In recent years, the Big 4 patterns were primarily sold at Joann where they were organized by brand and number in large cabinets housed next to racks of pattern catalogs and a table for browsing. They were sold on consignment and often discounted to $1.99.
Photos by Abby Glassenberg
The legacy sewing pattern brands Simplicity, Butterick, McCalls, and Vogue, commonly referred to as the Big 4, have been sold to a liquidator.
The brands were owned by IG Design Group, a leading manufacturer and distributor of stationery, crafts, party, and gift products based in the UK. On Friday, the company announced it had sold its US division, IG Design Group Americas (DGA), which owns the sewing pattern brands, to Hilco Capital, a liquidation firm. DGA also owns other craft brands, including Boye needles, Wrights trim, and Perler fusible beads, among others. Hilco has also been involved with liquidating Joann’s assets after it filed for bankruptcy in January.
IG Design Group cited the impact of tariffs imposed by the US as a factor. Over 50% of DGA’s products are manufactured in China, although the sewing patterns are made in the US. The company also mentioned a softening market over the last several years, as well as the bankruptcy of Joann, as factors in the sale.
DGA was sold to Hilco for a cash payment of $1, plus 75% of any proceeds Hilco generates from future sales of the brands. There’s no obligation or specific timeline for the assets to be sold by Hilco.
History
Some may be surprised to learn that all of the major legacy sewing pattern brands were owned by a single company, a phenomenon that came about through a series of acquisitions over several years.
In December 2016, a company called CSS Industries, which primarily specialized in gift wrap and seasonal gift items, acquired the McCall Pattern Company for $14 million. Then, in the fall of 2017, CSS Industries bought Simplicity Creative Group from Wilton Brands for $64 million, consolidating the Big 4 sewing pattern brands under one corporate owner.
This consolidation may appear to have presented a monopoly, with a single company buying up all of its competitors, but the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the government agency that is in charge of breaking up monopolies, didn’t regard it as one. The deals came in under the FTC’s threshold of $80.8 million and went unchallenged.
Just a few years later, in January 2020, a UK-based gift and party company called IG Design Group acquired CSS Industries in an all-cash transaction in a deal valued at approximately $88 million. This acquisition doubled the size of IG Design Group’s business.
Now, IG Design Group has sold its US division, a piece of which includes the Big 4 sewing pattern brands, to a liquidator. According to one person we contacted at DGA, employees were told of the sale on Friday, the day the sale went through.
The Community Reacts
The future of the Big 4 legacy pattern companies is now very uncertain.
“The Big 4 pattern companies have been foundational to the sewing industry for over 100 years. These companies have provided the majority of home sewing patterns in the United States for decades,” said Molly Hamilton, owner of Folkwear Patterns and The Green Pepper. “These are household names and historic companies,” she said.
Hamilton also pointed out a significant ancillary role that the Big 4 play in the indie sewing pattern ecosystem. “They also own the last pattern tissue printers in the country, and that is significant to all the other pattern companies that rely upon it.”
Heather Lou, owner of Closet Core Patterns and Core Fabrics, expressed a similar sentiment. “This is devastating news for the sewing industry and I am deeply saddened by this development, although in many ways it has felt inevitable over the last few years,” she said. “My first sewing projects were made using McCalls and Vogue patterns, and I grew up hunting the filing cabinets at our local Fabricville with my mother. Over the years, I’ve continued to collect designer patterns from the Vogue collection, and have deep respect for the Big 4 for paving the way for so many of us smaller pattern companies.”
“If the Big 4 does not survive this, it also spells the death knell for most printed sewing patterns like ours, since there will no longer be a printer capable of producing large-scale tissue sheets.”
“The closure of Joann stores and Simplicity’s sale mark the end of an era,” said Deepika Prakash, founder of PatternReview.com. “These brands were a gateway for many sewists, and their loss is deeply felt in our community. While seasoned sewists will adapt, I worry about the next generation. Big 4 patterns made sewing accessible and approachable—especially for beginners.”
Editor’s note: The printing facility currently being used by the Big 4 brands and the indie brands is owned by Outlook Group.
Abby Glassenberg
Co-founder
The end of an era indeed. How very sad – was there no buyer for these brands? I had understood that the value in the company was always in the printing presses more than in the sewing pattern brands themselves, but still the names and designs had value that should be worth something.
For indie brands such as mine, the change to digital patterns has been a game-changer, but many people still want paper patterns. I provide both digital and paper, but the paper patterns come with an expense of printing and shipping that is becoming ever more cost-prohibitive. I wonder what will happen next?
I prefer paper patterns. Not only do I not own a printer, taping together multiple sheets of paper is an additional step and an additional expense.
Couldn’t agree more! Downloading, printing, cutting, gluing / taping a pattern together is for the birds!
I’m with you. I’ve bought the digital patterns and they are a pain in the neck!
Coincidentally just this morning, I was considering culling through my old patterns in order to make room for more. After reading this post I will NOT get rid of any patterns, but instead will redesign them. A great opportunity to delve into my creativity
The trouble is patterns from the 60s & 70s no longer fit me & you have to know how to enlarge them. The Vogue ones are the best
Me too! I got rid of 60’s patterns and wish I hadn’t. I have 1970 forward. Joann had bargains on patterns. One year I picked up 34. I find some of the oldies on e-Bay.
I purchased discounted fabric from joann web site. Never received. Credit card bill said it design London. Visa received credit for me. Joann said there was at least 4 fake websites in response to my email
I am not a seamstress, but I can’t imagine why most people would want a digital pattern. it is discrimination to cut off the supply to people who don’t have the ready printers or the skill to use them.
Why didn’t Hobby Lobby, Michael’s or Walmart take over the patterns? Michaels is already going to carry most of Joann’s name brand. Just wondering
Just to be clear, the sale of DGA went through on Friday, May 30, so it’s not that there isn’t a buyer, it’s that there hasn’t been time yet to find one if there is.
Are they going to carry fabric at Michael’s?
They have made announcements to that effect.
but not the selection carried by Joann. most will be on line
Michaels is already selling fabric in my store NY
I understand Michael’s bought a lot of the products at JoAnns, but probably not the patterns.
