We dive deep into patterns this week with tips for organizing, storing, and collecting sewing patterns. We cover hot-button topics like indie vs. big 4, paper vs. PDF, and tracing vs. cutting! This is a great episode for beginner sewists navigating the world of patterns!
- #sewist10x10
- In The Folds jumpsuit pattern
- Willow tank by Grainline Studio
- Jessica Dress by Sew Sew Def
- Sew DIY’s version of the Jessica dress.
- Helen’s Seamwork Kenedy
- Sew DIY’s Catarina Dress
- Holiday Dresses
- Seamwork Kennedy or Catarina (try it in a velvet)
- Papercut Patterns Sway or Saiph Tunic (perfect for rayon challis)
- By Hand London Anna (rayon crepe or a soft cotton lawn)
- Deer and Doe Zephyr (stable knits like ponte and skuba)
Featured above: Helen’s Kenedy Dress, Beth’s Catarina Dress, Caroline’s Saiph Tunic.
We have made 40% of the patterns we own
We have 30% paper patterns and 70% PDF patterns
We have about 87% Indie patterns and 13% Big 4
- Caroline’s pattern stash:
- Helen’s pattern stash:
- Star from Stars threads
- Pattern Hooks for your closet
- Industry rabbit hole punch
- Digital organization tools
- Burda Style Magazine
- Gerties book for better sewing
- Boundless Style
- Paper Cutter
- Tape Dispenser
- Named Patterns
- @katharineemma
- Swedish tracing paper
- Pattern ease tracing paper
- Pattern transfer paper and tracing wheels.
- Printers
- True Bias Roscoe dress
- Thread Theory patterns
- Named Alexandria Trousers
Follow Helen! Blog: Helen’s Closet, Instagram: @helens__closet
Follow Caroline! Shop: Blackbird Fabrics, Instagram: @blackbirdfabrics
Leave us a voicemail with your questions, comments, and feedback: 1-844-SEW-WHAT (1-844-739-9428)
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Hello Vancouver! (I grew up on the Sunshine Coast, and now live in Washington State, so when I miss the motherland I enjoy hearing the Canadian in you two!)
Quick comment on taping and ironing your PDF patterns. I often tape both sides of my pdf’s because the flapping and hinging of the seams when trying to fold the pieces drives me nuts. So I’ll tape the back side just quickly to make my life easier.
I got a roll of rice paper tape, similar to masking tape, a few years ago, (it’s bright yellow, so that’s fun) and have been using that to tape my PDF’s together. I find I can get away with ironing this tape on low heat! I haven’t had any melting issues at all. I can also draw on top of the tape (say to blend in between sizes) and it’s more transparent than regular masking tape, so you can still see all the lines and details of the pattern below.
I’m tempted to try washi tape next since Google tells me that is paper based. That sounds iron-able to me! Maybe you have some thoughts on that?
Also, my rice paper tape is about 1.5″ wide, and I always cut it into narrow strips, since that’s what I prefer. There’s a lot of fussing to cut all the strips off the roll instead of just having it on a tape dispenser. When my roll finishes up, I’m going hunt for a 1/4″ wide roll so I can put it on some tape dispenser to speed up the taping time.
So that’s my tip! Try a more paper based tape instead of clear plastic tape to make ironing and blending your pdf pattern pieces easier. Obvs, do an iron test with whatever tape you use before going willy nilly.
Love the podcast! Love hearing fellow Canadians! Love hearing about the Lower Mainland!
Paper tape is such a great idea! Thanks, Sam! Patterns would always look so pretty if they had washi tape on them, for sure.
Always nice to hear from locals, even if you have moved a little south!
Hi guys, your chatty style had to grow on my but now you guys are my fun companions while I am cutting out a pattern. The best tip ever that I got for PDF assembling is to use a PRITT STICK . You can kind of move your paper around a bit before it’s stuck. I tried it and assembled TWO pdf patterns in one week. Yay me!! I got this tip from Kate from The Foldline . She talked about this in one of their vidoes.
Thanks Melissa! This is such a great tip! We will certainly share this in a future episode!
Ooh!! Pattern magazines: Knipmode (dutch) and La Maison Victor (Dutch, French and now also English)
Great suggestions! Thanks for sharing!
I am fascinated that y’all own more PDFs than paper patterns. I alter patterns as I trace so I HATE to tape together a pattern to then alter and trace it. I much prefer paper because I get to skip that cutting and taping step. I also feel like PDFs cost more by the end: time, cutting, taping, swearing when the pieces don’t match, paper, ink…I’ve started using a PDF printing business to cut out the time and taping.
