Pattern Review: Riley Overalls by True Bias
- Oct 12, 2025
- 3 min read
I am describing this as my toddler-style 😂 but I love it! It's such as cute and fun outfit.
The Riley pattern is a classic overall design with a relaxed fit and two lengths and work great for Medium to heavy weight fabrics with little to no stretch such as denim, corduroy, twill and linen.
The pattern is available as PDF and paper pattern by True Bias. It comes in two size ranges: 0 - 18 (waist: 66 cm till 98 cm | hip: 86 cm till 118 cm) and 14 - 32 (waist: 88 cm till 133 cm | hip: 110 cm till 156 cm).
I measured 106-108cm at the time and made the bold decision to make the size 12. With 6-8cm ease, I thought was the right decision. They are a little snug when I squat but totally ok for normally activities such as walking and sitting down. I will however make a full seat adjustment of 1" for the next pair.
This pattern has A LOT of pattern pieces. I omitted the belt loops - while cute, I never wear belts and wouldn't for overalls anyway. I also omitted the coin pocket - why bother?! There are still plenty of pockets available in this pattern - 3 on the front bib, two back pockets and 2 front pockets.
My first pair I made in a beautiful light blue (non-stretch) denim that I bought during my trip to London at the Stitch Festival. I bought the fabric with this pattern in mind. The second pair is a leopard print on a white base denim. I'd say the blue denim is a lighter medium weight and the leopard a heavier medium weight.
The instructions - just like all True Bias patterns I have used - are amazing! They are so detailed, even with the illustrations - it makes them easy to assemble and sew. They are classed for an intermediate sewist but I think a very confident beginner could manage them - just because the instructions are so good. There are techniques, like understitching or even the top-stitching that could be tricky but manageable with practice. The pattern doesn't require an awful amount of fitting.
For the blue denim version, I didn't make any fit adjustments however I offset the buttons at the hip to give me a little extra room for my little belly. It worked out great and I don't think it's noticeable.
I am not so keen on the way the straps are finished. They are simply folded twice and top-stitched. I find them a little weak and would prefer two layers of fabric. I ordered the overall kit from Closet Core Fabrics and a little disappointed how loose and flimsy they are. While wearing they keep on sliding which is quite annoying.
For the leopard denim, I cut the strap pieces twice and bagged them out. The sliders sit a lot better now and don't move at all!
For the leopard denim pair, I cut the same size but with a 1" full seat adjustment. I may have lost a couple of circumference around my belly. For this pair, I didn't need to offset the buttons and buttonholes on the side placket.
For the leopard pair, I also skipped most of the double top-stitching because it isn't visible due to the busy print. Which reminds me that the top-stitching for the blue pair, is actually two 'normal' threads. I threaded my sewing machine needle twice with the same colour so that the thread is thicker - it looks great! So if ever you don't have the right colour of top-stitching thread, this is a great alternative.
The pattern is so much fun, I have truly enjoyed making and wearing both of them.
I mistakenly ordered a third set of clasps & sliders in nickel so I guess I could make another one. I like the idea of the longer one but not sure if I'd get as much wear out of them, considering we live in the desert.
Thanks for hanging out with me. Have you made the dungarees before?
Happy Sewing!
Maria
Honestly relieved this didn't read like a content mill churning out the same recycled lines. There's a real person behind these words, and the personality makes even the dry bits enjoyable. It made me want to explore the blog just to spend more time with that voice. Following from here on out. Genuinely good writing.
I was halfway through something else when a friend said to check it out and I ended up setting everything aside to read it properly. That says a lot about how well the content pulls you in without resorting to anything dramatic or sensational. The pacing is steady and the transitions between ideas are smooth enough that the whole thing flows naturally from start to finish. I took a few notes along the way and have since used one of them in a practical context. Really glad I didn't ignore the suggestion.
What makes this an expert post in the real sense is that it adds something to the conversation rather than just summarizing what's already out there. The perspective here is grounded in genuine experience with the subject and that shows in how the ideas are framed. I came in with a working knowledge of the topic and still picked up several things I hadn't encountered before. A few colleagues have already asked me to forward the link. The kind of content that earns a loyal readership without having to ask for it.
I don't always make time to read the entire article when something comes recommended but this one justified the investment easily. The author is clearly working from genuine familiarity with the subject and that shows in how the ideas are developed rather than just introduced. The transitions between sections feel natural rather than mechanical and the whole piece holds together as a coherent argument rather than a collection of points. I shared it with a colleague who is harder to impress than I am and the response was genuinely positive. Really strong work.
I was in the middle of something else when a colleague said to check the post when I had a moment and I ended up setting everything aside to read it properly right then. That says a lot about how well the content pulls you in. The pacing is steady and the transitions between ideas are smooth throughout. I took a few notes along the way and have since used one of them in a practical context. Really glad I didn't put it off.