Sewing Patterns for Beginners with Tricky Pockets

Explore beginner sewing patterns with maker Tricky Pockets with some of her favourite patterns for learning how to sew.

We invited Lisa, also known as Tricky Pockets, to share some of her favourite beginner sewing patterns that guided her through her journey of learning how to sew. When you learn to sew you want to set yourself up for success and build up your skills with a series of successful projects.

The Sewdirect Patterns include a range of Easy Sewing Patterns that include straightforward designs and easy-to-follow instructions. The McCall’s Learn to Sew Range includes a system of levels to help progress through the development of your sewing skills. Check out the Learn to Sew patterns here.

Introducing maker Tricky Pockets – Lisa Couacaud

My first foray into sewing was a pair of forest green knit shorts in my Year 8 Home Economics class. I’m not sure why I remember them so vividly. They were awful, had no pockets and I never wore them.

A good decade and a half passed before I dabbled again. This time I took a 6-week evening short course euphemistically called something like “Make your own pyjamas”. I got so excited, bought a sewing machine and some ridiculously childish flannelette and managed to make the pyjama bottoms though again I never actually wore them (probably because they also didn’t have pockets). But that half-finished button up shirt followed me around for years. I packed and unpacked it through three moves, sure that one day I would complete the project. I didn’t.

I’m not surprised I’ve been drawn to sewing over the years. My Nan was an amazing seamstress and was never one to blend in with the crowd. I remember one grandparents’ day at my primary school. Most women arrived in stereotypical grandmother attire but Nan arrived in a handmade satin hot pink maxi dress with a matching floor length cape that billowed out behind her as she strode into the school.

Sewing your own clothes was the norm in her era, but you don’t travel from Ballarat (regional Victoria) to Melbourne to have your fabric professionally sunray pleated if you were simply sewing for necessity. And it’s what I consider the most enjoyable part about sewing. I can (and sometimes do) make the basics, but the real joy comes in making the sewing “frosting”. And I’m yet to meet a big, puffy sleeve that I don’t want to make!

It’s perhaps a cliché to admit that I am a Covid-era sewist though it took me months to put needle to fabric once I decided I would try one more time to master this skill. I bought fabric, needles, patterns, and more fabric. I read (and bought) sewing books and I watched every season of The Great British Sewing Bee.

My first project was a supposedly simple Christmas stocking. Cut from a panel piece with instructions printed on the panel, none of the seams aligned and it was the wonkiest stocking I’ve ever seen. The stocking was a failure, but this time I was hooked. I made a dress next; the New Look 6511. Despite having to google literally every step that wasn’t straight seam sewing, I finished it and wore it to breakfast the next morning. I had sewn the bias binding on incorrectly, my sleeve cap finishing was atrocious, and I misjudged the length when cutting out so had to add an extra non-gathered and non-pattern matched tier at bottom of the skirt. I’m not sure I’ve ever been prouder to wear something.

That dress has been the catalyst for what is now an unending infatuation with making, something I am sure will be a “hobby” that lasts me a lifetime. It also taught me that while there are techniques that can be daunting to try, there is always someone out there who has filmed a tutorial or written a blog post about how to conquer that technique. The sewing community is amazing like that. And now my wardrobe is filled primarily with brightly coloured me made garments, and I have a list of projects that will realistically take me the rest of my life to get through. And I can’t wait to get started on them.

To see more of Lisa’s makes you can follow her on Instagram at @tricky.pockets

Lisa’s Top Sewing Patterns for Beginners

M7831 Learn to Sew Pinafore

This Level 1 Learn to Sew pattern is perfect for a beginner wanting to make something a little different. The instructions are detailed, there are limited pattern pieces and construction is primarily sewing straight lines. The buckles are simple to add but they add an extra element of impact.

M7831

M7948 Dress

This is a big impact, low effort dress simple enough for a beginner to tackle, including a sleeveless option if you’re not ready to tackle set in sleeves. There are no bust darts to sew, and facings rather than binding at the neckline which I find more forgiving to sew as a beginner. The included pocket pieces sew into the waistband and the side seam – a great option for securing the pockets. There are various views to sew, different enough to appear very different dresses which make it a great investment when just starting out.

M7948

M7630 Woven top

This has a simple, easy to sew boxy shape with no bust darts. The various sleeve options provide ways to improve your skills and increase your confidence providing lots of impact without any tricky sewing steps.

M7630

Burda 6055 Dress

The oversized smock dress is particularly forgiving for those nervous about tackling fitting adjustments. The steps are simple, and the dress is quick to construct. The sleeves are finished with elastic casing which is an additional skill to add to a beginners’ sewing repertoire.

Burda 6055

S9102 Dress

This summer dress and kaftan with simple placket and stand collar provides a good opportunity to further expand a beginners’ sewing skills. The instructions are clear with some good imagery to assist in sewing the button placket and the buttonholes. The oversized style reduces the pressure to achieve a perfect fit when tackling the other techniques.

S9102

Burda 6342 Skirt

Burda Style Pattern 6342 Misses' side pleat skirt

The minimal pattern pieces in this pleated skirt make it a quick and satisfying sew. The pleats are a forgiving fitting device, with the pleats able to be increased or decreased a little to achieve the ideal fit at the waist. The skirt includes an invisible zip which, in this otherwise simple sew is a perfect opportunity to tackle another new skill.

Burda 6342

V9237 Dress

This very easy Vogue pattern has minimal pattern pieces, falling in a simple A line shape. The impact comes from a simple gathered lower skirt at the back of the dress. There is a sleeveless and short sleeve option.

V9237

M8112 T-shirt

This McCall’s Level 1 Learn to Sew t-shirt is the perfecting first project for knit fabrics. The instructions are clear and easy to understand, there are minimal pattern pieces and it can be sewn on a sewing machine rather than overlocker which many beginner sewists will likely not have purchased yet.

M8112

S9380 Dress

This is a great beginner option for knit fabrics. The raglan sleeves are easier to sew for the first time than set in sleeves. There are various views, including puffy sleeves, elastic cuffs, tiered skirts and a hood for a little whimsy.

S9380