How Do PDF Sewing Patterns Work?
This is a post for my readers who are sewing beginners and yet to use a PDF sewing pattern. If you’ve been wondering how PDF sewing patterns work, this guide is your friend, so bookmark it for later!
Sewing patterns are available now in three formats: paper, projector or PDF sewing pattern files. For many, PDF sewing patterns are a new thing, and that can sometimes be a little overwhelming if you’re new to them.
This step-by-step tutorial will demystify everything about PDF sewing patterns and you’ll feel super confident when it’s time to start printing them at home!
I should add though, that you do not have to print PDF patterns at home – so read on if you want to know more about the different options!
So, What Are PDF Sewing Patterns?
A PDF sewing pattern is a digital file. When you buy a PDF pattern, the company you bought it from will usually send you an email with a link inside.
When you click the link, it will open a page in your web browser and in this web browser window you will either see more links based on the pattern options, or it will download immediately to your computer’s hard drive. This generally depends on whether the file has been ‘Zipped’ into one big file.
You might also be prompted to create an account, so that you can return to download your sewing pattern files at a later date. This is how my patterns work.
When you purchase a PDF pattern, you’ll usually get a minimum of two files, in a PDF format.
Sewing Instructions
This is usually a PDF booklet which can be printed and popped into a binder, or you can open it on your phone, tablet or desktop computer. It’s easy to follow along and zoom in as needed.
The Sewing Pattern
The second file will contain the sewing pattern. In most cases it comes as three files:
- US Letter size
- A4 DIN size
- A0 size
The first two can be printed at home on your home printer (more on that below) while the last option is sent off to a printers who will print it on a big A0 sheet or paper (or as many as the patterns calls for) and then roll it up and ship it to you.
You may also have a permission slip included with the A0 pattern, which provides permission for the pattern to be printed. Some pattern designers have started doing this, but I haven’t.
Printing The PDF Sewing Pattern At Home
To print a PDF sewing pattern at home, you’ll need a printer, some black ink as a minimum, and then either A4 or US letter sized paper and tape or a glue stick. I only use a glue stick, because I like to make the pages are properly stuck together, but scotch tape works well.
Opening The File
Start by opening the file on your computer or tablet. My computer uses a program called Preview to open PDFs, but others use Adobe which often allows for individual sizes to be selected and printed. This is handy is pattern sizes are nested, as it can be confusing differentiating the lines for each size.
Print The Scale Guide
Most PDF sewing patterns will come with a scale guide on the first page. It is recommended to print this page on its own first to make sure that the scaling on your printer is correct – make sure you print at 100% – see the next step for guidance on doing this.
To check the scale you’ll need a ruler, and just print the very first page. You then use the ruler (or a measuring tape) to double check that the scale box is the right size.
If the pattern is printed at the wrong scale, then the entire sizing will be off, so this is a really important first step!
The image here is how my scale guide looked on my first sewing pattern.
Printing The Pattern Correctly
Now that you know the pattern scale is correct, you need to print the pages of the sewing pattern. Start by selecting the paper size you want to use and the select the pages you wish to print.
Most sewing patterns will include a guide inside the instruction booklet with the page number needed for each pattern style.
As an example, if you were printing a shirt dress pattern, but you wanted to print the sleeveless version, there is usually information provided on the page numbers that need printing, so that you do not have to print dozens of pages unnecessarily.
Once you have selected all the pages you need, make sure that the scale box is set to 100% and hit the print button.
You can see in this screenshot that the scale box is set ‘scale to fit’ which puts it at 107%.
This is incorrect and needs to be changed to 100%.
As we want every single one of our PDF sewing patterns to print at 100% – nothing bigger, nothing smaller – we need to click the ‘scale’ button and then change the 107% back to 100%. You will have to check this every single time you go to print a PDF sewing pattern!
Now that the sewing pattern is printed, you need to put it together, and lucky for you I created a tutorial on how to put PDF sewing patterns together too!
Learn to Sew Online Course
If you’re completely new to sewing, then why not join my online course for sewing beginners Learn to Sew? It is perfect for sewing beginners, and over the length of the course you’ll learn how to use a sewing machine, build confidence sewing a selection of fabrics and become well practiced in sewing seams, hems, and various fastenings too. The course also includes sewing patterns to help you build your skills!
