No one goes to the store just to buy clothes that don’t look good, so you wouldn’t want to sew anything that was unattractive either. Your eyes are drawn to the things that you know will complement your figure, highlight your best features, and grab the right kinds of attention. It is also known that modesty is the best policy and less is more, which are both things that we wanted to get at with this collection of 18 Slimming Sewing Patterns.
It’s easy for someone to think that ‘flattering’ equates to clothing that shows off a lot of skin and doesn’t actually cover a lot at all. (What is the point of those things anyway?) We want to break that stereotype and prove that finding figure forgiving clothes can mean something as simple as dressing in the right pattern for your body type or putting a chic belt in just the right place.
Below you’ll find a collection of designs that will show you how to sew a dress or top that is sure to complement all the best parts of you. We know that you don’t want anything too tight, unforgiving, or transparent, so we compiled some of the best sewing patterns that are none of those things. In fact, they are perfectly refined and attractive while also being modest. You get the best of both worlds here, that’s for sure.
Women’s Tops to Sew
The best part about shirts and tops is that you can wear them any time of year. Tees and tanks are perfect by themselves in warmer weather, while sweaters can go right over the top of them when it’s cold out. All of these sewn tops are super flattering whether it’s chilly or sweltering. You’ll find tanks, tees, and long sleeves so that you can wear your attractive homemade fashions no matter if it’s 5 or 85 degrees.
- Comfy Drape Top
- Greek Goddess Shirt Tutorial
- Lovely Lacy Tee
- DIY Peplum Shirt
- One of the Boys Baseball Tee
- DIY Lace Top
- Show Topper
- Shimmery Slouch Top
- Flattering t-Shirt Refashion
Dress Sewing Patterns
Dresses can be more seasonal than tops, but there are also ways to wear them at other times of the year. These dress sewing patterns are perfect for room temperature weather, but can definitely be paired with sweaters and leggings that still complement your figure when it’s chillier outside. All of these patterns have the most perfect waist lines and hems that give you just the figure you’re looking for.
- Figure Flattering Free Dress Pattern in Peplum
- Spring Flattering Dress Pattern
- Cinched Waist Knit Dress
- Effortless Caftan Dress
- Coral Dress
- A Gathered Dress
- The Day Date Dress
- Colorblock T-Shirt Dress
- Swirly Twirly Free Dress Pattern
What are your best figure-flattering secrets?
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I am overweight with a belly, so I look for dresses and tops that are not fitted. I look for draping and other shapes that hide my belly. I do better with tops than dresses. Anything that divides the body (in color) also tends to accent my belly. If my pants are fitted, a draped top looks better than something snug fitting.
I do not walk and use a scooter for all mobility so I sew to minimize my “middle”. I match tops and bottoms in both fabric and color to make myself look taller and slimmer. I also must adapt my slacks for ease of dressing. In order to draw the eye to my upper body I use a lot of embellishments on my blouses and jackets.