I’ve made quite a few Madswick patterns so I thought it would help to have all my notes in one place! I first found out about Madswick Patterns when the Raida Blouse was released, which has a gorgeous circular yoke and pintuck details in the sleeves. I have yet to sew the Raida Blouse, but I have plans to make it soon! In this post I share my experience sewing Madswick patterns, the fabric I used, and any mods I made.
I have mainly sewn blouses, a dress and a skirt by Madswick, but I have plans to make a couple more like the Capella Coat and the Madeline Tee, which I will add to this post when I make them. I love all the details on Madswick patterns like pintucks, box pleats, voluminous gathers, and fun oversized collars, but the designs still feel very wearable for everyday!
The designer, Madeline, also suggests other ways to hack the pattern or how to add embellishments like trims and decorative stitches, inspiring the maker to experiment and stretch their sewing skills with different techniques.
About Madswick
The designer, Madeline, has been designing sewing patterns since 2022 and has 19 sewing patterns to choose from on their website. There are several blouse and dress patterns to choose from, but there are also overalls, jackets, basics like the Madeline Tee, shorts, pants and sweatshirt, and a few miscellaneous patterns like a tree skirt and tote bag (free for newsletter subscribers). You could easily sew a whole capsule wardrobe using Madswick patterns! You can read more about how Madswick got started on their website.
More recently Madeline has ventured into surface design and you browse through her portfolio on the website or shop her beautiful fabric designs at The Linen Lab.
The Website
As someone who has their own website, I can’t help but admire a well designed website! The Madswick website is well organized and the patterns are easily found in a drop down menu arranged in categories. Each pattern page has all the information clearly laid out for you, like the pattern difficulty, fabric recommendations, size charts and a photo gallery of tester versions of each pattern. There are also further resources like recommended sewing tools, information on sizing, a blog, and a YouTube tutorial for almost every pattern. You can also find Madswick patterns in their Etsy store along with customer reviews.
The Instructions
I would describe the instructions for Madswick patterns as minimal, but informative. The information is all there to make the garment and worded in a straightforward way, but the steps may not be as wordy or overly detailed as some other indie pattern designers. The illustrations are large on the page which I really appreciate, and have zoomed in sections on the steps that may need a more detailed drawing. Each page is labeled at the top with the step or construction that you are currently sewing such as “BASTE” or “SIDE SEAMS/SLEEVE” which is helpful when you need to scroll back to a certain step and it gives you a heads up for the upcoming step.
I’ve noticed that the instructions for some of Madswick earlier patterns are not quite as refined as the newer ones – which totally makes sense – and since I have been a tester for a few patterns, I’ve seen significant growth across the instructions. I’m referring to small things like typos or inconsistencies in the language, nothing major that is going to keep you from finishing the garment. For example, the most recent pattern I tested, the Camille Chemise, I had very little notes compared to when I tested the Rosamund Blouse, which was the first pattern I tested for Madswick.
For each pattern, there are several informational pages before the sewing steps start that help you pick a size, show how to make certain adjustments to the pattern, fabric and yardage charts, cutting layouts, and links to the companion video tutorial (if there is one). It’s a wonderful resource to have companion video tutorials for sewing patterns, and as a novice video editor, I know that it takes an incredible amount of work!
Pattern Sizing
On the Madswick size chart I fall under a size 2 for a bust measurement of 34″ but with the amount of ease built into the patterns, at least the ones I’ve made so far, I typically feel like I can size down. You’ll see in the notes for each garment below that I usually make a size 2, with the exception of the Rosamund Blouse, which I sized down to a 1. It all depends on your wearing preference and I always look at the finished measurements chart to help me decided which size to make.
This page contains some affiliate links to products and I may receive a small commission for purchases made through these links (at no extra cost to you).
I wanted to write this review as a resource and a place to gain inspiration when making your own versions and the opinions in this post are all my own. If any of these patterns below, or any on the website speak to you, I’m happy to share the code ‘bethanylynne_makes” for 10% off Madswick patterns.
Next up are my notes on each Madswick pattern I’ve made. Here is a Table of Contents if you want to skip around to specific patterns.
