10 Sewing Patterns for Winter Warmth | Sew DIY

I feel like I say this all the time but here I go again. Los Angeles is rarely cold and I hardly ever need a coat or bulky layers. Most of the time, just a scarf will do. But when it does get cold, as in below 60F, my body is so unaccustomed to it that I am freezing. I know it's ridiculous. This winter has felt particularly cold though and my coats and sweaters have been in frequent rotation. Here are a few of the sewing patterns designed for maximum warmth that I've been eyeing this season.

1. Simplicity 8262
This dramatic and stylish coat is designed by Leanne Marshall and comes in two different lengths.

2. BurdaStyle Poncho Hoodie 11/2016 #126B
Probably the cutest and chicest poncho I've seen in a long time.

3. Lonetree Jacket by IndieSew
I love all the pocket details and the waist drawstring in this jacket. It's the kind of thing that I'd be pretty likely to wear in my mild climate.

4. Vogue V9136
If I needed to wear a wool coat regularly, I'd love to have this one in my wardrobe, the tall collar and asymmetrical front are so gorgeous.

5. Geodesic Sweatshirt by Blueprints for Sewing
I love the geometric lines of this unique sweatshirt pattern.

6. Hepburn Turtleneck by Itch to Stitch
Turtlenecks are one of my favorite ways to stay warm in cold weather and the Hepburn Turtleneck is a classic that fits into any wardrobe.

7. Cascade Duffle by Grainline Studio
Another classic design from Grainline Studio, the Cascase Duffle coat features an optional hood and the cutest toggle front.

8. Ellsworth Coat by Christine Haynes
A classic pea coat style with a notched collar. Choose a light weight fabric for warmer climates or a heavy wool for colder temps.

9. Neenah Dress by Seamwork
Pair this turtleneck dress with tights, boots and a cardigan and you are set!

10. Dropje Vest by Waffle Patterns
I love the darts at the neckline of this super cute, lined, hooded vest.

What are you sewing for the winter season?

End of Year Recap and Highlights—2025

Hello sew-friends! My end of 2025 posts are coming out in a “better late than never” style this year. Personally, I don’t think end of year recaps should start until after the year has ended. If we start tallying things at the beginning of December, then December never gets counted and we can’t leave out a whole month!

Looking back on 2025, I feel very good about my personal sewing practice. For Me Made May this year, I pledged to sew for 25 minutes everyday and it was a great way to jump-start my sewing practice. I’m actually still working on big quilt projects that I re-started then. :P Click here for my tips for rebooting your sewing practice.

If I compare my blogging and sewing output to years past, 2025 was slower. But that’s ok. Things ebb and flow in life and it’s not all about the numbers. I did not post very much on social media or YouTube but I did post a lot on my Substack. Read on for the Sew DIY highlights of 2025.

Roundup—Tips for Getting Started Sewing

Everything I made in 2022 and my final vlog for the year

Hello sew-friends! It’s hard to believe that we’re nearing the end of another year. It wasn’t an easy year for me, between struggles with migraines and the loss of my cat. But, there were a lot a great parts too. I was really busy with my freelance work. I got to work with a lot of great people and I had some really interesting projects. (Both of those are worth mentioning, because it’s not always the case.) And, I got to do a lot of traveling and to visit friends and family that I haven’t seen in a long time. If the pandemic has taught us anything, it’s that we need to cherish our time together, to cherish the hugs, the intimacy and breathing the same air as our loved ones.

Everything I made in 2021 and my final vlog for 2021

Wow, another pandemic year is closing and the things that we thought/hoped would be over in a few weeks are still here. I'm still very grateful for my sewing and crafting practice and this small pattern business. For me, sewing and crafting is a therapeutic practice and I'm very grateful to have it in my life.

During the first year of the pandemic, my freelance work dried up and I was able to dive into pattern design. I made lots of YouTube videos and released three new patterns and my improv quilting course. For 2021, I had planned to cut back on YouTube a little bit and really focus on patterns and classes. But, things just don't always go as planned.

Everything I made in 2020 and my final vlog for 2020

Oh my gosh! 2020 is coming to an end. Phew! We are by no means out of the woods yet but I’m hopeful for 2021. Today, I’m sharing a roundup of some of the things that I made in 2020 and a few ponderings on what I’m planning for next year. I feel really proud of all that I accomplished in 2020 and I feel really grateful for this sewing practice and sewing community. Thank you to everyone who has supported me this year and all the years prior! I started Sew DIY in 2014 which means the seventh !!!! anniversary is coming up soon. So incredible! Anyway, read on to see what happened in 2020 at Sew DIY and watch my final vlog of the year. My kitty Fox makes some great cameos so it’s definitely worth a watch.

Roundup of the Best Sewing Tips and Tutorials from 2020

It’s the end of another year and, as always, that means looking back and reviewing what we’ve done. This year has been one unlike no other. I live in Los Angeles and have been under varying degrees of lockdown since March. I’m so grateful that I have this craft, this practice, this hobby and business that I can do at home. It’s kept me busy and engaged, reduced my stress and I can’t imagine what I’d be doing without it. Perhaps I’d become an intense crocheter?

This year, I continued making about one video a week for my YouTube channel. I really enjoy making the videos and sharing about sewing but boy do they take a lot of time. In the new year, I may cut back to every other week to make room for other projects, like new patterns and classes.

15 Scrap-busting gifts to sew for the holidays

Hello and happy holidays! Last week, I wrapped up (lol! ;) my video tutorial series of scrap-busting gifts to sew for the holidays and I thought it would be nice to have all the tutorials (plus a few more) rounded up in one place. I often like to give handmade things for the holidays and this year I've been focused on using fabric that's already in my stash. It's economical and sustainable to use fabrics and even fabric scraps that I already have. Plus, it's so satisfying to see my stash slowly shrinking. Read on to check out a few of my sewing tutorials for handmade gifts.

Tutorials for sewing with knit fabric

After releasing the Work-from-home pattern bundle a couple of weeks ago, I received a few questions from people unsure about sewing with knit fabric. I completely understand the feeling and I used to be really nervous myself to sew with knit fabric. But, with some practice, knits can be really fun and easy to sew. Over the years, I’ve created a bunch of blog posts and videos with tips for sewing knit fabric. I’ve compiled them here along with links to my favorite books about sewing with knit fabric. Read on to learn more.

101 Ideas for using fabric scraps

Scraps can often be one of the biggest struggles for sewists. We spend so much time selecting and caring for our fabric, that it can feel sad and wasteful to just throw the scraps away. I’m very passionate about sustainability and creating less waste so today, I’m sharing 101 ways to use your scrap fabric. There’s a whole slew of ideas, organized into categories, so that you can skip to the section that sounds most fun to you.

These projects run the gamut from quick and fun to more involved and labor intensive. Where applicable, I’ve linked to existing tutorials on my blog. Otherwise, you should be able to find a tutorial via a quick internet search. Or, let your creativity run wild and create your own pattern.

2019 List of Sewing Pattern Companies for Tall Women by Sew DIY

Sewing Tall Pattern Company Roundup 2019

Beth – Sew DIY