| When you purchase a new sewing pattern you should | | | | different layouts, choose the best one for your fabric. |
| have three things: a tissue paper pattern, a direction | | | | Before cutting, pay close attention to all of the |
| sheet for cutting the pattern pieces out, and the | | | | markings on the tissue. There will be a seamline which |
| sewing instructions. The most important being the | | | | is a broken line 5/8 of an inch inside of the cutting line. |
| sheet of pattern pieces. Each piece will be identified by | | | | Small arrows are sometimes used to indicate the |
| a name and number printed directly on it. Depending on | | | | direction you should be stitching in. Notches are |
| the type of garment you are making, there may be a | | | | diamond shaped and are used to line up two pieces |
| front and back section. Most articles of clothing will be | | | | (ex: front to back). Tiny circles, triangles, or squares are |
| identical on both the right and left sides, therefore your | | | | also used to line up two sections evenly. Broken lines |
| pattern pieces may only look like half a garment. | | | | or stitching lines called darts will travel towards the |
| The tissue pattern may seem a little flimsy, but it's | | | | inside of a pattern piece meeting at a point. There are |
| actually quite sturdy. You may need to iron out the | | | | other symbols as well, but the previous ones are the |
| creases on the pattern, use a warm iron without any | | | | most common. |
| steam. You will need to cut each pattern piece out | | | | Before you remove the tissue pattern from the fabric, |
| following the cutting line. The cutting line will be a dark, | | | | transfer the pattern markings and symbols using your |
| bolded line around the outer sections. If the pattern has | | | | preferred method. Dressmaking tracing paper or tailor |
| different sizes, you'll see a slightly lighter line on the | | | | tacks work well. |
| inside. There should be a size number along the lines. | | | | After that you only need to follow the sewing |
| Pin the pattern pieces to your chosen fabric following | | | | instructions provided to complete your project. |
| the cutting guide provided. There will be several | | | | |