Michaels couldn’t buy the Big 4 sewing pattern brands from Joann because Joann didn’t own them.
michaels has a limited selection of patterns in the stores with fabric. They are likely testing the product.
Hobby Lobby fabrics are even worse than Joanns worst
Michaels purchased Joann’s IP’s . This doesn’t mean they will ever have the selection of fabrics, notions and patterns ans yarn that Joann did. They bought them so that no one else could….
I’ve been having a sort and decided to give all my paper patterns away to charity. Within the last hour I put them all back where they belonged in my craft cupboard. Having read this article I now feel justified in my hoarding!
I totally agree with you!!! I have a bag of patterns I was going to give away but not now!!! I’m afraid home sewing is becoming a lost art and it is my passion. What are things coming to??? I do not like digital patterns at all!
That is how I make a lot of my dresses so they fit properly. I don’t print a certainly don’t want to tape pieces together
I know it’s just another expense, but if you download the print shop version of a pattern and load it on a thumb drive, you can take it to Fedex (UPS too, I think) and have it printed one whole sheet of paper. I think it costs around $6.00
Provided of course you have a Fedex or UPS nearby, or even a local print shop, but I have no idea what it would cost there.
I HATE cutting and taping too! I can never get it absolutely right-it’s frustrating!
These stores, FedEx, UPS, are WAY too expensive. Look for a local independent printer – these may be more reasonable in costs. There are better and cheaper places with the caveat that you’ll have to wait a while for delivery. Here’s a search term to use for googling: “print sewing patterns online”.
I have a local print shop that prints patterns on large paper. It’s thicker but nice. Extra expense on top of buying digital. Now I get to pay full price for every pattern (initial cost plus print costs). I will be more choosy now.
There are online services that offer lower prices and fast turnaround, like
https://patternprintingco.com/
Sad news indeed. It’s a scary world now. I pray the smaller cottage businesses who create sewing patterns survive.
I move on when I see that a pattern is a PDF…I like tissue patterns only.
Agree 100%
Nobody prints PDF patterns anymore, we all use projectors these days. All you need is your fabric and cutting mat. The big 4 failed to move with the times, it’s no surprise to me how things have worked out for them..
No – not everyone uses projectors.
Exactly. I don’t own a projector, I can neither afford one or have the space for one either
I agree. Having to add a projector to my sewing area would be a problem. No room. Also, who is going to teach us old folks how to use this projector for patterns. No fabric store around me is capable of teaching this. Everyone Quilts.
I wonder if and where they will sell the left over patterns?
My understanding, from managers at two different Joanns locations, was any unsold patterns on closing day went into their dumpsters. Ridiculous? Yes – selling at a dollar or two apiece would have been better, for them and us.
Joann employee here – it made me sick to my stomach that we had to toss all those patterns in the dumpster on the directive of the pattern company! Such a waste!
They went into the dumpster so the pattern envelopes could be returned for credit. It’s been this way for decades. As I mentioned elsewhere, we used to dumpster dive for patterns back when I was a teen in the’90s.
I was told they were no longer selling them they were recalled by the manufacturer
You would be surprised! My projector was $90, and fits neatly on my shelf next to where i cut. There is a group on facebook called Projectors for Sewing where a helpful bunch of people walk you through getting started and answer all of your questions. It’s a game changer and so worth learning!
There’s a Facebook group dedicated to questions like yours. Stop thinking about the old school projectors! Nowadays they are as small as your hand!
I’m interested in small projectors as my sewing space is quite small.
You can get a projector for less than $90 and as small as your hand.
There’s a Facebook group dedicated to projectors and people who are interested.
NOT EVERYONE WANTS A PROJECTOR! if it works for you then GOOD for YOU! we don’t need it nor want it! to each their own ways of doing things!
No, I don’t agree with your statement. Many people are turning to PD F patterns or regular patterns, It gives them a larger range of sizes. Especially, beginners.
I disagree. I dont know anyone who uses a projector. PDF is the easiest method I have ever used.
I agree. I don’t have an issue printing and sticking and having a printer with ink tanks rather than replacing print cartridges it is very cheap in comparison with buying a printed pattern
I’ve never heard of this system
$549 is kind of a steep entry price to someone started to lear to sew. It’s kind of steep for someone who’s been sewing a while, too. Although someone who has sewn for a while can probably turn a straight sleev into a puffed one, and vice versa.
I don’t know where you got that price tag from? I paid $35 for mine, and found it less daunting than printing and taping. All that mess and cost gone in a flash, not to mention the space saved from not having to store paper patterns.
What brand and from where purchased?
What brand goes for $35? I’d love to find that.
I adjust the paper patterns to my body once and modify them in style everytime I use them. This wouldn’t work with a projector, I think.
It is possible to digitally make the modifications. There are youtube tutorials showing how. You could also project onto a large paper, like newsprint, and then alter from there.
Yes, you can. Project onto sewable Swedish tracing paper. Then use that for mockup and alter to fit.
Costs going up for fabric again make it cheaper to buy clothes. I feel this is the main problem stores like Joann have gone out of business. Plus they upped the prices of patterns to 10 times what they cost when I started sewing in the 60’s. Or I could be all wet! It is raining a lot in Kansas!
If you have a printer the paper, and tape are far less expensive than a projector. What if you don’t have a large enough area to lay the pages out to tape together?
Then you either have to cut out the pattern to size before laying it out on your fabric, or when you rough cut out the pattern and fabric together you dull the fabric scissors faster.
Any way you do it is more expense. I am so sad that Joanns closed, and now to see the downfall of the pattern companies as a result makes me mad!
There are many places, online & irl, where they will print your pattern out
I use Stitch Sew Shop’s printing services & they mail them to me
Sure it adds to the cost, but it’s worth it to not have to tape a bunch of paper together, AND have a pattern that fits
The problem with pdf I’ve found ,is it is difficult to make fitting adjustments on them
I trace the pattern pieces on the paper they use in doctors offices to cover the examination table. I make adjustments on that copy and leave the print shop copy clean and intact so I can use it as many times as I like, especially if my shape changes (hello menopause!)
I do this as well. It’s very easy and doesn’t tear as easily as tissue.
My mother used that paper in the 70! It’s hard to get, though.