PDFs go in a manila folder or are rolled up, and paper patterns go in an Ikea dresser, assigned by garment type. One day I’d love to organize it digitally.
Love your podcast!
Thanks for sharing, Melizza! Isnt it interesting how many different ways there are to handle patterns and preferences on all sides? We love hearing other perspectives! Totally get the time saving aspect of printed patterns – but does that outweigh the ability to reprint whenever? Tough call!
I’ve been using memento database for organzing my pattern and fabric stash. It’s a great option for android users. My favorite thing is that I can cross reference between the two libraries and earmark a specific fabric for a specific pattern, or filter what fabrics I have that would work with a pattern in my stash. It’s helped me be more strategic in purchasing patterns and fabrics.
I strongly prefer pdfs, and recently found a non-big box local commercial printer that typically costs $3-6 per pattern. I think that cost is resonable depending on how much time it saves me, so I’ll still tape something like a basic tshirt pattern by hand. They do a lot of architectural printing, so if anyone is looking for one in their area, you might try searching for “architectural printing” or “digital reprographics” + your location.
Thanks for sharing, Claire! Memento sounds like it has similar benefits to Trello, we love the ability to link patterns and fabric. Good tip about the architectural printing too! thanks!
So, am I the only person who doesn’t cut anything off before taping PDFs? This is the first I heard of it, why would you? I just match the arrows and leave the back overlapping. The pieces still fold into those clear file holders I use for organisation. I love the idea I of using a Prittstick with that, though I don’t know if it would be good with folding. A time-saving tip is also to only tape where an actual cutline is and the corners in the pattern.
I am torn between PDF and printed and traced (all magazines and books). I’d prefer all tissue paper all the time, but I don’t like missing out on nice designs, so I begrudgingly print and tape, though I print at Uni, and so PDFs aren’t quick and easy for me, because it takes forever to get round to it…
Also, the Indie vs. “Big 4”, you missed how Big 4 and that includes Burda in my book, often offer more complex designs with a lot of nice details, that I barely see in Indie.
Hi Dalia! We trim off the right and bottom side so it does still overlap in the back, but not in the front. I have heard that you can get away with no trimming if you are able to see through your paper and line things up right, so you are not alone! One trick is to cut only the corners in that case. We love your tip about only taping on the corners and the pattern piece connections. Good point about the big 4 design details too, that is a big difference between the two options!
First of all, I love your podcasts so much! You always share all sides of a topic both pro and con. I have learned about social media as well that it’s OK to comment on anyone’s post, you don’t have to be a blogger, and people really do want to hear how you feel about their makes. I feel like I “know” some of the people I follow regularly and would like to meet some in person.
About pattern stashes, I am less concerned about my pattern stash as I view it as a creative muse, waiting for the opportunity. My fabric on the other hand sometimes feels like an overwhelming to do list of garments waiting to be made. I would like to keep a small stash for when that spontaneous sewing project arises, but I don’t need as much as I have.
I am on team cut and I love both Indie and Big 4 as I began sewing before the Indie movement came to be, but I am heavily leaning get more towards Indie these days as there is so much on social media to entice, inspire, and guide you. Keep laughing and sharing these great podcasts.
Hi Jean!
Thanks so much for sharing and for your kind words! We are glad you feel we cover the topics fairly, we try not to be too biased, but of course, we have our own opinions. It is great to hear that the show has encouraged you to interact with other sewists and we love that you view your pattern collection as a creative muse. That is awesome! Thanks again for listening and sharing <3
Hi from denmark.
I just re-listened to this episode.
I mostly by pattern magazines bit when I do get a pdf-pattern I like to use a gluestik for assembly, like… cut all, glue one side, assemble, glue, assemble and so on.
Thanks, Julie! Glueing is a great tip!
I’m surprised that the monetary cost of printing supplies didn’t come up for PDF patterns! This is the main reason that I prefer paper. Though I love the availability of (FREE!) patterns online and I love being able to reprint, I find that I am always running out of ink. I can get more patterns on sale than I can print with one in cartridge and spend the same. This doesn’t include the waste if you scale wrong, or the cost of paper and tape.
This was the first show I listened to but I’ve been sewing most my life and I’m sure I’ll be back for more.
Hi Floral!
