THE WREN AND MINI WREN PATTERNS HAVE ARRIVED!

Fabric Source || Tencel Shirting from Style Maker Fabrics

The Wren & Mini Wren patterns will be on SALE through
Wednesday, March 31st. You can enjoy extra savings by grabbing the bundle.
No coupon code needed!

PATTERN DETAILS

The Wren is our first pattern release of 2021, and it feels so good to add a new pattern to our lineup! With the arrival of spring, we hope you are inspired to create something for yourself or the mini in your life. The Wren pattern is a button-front blouse and a mini dress with a scoop neckline. The mini dress has a dropped waist with a gathered skirt and is loose and comfortable through the waist and hips. The two statement sleeve options are a short sleeve with a puff cap and an elastic hem and a long sleeve with a cuff. There are bust darts for all cup sizes and optional back darts for shaping. The back darts were omitted from the blouse samples, but they are included on the mini dress sample pictured below.

Fabric Source || Printed Cotton Poplin from Blackbird Fabrics

Fabric Source || Telio Rayon Crepe Print Floral from Stonemountain Fabrics

The Mini Wren is very similar to the adult version with only minor differences. The main difference is the long sleeve on the Mini is finished with elastic instead of a cuff like on the adult version, and the darts have been removed. Like the adult version, the Mini Wren includes both short and long sleeves and a blouse or mini dress option.

Fabric Source || Stitch in Lilac Warp and Weft by Alexia Marcelle Abegg

Fabric Source || Floral Crepe from Melanated Fabrics

The pattern is listed as INTERMEDIATE sewing level. The Wren is friendly to those with a little sewing experience while teaching a few new skills like the back darts and front-button facing. The most challenging steps in the adult version are adding buttonholes and buttons, and sewing the cuffs. There are detailed, step-by-step illustrated instructions to guide you along the way, and if you’d like more help, the Chalk and Notch Patterns Facebook Group is a great place to get support. Many of our testers are members there, so you have great resources if you ever need them.

We will also have a photo/video sew-along to support this pattern next week. We’ll link to it here once it’s live. We are confident that even if this is your first time sewing a garment for yourself, you will have all of the support you need!

Fabric Source || Telio Miro Rayon Crepe De Chine Pine from Fabric.com

Adult Wren Size Chart: 0 – 30, two bust cups

It is common for body measurements to fall across a few different sizes, and you can use the body measurements in the chart below to determine your size (or sizes). For this pattern, it is recommended to reference the high bust and full bust for the adult pattern or chest measurements for the Mini Wren. For the adult pattern, there are two bust cup options: A/B and C/D. You can find details on determining your bust cup in the Size Chart section of the pattern.

Wren Finished Garment Measurements

The Wren is semi-fitted through the bust and loose through the waist and hips. The bust includes 4” (10 cm) of ease. There is 10” (25.5 cm) of ease through the waist and 35” (89 cm) of ease through the hips in the mini dress view. The blouse length finishes above the full hips.

To determine the length, reference the finished length measurements for your selected version and compare them to your own desired length (note that Chalk and Notch Patterns are designed for a height of 5′ 7″ or 170 cm).

Mini Wren Size Chart & Finished Garment Measurements: 12m – 12y

It is common to need to blend sizes for kids, too. It is recommended to reference the chest measurements and then add or remove length based on the height measurement.

CUSTOM-FITTING ADJUSTMENTS

Basic custom-fitting adjustments are included in the Wren pattern, but we have also put together a post with more details here. We hope you find all resources and instructions to best fit the Wren for your body! As always, we recommend sewing a test garment in muslin or non-precious fabric to check the fit before sewing your final version. If you need additional help or have questions, please feel free to email me or join the Chalk and Notch Patterns Facebook Group – I’m always happy to hear from you!

FABRIC & NOTIONS

Main Fabric

The Wren is designed with light to medium weight woven fabric in mind. If sewing the mini dress (view B), fabric with a nice, fluid drape is recommended.

To help you start planning your Wren, we have a fabric and ready-to-wear inspiration post here and a fabric Pinterest board here.

Fabric charts listed show the minimum fabric required. Depending on your print or fabric content, you may need more fabric to account for shrinkage, directionality, or pattern matching.

Adult Wren Pattern Fabric Charts

Adult Wren Pattern Notions

• Tricot fusible interfacing – 3/4 yd (0.75 M) for facings and cuffs
• Six or seven 1/2″ (1.25 cm) buttons for the center front
• Two or four 1/2″ (1.25 cm) buttons for the long sleeve cuffs
• 1 yd 3/8″ elastic for the short sleeves
• Optional: Tailor’s chalk or washable fabric marker, pressing ham, point turner

Mini Wren Pattern Fabric Charts

Mini Wren Pattern Notions

• Tricot fusible interfacing – 1/2 yd (1 M) for facings and cuffs
• Four to six 1/2″ (1.25 cm) buttons for the center front
• 1/2 yd (0.5 M) 3/8″ (1 cm) elastic for sleeve hem
• Optional: Tailor’s chalk or washable fabric marker, pressing ham, point turner

TESTER PHOTOS

Our testing teams for the Wren and Mini Wren were so talented and helpful! Styled photos are never a required part of testing, but many sent over photos to share. Seeing a pattern on a variety of people and in different fabrics can be a valuable tool. See them all in our Wren and Mini Wren tester round up on the blog now.

I’d love to see what you come up with, so if you share your makes, please tag @chalkandnotch and use the hashtags #cnwren or #cnminiwren and #chalkandnotchpatterns so I can see your creations.

Thanks for checking out the new Wren & Mini Wren Patterns!

XO, Gabriela