What are the best sewing planners to use with your body-positive fashion sketch templates from MyBodyModel? The answer depends on your planning style. We believe there’s a perfect planning system for everyone – even planning rebels! Here are ten sewing planners that we love. This list features some of our favorite free & paid planners, including printable, digital, and spiral-bound options.
This post was originally published in 2020 and has been updated for 2022.
Which one’s your favorite? Did we miss any good ones? Let us know in the comments!
1. Seamwork – Collection Planner
- Price: Free!
- Format: Digital PDF
To add my croquis, I simply cut the figure from my 3-croquis page from MyBodyModel – Fits perfectly!
2. Sew DIY – Printable Sewing Planner
- Price: $7.95
- Format: Digital PDF available in letter, half letter, A4, and A5 sizes
- See how Beth at Sew DIY uses MyBodyModel with her sewing planner
3. Love to Sew Podcast – Create Your Dream Wardrobe Worksheet
- Price: Free!
- Format: Digital PDF
I love that “Sewing Project Worksheet” page has a special place for a sketch – and my croquis cut out from the 3-models page from MyBodyModel fits so perfectly! I also love the checklist – So satisfying!
4. Grainline Studio – Pattern Cards for Home Sewing
- Price: $3.00
- Format: Digital PDF
5. Needle and the Belle (a.k.a. The Crunchy Mommy) – Plan that Ish Digital Sewing Planner
- Price: $9.99
- Format: Digital Planner for Goodnotes, Xodo, Notability with Links (instructional video included)
6. Scarlet Stitch – Sewing Project Template
- Price: Free!
- Format: Digital PDF
7. Squeeze Paper Goods – Digital Sewing Planner with Custom Croquis Add-On
- Price: $12 +$3 custom croquis add-on
- Format: Printable PDF, US letter or A4 size
MyBodyModel customer & designer/owner at Squeeze Paper Goods, Elana designed a beautiful printable sewing planner with a custom croquis add-on option. This means that if you purchase the Squeeze Sewing Planner and send her your MyBodyModel croquis, she’ll add it to 13 pages from your planner! Elana says, “Sketching on a body similar to your own allows you to quickly visualize what styles will work for you and what alterations you might need. It’s helpful for wardrobe planning and it’s just a lot of fun!” Read more about her inspiration behind the planner in this blog post.
8. Independent Clothing Initiative – My Design Line Worksheets
- Price: Free!
- Format: Digital PDF
9. Samantha Claridge – Sew Crafty Dressmaking Journal
- Price: £12.95
- Format: Spiral bound notebook, A5 size
10. MyBodyModel – Printable & Digital Project Planner
- Price: Included with MyBodyModel purchase
- Format: Digital PDF
So, how to choose from all the wonderful sewing planners available?
Having so many options can be overwhelming. The important thing to keep in mind: There is no “right” or “wrong” way to plan your projects! It’s a win-win no matter what route you choose, and it’s completely okay to mix it up. By experimenting with different formats, you will discover what works best for you and your planning style. And maybe along the way, you’ll even discover “the One.”
Personally, I must admit I’m a bit of a commitment-phobe when it comes to sewing planners… I love them all! I’ve experimented with lots of printable formats – and by using a 3-hole punch, I can keep them together all in one binder so that I still feel organized, even if each page doesn’t match perfectly. I also love my bullet journal (check out these bujo posts if you’ve been wanting to give it a try)!
How about you? What sewing planners have worked best for you so far? Have you tried any of the sewing planners in this post, and did I miss any of your favorites? Let us know in the comments – I’d love to hear what you think.
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An obsessed garment sewist with a passion for body-positive fashion drawing, Erica founded MyBodyModel in 2017 and led the company for more than five years before it became part of Cashmerette in 2023. You can find Erica and her beginner-friendly drawing classes & style workshops at Illustrated Style School and @illustratedstyleschool.
![We’ve got the low-down on sewing project planners from Elana! 📋 When Elana needed a way to organize her ideas and stay motivated, she turned to investing in her own personalized planner. Using Microsoft Publisher, Elana was able to create the planner of her dreams, altering it to fit her needs and wants. She says: “I designed my own planner using Microsoft Publisher, pulling inspiration from several printable options that weren’t exactly what I wanted. I love that I am able to add my MyBodyModel custom croquis to any page and can make my own sketching layouts.” She also provides a number of recommendations for readymade options. From there she plans, visualizes, chooses fabric and sketches staying focused but also flexible. “My personalized sewing planner is in a three ring binder so if plans change, I can just move that project page. When I come back to it later, I know at a glance what I wanted to do. I am a fairly indecisive person who also wants to sew all.the.things, so having this visual system really helps to maximize my sewing time by keeping me focused and cutting down on time between projects.” She goes on to say: “I know my system is working because I’ve already completed several projects.” We love when a plan works, don’t you? #SewingPlanner #MyBodyModel #FashionSketching #SketchAndSew #MyBodyModelStyle #SewingProcess #SewingSketch [Image description 1: A stack of Elana’s go-to tools for sewing project planning laid out on her desk includes her planner surrounded by colorful pens, a pencil and a cup of coffee.] [Image description 2: Elana’s “Projects to Make” pages from her planner laid out on her desk surrounded by pens and stickers.]](https://www.mybodymodel.com/wp-content/plugins/instagram-feed/img/placeholder.png)
8 thoughts on “10 Sewing Planners to Use with MyBodyModel (free + paid options!)”
thank you so much for the links to the blog posts. i find them so helpful when debating whether to try out a new-to-me method.–anne
Great samples here, thanks! On my own project sheets I include a spot for the cost of materials I need to purchase for the project. This helps me plan within my budget.
These are great. What a variety! Thanks!
One note though, the Grainline Pattern cards aren’t free, there’s a $3 charge.
What an awesome post! Really will be helpful for those getting started or even for those who aren’t the happiest with their current format. I use yours and ever since starting to use the My body model format, I have been much more mindful in what I sew. It gives me direction. Mind you I can plan until the cows come home and I still have the ability to get distracted with other projects. They are easy to come back to though. I have to be careful as to when I use them. and plan with them as my 7 year old daughter loves them too – she thinks I need to wear the glittery sparkling evening wear all the time! I would love to see child croquis so that our designer children can join in with models more suited to themselves. I find the mybodymodel planning sheets very handy.
Amazing content!. Thanks, that you share with us
Thanks for the links. I didn’t realise there were so many options available. Choices, choices…
Sadly the grainline pages were first offered in 2020 and are now $5.00.
Thanks for the round up.
Hi Cathy, I just looked and they seem to still be $3 USD: https://grainlinestudio.com/products/downloadable-pattern-cards
Perhaps you’re seeing the price in a different currency?
-Ayelet at MyBodyModel