Good patterns for plus sized women

[Elsime]

Hello everyone !

My best friend is a lovely plus sized lady who is a bit short on money right now so I figured I'd make nice and inexpensive clothes for her. I have an extensive collection of fabrics and old t-shirts but now I need patterns that would fit her.

We don't have the same body type at all so whatever fits me won't fit her and I don't want to just take a pattern and change the measurements, because I want something that really shows off her shapes and that doesn't look like a she's wearing a bag.

So anyone has any good advice for me I'd be glad to hear it. I'm looking to do any type of clothing really, skirts, t-shirts, sweaters, dresses...

[Aurora199]

Okay, I just did some searching and found Sew Grand which sells plus size patterns online http://www.sewgrand.com/.
Also Simplicity has a Plus Collection http://www.simplicity.com/index.cfm?crit=1065&id=1123&StartRow=1.
Butterick Large Sizes http://www.butterick.com/list/large_sizes/page-1.
McCall's Large Sizes http://www.mccallpattern.com/list/large_sizes/page-1.

Hopefully you can find something that will suit her figure. You sound like a good friend. :)

[klc1168]

I'm a big girl; I wear size 16-18. A lot of patterns come in extended sizes up to a 20 or sometimes even 22. I bought 3 really pretty patterns from Butterick a month ago that range from 16-22 and they weren't in the Larger sizes section. I haven't made them yet but I will when I have a little more time.

On me, I don't like super long skirts or overly flowy tops. They both make me look short and dumpy. I like my skirts to hit right at my knee and I think I look pretty good when my clothes fit and are not baggy. Good luck with the search. You will now step into the ever frustrating place where I live. I love clothes but I hate trying to find things that don't make me look like a marshmallow or a sack of potatoes.

[jsedai_77]

ditto klc
the best tip I can give you is ...more fabric = makes you look bigger!
also I like my shirts a bit longer (even tho I'm only 5'1") this makes my torso look longer..cause I don't have one!! and fitted...so I don't look like a square...
and I LOVE color..but that's just me
and obviously some things that will come in "plus size" just shouldn't!!
ok sorry