This is a great point! It can be very expesive to print and tape, it certainly adds to the cost. I recently switched from an ink printer to a toner printer and it was a total game changer for me! I love how fast and efficient it is, I have printed so many patterns and it is still going strong, no ink replacement necessary! We hope to bring this up in a future episode 🙂
I’ve been mulling over your discussion about hacking patterns you have to look like others. I understand your point as a designer, but I think that whether due to time or perceived skills, most people are unwilling to brave hacking patterns to try and reproduce what someone else did. Unless the hacker provides a step-by-step tutorial with pictures (for a pattern that most people won’t already have in their stashes), I saw mentioning the inspiration pattern as almost-as-good advertising as making up the inspiration pattern directly. While I’m proficient at frankenpatterning, and often do morph something I have instead of waiting for a pattern in the mail, if I see someone post a hack that I like… I’m going to go to the original. Because I’d have to buy a pattern anyway and who wants to take the time and money to buy something only to have to pull it to pieces when it’s the original you both liked anyway? If the poster just puts up “hey I made this McCall’s but switched out the sleeves and added pockets, and changed the skirt”, I’ll file it in my Evernote and hope someday to hack something similar – I won’t have a “you can go directly to X to get something similar” link, kwim? Would love your thoughts!
Hi Jenna,
This is a great point, thanks for sharing! I (Helen) have certainly done some pattern hacking and then suggested another pattern for people who want to go straight to the finished look. For example, you can take these sleeves and this bodice and put them together 0R for a similar look, try this other pattern. When I think about it, this is really similar to the scenario we discussed on the show, but I suppose the intentions are more positive. Perhaps the main difference is the thought behind the action and the tone with which you are sharing the hack. It’s true that not everyone is comfortable or interested in hacking patterns and they are always going to buy the pattern closest to the desired look.
Probably not the most definitive answer, but I really enjoyed your thoughts. Thanks again!
-Helen
Tracing vs. Cutting:
I trace, make my standard adjustments (length – 5’10” here – big booty, FBA), fit, make an additional adjustments, transfer that back to my original taped printout (in a different color pen and include date and my measurements at the time). I then store that printed and taped pattern rolled up. It gives me a record of all the adjustments I made from the original for that pattern company’s fit on my body at that point in time. If I make that pattern again in the future, I’ll know if I need to make any other adjustments based on my current measurements. It reduces the amount of fit fiddling I have to do with a pattern each time.
This makes a lot of sense! I love your meticulous approach. I wish I had the patience to do this myself! Thanks for your comment 🙂
– Caroline
I have been sewing for a long time, so I have more patterns than I can count! I found a pattern cabinet on sale at a fabric store that was downsizing. I got it for $50. It is in my sewing room and it is full. Each drawer (5 of them) has a different type of pattern in it: knits, dresses, jackets, coordinates, bottoms. The cabinet holds big 4 patterns and those paper indies that are a similar size. Big indies and pdfs go in plastic bankers or file boxes in folders. I have 4 of those.
FYI- I bought 1 pdf pattern that asked me to print it out and then delete the pdf file. Why would I do that? I may lose a pattern piece. And if I paid for it, why can’t I keep it?
Thanks for sharing! Sounds like you have a great system for storing your patterns. I’ve never heard of that request with PDF patterns! How strange.
Happy holidays!
Hi! I just found your podcast and I’ve been catching up. I found the whole episode fascinating, but I was a bit dissapointed that there was very little on how people deal with patterns they’ve traced from magazines, and how they store the magazines. How do other people remember which pattern was in which magazine? Knipmode does a yearly overview at the end of the year, but still… Maybe I should inventorise them all using Trello or Memento, although that will be a lot of work after a couple of years of magazine subscriptions!
At the moment, if I’ve traced a pattern it’s in a clear A4 wallet style folder or in my display book (it’s full now, hence the switch to the wallets). The wallets are easier for PDF patterns, as I have them printed by Patternsy (I actually like having thinner paper, and they are quick and can optimise things for you in the layout so you don’t have to pay as much). So I put a picture of the pattern in, with the instructions and measures and fabric usage etc. But with traced stuff from a magazine it gets harder. If I’ve traced more than 1 thing off from the magazine, in which wallet does it go? Hence my question as to how other people tackle this 🙂
Oh also, the magazine Ottobre is worth mentioning as they’ve now added 1 family edition a year with patterns for men, women and kids 🙂
Hi Nele! Thanks for listening to the show and for the magazine recommendation! We didn’t go into too much depth with magazines mainly because neither of us has much experience in this arena! We will keep this subject in mind for future eps and try to cover it more thoroughly next time. Happy sewing! Helen & Caroline
Hi ladies,
thanks so much for the awesome podcast, I listen all the time when I’m sewing and think you guys should have a binge-able option (e.g. hit play and as soon as one episode ends, the next one starts)!
