8 Free Patterns From Minerva
Did you know that Minerva have teamed up with McCalls & have 8 free patterns available on their website?
I’ve rounded up 4 of my favourite, which I think will be perfect for summer, all of them are available as PDFs which can be printed at home (A4) or A0 to send to be printed to take the faff out of sticking a bazillion sheets of paper together! I use Flamingo prints, as they are reasonably priced & have a fast turnaround.
They are all sizes XS-4X which equates to a 29½”- 52” Bust, 22” - 46½” Waist & 31½”-52” Hip.
Darwen Dress
Designed for woven fabrics, this midi style dress, has a dropped waist, 2 tiered gathered skirt, wide scooped neck, pockets & grown on sleeves.
Minerva have classified it as Intermediate but I think anyone who has completed any of my beginners courses could tackle this. Gathering & adding pockets are relatively simple skills to learn. The neck is bias bound & the sleeves are finished with a small hem, so it’s a great skill builder which will stand you in good stead for future projects.
You will need between 2.1 & 3.6 metres of fabric, depending on size & the recommended fabrics are viscose challis, chambray, gingham, cotton blends & cotton poplin. I also think it would be nice in a lightweight linen.
I have to say that I don’t think the pictures below do it justice but there’s some nice examples on the Minerva website from the Minerva Maker team & I think it would make a lovely casual dress to swish around in on a warm summers day when you need some shoulder coverage.
The Caton Jumpsuit
This is a loose fitting jumpsuit with a v-neck, wide legs & pockets. It doesn’t have any shaping through the bust, waist & hips & has plenty of ease, so will be an easy to wear jumpsuit for holidays.
Again, Minerva have classed it as intermediate but there’s no zips or buttons, it looks as though it will easily slide over your shoulders for toilet emergencies! The only new skill would be how to sew in a facing which will give the neckline & armholes a lovely clean finish.
This is designed for wovens & knits, such as a viscose challis, a satin backed crepe, silky satin & a viscose jersey & you will need between 2.2 & 3.1 metres of fabric.
The Gisburn Blouse
Designed for woven fabrics, this is a short sleeve blouse with a back yoke & V-neck with neckband, gathered at the shoulders & back. It has a crossover pleat detail at the front v neckline to provide room for the bust, as there’s no bust dart. The sleeve also has a pleat detail at the bottom.
This is also classified as Intermediate & this time I would agree, it’s nothing too scary but if you’ve never done the burrito method for a back facing, or inserted sleeves or a neckband before then perhaps you may need a bit of guidance.
I think this is a really pretty blouse for summer, personally I’d shorten it a bit both in the length & sleeves, as I don’t like that length of sleeve on me & I may go down a size too as there’s a lot of ease in it, otherwise it will overwhelm my frame.
Fabric requirements are 1.4-1.9 metres of woven fabric, such as viscose challis, crepe de chine, silky satin or double georgette.
The Edenfield Dress
Designed for knit fabrics this is a lovely v-necked, sleeveless dress, which is lined with a slit in the skirt & gathering around the neckline & front bodice to provide shaping.
This is a much more fitted silhouette than the other 3 & perhaps the most complex to make with the lining but looks really elegant but comfortable as it’s made from a jersey rather than a woven fabric.
It’s perfect for dinner out on a summer evening or on holiday, as it’s sleeveless & will give you room for pudding as there will be some give in the fabric!
You will need 2-2.4metres of viscose jersey, crushed velvet or sweater knit. *NB I’m personally not convinced this is enough, as it’s fully lined, as far as I can tell, and there’s no mention of whether it’s self lined or you are to buy a seperate fabric for the lining, so I would definitley cut the pattern to the size I need, lay it out on some fabric from the stash & make a toile first!
Here’s pictures of the other 4 patterns for you to have a look at too.
Which is your favourite? If you fancy making any of these but feel that you need some help with some of the techniques, fit or reading the pattern, you can book onto my Improvers Classes & I can give you the extra guidance that you need. Just print off the pattern & bring it along with the fabric & thread & any other bits & pieces stated on the pattern.
