Little Lion Patterns

While I have known how to use a sewing machine since I was in high school and have owned my own sewing machine for over 15 years, I only started making my own clothing in 2018. I was inspired when I found a kitsch pineapple print cotton fabric in a thrift store in Sydney (where I live) and thought that it would make a fabulous top.

It took me a few weeks to build up the courage, but I made a basic box top, and lo-and-behold, it turned out alright! Of course, my first wearable garment was not 100% perfect, but I was proud to be able to wear something that I’d made myself. The ‘pineapple top’ (named by the staff at Reverse Garbage where I’d sourced the fabric) turned out to be one of the most-worn items in my wardrobe that year.

Making my own clothing really spoke to my desire to live more sustainably. The global fashion industry has a terrible environmental impact, so I challenged myself to go a whole year without buying any new clothes. During my slow fashion challenge, I learned be less wasteful about fashion practices. I used sewing with thrifted fabrics as a way to renew my wardrobe while reusing existing resources. I wanted more of a connection with the way my clothing is made, so by following online tutorials and sewing patterns to learn techniques, I could better appreciate the resources and effort that goes into each item that I wear.

The proud feeling that I get when I go out wearing something I’ve made from scratch has me totally hooked. I don’t make all of my clothes (most of the things I wear are thrifted from charity shops!) but the things I make are special items that I plan to get maximum wear. I tend to make a handful of garments for myself each year.

My Etsy shop resulted from a lifelong love of making things. As a child, I would spend hours making my own cards, notebooks, paper goods and scrapbooks. I’d also spend time doing cross stitch, sewing, and painting… really anything that was artistic and creative. 

When I first opened my Etsy shop in 2012, I sold custom stationery designs for weddings and events. I moved into printable party decorations and decor, then reusable fabric face masks during the early days of the pandemic.

In its current form, my shop (Little Lion Patterns) is inspired by my son. When he was a baby and I was on parental leave, I discovered that store-bought baby clothing often fell short. Searching for things to dress him in, I found that most garments were too gendered, uncomfortable or overly restrictive for his range of movement, or they just weren’t designed to last.

Because of this, I was drawn to making him clothes that would fit the requirements of a busy baby. I set out to design garments with practicality in mind, making a variety of items that could withstand the wear and tear that comes along with childhood curiosity and adventures. I began with sweat pants and a change mat, then made baby pants and baby shorts. The pieces that I had made quickly became the go-to items that I always reached for in his tiny wardrobe.

My inspiration for sewing patterns often comes from an existing piece of clothing, or maybe something I’ve seen for sale online, that I would like to reproduce with some changes to the design. I create a digital pattern then print it out, sewing samples to test and adjust until I get it just right. My son acts as a very adorable tester for most of my products, so you’ll probably see my blonde bub modelling the baby and children’s items in my shop. He’s now an active toddler, so you’ll see more patterns for tots coming up soon.

The makers that will be using my sewing patterns have also been considered during the creation process. As I have tertiary qualifications in both Graphic Design and Communications, I’ve utilised my skills in those areas to create simple, straightforward sets of instructions with illustrations for clarity.

It’s now been 12 years since I first began selling on Etsy, and in that time I’ve made over 500 sales. I hope you find what you are looking for in my shop and enjoy the process of using my patterns to make your own lovely creations!