I have no feedback to give on the organisation of patterns as I still haven’t found a system that really works for me, but I do trace my patterns for a couple of reasons:
1. I have two girls and for multi-sized patterns it’s great to keep the original printout and then I can just trace over each size as they grow;
2. I was recommended this stuff to trace onto which is LIFE CHANGING!! In Australia it’s called Brown Kraft Paper and you can buy it in the stationery section of the big dept stores for about $5 / roll. It feels like regular brown paper on one side but the other side has a kind of shiny, waxy coating on it. You trace over your PDF, cut it out, then you iron it on to your fabric and you don’t need pins – it sticks! If you get it in the wrong place you just peel it off (doesn’t leave a residue), lay it down somewhere else and it sticks again! I have used one of my patterns about 5 times now and it still keeps sticking, it’s AMAZING! Makes it so much more accurate when I’m cutting out (not my strong suit), especially with my rotary cutter. I have seen a petition here to try and get the dept stores to get it in as A4 sheets so then you could print your PDFs straight onto it, then cut it out – no tracing! That would totally be the best of both worlds!
Thanks for all the inspiration, I really do love your show (and I go on and on about it to my sewing students!). You guys rock!
You make an excellent case for tracing! 🙂 And we’ve never heard of the Brown Kraft Paper from Australia – how fascinating! Maybe someday it will make it’s way to North America??
Thanks so much for listening & happy sewing!
Hello Vancouver!
I’ve been an intermittent and intermediate, wildly disorganised, sewist for about two decades. I have a huge stash of vintage paper patterns, and a growing virtual stash of indie patterns.
Over the past few months, I’ve been getting back into sewing and disovering the enormous, positive, changes in the world of home sewing brought about by the 21st century. It does seem so much cooler than when I was your age… My mother bought me my first sewing machine twenty years ago, but she was slightly horrified that I wanted to sew my own clothes, because, to her (she is pre-war quality), ready-to-wear had meant liberation, when to me, it felt so limiting. Funny that shift, don’t you think?
I finally started listening to your podcasts a few days ago, and I had to write to say, thank you! I’m in the final FEW days of moving, and therefore hauling my shamefullly large stash of fabric to a new home, and, as I am packing up a terrifying number of boxes, they (your podcasts, not the boxes) have helped me (fingers crossed) keep sane. So glad I still have a few to listen to, as I’m far from being done with the packing. Please keep them coming!
I also wanted to second Nele’s mention (in a comment posted in February) of UK-based Patternsy. I don’t really mind patching PDFs up, but I like to have that copyshop option too, depending on the scale and complexity of the pattern. As a French sewist, I had difficulty finding a cost-effective copyshop solution, and they did a really good job for me. The only French online pattern-printer I know of had actually folded a few months before when I found out about them; because they had too much work… Patternsy printed, and posted out to me, 10 separate A0 files (7 patterns) for about £30, which was a much better deal than the best deal I had found locally, so I will definitely shop with them again, and I thought they might be useful to other continental sewists.
My best wishes on all your (ad)ventures, and please keep up the good work (and the fun) on your podcasts!
Gratefully yours,
Hi Agathe!
Thanks so much for listening to the show! We are glad to keep you company during your move. I shudder to think of moving my stash, it would be a big undertaking, haha! Thanks for your thoughts on printing patterns, too!
Happy sewing,
Helen (& Caroline too!)
I know this is an older episode, but I’ve just started listening to you! I did want to add (not sure if anyone else has mentioned this) but Hobby Lobby also puts Big4 patterns on sale for 99cents a piece every few weeks. I typically quilt and sew little bags and stuffed animals, so this is how I’ve started sewing clothing, because I wasn’t sure if I’d be any good or if I’d even enjoy trying clothing, so getting those patterns for 99cents each is a good way to try it out!
The few patterns I have (I soon found so far no commercial block fits me so draft my own and use patterns for details) I store in plastic magazine boxes from Demco.
As for Helen and others, what about using color to organize by designer and type? Say, color of the folder for each category and a cardboard divider or half a manila folder as a divider, with the designer’s name? Basically, if looking for a designer or type, can find by either. Also, one can get colored file folders and colored label holders, learned this from my Dad (his multiple file cabinet color system was impressive, especially was all stored in his head, which was fine until he passed and each folder had to be examined).
Hope this helps.
That is great advice! Thanks, Adriel!