Immediately after understanding how to sew, it’s essential to learn how to use a sewing pattern. Understanding how to use a sewing pattern will give you numerous options for creating toys, soft furnishings, costumes, garments, and other garments that you can sew.
However, using a sewing pattern is easier said than done. Here’s what to do:
Step 1: Prepare your Fabric
Begin by preparing your fabric, then cut out the pattern correctly to make your project look like real sewing. Ensure you clean the material if it’s washable (as the fabric can run and shrink), then start your project. Therefore, clear this out of the way before you begin the cutting and stitching process. Immediately it’s dry, press the fabric properly to get rid of creases and folds to make it wrinkle-free and flat.
Step 2: Get The Pattern Ready
Most patterns come with numerous options for different finishes. Therefore, make sure you read the instructions posted on the sheet to work out the pieces you need. Having done that, cut all the pieces on the lines’ outer side since it’s easy to do this first.
When cutting the fabric, please don’t use the fabric scissors since they are made of weak material that can get blunt quickly. Instead, use paper scissors. If by bad luck you slip and make a wrong cut where it shouldn’t, just tape it back to the right place as much as you can.
You can also shift the final cut-out pattern to the cardboard or card-stock if you need a stiffer pattern.
After that, use a dry iron to press the pattern pieces under low heat setting to eliminate creases and folds. Doing this will make them lie flat on the fabric as you cut it out.
Step 3: Cut Out your Pattern
Select your size with the size chart and your measurements measurement. You can also bear different pattern measurements for your measurements. Although, once you have a multisized pattern, make sure you follow the rules for joining the pattern sizes overleaf.
Now cut along your pattern corresponding lines. In case they are close to each other, draw over the selected size using a highlighter pen to help you see the line to cut first.
Step 4: Cut the Layouts
When the pattern has numerous layouts, make sure you find the right one for the overall size of the fabric you are using, plus the garment cutting style and size.
Step 5: Cut it Out
Place the fabric on the floor, or a flat table, then smooth it out to make it wrinkle and crease-free. With that done, place or fold the fabric how it appears within the cutting layout. Next, place the pattern pieces laid in the right manner and wrong part or right part up. Check to confirm that the selvedges are parallel with the pattern’s grainlines by measuring.
Next, pin the pattern pieces properly in the right place, then use a sharp dressmaker’s shears to cut around them through the fabric. If you want more accuracy on fiddly parts, use a pair of smaller and sharp scissors.
Step 6: Now Transfer the Pattern Markings
You need to transfer all the markings to the fabric. Please don’t miss this step as you’ll use these when positioning elements like pockets and darts and matching up the fabric pieces. You can use snips, small tacking stitches, or a fabric pen to mark these on your fabric.
Ensure that all pattern pieces are pinned to your fabric until their need arises again. Therefore, you’ll understand which piece is which when coming to sew them once again.