Amazon has it at fair prices and in different widths/lengths. Best to go in with a friend and split a box of 12 rolls for best price.
I find it much cheaper to use the projector. I taped patterns together for years. It is expensive in printer ink and paper, not to mention the additional time to tape all that together. I’m now throwing out all the paper patterns I had, and have the extra space!
I do not have the space or money for a projector. Speak for yourself.
I purchased a small one from amazon for $25 and was able to place it on the wall or my ceiling. You adjust the image based on the sample square provided with the patterns so that everything is scaled correctly.
Who has that technology other than professional seamstresses? The home sewist doesn’t. I will be lost without a tissue pattern.
All?
Think not.
Who is the “we all” using projectors these days? I am a frequent home sewist who is friends with many costumers and cosplayers, and I used to work at one of the busiest Joann locations in my region- I can tell you that most people cannot afford a projector, or don’t think they have the time or technical knowledge to set one up. I have also noticed a growing number of indie designers selling their PDF patterns for printing at home, and making decent money doing so.
The indie patterns can be printed and taped together, brought to a copy shop, or projected onto your cutting mat. I’m using a projector and it’s quite easy and inexpensive. I spent $90 on it 5 years ago and it’s paid for itself, I had been printing and taping my pdfs together previously, wasting a lot of ink, paper and time. If you aren’t afraid to learn something new, check out the group on facebook called projectors for sewing. The wonderful people there help you get all set up and answer questions.
Yeah no, projectors are definitely not the norm. They’re very expensive and require dedicated space. Especially when we’re talking about how the loss of these paper patterns makes the hobby less accessible for new sewers just dipping a toe into the hobby, projectors are not the answer, just another barrier to access.
Don’t get me wrong, I’ve never been a fan of the mass market patterns and I don’t like the tissue paper, I find it fussy to use and I always worry about cutting a size too small. I like that I can re-print as many copies of a PDF as I need to accommodate changing sizes, and only print the sizes I need. Taping the pages together is annoying, but I, like many, need to make significant alterations to patterns to make them usable on my body and a projector doesn’t let me do that which is why I’ll never use one even if I like the convenience/paperless option in theory. I’ve vaguely heard of some people making alterations through literally modifying the digital file but it’s hard enough figuring out how to do it with paper not even touching the additional expense for software and the associated learning curve of doing it digitally to make a projector work.
Personally I think we’ll need to see more affordable commercial print options for individuals. I had a pattern printed for me on one big sheet at Staples to avoid all the printing/taping at home, and I can trace the pieces onto a wide roll of craft paper or something if I don’t want to cut it and risk needing it printed again later, but the main downside was that it was quite expensive. I think it was $30-$40 CAD to have done, on top of the cost of the digital pattern file itself. Not something I could afford to do for every pattern at that price. But if I could have it printed for maybe $8-10? That’s more manageable. The only downside, especially if you use the professional print as a “blueprint” vs. straight cutting it to use as actual pieces is storage space becoming a challenge, but there will always be tradeoffs I suppose.
You can send them out to be printed. But I haven’t seen anything from the Indie patterns that excites me. Mostly round or vneck tops or dresses with a waistline. already have plenty of these. Plus never know what you’re getting in terms of fit. I know pretty much how many alterations and where how a simplicity, etc. pattern will fit. With the indie patterns you’re getting a different designer each time and don’t know what block they used to develop the pattern. I’ve heard complaints about poor instructions, also. No the pattern paper didn’t hasten their demise, it was the high price of the patterns – plus, sewing is two parts. The actual sewing done on the machine and the fitting part. The fitting part is the hardest. Plus as you age your body changes if you never gain or lose an ounce. Most don’t want to be bothered with the time it takes to learn the fitting part, and continue to have to work on it.
Not many of us can afford a projector .
No, a lot of people still print PDF patterns. Projectors seem to be mostly used by people who have the setup for them, such as a sizeable dedicated sewing room. Not everyone is in this situation.
Grinds my gears to see folks say “just get a projector!”. They might be affordable, finally, but there’s an assumption that the user has the space to set up and properly calibrate a projector, as well. It’s not a universal solution.
Projectors and mats? Those sound like a capital expense a beginning sewist could not afford.
When I began sewing for myself in junior high my mother had no interest in sewing . In fact, she didn’t even want to see anything having to do with my sewing clothes or any of my other fiberish interests. A young person – boy or girl – who wants to explore making clothing, perhaps moving into the larger world of fiber craft by designing clothing or getting into the weeds of creating fabric or designing prints on any sort fabric, has to understand the fundamentals of sewing: how to look at a big piece of tissue and see the way the patterns are arranged on it; how to lay out and pin the tissue to the fabric; see and feel the GEOMETRY of the pattern and the fabric working together.
A student learns arithmetic in grammar school. Her teacher doesn’t then put a calculator in her hands and say now the class will learn calculus. Extreme example, of course, but the basics of ANY skill have to be understood before moving onto the next level of competency. Having a projector and cutting mat for a newbie sewer to explore an interest and curiosity in a craft that nobody around her may be interested in helping her understand can be insurmountable for her. SHE may decide the craft is not for her. Why put a brick wall of discouragement for not only a young person but for an adult who might interested in sewing for any of a myriad of their own reasons.
We need to provide basic and affordable tools to any person who is willing to learn. Taking away tissue patterns and making the projector and cutting mats as the first expense a new sewer needs for exploration is selfish and counter productive for expanding our love for the craft.
I use pdf patterns. I’m rubbish with computers so I’m not comfortable using a projector and their files. I just cut and tape while watching TV. I don’t use too many Big 4 patterns except for the occasional costume but I’m sorry to see them go.
I do not know a single sewist who uses a projector, and I know a lot of sewists. Most of us sew because we want our clothes to fit properly or we like to tweak or change the designs, not something easy to do with projector files.
It’s EXTREMELY easy to adjust/hack with projector files. There are a number of different software options. Including Inkscape, which is 100% free.
It is faster, easier and more accurate than adjusting a paper pattern. And way more easy to undo.
You just have to believe in yourself that you can learn it. It doesn’t take long if you put the time in.
And of course, as with any method, a toile is your final fitting tool, even if you use tissue fitting methods.