Rosamund Blouse
The Rosamund Blouse is a beautiful, unique blouse with lovely details and a statement oversized collar. There are a lot of fun details to sew on the blouse like the rouleau buttons and modesty placket, the square neckline, and of course the collar. I think it’s so pretty how the square collar echoes the square neckline and truly is the focal point of this blouse.
Difficulty: Confident Beginner
Size made: 1
Fabric used: 2 yards linen jacquard from The Linen Lab (Affiliate link – Use ‘bethanylynne_makes’ for 10% off)
Modifications: None
I was a pattern tester for the Rosamund so I made the pattern as written to get a feel for the fit. I was in between sizes on the size chart for a bust measurement of 34″ and chose to size down to a 1, the smallest size. The blouse is designed with an oversized fit and I would agree with that – the blouse feels a little too big overall on me. Next time I will shorten the sleeves and maybe make the collar a tiny bit smaller and I think that would help. The only thing I did differently in the construction was to understitch the neckline to help the binding stay in place and not roll to the right side of the collar.
I was curious to see if I would like the statement collar style, and even though it was fun to sew, I don’t know if the style is quite what I like on me. I love how the collar looks on others though and you can scroll through the other tester versions on Madswick’s website to see the Rosamund in a variety of sizes and fabrics.
I love love love this linen jacquard fabric and think it was a beautiful pairing with the Rosamund Blouse. It gives the blouse a more relaxed feel which is exactly what I wanted. The texture is amazing with a variety of subtle patterns and it has that great bouncy linen drape. Some steps were tricky to sew in this linen since it’s almost like a gauze, but with some patience it was doable. I do wish I had added interfacing into the modesty placket to give it some more structure.
Later, I ended up shortening the sleeves to make a short sleeve Rosamund and I really love how it turned out, maybe even better than the long sleeve version.
Zamora Skirt
The Zamora Skirt really caught my eye when I kept seeing beautiful skirts with pintucks popping up on my Instagram feed. The Zamora Skirt is so classic in white, but it was the green sample on Madswick’s website that inspired me to make my version. If you’ve never sewn pintucks on a garment before, I think this is a great pattern to learn how because you’re just working with rectangles and you get to practice with different sized pintucks. I wear my Zamora quite a bit and I love how the pintucks bring extra texture and interest to an outfit.
Difficulty: Confident Beginner
Size made: A
Fabric used: 3 yards midweight linen from Fluid + Drape (Affiliate link – Use ‘bethanylynnemakes’ for 15% off)
Modifications: Adjusted skirt panel widths
I made the smallest size in the Zamora Skirt (A) but made a few adjustments to the skirt panels to get the volume and fit I wanted (I didn’t want the top tier too tight). I added about 4” in width to the top tier, which I cut into two panels vs. one (I didn’t want a seam at the back), and rounded up the second tier measurements to the next whole number. Next time I could just size up to get more volume and take out any if needed. I used the Paperless Option Guide included in the pattern and just printed out the pintuck marking guide to help me know where to mark the pintucks – this was really helpful! Oh and I added an extra pintuck in the bottom tier, just for fun. 🙂
The waistband construction is unique because the instructions have you completely finish the waistband before attaching the skirt panels. I wanted the option to try on the skirt with the waistband already attached so I sewed the waistband to the skirt panels and inserted the elastic at the end. This also meant I still had access to the elastic if I needed to make any adjustments before topstitching the waistband.
This linen was a little heavy for this Zamora Skirt and I had to go back and tighten the elastic since the weight of it pulled the waist down. It was so nice to work with though and showed off the pintucks really nicely. I actually don’t have my first Zamora Skirt skirt anymore, but I made another in a lightweight linen because I was missing it in my closet!
Zamora Skirt – Version 2
I made another Zamora Skirt, in a green color pretty much identical to the first version I made, but this time in a lighter weight linen. This skirt is so wonderful to wear and I love how when the light hits the hem, it shows off those beautiful pintucks. The Zamora pattern has been updated since I made my first version, so I used the updated pattern when making my second version. I made a size A and made no mods to the skirt panels or fit! I did have to shorten the second tier 1/2″ to get it to fit on my fabric, but that really didn’t make a difference to the overall length.
