Turn a Pinterest pin into a sewing pattern
Paste the link of a public pin and Sewly recognizes the garment, drafts its pattern to your measurements and shows it in 3D in the colors and print of the pin.
Your pictures stay private and are only used to make your pattern.
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Copy the pin's link
Open the pin in the Pinterest app or on the website and copy its link from the share menu. Make sure the pin is public, since pins on secret boards cannot be opened from outside Pinterest. If the pin shows several garments, note which one you want.
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Paste it into Sewly
Paste the link where you would upload a photo. Sewly loads the picture, recognizes the garment and sets up the closest pattern with its options. If the link does not load, take a screenshot of the pin and upload that instead.
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Adjust and fit
Check the garment and options Sewly chose and change any of them by hand, for free. Add your measurements or pick a standard size, then look at the result in 3D, in the colors and print of the pin. Every change redraws the pattern instantly.
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Print and sew
Print the pattern at true scale on home paper, at a copy shop or for a projector, and check the test square. Then follow the sewing guide written for your pattern, step by step. Printing needs a Maker or Atelier plan.
How do I turn a Pinterest pin into a sewing pattern?
Copy the link of a public pin and paste it into Sewly. The AI looks at the pin's picture, recognizes the garment and its details (length, neckline, sleeves, fullness, closure, pockets) and the fabric's colors and print, then sets up the closest pattern from Sewly's library with matching options.
The drafting engine draws every piece to your measurements or a standard size, and you can change any option by hand before printing. Our guide to turning a Pinterest pin into a pattern shows the whole process with examples.
What Sewly reads from a pin
A pin is usually one clear image, which suits Sewly well. From it, the AI reads:
- the garment type, such as a tiered skirt, a slip dress or a boxy top;
- the silhouette: fitted, relaxed or oversized, and the length;
- details like the neckline, sleeve shape, closure and pockets;
- the colors and print, used in the 3D preview.
If the pin shows a whole outfit, tell Sewly which piece you want to sew. Each garment becomes its own pattern.
When the link does not work, use a screenshot
Sewly can open public pins. A pin saved to a secret board, a video pin or a pin whose image cannot be loaded may not come through.
In that case, take a screenshot of the pin, crop it to the garment and upload it: it works the same way and gives the same pattern. Collages and mood boards with many outfits also work better as a cropped screenshot of the one garment you want, so the AI is not distracted by the others.
From a board to a handmade wardrobe
Many sewists keep boards full of clothes they would love to make. Sewly turns them into a plan: one pattern per pin, all drafted to the same measurements, so a skirt, a top and a dress pinned months apart fit you equally well.
The free plan includes 3 AI patterns a month and Maker includes 30. Our post from a Pinterest board to a handmade wardrobe shows how to pick pins that sew well together.
Fitted to you, not to the model in the pin
The person in the pin is not your size, and the pattern is not drafted to them. Sewly drafts it to your own measurements (height, bust, waist and hip are enough to start) or to a standard size: women EU 32–54 (US 0–22, UK 4–26), men XS–3XL or children 2–14 years.
The 3D preview shows the garment on a mannequin built from your numbers, so you see the proportions on your body before you cut. More on custom-fit patterns.
Frequently asked questions
Does it work with any Pinterest pin?
It works with public pins that show a garment clearly. For pins on secret boards, video pins or pins whose image will not load, a screenshot of the pin works the same way.
Do I need to connect my Pinterest account?
No. You paste the link of a public pin, or upload a screenshot. Sewly does not ask for access to your Pinterest account or boards.
What if the pin shows a whole outfit?
Tell Sewly which piece you want, for example the skirt. Each garment is its own pattern, so you can make the top from the same pin afterwards; each new pattern counts as one AI pattern.
Will the pattern match the pin exactly?
It matches the closest garment in Sewly's library, with the options the AI sees in the pin. Very specific details may differ; you can adjust the length, neckline, sleeves and fit by hand to get closer.
Is it free to turn a pin into a pattern?
The free plan includes 3 AI patterns and 20 AI messages a month, unlimited changes by hand, the 3D preview and the sewing guide on screen. Printing needs Maker ($7.99 a month or $59 a year) or Atelier ($14.99 a month or $119 a year).
What will you sew next?
Bring the picture. Sewly brings the pattern.
Your pictures stay private and are only used to make your pattern.