The resources for learning projector pattern usage are improving all the time.
It really is an improvement to the home sewing experience. And in the long run, cheaper than printing ink!
No, we.dont all use projectors
If you’re projecting the pattern onto the fabric and cutting it out, that tells me you probably aren’t making any pattern adjustments. I can’t think of a single garment pattern I’ve been able to cut and sew without first making numerous adjustments: broad back, full bust, forward shoulder, etc. What do you do when you need to make adjustments? Project onto paper and go from there? This sounds like a PIA to me but that’s why it’s good to have options. Paper, PDF, projector, there’s something for everyone.
No, I do not use a projector. Hard to project a pattern on a mannequin to alter.
We don’t all use projectors these days. I don’t own a projector and have no plans on buying one. Also, PDF patterns are expensive – I don’t want to pay $20+ for a pattern I’ll only use once, and printing a pattern with your own printer eats up ink, big time. More expense. By the time you buy the pattern and then buy the fabric online (now the only real place to get fabric), a simple garment can end up costing MUCH more than ready made. JoAnn, gone. Big 4 patterns, gone. What a huge loss to the sewing community!
None of my friends use a projector. No space, no money, not portable.
I print PDF patterns and am not a ‘nobody’. Some of us don’t have a problem printing and taping a pattern together.
Right! Try a glue stick too. Less distortion. 🙂
No, I don’t use a projector. I need to make changes to my print patterns.
That’s all very good but how do you do alterations?
No projector here either. I’m 80 years old, so technology is not my forte.
Yes! You are so right! A time consuming and quite frankly, a bit wasteful in my opinion. I own a small seamstress business and am very sad to see this unfortunate development.
Those tiles are also harder to make fit adjustments to , I once went to office max and had them print out a digital pattern onto full size paper and it cost $28 , so fairly prohibitive to do often
I went to Joann’s and waited and waited on pattern sales. The first time I went said $1.99, I was going to buy 20 or more, got to the register and they said no that sale was off. Since he was the manager not much I could do. I checked the prices, and all the new patterns were around $35 each!!! Who is going to pay that much. So I waited and waited and finally got quite a few, no Vogues for 80% off, I didn’t even look to see how much they were, still that was expensive. I think pattern prices were what caused people to quit sewing. I never paid full price. I have several drawers of patterns but sadly I got rid of quite a few too as we moved. And I do own a printer but I’m not about to print all that out and tape them together. I have multiple size patterns, and I know how to increase the sizes, I have lost weight so can wear those with the multiple sizes. I also bought online from Temu before I got priced out, rolls of paper to trace the pattern size on and cut out. They are quite wide so very doable. I’m thinking a roll of butcher paper might work. Unless I can find some for sale on eBay and places, I will just use the ones I have. I’m 80 and still see good enough and can sew so I’m ok. I also stocked up on everything I could think of for supplies and have tons of fabric. I did read that Michaels is going to start selling fabric, so that is good. Patterns I just don’t know.
Angie, there are many places that will print and ship patterns to your door (Closet Core among them). The cost is not that bad and fully worth it
Also if you live in the southern hemisphere in a third world country independant patterns are unaffordable.
I bought a 24 inch wide printer from HP. Cost for printer ink and paper to start was about 1,000. I have only used pdf patterns from independents for probably the last 10 years. I like to be able to download and print at home and usually only have to tape 3 or less pages. There is a learning curve and I bought affinity designer to print efficiently on the 24 x 36 inch paper. A true A0 printer would set me back probably 8K so not in my budget. This is working for me, so I can alter on paper. I might someday try projector but this is working well right now.
I still have several hundred Big 4 patterns and still use my favorites. I haven’t purchased paper patterns in several years. Was tired of waiting for sales to get discounted patterns and then they wouldn’t have the ones I wanted. Found I liked Indie patterns better for a number of reasons. Instant gratification and projectors played a big part in that. I will miss the Big 4 more than Joann’s.
This is going to effect the fabric industry. The convenience of a paper pattern, especially for people who have been sewing for 50 years, like myself, are not willing to go digital. We are OLD-SCHOOL!
What are Indie patterns and where can one find them?
My decision to move to indie patterns was one of design and fit. I’m 70 years old and don’t want to dress like a teenager. So I either resize classic patterns – A-line dresses, culottes, knee length capris, etc. or use an indie pattern with more flair and style. The patterns featured by the Big 4 were just about the same, no matter which book you looked at. Used to be Vogue was the top of the line in style and technique, Simplicity was an entry level pattern for beginning sewers. No longer.
Sewing will become unaffordable as a hobby. The cost of fabric continues to escalates along with patterns, copying, projectors and notions. It is very difficult to encourage and teach the sewing basics with the expenses of “tools of the trade”. I’m afraid that interest in sewing will decline. It makes repurposing garments from Goodwill more attractive.
Thos is heartbreaking. I have a sewing school and use the big 4 patterns to teach how to read a pattern and the basics of sewing garments together.
My goal for the past 15 years has been to inspire the next generation. I named my school Future Fashion Designers. We will need to reinvent alot of sewing processes. I’ve been seen more and more interested in sewing the past 5 years and I don’t think it’s going anywhere, we just need to adapt with the times and change the way we do things.
I realize the looming demise of the home sewing industry isn’t the end of the world, but why am I not hearing anything about this in the mainstream news??? I just saw a story on a classroom that has brought back typewriters!This saddens me beyond words! For all of us who sew and those that may never get to pick up the skill!
I would love to convert to digital patterns and digitize the paper patterns i have right now
Oh, crud. This is so NOT great news.
I totally agree. I don’t want the extra expense and extra steps of printing and taping together.
The ability to buy PDF’s online hasn’t helped the industry either. But sewing is alive and strong in Canada. Burda is still available as well. Generations of people will continue to sew, only in a different way.
I agree with Lann on her comment of the ability to buy sewing supplies online. I have been sewing for for about 60 years and still enjoy it today, but it has become difficult to easily get sewing supplies. I used to buy from our local Ben Franklin, but Walmart came into town and put them out of business, now our Walmart has discontinued this department in our store The closest fabric shop to me now is 2 hours away. It only makes sense for me to order online. I sure hate to lose the day out shopping for patterns and fabric.
