In her kick off post for this spotlight series, Brianna suggested some of the ways that pattern designers and companies could make their products more accessible. She gave examples of designers using clearly defined size lines and layering for sewists with low vision, audio and visual resources (including accurate captions) and ensuring their websites are accessible.
But what about designing specifically for people with a disability? What about patterns that incorporate accessibility or potential for accommodation to the individual within their design?
As a neurotypical person without disability, I have been struck (yet again) by how much thoughtfulness, representation and clear labelling matters. As I sought to research patterns for this post, I discovered how hard it is to identify the specific relevant features of most patterns that might help with particular needs.
An example of this would be skirts that can be put on while sitting down, which are helpful for people with limited mobility. There are probably a bajillion skirts that fit into this category, but very few that would be labelled in a way that was helpful in immediately identify that this was the case. This puts all the effort onto the customer to find those skirts by clicking through to each pattern to determine what features are available, rather than helping them to be easily found.
With that in mind, it felt obvious that we should have a post which celebrated the pattern makers we could find who are labelling their patterns in this way, or providing information on how and where their patterns might be easily adjusted to accommodate the needs of the individual sewist.
Rad Patterns are the standout designer in this regard. When I go to their site, one of the categories I can select is “Accessible.” There I can find patterns they have designed with specific needs in mind, including their description of how / why the pattern has been designed in this way.
So for example, the Back to Business Raglan pattern details how the back opening is useful for those in a wheelchair or who have limited over the head mobility, and the instructions include modification for different types of closures depending on dexterity needs (or style preference).

Another Rad Patterns design is the Clara Skirt Pattern (pictured above). The skirt overview notes:
- The front of the skirt opens fully, allowing for getting it on and off while seated.
- The instructions are included for using snaps, zippers, or velcro for the opening depending on your dexterity needs and style preference!
- The skirt is fitted enough to avoid excess fabric that could get caught in a wheelchair without restricting mobility.
- The side seams sit slightly forward of the natural side of the body, shifting them away from areas that could cause chafing or abrasion while seated.
- The pockets sit on the thigh, making them perfect for seated use.
- The back rise sits slightly higher on the body so it provides comfort and coverage while seated, but still looks great standing as well.
This type of description gives a great overview of the design choices that they have made to accommodate individual needs and make their pattern more accessible – it would be great to see more of this in the sewing pattern world!

Another notable pattern I found was this Marie-Josée Briefs (underwear) pattern for women. This incudes a view for ostomy underwear – with a lining that creates a pocket for the bag and keeps it away from the skin – and 100% of sales for this pattern go to Centre Philou, a charity supporting children with multiple disabilities. Spoiler alert – I now own three Jalie patterns…
SO what else?
Not much, to be honest. I googled a fair bit and found the following links, but didn’t come across much which was as specifically and thoughtfully aimed at accommodating sewists with a disability as the patterns above.
Here’s what else I found:
- this Threads Magazine article on accommodations that may be useful or necessary for sewists with a disability
- this Swedish site who have some pdfs which can be downloaded for basic patterns which you can then alter, along with tips on how to alter. They look to have put an enormous amount of effort into this, though it remains more advanced as an approach than the usual pdf pattern offering would be
While it’s great to see these patterns and find some helpful resources – I wondered whether I might have missed a whole set of patterns (google isn’t infallible). I do suspect that there will be multiple Facebook support groups and other mechanisms where people are self organising to share tips and approaches, but I was still disheartened by how few patterns are specifically designed in this way. The overriding feeling you are left with is how great the task becomes once you take an intersectional lens on the issue – how many plus size patterns that are also suitable? Or how do you find a binder pattern that works with restricted mobility?
It would be great to hear from the Sewcialists community on this. What recommendations do you have for patterns which are designed with disability and adjustment in mind? What other patterns and accommodations work for you or those you sew for? Let us know in the comments!
Chloe is a Sewcialists Editor who lives and sews in Australia, on the land of the Gadigal people of the Eora nation. She blogs at chlo-thing.com and can be found on Instagram here.
This company makes pattern for kids with sensory processing disorder https://ruthmaddockmakes.com/about-sensory-processing-disorder/
Great tip – thank you!
I remember Peggy from Silhouette Patterns did a webcast on sewing for accessibility once.
https://silhouettepatterns.com/html/media/livestreamchannel/replay_08_11_2014.htm
Another area where more details would be useful: I appreciate the way some instagrammers include an image description of their post. Iam wondering if there are any guidelines on how to best describe a post, words to use. etc.
It would be so great if companies all had an accessibility page where they described things like the layers function on PDF and if they’d consider not using scripty fonts on physical patterns. Does having a high low hem on a shirt help wheelchair users? If so, a note on the CCP Kalle or the Muna & Broad Waikerie that says view X is wheelchair user friendly on the listing would be great.
Another site from Sweden is this textilochtips.wordpress.com . It´s in Swedish but you can chose language. A lot of tips on easy changes and patterns.
McCalls and Butterick both put out patterns for people with special needs or for easy comfort dressing for those with limited dexterity back in the 1990s and early 2000s. Many were unisex. I used Butterick 5404 (likely 1990s) , unisex wrap gowns (back closure, pj tops, shorts and pants for both my in-laws and my mother after they had had strokes. The Long Term Care facility loved them The gowns could also be used as dresses or tops, depending on the fabric used. Butterick 4246 (2004) was similar but with front closures. McCalls 9526 (1998) had a unisex jacket (2 styles), long and short sleeve shirts, and pull on shorts and pants for seniors with limited dexterity or arthritis. Butterick 9480 was similar. McCalls 9480 had ladies skirts, pants, jackets and a blouse which would have made a business type wardrobe. McCalls 2215 was a robe, 2 tops and 2 dresses pattern, Butterick 5503 was dresses. Butterick 5973 (1999) was a unisex pattern with a packet, pants with velcro side closure, vest, A-line skirt with pull on loops, a top with back velcro opening and a bag that attacked to a walker . A Google search using “adapted patterns or patterns for special needs indicated that Independent Living Institute has free patterns for adapted living, and that a book called Simplicity Design Without Limits:Designing and Sewing for Special Needs by M. Dolores Quinn and Renee Weiss Chase was published in 1990 and updated in 2002. A Google search for “how to make adaptive clothing” will result in many more sources. Also check with your local library for additional sources.
Oops, referring to Butterick 9573, should have typed jacket not packet!
There is a group on Facebook called “Accessible Sewing – Tips & Hacks”. From what I’ve seen on the page, they are helpful on a wide variety of topics.