The only thing I did differently was the construction of the waistband. I stitched the casing to the top tier before adding the elastic and trimmed off a little bit to fit the elastic. I actually made a mistake here and cut off too much width off of the casing and needed to use 1.25″ elastic instead of 1.5″ like I had wanted. That really wasn’t a huge difference and I like how the width of the 1.25″ elastic feels at my waist.
The linen I used is vintage dyed delave linen from The Linen Lab and it’s perfect for this skirt. I purchased 2 yards and managed to just squeeze out a size A (see photo below).
Gingko Pinafore
This was my first time making and wearing a pinafore style dress and it was fun to try out! The Gingko Pinafore is a versatile pattern with a choice between two neckline options that can be worn either in the front or back, a few ways to tie the dress, and the option to add patch pockets. I think my favorite way to wear this dress is tied at the side and layered over jeans for a voluminous look.
Difficulty: Confident Beginner
Size made: 2
Fabric used: 3 yards mini gingham linen from The Linen Lab (Affiliate link – Use ‘bethanylynne_makes’ for 10% off)
Modifications: None
I was part of the testing group for this pattern and it was fun to see all the other versions that were sewn (you can see some of these on the Madswick website). I made a size 2, but probably could have sized down because the fit is quite forgiving! I made the v-neck option in the front and the back and made no mods to the fit. The bodice is completely lined and to get a nice crisp turn under at the neckline, I would suggest understitching the lining to the seam allowance to keep it from peeking through to the right side.
The Gingko Pinafore uses quite a bit of fabric and I remembered using pretty much all of the 3 yards of linen I had for this project. This linen was lovely for this dress and the grayish green color goes with everything. It’s a silky smooth lightweight linen so the dress doesn’t feel weighed down even in all this fabric.
I’m glad I tried this pinafore style out but ultimately decided it wasn’t for me. I love the bodice though with the double v-neck and would love to try and hack the pattern someday into a traditional gathered dress. I just need to figure out what to do with the overlap at the side seams (see photo below) or keep the overlap and have it tie at the back?
Camille Chemise
The Camille Chemise is such a pretty blouse! My favorite part of this blouse are the box pleats at the front, back, and sleeves which is different than what I’ve seen in other similar blouse designs. The sleeves are full, but somehow look slim, which I like. The wide square neckline is so pretty and gives the blouse a more modern feel. There’s also a dress view which looks so breezy to wear!
Difficulty: Confident Beginner
Size made: 2
Fabric used: 2 yards Kokka cotton linen from Salt Lake Sewciety
Modifications: Shortened straps
I was part of the testing group for the Camille and there were a few fit issue worked out during that time. This version one was made with the final pattern and the fit is so much better than my tester version! I made a size 2, and chose my size based on my bust measurement (34”) instead of the recommended upper bust.
I did make a few mods for my personal fit preference. The neckline is a little low for me as is, so I shortened the straps 1/2” (there’s instructions on how to do this) which does cause the armhole the sit higher. It’s not uncomfortable though, and I still have a good amount of arm movement (I wouldn’t want them any higher though). I also shortened the sleeves 1” so they would sit higher above my elbow. The neckline gaps a tiny bit at the shoulders with certain movements, so I’m wondering if pinching out a little there or adjusting the curve slightly would help. With these mods, the fit works well for me!
This fabric is a Kokka Fabrics cotton linen blend and it worked beautifully for this top! It holds the pleats and gathers well and has a mild structured drape. (My tester version was in linen and it took quite of bit of ironing after washing to get it looking crisp again.) After taking these photos, I realized I made a mistake on one of the front pleats and one of them is a regular pleat instead of a box pleat. Really not noticeable at all, but I will probably go back and fix it because I know it’s there. 🙂
I love the details in this top, the way it came together and the flow of the instructions. One thing I did differently in the construction was to understitch the facing to the seam allowance at the neckline to help keep the facing from rolling to the right side. To do this, I stitched as close as I could to the corners of the neckline (see photos below).
