Joining your Sewing Pattern Templates

When you get a pdf pattern that is around 52 pages long via email in the form of a dress sewing pattern, you can become quickly overwhelmed with the massive amount of copies, pieces, templates and instructions. Keeping them all straight and in order is important– but how do you get those pattern pieces to work together?

You might think this is kind of basic, but with more and more companies selling pdf patterns you will need to put a few small pieces together to make the big pattern.

There are a few tricks that when you use them you will be so much happier with the pattern and with your finished project.

First off you will need to check and make sure that your pattern piece has been printed at the correct size. Most of the times it does, but you never know. If there is a registration box on the pattern measure it {should be 1″ X 1″}. The whole background of my pieces were grided. There was no missing that measurement.

If it isn’t correct, enlarge or shrink the pattern with the copy machine to adjust.

When I cut the patterns out I lay all the pieces on a rotary cutter mat so I can use my rotary cutter. The long straight lines are super quick to cut with the rotary. Saves a bunch of time too! This is when you are cutting the pattern out WITHOUT the fabric. {I do this with the fabric also- but today we are talking about the pattern pieces}

Make sure that you are cutting out one part at a time. Don’t cut 1 piece for a sleeve and one for a skirt, until you have cut all the pieces for the sleeve first. Let’s get those together before you have a big pile of parts that you don’t know which ones go to which and then have to walk away to get a water for the kiddos.

When you are cutting out your patterns, I suggest looking at the piece that will be coming up next and decide- will you cut at the edge or leave a 1/4″ past the line to overlap. Planning ahead just a little will help your pattern stay together better.

Cut the pieces with what you have decided and then overlap the pattern cut on the edge on top of the pattern with a little bit extra. Tape them together.

You can put a piece on the front and the back if you’d like.

Because the sewing patterns are now on paper they will last a little bit longer too.

The beauty with pdf patterns is you can choose what to print and store and what not to print and store. If you aren’t going to put a poofly sleeve in, don’t print the poofy sleeve. If you don’t want to print the instructions, don’t. It gives you a lot of choices in the end- which I love.

I would suggest printing off the cover or something with the pattern name and maybe the .com where it came from. Nothings funner than finding random templates with no idea what they will make.

Want something cute to hold down all those newly made pattern pieces? How about pattern weights— even better when you use your orphan quilt blocks too!

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