars. I recently downloaded a free hoodie pattern and have made two hoodies so far and now they have a pattern for the sweatpants. There are lots of free ones on the net as well.

As far as the sizing, patterns still go by old school sizing. Meaning, they didn't change their sizing to match people's ego. If you used to buy a size 10 pants and due to ego sizing you now wear a 6, still buy the 10 for the pattern. We are all made different and due to that many sizes are included, it would cost more if they made a different pattern for each size because they'd be making more patterns so more paper, instead of just adding more sizes to the existing pattern. Plus, one person might be a 10 on the top and a 6 at the waist, by having the sizes and the measurements all in the same pattern you can alter the pattern easier and get it sized to your size. I made pj's for kids from age 1 to 10 and an adult, thanks to the sizing being included, I made them for 6 kids/adults and only used 2 patterns for them all. If there was one size in each pattern, I would have had to buy many, many patterns to get them all.

You can find them on sale, you can get coupons and you can find them at good prices and you can get them for free, you just have to look around. Don't be so concerned about the size of a pattern, look at the final measurements on the back to make sure it'll fit. I'm just getting back into garment making and loving all the education on how things have changed in the past 20 yrs. I'm also learning how to take a pattern that is close to what I want and then changing it to be what I want.