Carol Blouse
The Carol Blouse may be my favorite Madswick pattern so far! I love a raglan sleeve blouse but the neckline and sleeve binding technique was different than any I’ve made before. The option to add lace or eyelet details is a beautiful heirloom touch and really elevates the blouse.
Difficulty: Confident Beginner
Size made: 2
Fabric used: 1.5 yards dobby cotton lawn from Harmony Fabrics
Modifications: Lengthened sleeve binding
I made a size 2 in which is right where I fell on the size chart for a bust measurement of 34″. I made the short sleeve option with the smaller neckline opening. The armholes sit a little high on me and I think if the neckline was a little wider, maybe somewhere between the smaller and wider opening options, then that would help bring down the armhole opening down. The amount of billowy volume on the Carol Blouse is really beautiful and it looks good either tucked or untucked. I might add a tiny bit of length next time so there’s more to tuck in, but it’s a great length as is for leaving it untucked.
I love the construction of the Carol Blouse and there were some great techniques to help get a clean finish in the gathered neckline and button placket. The instructions have you stay stitch the neckline bias binding, which is brilliant, and a technique I haven’t seen used before in similar blouse patterns. The way that the button band and neckline bias binding comes together all in the same step was really clean and satisfying to sew.
Before sewing on the armbands I basted and tried them on to check the fit and they were way too tight. I tried a couple of options, like adding 1/2″, then 1″, to see what length was comfortable and ultimately lengthened the arm binding piece 1″ and cut the piece on the bias. There are less gathers in the sleeves because of this, but I focused most of the gathers to the outside of the sleeves and less at the inside side seam.
I had a few options of lace and eyelet trim to choose from, and this cotton eyelet (just under 5/8″) ended up being the perfect match for this blouse. The trims shown below are from an Etsy store called Alor Style Ribbons. It’s also where I find the embroidered trims for my Kat Backpack pattern.
I hadn’t made a top like this before where the gathered sleeves and neckline are sewn with bias binding that doesn’t show from the right side. I think it creates a really lovely gathering effect that looks a little like smocking. The bias binding steps were a little finicky to sew, especially when adding the eyelet trim, but I added extra gathering stitches and pressed the gathers, as suggested in the instructions, before attaching the bias tape. I also chose to understitch the seam allowance to the bias tape, which really helped when folding the bias tape to the wrong side and keeps it from rolling to the right side of the garment. (see photos below)
Beth Blouse
The Beth Blouse has so many gorgeous romantic details! I truly enjoyed the whole process of sewing this blouse. This blouse does take a bit more time because of all the details, but I was in need of a project that allowed me to slow down, and take my time. My favorite part of this blouse might be how the collar meets together in the back – so pretty!
Difficulty: Confident Beginner
Size made: 2
Fabric used: 2 dobby swiss dot cotton from Harmony Fabrics
Modifications: Shortened sleeves 1″ and shortened collar and sleeve ruffles
I made a size 2 which works well for me! The only thing I regret, was shortening the sleeves by 1″. The armholes intentionally sit lower to give a more comfortable fit, but that means it didn’t give a lot of room for adjusting the sleeve length. I have kind of short arms, and I didn’t want the armband and ruffles to be sitting right at my elbow, but looking back, I think the intended sleeve length would have been fine.
The shorter sleeves in combination with the lower armholes, also means that I don’t have that much ease of movement when moving or raising my arms. See photo below of what the sleeve looks like shortened, and attached to the armhole, before adding the sleeve cuffs and ruffles.
I really enjoyed the construction of the armbands, and I chose to hand stitch them down for a clean finish. The collar ruffles were maybe the most time consuming to get the gathers evenly space, but I just used a lot of pins and took my time. I ended up trimming down the ruffle pieces for the collar and sleeves by 1/4″, after I had cut them out and folded in half (see photo below). I really liked how this slightly shorter ruffle ended up looking.
This lightweight swiss dot cotton dobby ended up being perfect for the Beth Blouse, and I think makes the details look more delicate. I found it easy to work with too!
I hope it was helpful to see these Madswick patterns all together and maybe gave you some ideas of what fabric to use or any modifications to make if you’re planning to make your own.
Thanks for reading and happy sewing!
