You’ve got the pattern home and opened up that envelope, and well, it’s a little overwhelming to say the least. What do you do with all that stuff inside?
We’re going to start with the pattern booklet. Once again, I’m only going to be speaking about the Big 4 pattern makers. You can identify the pattern booklet because it’s made of thicker paper than the other included pages. It will be folded several times into a rectangular shape and is usually several pages long.
The pattern booklet will show all of the pattern pieces that are included in the packet. Remember, some patterns have different views, so you may not use all of the pattern pieces included, but they are still all there. You’ll also find a sewing glossary with terms that may be used in the pattern instructions. These are helpful, especially if you’re a beginner.
One of the more important notations you will see is how the pattern will show the fabric. There will be one shading for the right side of the fabric, one for the wrong side, one for interfacing, and one for lining fabrics. These are generally pretty consistent across patterns, but always double check to be sure. You’ll also see suggested cutting layouts for the pattern pieces. You can use one of them, or you can lay out your pattern a different way. If you do chose to do it differently, make sure you are keeping track of the grainlines and anything else.
Lastly, there will be step by step instructions to walk you through the construction of the garment. This will be included for every possible view, although if some have similar steps they may be combined to some degree. Read through all the instructions carefully before you start so you know what to expect. There will be pictures of each step too, which can be helpful. And that’s it so far! There is still more to cover about patterns, but this is another step in the right direction. I know it seems like a lot, but remember we’re starting from ground zero.