Very easy for you , what about us who don’t have a projector, don’t have the space and can’t afford that equipment?
Printing services such as PDF Plotting (my favorite), Pattern Printing Company, and The Plotted Pattern.
I store my rolled papers in a large bin I got at the Container Store.
Not sure how much this costs where you are, but in my part of the world it seems to end up costing as much as paying full MSRP for a paper pattern.
I wonder if Burda paper patterns will be affected by the loss of the large-format tissue printer, though? I was under the impression that the Burda paper patterns we get in Canada began been printed in the US at some point.
(Why on earth can’t this large-scale tissue printer be preserved, or other ones made? It’s kind of crazy that so much hinges on this one apparently soon-to-be-obsolete item.)
Many beginner sewists I know have never touched a tissue paper pattern. The instructions and support are sparse compared to the best indie companies. Nowadays, you’d be making your life so much harder if you started your sewing journey with the Big 4.
Still, the end of an era is sad. I wonder if there’s some Big 4 features that a leading indie company could adopt, eg collabs with famous designers?
I’m sorry to be negative, but they weren’t exactly making great patterns anymore
Or instructions that always make sense
You are so correct in both of your comments! Also, there hasn’t been patterns available for those of us who are older and very modest!!!
Helena Closet has a sleeveless top pattern that is very modest, & an expansion pack of sleeves.
It’s now my T&T, & I’ve made 5 or 6 dresses out of it.
I had to lower my neckline & raise the armscye, but that’s just me
I’m shocked and saddened but not surprised. I took up sewing during the quarantine so online shopping for fabric notions and printable patterns has been part of my experience. Learned to sew through YouTube tutorials from indie pattern designers like Heather at Closet Core and the beautiful team at Seamwork. I paid for a Seamwork membership for three years until i decided that i have learned enough that i can do it myself.
I also agree with the comment above that the big 4 pattern instructions are lousy. Another reason to love independent pattern designers!
I am 69 years old, I started sewing 58 years ago. It was bad enough that Joanns closed now this!!! But thank God I have collected probably 1000’s of patterns over the years. I am sure I have more than enough for the rest of my life.
And, I do know how to draft my own patterns if I need to! It is still very sad!
As the owner of Discovery Fabrics I agree that these pattern brands represented an era when we used to sit and browse patterns…it was part of the joy of sewing. But there are so many new pattern makers that offer something that the big 4just couldn’t…a personal connection. Sewing groups such as Love Notions, Jalie, Apostrophe, GreenStyle, 5outof4,Pattern Niche and Styla (there are more!) have communities that actually respond and assist. We often collaborate with these groups to share fabrics, and vice versa. Some indie companies still offer paper patterns. I know because we sell them.
There are still sites to buy the big 4 and other patterns, used such as Out of Print Sewing Patterns B/S/T https://www.facebook.com/groups/615526110351406
Thank you Leslie, I had never seen that page on FaceBook. I wonder what’s going to happen to all the thousands of the patterns they just bought out? Will there be massive auctions, online or otherwise? I’d drive many miles to buy vintage or even new patterns/modern designs just to save them for future generations of sewers if nothing else. In the meantime, I’d use them if I can.
Burda is available in Europe as a magazine for tracing. There are other European brands too. There is also the Lutterloh system, which I haven’t mastered, and also digital resources like Bootstrap patterns and Lekfala out of Switzerland. It’s sad to lose the in person resources, but people rarely paid the full price and were conditioned to wait for a sale (then overbuy and hoard). I imagine by catering to JoAnn all these years, they ruined their business.
As a side note, I really enjoyed the “old” model of standing at the pattern cabinets with the slanted tops, the oversized hard cover catalogs, the prices that were reasonable without the phoney “sales.” My very favorite pattern, Vogue 1878, was on the “expensive” side at $8. It was a Calvin Klein blouse pattern. I must have made that 60 times. Sometime around 1987 or so McCall bought Vogue/Butterick, the prices jacked up to $14 to $35 but the magazines had “buy one, get two free.” I think that ruined smaller stores that were not offered those discounts, and then here came JoAnn with their pricing strategy and the customers who bought cartloads of patterns at $1 but nothing else!
Oh, I have SO many feelings about this. I’ll try to keep it short, and I’ll try to not sound like a “hey you kids, get off my lawn” type. But… When I started sewing back in the Dark Ages, there were patterns from all the top French, American, Japanese, and British designers. You could buy a pattern for a runway design about a year after it was on the catwalk. The conglomeration of fashion houses made that impossible. LVMH, Kering, et al aren’t interested in the home sewing market. So the exciting and aspirational designers were taken away from the home sewists.
Then each individual pattern company was folded into a larger group; first Butterick and McCalls, then Vogue. CSS bought them, then Simplicity, which anyone in the industry knew was a terrible idea. Then they flailed about and eventually sold to DG. I remember reading the press release and thinking it was the beginning of the end. Both CSS and DG were bad fits for sewing pattern companies.
It’s a bloody shame, what’s happened. I hope that somehow the remnants of the Big 4 will rise from the ashes. But in the meanwhile, I’m glad that there are so many vibrant indie pattern companies. I hope they can make a go of it.
Well once again…I said this about Joann and I’ll say it again. It was a race to the bottom. You can’t buy a product for $5 and sell it for $3and think you’ll make money on volume. Joann ruined it for many. I own a fabric shop and customers almost never want to pay for Indy patterns or anything that costs more than $1.99!
Love the patterns you stock. Race to the bottom, indeed! Started sewing at age 9, am nearly 75. Loved the days when we could shop for patterns & fabric in stores like JCPenney, Montgomery Wards, etc.
I did not see this coming whatsoever and was shocked to read about it. Bad decisions made by people at the top have caused all this to happen, it is really disheartening after so many years. I don’t love printing at home and taping together – esp when the price of the pattern is the same (pattern printing and labor absorbed by customer) but that’s the way it is any more. I do like I can get a pattern instantly in my inbox and not have to wait a week+ for the mail. Maybe someone will step up and buy them, that would be great.
Fortunately, there are now many great PDF printing services, plus some indie fabric/crafts stores will have a printer that can print out on A1 paper. I tend to buy indie patterns that have A1 paper options and batch together printing orders at my favorite printing company that is just one state over so my order arrives within 2 or 3 days.
