Shops in the UK where you can buy pattern patterns for dressmaking

[cornishatheart]

It's decades since I did any dressmaking, I'm keen to get back to it but I'm not sure how I'll cope with downloading and printing patterns. I yearn for the days when you could go into a fabric shop and spend a very happy hour looking through catalogues of patterns but I don't know if that really happens any more? I'm sure there must be shops that stock paper patterns but I'm struggling to find where they are. Ideally I'm looking for somewhere in London or fairly near to London. Alternatively, encouragement that the downloadable patterns are easy to use. I'd be very grateful for any suggestions or advice, thank you.

Abakhan is amazing. But dangerous to the wallet!

Thanks for the tip about CLC Essex, which I didn’t know about - but I have used The Foldline several times to print out digital patterns for me and I can definitely recommend them, @cornishatheart.

Has someone mentioned fabricland in Southampton already? I usually buy paper patterns online. Didn’t know about CLC Essex. That’s very exciting.

After posting above I suddenly remembered the fabric shops in Goldhawk Road (Shepherd's Bush) which used to be well worth a visit - not really for patterns but definitely to find all sorts of great materials. I haven’t been there myself for ages but it appears they are still there. This blogpost helpfully lists lots of London fabric stores and it’s a relatively recent one so likely to be pretty up to date, in case it helps anyone.

I'm going to give fabricland a go, it's quite close to me. I've had so much good advice on this thread, I'm really excited to start some sewing again now!

Fabricland is brilliant for fabrics and everything else for sewing. Much better than John Lewis and Hobbycraft. Prices for things like zips, elastics, ribbons are almost always cheaper than ebay (if you don’t include parking). Worth a visit if you are in the city already.

Thank you, it's really useful to have that kind of recommendation. I worked in London and used to like to go to John Lewis just to look at the fabrics but it was always expensive.

Yes, that one does sell them (or it did the last time I was in there!)

CLC Essex are now CLC Prints I think. Same company slight rebrand

https://clcprints.com/ I've used them for a few years so still refer to them as CLC Essex.

Always very speedy service, and if you get into Style Arc patterns they also print on them on the 32inch wide paper as well as A0.

If you do buy a PDF I recommend Fabulosew for printing the pattern

https://fabulosew.co.uk

And Wardrobe By Me for patterns

The Fold Line is excellent. Kate does weekly videos (find them under the blog tab on the website) highlighting new patterns. She also does style edit videos where she picks out patterns based on analysing high street trends or brands. I find the videos really helpful. There are so many patterns out there, it helps to have someone else trawl through them.
They also have pattern reviews by real people, which are really helpful.

Regent in Ilford
Franklyns in Chemsford
But tbh, I buy mine mainly online.
I do download too and then send the file over to flamingo print or netprinter be printed on pattern paper.

Also, great fabrics in Goldhawk road and Walthamstow market, both have tons of fabric shops.

This place does all the pre printed patterns for the 4 old main brands. I have used it a lot and it is very good.
https://www.sewessential.co.uk/sewing-patterns/womens-sewing-patterns/dress-patterns

What about a sewing projector? I'm seriously considering it after so many pattern jigsaw puzzles and rolls of sellotape

In Milton Keynes (well worth the trip) there’s Neil’s Fabrics. They have loads of donated patterns for less than a fiver and all the proceeds go directly to the Air Ambulance

Hobbycraft sell paper patterns as do Amazon.

In South (still relatively central) London there is Fabric Galore. They also have a website you can look at.

I really would give online/downloadable patterns a go. Even in A4 format it’s very simple to put them together. There are markings to help you match the pages up and usually a schematic to show you in the pattern instructions.

In my experience the downloadable patterns from indie designers are a much better fit than traditional paper patterns; I can’t remember the last time I used a pattern from the big 4 companies.

I would second Tilly and the Buttons, plus Sew Over It, Friday Pattern Company. The Fold Line, as others have said, is an excellent place to start.

Happy sewing!

You can send off patterns off to be printed as large sheets like normal patterns. You can. Even get them on patten paper.

Great, thank you for this tip.

I wondered about Goldhawk Road - it's a bit of trek for me to get there but it sounds great, thank you.

I will give the A4 idea a go - but I have a horrible fear of printing it at the wrong ratio and finding everything is the wrong size. I need to take my courage in hand and give it a go!

This is great, thank you. Until yesterday I'd no idea that companies would print from a download but now I've lots of information to help me.

Thank you, I'll have a look. I'm really out of practice with sewing so this will be very useful.

I've looked up sewing projectork, it looks like a great idea - I think I'll start more simply until I've got my eye in a bit, I'm very rusty.

I got a friend in MK who could recce that for me, thank you. Very nice that the Air Ambulance benefits.