Alright fam, help me out here. I’m currently working on porting the FreeSewing website from Docusaurus to Vite (pull request here).
As I was working on the home page, I got a little bored of always seeing the same thing, and so I decided to update the Reasons to join text with something that was written on Reddit recently which I thought was kinda funny:
“Focus on privacy” was a big one for me, in addition to what you already listed.
Hosting my measurements somewhere else, where they’d get monetized and I’d see ads for weight loss drugs () or sold to insurance companies or whatever, is not something I’d do.
It’s also why I donate (granted, a teeny weeny little amount, but at least it’s recurring), to show you guys you’re important, appreciated, & needed in our crazy world.
Edit: and I guess related to what Alicia the Witch wrote, “Join the revolution”
Edit #2: the privacy thing is also why I moved to posting more here in your private forum than in Discord.
I took up sewing again during the pandemic. After a year, I started learning how to create my own patterns using CAD software, but I was frustrated by the lack of parametric methods.
I found FreeSewing, and the fact that it is free and open source is extremely important to me — that’s the main reason why I’m still here. However, I have never been very successful with the FreeSewing approach to measurements and pattern adaptation, either for myself or for others. I am developing my pattern-making skills using books and free parametric software, and I dream of the day when I will be able to translate my knowledge and ideas into code. This will probably happen when language models are universally accessible and mature.
"In my youth there was a website called natronundsoda.net made by two goth girls who created a community in which people could upload instructions to making your own sewing patterns. That’s where I learned to sew.
I’ve gotten out of the habit since, and the only clothes I’ve made in a long time are LARP clothes based on archeological finds.
I want to get back into making my own (and possibly friends’ and family’s) daily wear. FreeSewing reminds me a lot of my sewing origins."
As an addendum, why I joined: back then as well as now I like the (small scale) community aspect of it: having people to talk to about projects, cheering each other on when playing around and trying out new things.
The data privacy aspect is much appreciated though.
To be fair my friend dropped me link to this website almost a year ago. Then I had no idea much about how patterns work and I was addicted to Etsy. Now, I know a little bit better about patterns and after burning quite a few times from Etsy garbage trap 2$ patterns I revisited once again on here and instantly realised - these patterns are fit to custom measurements!
I am mostly looking for techwear/cyberpunk style clothing as that is the reason I started learning sewing in the 1st place, but after making Teagan & Toni i was very impressed how good they are. Very customizable in addition of exporting them to use in the vector programs like InkScape or layering in Seamly2D.
My goal is to learn how to draft patters myself and in perfect world be able to share them with other would be nice too. Right now I am dabbling with Winifred Aldrich metric pattern book. Not a fan, looking for something else with more about “do this because” instead of “do this”.
Long story short - I like good fitting result and customizability of the patterns + available bodice blocks are very nice bonus.
I want to make clothes that really fit me and drafting them myself takes quite a bit of time. I was hooked from way back in the “make my pattern” days after making my first pair of trousers from a pattern on the site that fit better than any trousers I had owned.
As a sewing instructor, I also want to share the joy of having patterns that fit instead of trying to adapt commercial sizes to everyone’s unique body. That’s why I try to get others to join.
I’ve been doing open source software development and community contribution for over 20 years. I have a free python library I’ve been maintaining for 12+ years which I’ve spent hundreds of hours personally working on for the benefit of others. Never with an expectation of some kind of payment.
I got into sewing in the last 3 years or so.
Coming from a community that gives away things like GIMP, Inkscape, Firefox, and thousands of other excellent software products, for no money at all, it was a shift entering this world where everything has to be bought from etsy or the craft store, or figured out from a crappy low-res jpg in an image search.
I searched for open source sewing patterns today, and ended up here. I’m super happy. No scummy ads or tracking.
I have a simple hood+shoulder cloak design I just made this month. I want to get it uploaded here and made available for folks. Fingers crossed I can figure it out.
Because of my body shape, I started sewing simple items of clothing when I was still a teenager. It was mostly sportswear and jeans. Through a whole lot of trial and error, I adapted my trouser pattern, for example, until it finally fit. When I discovered Freesewing years ago, it was a breakthrough that allowed me to venture into more elaborate, ‘beautiful’ garments such as the Simon Shirt. It was a huge success.
What’s more:
The commitment of everyone involved is immense (even if I can’t fully grasp the full extent of it).
It’s saved me quite a bit of money, as I no longer need to buy clothes (apart from socks and gloves). With the patterns I have, my clothing needs are well covered, from underwear and office wear right through to rain jackets, cycling trousers and mountaineering gear.
I am 79 years old. Been sewing since I was 10. I’ve never had any friends who sew. Never had anyone to talk to about sewing or anyone to learn from. I’ve mostly learned from books. You all sound so young. But some day you will be old and will find that your body has changed and you will have to learn to sew for that new shape. I’ve also had 2 operations on my spine that have left my upper back and neck situated differently from my younger days.
I like to wear tailored clothes and I love good mens wear styled shirts. At one time I was good at making them; no more! I’ve joined FreeSewing hoping to finally get a pattern made that will work for me. I’ve wasted lots of muslin making toiles. When I saw Simon and Simone I took heart. I’m leaning toward Simon because I don’t want that dart.
Right now I’m just trying to get my measurements entered. I can’t find a place to enter my height. Surely that’s a necessary factor. Any help will be appreciated.
I joined because the idea of free bespoke patterns is just cool, right? I stay and donate because my DIL is trangender and sewing for her with regular patterns requires multiple toiles and fitting sessions to fit her body. She doesn’t say anything, but trying on an ill-fitting toile and watching me blunder through fit adjustments must be a hurtful reminder that the world doesn’t think her body is “normal” and doesn’t welcome her. Wiith Freesewing, I can just make clothing that fits, with all love and no body judgement required.
I saw your talk at FOSDEM 2026 and was really inspired by your mission and humanity (do i mean humanity? Well, something like that…), and commitment to Free/Libre Open Source Software and design, so thought i’d keep in touch.
I also run a website for a tiny textiles charity in the UK called “Lewes Textile Design Museum & Workshops” (needs a shorter name, i know ), so i’m hoping one day there might be some synergy between the two projects somehow.
I’m also telling anyone who can sew to come and check this out!
Many thanks, and all the best with the Vite config - you’ll love it!
For several years I’ve knitted or crocheted myself a new sweater each winter. I really enjoy making unique slow fashion! Weirdly I can make lots of 3D shapes that fit me out of 1D material… but 2D cloth confuses me. I have no idea how I found your site but I’m so excited to learn how to sew custom clothing for my extra curvy non-industry standard shape and aesthetic!!
Originally, I joined several years ago to draft patterns to fit my ball jointed dolls, since options for making the clothes I wanted for them were pretty slim at the time. Since then, I’ve actually used the site more for pants patterns for me, though I do find that the drafts still require a bit of pre-fitting tweaking, since my hips and waist are more oval than the patterns come out. I’m also slowly getting back into learning pattern drafting/cutting again, in hopes I can code some of my own designs to share. Many years in the past I hand drafted blocks and sewed from those, but it’s a lot more convenient to let the computer do the math.
Because my neurodivergence urges me to create and to amass collections of things for projects I might do some day maybe, but doesn’t let me stick to anything long enough to afford to invest any proper money into any of it.
Also.
Because I’ve learned how to better recognize the green flags for being accepted as the neurodivergent queer I am.
) or sold to insurance companies or whatever, is not something I’d do.