Garment Construction for the lost and confused: Pattern markings/technical terms part A

So, before I get on with this riveting titled blog, I just want to take a moment to thank everyone who took the time, not only read this blog so far, but especially anyone who took the time to comment, subscribe, share, etc. Really blown away. I was really worried that no one would want to read this in preference, with, you know, proper bloggers. But THANK YOU so much for the lovely encouragement. If anyone has any suggestions for future blogs, don't be shy and send me a comment. When the beautiful and talented @Alexjudgesews named dropped this blog on her stories this morning, I was eating my fruit and fibre (because I'm 100% a grown up) whilst watching her latest video with a brew (not even saying that for dramatic purposes. I was). I must admit I had a teeny, weeny, almost unheard, fangirl squeal. Seriously, I want to fondle her fabric stash so badly *fans self to calm down.

OK, so proper content.

I am going to tackle adjustments, etc on a separate blog as the more I started to make notes, the more I realised how HUGE and technical this blog was going to be. So lets tackle pattern markings.

OK, so you have picked your awesome pattern. Your little beginner sewer heart is a aflutter with excitement and as you take in the pattern line drawings, then you are hit with all this Betchley Park code breaking hieroglyphics. Quite rightly, your reaction may very well be

If a pattern designer is really good then you will never wonder what anything is because they consider the whole package, label, diagrams, videos, etc will be provided to ensure that you get the best possible help in putting together your garment. These designers know that this might be the very first pattern that you ever attempt and they want to make sure that you have a good experience to keep coming back to their brand again and again. Because that's good business. Its seems so simple and obvious that everyone does that, right? Nope. I have had some truly difficult experiences due to poor instructions, even "easy" patterns. Nowadays, I flatter myself that I know enough to work out a lot on my own. I have experience and a number of resources to use to help me navigate through most tasks. But this sewing muscle has been developed through hard work and time. For a stitchling, like yourself, if I can make you laugh and break it down a little you might not run to the woods and live like a hermit, clothed in 100% polyester *shudder*. In truth, you can be overwhelmed by the sewing lexicon, abbreviations and trying to turn a 2D drawing into a 3D reality, pretty easily. That isn't your fault. You don't have She-ra powers. Sometimes designers think like technical artists, not sewers. Good news though....come in close....closer *whispers* its not as hard as you think. Every mark tells the sewer a little story about how the pattern works.

So in no particular order, these are the top things you will see in a pattern and what they are used for.

These lines in the middle of the size lines are notches. You need to transfer these onto your fabric. For these I cut little triangles in my seam allowance as I find that in these areas chalk comes off too easily. Back when I was a stitchling I used to miss these off as I thought as long as the seams match up then all is good. Ah, memories. The folly of youth. They are not always shaped like this, they are often triangles on paper patterns. They always have a partner and these notches touch when your fabric pieces are going together like Jack and Rose of the pattern world. So 1 notch tells you that this is intended for your front, 2 notches means that bit is for the back. On some sleeves, you will have one one left and two on on the right. That tells you that the sleeve is a single piece and you don't need to search for 45 minutes looking for a piece that doesn't exist. Yeah....happened more than once. On some patterns the patterns will tell you to gather/ease between two notches. I got sick of having to get out my pattern again to find these things, so transfer them. As the difficulty of the pattern increases, they become pivotal in navigating all the different pieces and making sure that everything lines up. So learn from my pain and just take the extra few seconds to transfer them. Also Pretty handy once you have got going and there are loose fabric and paper and you forget which bit of the pattern you are holding you at least know its the front or the back.

This is called the fold line. This indicates that what you have in you hand is half a pattern piece. The fabric is folded on the grainline with the selvedges touching (see below) and you place this piece on that fold. Hence Fold line. Told you it isn't that hard! So when you cut it out you have double the symmetrical piece. If you don't have an indication of a fold line that means that the piece is tended to have two parts, which will be mirrored images of each other. Now, most patterns assume that there will be at least one piece situated on the fold. When you layout your pattern pieces prioritise the larger pieces first, placing the biggest Fold Line pieces first, then the biggest non fold line pieces next and then dot the rest of the pattern pieces around these larger pieces.

Ok so this is super blurry (sorry) but you see the larger dots on the edge that zig zag, that is your selvedge. These dots are part of the manufacturing process so these indicate your width part of the fabric. Seems obvious or unimportant but when you are manhandling several metres of fabric, battling with space on your desk or floor, it helps you ensure that you do not turn your fabric the wrong way, losing vital length, or worse, if you are cutting on a stretchy fabric. Thats bad because not every part fabric is stretchy. You want it stretchy across your torso. So think of your pattern pieces in that way. By cutting it on the wrong grain you would be vastly reducing ability of that fabric's function. So your lovely jersey would become very very tight and it wouldn't hang right on you. When you cut on the Foldline, make sure these match up and ignore the cut top and bottom of the fabric as these will not be straight. Natalie in the warehouse isn't lining you fabric up to scientific degree when she is cutting it. She has 10,000 more metres to go on shift and is blind by boredom.

OK...Grainline. Super important diagram below. Very informative. LOL! Also accurate. Despite the picture, this is super important.

It will look like this on your pattern. This should always be lining up on the selvedge. Now if line line looks like / on the pattern, this line needs still needs to line up on the selvedge, which means you pattern piece is going to be at an angle. That is a bias piece. The placement on the fabric is designed to give the fabric a little give or stretch, even on woven fabrics. This is used a lot on bias binding pieces (these bits fold in from the front to the bodice so you don't have fraying fabric - not sexy) but To ensure this is bob on the grainline the bottom arrow and top arrow should be an equal distance from the selvedge.

OK, thats enough for tonight as this was a little too dry and there was a minimum of gif action. So this is part a of what is turning out to be a pretty big series. I am making stuff - I promise pretty pictures soon, but 1 one them is a pattern test and one I'll finish this weekend. Anyway, if you have any suggestions or comments I am at your service and thank you for sticking with this technical blog to the end. So I give myself permission and give yourself a bow...you are fabulous too!