And then I can put designing paper over these and trace off the sizes I want.
Ok, as a younger fashion designer, sewing enthusiast and former indie fabric shop owner, I have to say, it’s basically all the consumers fault. Everyone shopped at Joanns or is shopping online, to the exclusion of all other businesses. This leads to your money leaving your community, lack of options due to consolidation of resources into giant corporations, who then whittle selection even further, until eventually there is one company left with shitty options. Then corporate greed kills it due to poor profit. (Or they stick around and raise their prices because you have no choices left)
I used to carry all indie label pattern companies, Thread Theory, Casmerette, Charm Patterns, Victory, just to name a few, and a nice selection of better quality fabrics, but alas I had to pivot business models, and now less than 2 years later Joanns is gone and our town has nothing. People call all day now asking what fabrics and notions I carry, then lament that I stopped after 7 years of struggling to keep the lights on. Sorry for the long rant but this thread hit WAY to close to home. The moral is, shop small and local because it helps everyone in the community and gives you otions
This consumer can’t afford to pay $20+/yard for the higher quality fabric sold by those indie stores that actually sell fabric for making clothing (as opposed to fabric for crafting). I could afford the clothing fabric sold by chains like JoAnns, Hancock Fabrics, etc., as well as the patterns when they were discounted. I wish I had enough discretionary money for higher quality fabric and indie patterns, but I just don’t. Sewing has become an expensive hobby for those of us who are on the lower rungs of the economic ladder.
My prices were on average or only a dollar or two more than other stores, and for your information the things like the twill tapes and stuff you can get anywhere come with suggested retail pricing to maintain equal pricing across the board. Sorry you don’t like the truth.
Helen’s Closet has a sleeveless top pattern that is very modest, & an expansion pack of sleeves.
It’s now my T&T, & I’ve made 5 or 6 dresses out of it.
Buy once, copy & alter forever!
I had to lower my neckline & raise the armscye, but that’s just me
I own a quilt shop and have, for years, tried to redirect people into sewing more than just quilts. The minute you try and sell a pattern for more than $1.99 they will say “oh, I think I already have this pattern”, or they will take a photo of it which we now do not allow, and try to find a cheap pattern that is similar. Joann fabrics ruined a lot of things.
I’m so sorry. I’m one that bought at Joanns because I waited for the super sales of patterns and fabrics. I make retro dresses mostly out of quilting cotton not apparel fabrics. Now I make 95% Charm Patterns and Truly Victorian via pdf. I love the idea of small shops but I felt I couldn’t afford their prices. I loved spending hours in big fabric stores, just dreaming of what to make with what. I liked to feel all the fabrics and imagine what they could be used for. Im a sucker for Taffeta because of its body. I’d take pictures of the fabrics I liked and then waited for a sale. When I was younger I also felt like the owners/employees of little shops would look down on my limited sewing experience. Until about 6 years ago, I only made Halloween costumes for my boys, Renaissance outfits and Victorian dresses with Big 4 patterns. Usually they were too big on me. With Charm patterns I’ve learned how to alter patterns to fit me. I’m so sorry you had to give up your shop and I’m sorry people like me played a part in that.
Great article! I hadn’t heard this news. It is definitely an end to an era. Unfortunately, they failed to adapt to a changing market and continued to use outdated methods and size charts. There is a vibrant community of sewists online and so many fun and interesting pattern companies online.
The addition of using a projector for cutting out sewing patterns has also increased accessibility to patterns. Tissue patterns as produced by the Big 4 have become outdated.
This is sad but I’m not hugely surprised. I have been only buying patterns from Indi designers for the past decade. The majority of the big four patterns are not what I’,m looking for in sewing patterns. They are all the same old same old, yet the Indi’s manage to bring out some amazing and edgy designs. Yes the Inde designs are more expensive, but they all come on thick Sheets of paper or in PDF format. I always copy my patterns anyway and never cut into my mater copy. I can then alter and play around with my designs. If I were to print a pdf then I would simply zigzag them together on my machine. No need for faffing around with taping them!!! However I have a small printing business in my town who is very happy to print out my pdf’s for me in big sheets. We used to have a large chain of Department Stores called Debenhams who went but in April 2020 and five years later most of their buildings are still sitting empty which is sad. But I would get my paper patterns from them or Woolworths who went bust in 2009. Our local department store Austins closed their sewing and haberdashery department 5 years ago. Why because we have a new chain pinging up all over the UK called HobbyCraft, who are killing many of the smaller independent sewing shops here in the UK. Had a loving shop close in my town last year, which had been running for over 40 years, but just could not compete with the likes of HobbyCraft. 🙁 The sewing department is just awful and so boring. I now buy most of my patterns from small Independent designers I find at Sewing Fairs or stumble across on Facebook etc. I feel I should give a shout out to Maison Fauve, The Avid Seamstress, The Assembly Line, The Dolly collection, Sew Me Something, and my current fav designer Tessinti Fabrics.
*Tessuti
I hate the newcomer patterns that all have evolved their own sizing system. With the big 4 I knew what I was getting as they stuck to original sizing system. Fortunately I have a stash of patterns acquired over the years and Burda will still be available
I DO NOT sew clothing…. But recently I agree to make a night gown for my DGGD. The pattern was $19 on sale for $4. the fabric 2.5 yds at TG $8/yd….. it was an expensive thing. when I can go and BUY a nightgown or 2 try them on to see if they fit her, before buying cutting sewing…. No wonder it is a ‘softening’ market
That started happening in the 1980s–it started to become less expensive to buy clothing rather than make it. It’s been a downward slope for fabric stores, since then, with the revival of quilting slowing the descent.
Sewists do it for the fun of it.
I sew clothes because I’m not the perfect body shape, but I still deserve clothes that fit
To keep it affordable, I shop thrift fabric stores & deadstock
Singer Pattern Projector features Big4 patterns, it was their main selling point. Will Big4 still design for projector?
I don’t think we are close to seeing the end of the fallout from JoAnn mismanagement.
