Potlight does all your major pattern companies......KWIK SEW patterns are genrally easy to follow and simplicity grade their patterns for beginners to advanced so it is easy to see when looking at the catalogue how hard it is.
Spotlight and Lincract both sell commercial patterns. You can check out patterns before you go to the shops bu Googling Butterick, McCalls, Kwik Sew and New Look (to name a few). I have links to the websites of all the major pattern companies on my website.
If you are lucky they sometimes do 3 patterns for the price of one for a particular brand. Quite frankly patterns are expensive unless you are going to use them multiple times, so I look out for the specials.
Sign up ot the spotlight and lincraft websites and they will notify you of when they are having specials.
Also, if you are making more than one size it is worth buying a couple of big pieces of tracing paper from a craft shop because that way you dont have to cut up the pattern (and buy two if they are different sizes)
Try ebay! You can get some really great patterns fairly cheap on ebay I've noticed since getting my machine a few weeks ago. There are some gorgeous vintage style kids clothes patterns around at the moment on ebay.
I got mail from Spotlight yesterday and it shows they aer having a "Huge Sewing Pattern Sale" for 10 days only from Thurs 19-Sat 28/7 - tomorrow for 10 days.
The entire range of New Look, Burda and Kwik Sew patterns are $6.65, but if you're a VIP member (and you can join on the spot in store) you get them for $5.99.
Definately try ebay, I've just recently taken up sewing and have found some great patterns on ebay and also at vinnies (unused ones too). Some of the patterns are expensive, however they are good value in the long run if you plan on using them alot, Good luck with it!
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