{"id":5389,"date":"2024-02-24T15:28:58","date_gmt":"2024-02-24T20:28:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thedailysew.com\/blog\/?p=5389"},"modified":"2024-02-24T15:28:58","modified_gmt":"2024-02-24T20:28:58","slug":"how-to-read-a-sewing-pattern","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thedailysew.com\/blog\/2024\/02\/how-to-read-a-sewing-pattern\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Read a Sewing Pattern"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"how<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

When trying to teach myself how to knit I found decoding the pattern was, and still is, the highest hurdle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you want to sew but the sewing pattern is confusing, daunting, or just leaves you in doubt about even trying tp sew, let me clear things up for you, please.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is your How To Read a Sewing Pattern 101 and if you rather watch How to Read a Sewing Pattern you can do that here:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

When you hear folks say \u201cthe big 4\u201d or \u201cCommercial pattern companies\u201d they are referring to Simplicity, McCalls, Butterick and Vogue patterns. Also included in that group should be New Look and Burda.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The big 4 have been in business for decades. Their patterns can be found nationwide in big retail stores and online. They’re drafted pretty well, the instructions are edited, and they look pretty similar to each other.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Independent pattern companies are all the other pattern companies. These were started by individuals or small partnerships to give hobbyists more choices and clearer instructions. This sounds awesome except for one major hiccup – the quality of pattern drafting can vary greatly and they draft their master pattern to whoever they want, usually themselves, so their standard might be long torsoed, curvy, slim, wide hips, small chested, etc. Basically, you will need to try a few before you find a company you like.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read reviews – not IG feeds – and ask people you know who sew garments for companies they like to use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But let\u2019s move on to deciphering the pattern<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The photos will show a few patterns from different companies to compare the differences and similarities from brand to brand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"sewing<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Front of the Pattern Envelope<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The Garment<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The most obvious and necessary information is a picture or illustration of what garment the pattern will make. Some companies like to use photographs, others illustrations, sometimes you will see both.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Name<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Companies will name or number the style. For example, the McCalls pattern is named m7018. The Vogue pattern is a collaboration with the designer Ralph Rucci so it includes his name. Folkwear and The Assembly Line give both a name and a number to their styles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Sizes Found in the Envelope<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Typically but not always on the front, is the size or sizes the pattern makes. Burda is a European company and therefore has Euro and US sizes. Some patterns put the included sizes on the back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pattern Variations<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

When a pattern has style variations they are shown on the front. Many times one style is photographed and the variations are illustrated<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"the<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Back of the Pattern Envelope<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The back can look very different from brand to brand. They can be sparse, medium, or very dense with print.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"a<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

This McCalls pattern is a good example of a typical pattern envelope from the \u201cBig 4\u201d. It has a lot of information in two languages which makes it look more overwhelming than it is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Flats<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The first thing I look at on the back of the envelope are the flats or technical drawings. They’re line drawings of the garment showing all the details like inseam pockets, topstitching and openings – is it buttons, a zipper, and if a zipper, where is it, center, side? They also reveal how much shape is designed in the garment; is it actually like the photo on the front or boxier?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"technical<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

For this Burda pattern, I can see an inseam a pocket, a slit but just on one variation, a center back zipper, and two bust darts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The technical drawings show you exactly what is happening.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Description<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Along with the drawings you\u2019ll find a written description of the style for each variation They’re telling you what it looks like in case the photo and the drawing aren\u2019t clear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Size Chart<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019ll also see a size chart on the envelope (Burda prints theirs on the pattern sheet) <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s talk about the size charts. This is important<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The size chart on a pattern has no<\/strong> relationship to the sizes of garments you buy at the store.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And every pattern company has their own size standards so you might be a 16 in Vouge and a 10 in Liesl + Co. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Take your waist, bust, and hip measurements with a tape measurer over your underwear as you would wear the finished garment. Find your measurements on the pattern\u2019s size chart and pick the corresponding size to sew. Remember it\u2019s an arbitrary number the pattern company assigned to their size.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

There are two schools of thought about choosing a size<\/p>\n\n\n\n