I’d really like to hear from the people at Palmer/Pletsch. Their books and fitting methods are geared toward the big 4. What are they going to do now? It took me a while to get the hang of tissue-fitting, but I’m hooked on it now. You can’t do tissue-fitting with printer paper taped together, and I haven’t explored projectors yet. How do you do alterations with projector patterns? As a newbie, I feel very lost now.
Honestly? What I’ve been doing is projecting onto big paper (could use tissue paper, but I use gridded wrapping paper) and then altering my pattern from there. That’s going to be the closest to what you’re used to I think.
I’m at the old age that I prefer not to use a PDF or a projector. My sewing room is a small bedroom, so one does not fit in there. I’m old-fashioned and I prefer my patterns. Lucky for me. I have a collection that I can always go back and use them.
To those taping those PDFs together? There are specialty pattern printers that will do a big one for you at a reasonable-ish cost, but I learned another hack. Try *sewing* the PDF pattern pieces together. I think it works a little better, and they stay together well.
Helen’s Closet has a sleeveless top pattern that is very modest, & an expansion pack of sleeves.
It’s now my T&T, & I’ve made 5 or 6 dresses out of it.
Buy once, copy & alter forever!
I had to lower my neckline & raise the armscye, but that’s just me
My mother was an accomplished seamstress and she has an inventory of patterns from ALL 4 major brands and then some. They are in original packaging and most not cut, used but folded and put back. They date from 1950s to present. I don’t know what to do with them. Estimated about 200+ including women’s, teens, children and some men’s. I’m open to some ideas?!? Thanks
You could try selling the patterns on EBay or Etsy. Good vintage patterns from the 1950’s to 1970’s sell from $10 – $50, possibly more. I don’t know if 1980’s and later sell for that much yet, but some 50’s, 60’s, and 70’s patterns are very desirable and the prices reflect that. There are also Etsy shops and independent websites that specialize in selling vintage patterns – they might buy the whole lot of them from you.
I’m wondering if you have any of these 1970’s patterns that I am looking for: McCalls 3512, 3206, 3949, 4125, 4907, 5344, 4262 – Misses sizes 8-10 preferred. Also looking for Vogue 8894 or 4295 in 8-10. If you have any of these I would be interested in purchasing them. I have been looking for some of these for years!
There is a Vogue 8894 pattern on eBay. A dress with a raised waistline and handkerchief hem? XS – M. In older patterns, the sizes are smaller than today. I just put Vogue 8894 in the search box. Bonnie
I would sell them. Patterns are sold on Etsy and I have heard of other places. I probably have over 250 patterns,most of which have not been cut as I trace off most of my patterns so I can make alterations before I make a muslin. I then have the original to refer to or retrace if the sizing changes are drastic. I am sure the market for your patterns will increase when printed patterns are no longer available.
Looks like we’ve finally found something to hand down to the next generation that they may appreciate! Our sewing patterns!
Thankfully there are folks on platforms like ETSY taking discontinued, vintage and antique patterns and making digital reproductions. I was able to get an affordable and small projector on Amazon for $25 and from there adjust the sample square offered with a lot of the digital patterns to the proper scaling. I’ve had the projector mounted to the wall and ceiling. (Moved twice with it.) and from there I mark the pattern with chalk or use a cutting mat and the pizza cutter style wheel to cut my fabric out.
Liz, I have 300 size 9-10 1960s & 1970s patterns. Have 91 listed on Road Home Quilting Etsy so far. It will take me rest of the month, but I will look for the #s you have requested here. How can I find you? IG @RoadHomeQuiltn
I purchased a pattern on line and not only was it a pain to print but very hard to put the pieces back together to get trade to cut! I’ll never do that again! If these leftover patterns are for sale where can I buy some?
Hi Donna, my mother was an accomplished seamstress and has a huge inventory of patterns. About 200+ of all 4 name brands. Is there a particular pattern number and brand you are looking for? I am trying to figure out what to do with them all.
FYI – I should have explained further – the Singer Projector customized the McCalls/Big 4 pattern for you. You tell it your measurement, it projects altered pattern for you to cut out. What happens to this equipment people have invested in if the catalog is gone?
Just to clarify, the Ditto projector didn’t customize the Big 4 patterns. They have their own proprietary library of Ditto patterns that users can customize. The Big 4 patterns are nearly impossible to project using a projector because their digital files are not formatted for that.
me 2
Is this another case of “private equity ruins everything”? (I don’t know anything about the company that owns the Big 4. I do know that private equity played a role in the downfall of JoAnn’s.)
Now I’m just one data point, and I don’t have a ton of friends who sew, but I do have some. I don’t print pdf paper patterns. I’m not currently sewing garments, but in the past I used these paper patterns and adjusted them as necessary. I don’t own a projector (and don’t think it would be worthwhile for me to subscribe to a pattern service given how infrequently I currently sew clothing) and I don’t know anyone who does.
What I mainly see on YouTube these days are people copying garments or making their own patterns, but those folks are not beginning to sew (they are more advanced level, in terms of skills and opinions).
I don’t know how people learn to sew nowadays. Do they learn, like I did, using commercial paper patterns? Or are they mainly printing pdf patterns? Or are they starting out creating their own? I don’t know. The world is changing, and while I’m sad to see these brands go, perhaps this leaves space for a new company to step up?
My Chinese supplies went up $0.26/$12. Tarrifs not that bad.
read thru a bunch of comments – now i wish i had saved all the patterns i had since the 60s. hate the print/tape method – i’d tape together and then copy it to a tracing paper of size to keep. i might have the $ for a projector, but currently have no space for it. my cutting area is my dining table. i don’t want to have to set up and align another tech item to be able to cut a pattern. with my luck i’d bump the table or projector (or whatever it’s sitting on) and mess up the layout too! LOL. but at my age, while i have fabric and patterns i still want to sew, realistically i don’t think i’ll get more than 5, if that, made. 🙁 but i aways have, and will for as long as i can, stop a couple times a year and look thru the vogue (best fit for my body) book
Yes, with the emergence of Walmart & Target readymade clothes were affordable. I used to sew all my school clothes in Minnesota where wool was used for warmth. And slacks were not part of the dress code except for special football & basketball days. We could buy wool or linen, a pattern, thread, lining and interfacing for under $25. My parents could not afford a readymade pants suit with a skirt for $75. Boy, have times changed.
