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Are you unsure of what to make with tartan / plaid / flannel fabric?
Here are 11 ideas that are on-trend and best sellers for stores. They’re great for DIY fall outfits, home decor, and Christmas gifts.
Each sewing project idea comes with sewing patterns and tutorials to help you make them.
In case you’ve ever wondered what the difference is between plaid and tartan, Clain, a Scottish fabric retailer, explains:
“Plaids are any crisscross patterns of two or more colours;
Tartans are plaids with a name to identify a community;
Checks are plaids with a regular pattern, usually of only two colours.”
“Flannel” is sometimes confused with plaid. However, flannel is a type of fabric. It’s a soft, woven material with a fluffy side. It’s often made with a plaid pattern, which causes the confusion.
If you still need to get your fabric, check out Fabric.com‘s huge range of plaids and checks (USA). For UK buyers, Minerva Crafts and My Fabrics have lots of options.
Contents list
- Button-up shirts
- Dresses
- Baby dresses
- Pajamas
- Scrunchies
- Home decor
- Napkins
- Skirts
- Pants
- Bucket hats
- Jackets & coats
- Where to find plaid fabric online
DIY button-up plaid shirt
Ideal for light-medium weight woven fabrics. Soft flannel is a great choice.
Sewing patterns
- Check out Something Delightful for paper and pdf patterns from McCalls and Butterick. They sell Vogue Patterns and Kwik Sew too, but only paper versions.
- Go to Simplicity for their Simplicity, New Look, and Burda Style patterns. They sell paper patterns.
- The Fold Line sells pdf and paper sewing patterns from smaller indie designers.
**One Free Sewing Pattern. Every Thursday. Join the Email List 🙂**
DIY plaid dress
Ideal for light-medium weight woven fabrics.
If you want a dress with structure, go for a medium weight stiffer fabric. For a light, floaty dress with full gathers, go for a lightweight fabric that’s drapey.
Sewing patterns
- All of the big sewing pattern companies have a huge range of dress patterns. Check out Something Delightful for paper and pdf patterns from McCalls and Butterick. They sell Vogue Patterns and Kwik Sew too, but only paper versions. If you want clever and experimental designs, Vogue Patterns is the place to look!
- Go to Simplicity for their Simplicity, New Look, and Burda Style patterns. They sell paper patterns.
- The Fold Line sells pdf and paper sewing patterns from smaller indie designers.
DIY baby / kids dress
Ideal for light-medium weight woven fabrics. Soft flannel is a great choice.
Sewing patterns & tutorials
Made by Rae has a collection of cute dress patterns, including the very popular Geranium dress (which I own and love!). Check out her full range here, including 2 free dress patterns. Her sizing range is 0 months – 12 years.
Jilly Atlanta has a big kids range too. She designs for children aged 3 months – 14 years. She has some adorable pinafore and dress patterns.
**I Find the Best Free Sewing Patterns and Share Them Every Thursday. Don’t miss out. Join the Email List :)**
DIY plaid scrunchies
Ideal for light-medium weight woven fabrics.
Sewing patterns & tutorials
Here’s my free sewing pattern and tutorial for a seamless scrunchie. I used it to create these scrunchies from an old plaid flannel shirt.
Here’s my tutorial for a scrunchie made using hair ties. It’s the easiest method – only 1 line of stitching is needed! It also shows you how to make a bow.
DIY plaid pajamas
Recommended fabrics: light to medium weight for pajama tops and bottoms. Medium to thick for fluffy robes. Medium to heavyweight stretch fabrics for sweatpants.
Sewing patterns & tutorials
- I have a list of 19 professional-looking pajama patterns for men, and 22 pajama patterns for kids. These lists include lots of free sewing patterns too!
- I also have a step-by-step tutorial on how to make flannel pajama shorts. It includes video.
- For women’s sewing patterns, check out the popular Carolyn pajamas by Closet Core ($16). It’s a button-up style 2-piece set with pants or shorts. A very similar pattern that’s free is by The Fabrics Store.
**I Find the Best Free Sewing Patterns and Share Them Every Thursday. Don’t miss out. Join the Email List :)**
DIY plaid home decor
Ideal for medium-heavyweight woven fabrics.
Sewing tutorials
- Here are pillow tutorials: envelope style, invisible zipper style, and a normal zipper.
- Here’s how to make a DIY duvet cover and pillows with cute ties.
- Here’s a table runner tutorial.
- Here’s a tablecloth tutorial. For a more farmhouse look with ruffles, check out this tutorial.
- Here’s how to sew a simple, single-layer curtain with ties.
DIY plaid napkins
Ideal for medium-heavyweight woven fabrics.
Napkin sewing tutorials
This is a napkin tutorial with neat mitered corners:
This tutorial shows you 3 different napkin styles. I think the best one for beginners is the “folded napkin” style that starts at 0:58.
**One Free Sewing Pattern. Every Thursday. Join the Email List 🙂**
DIY plaid skirt
Ideal for medium-heavy weight fabrics.
Sewing patterns
- All of the big sewing pattern companies have a huge range of skirt patterns. Check out Something Delightful for paper and pdf patterns from McCalls and Butterick. They sell Vogue Patterns and Kwik Sew too, but only paper versions. If you want clever and experimental designs, Vogue Patterns is the place to look!
- Go to Simplicity for their Simplicity, New Look, and Burda Style patterns. They sell paper patterns.
- The Fold Line sells pdf and paper sewing patterns from smaller indie designers.
DIY plaid pants / trousers
Ideal for medium-heavy weight fabrics.
Sewing patterns
- Check out Something Delightful for paper and pdf patterns from McCalls and Butterick. They sell Vogue Patterns and Kwik Sew too, but only paper versions.
- Go to Simplicity for their Simplicity, New Look, and Burda Style patterns. They sell paper patterns.
- The Fold Line sells pdf and paper sewing patterns from smaller indie designers.
**I Find the Best Free Sewing Patterns and Share Them Every Thursday. Don’t miss out. Join the Email List :)**
DIY plaid bucket hat
Ideal for medium-heavy weight, structured, woven fabrics.
Sewing patterns & tutorials
Afternoon Patterns has a free bucket hat pattern.
Elbe Textiles has a bucket hat sewing pattern ($2).
Oliver & S has a reversible bucket hat pattern ($8.95).
Here’s a tutorial from Youtuber The Essentials Club. Download her free sewing pattern here:
DIY plaid jackets & coats
Ideal for heavyweight fabric.
Sewing patterns
- Check out Something Delightful for paper and pdf patterns from McCalls and Butterick. They sell Vogue Patterns and Kwik Sew too, but only paper versions.
- Go to Simplicity for their Simplicity, New Look, and Burda Style patterns. They sell paper patterns.
- The Fold Line sells pdf and paper sewing patterns from smaller indie designers.
Where to find plaid fabric online
For US shoppers, check out Fabric.com. They have a huge range of plaids and checks.
For UK buyers, Minerva Crafts and My Fabrics have lots of options.
Related: 41 linen sewing project ideas