I understand everything, including sewing with paper patterns, is bound to change with the passing of time. I keep wondering what would happen if there was suddenly no electricity to power electronic gadgets, including sewing machines and projectors, etc.? Talk about being up the creek without the proverbial paddle if electricity stopped. I know, the chance for that to happen is probably very slim, but I challenge you to think about it for a moment. There are natural disasters happening all over the world and those people are probably without power for some period of time.
That possibility is why I still have my treadle!
It was very disheartening when all the patterns at Joann’s were thrown in the garbage & water pulled on them by the liquidators before Joann’s closed. They could have made a large profit.
This is really too bad. I have been sewing for over 60 years and whatever method you use it is a shame when our choices become more limited. I buy vintage patterns, haunt garage sales looking for sewing related items and enjoy many forms of creative arts. I have both computorized and treadle machines in my collection, they are all used regularly. What a shame they threw out those discarded patterns. Women, men, boys and girls could have learned to sew and provide a living for themselves and clothing for others.
There is entirely too much waste in the world today , Sheila
What a shame, I hope some sort of fix can be made. My daughter is just returning to sewing. It’ll be a challenge for us all.
Why are you a legit company? You sold the “Big 4” pattern companies! You are irresponsible and a pain to sewists. It was bad enough when you bought the companies around 2018 – the instructions became unreliable – along with the printed patterns themselves. Argh. You’re just another “TACO” aren’t you?
It’s like a ‘domino’ effect is happening…. first JoAnns gone… now the company which supplied JoAnns with a product that would draw garment sewers into their stores – gone too. And some of the indie stores are reporting that the US based sewing/crafting goods wholesalers have stopped selling some imported goods because of the current tariff situation. It is just absolutely crazy right now, I feel for all who have sewing/crafting related businesses in this current upheaval of all that has gone down in a short amount of time.
**2 days ago, Simplicity on their IG feed, reported that they are not going anywhere, they’re here to stay etc etc. They reported last month was their biggest month for online sales, both paper & pdf. So… what to think? Are they truly sticking around? Time will only tell!
But, just in case they’re going the way of JoAnns, I ordered 10 paper patterns at simplicity.com last night – Vogue/Butterick & some clearance Simplicity, during the latest sale which ends 6/09.
JoAnn’s was killed in large part by mismanagement of private equity. (So much crummy plastic stuff imported from China, and low quality crafts on the shelves–Michael’s is showing the same signs.) No dominos there.
The failure of the pattern companies isn’t tied to JoAnn’s going down, though IDK whether there is private equity in the Big 4 ( their sales were not entirely dependent on JoAnn’s–you can buy their patterns at a bunch of other stores and online). Even people who sew lots of clothes were not buying patterns at JoAnn’s as they did in the past. As several others have mentioned the biggest factors are likely (1) diminished quality of product (designs, instructions, etc.) and (2) fewer people sewing clothing in general and (3) failure to bother competing with indie pattern companies and other modern options. I’d argue that JoAnn’s existence was hurting the pattern business as people came to expect you can always wait and get a pattern at 50% off (instead of paying full price). Basically JoAnn’s trained us to never pay asking price for a pattern, or that the prices on the patterns are inflated.
There are multiple European pattern companies that are doing just fine. Perhaps some of them will move into the US market.
I totally get not carrying imported items due to tariff fluctuations. It’s really hard on a business to order goods at $1 each only to have them arrive and have to pay $1 tax on them–a tariff of 100% means your cost goes up 100%. It’s next to impossible for a small business to plan ahead when costs fluctuate by 30% or more between when you order and when the goods arrive for you to sell.
Adding a projector is just another expense, and $90 isn’t cheap for some of us. PDF patterns are EXPENSIVE. Printing, cutting, and taping is time-consuming and also expensive – it quickly consumes ink in a home printer. Additionally, not everyone is on Facebook.
Paper patterns were easy, convenient, and when on sale, economical. Losing them is heartbreaking.
I, too, invested in a 24″ bottom-of-the-line plotter; IFF you have the space, it’s a great solution. And while I do occasionally still use indie and old Big 4 patterns, for ordinary, practical garments I highly recommend pattern drafting software (I use PatternMaster). I’m not a high-fashion person, nor is/was any of the six family members I’ve sewn for over the quarter-century since I first bought the software (four women, two men, in three generations), but we all like having clothes that aren’t duplicated in every catalog. And software offers plenty of ways to do color blocking, asymmetrical hems, curved seamlines, dart relocation, etc., plus a myriad of choices among standard features like sleeves, collars, pockets, darts & seaming, hemlines, necklines, peplums, and on and on–way more options than I’ll ever use, and freely combinable. I don’t do cosplay or reenactment, but there are features and premade styles for that, too. Best of all, once you get the person’s measurements right, everything will fit, with NO adjustments to be made on the paper pattern! My software will work with cut-and-tape, or large-format printers (home or commercial), or projection. My daughter-in-law at first preferred commercial patterns because she needed photographs to choose from, but she’s learning to visualize what she wants and just ask for it (my daughter has always sketched what she wanted–whether it was actually sewable or not). I’m not techie enough for a projector, but if I can use pattern drafting software, ANYBODY can. It may well save home sewing, or at least get us through the current crisis.
If you sew for children you should have a look at Children’s Corner Patterns…they come both digital and printed on tissue. The sizes on tissue are never nested. Great instructions. Lots of free videos on blog. Company is 47 years old.
If you have a Hobby Lobby nearby, they are closing out McCalls patterns for 2.99. Mine had 8 full drawers full; I don’t think they sold many patterns when JoAnns was still open so I am kind of surprised that they’ll no longer be carrying them now that they’ll have no competition – *unless they know something that the ‘Simplicity Creative Group’ has advised possibly regarding discontinuing McCalls? Who knows at this point. Hobby Lobby does have Simplicity patterns as well and will be keeping them, the store clerk told me, for now at least.
I shopped at my local Hobby Lobby today and the McCalls patterns are only $2.99. I wanted to stock up on patterns for Halloween costumes but unfortunately, more than half of what I wanted were sold out. I do encourage anyone looking for McCalls to head over before it’s too late.