Is it easy for you to follow sewing patterns?

**homesteadmamma** · 06-27-2004, 09:01 AM

I have so much trouble following sewing patterns. I find I have to cut out all the pieces and then figure out how to sew the pieces myself. I'm very visual, so most patterns are all greek to me.

How about you?

**SewCrafty** · 06-27-2004, 10:34 AM

Yes, they are easy for me but then I have been doing it a while.

For those of you who have problems reading patterns like my Mom, the ones with pictures are much easier to follow than something just written on the net. I know Simplicity, McCall's and Kwik Sew all have pretty good diagrams in thier patterns.

**duckduckgoose007** · 06-27-2004, 06:17 PM

Your Poor Brain Depleted Mom.

Cj...Deed is right...Pictures are better

**Darlene** · 06-27-2004, 07:37 PM

I go over & over some directions(even for an apron,lol) & end up improvising. Hope the apron is still together Lucie

I just can't follow some of the directions. At least making an apron you can sorta make do, if I had something I had to follow to the letter (ie:something fitted)I just couldn't do it.
Sometimes even the pictures make me go, huh? I know I'm not stupid. I guess we all just learn different things differently. I'm a hands on show me kind of gal & it may take a few times,lol. Then I'm golden.

**homesteadmamma** · 06-27-2004, 08:04 PM

Originally posted by Darlene
I go over & over some directions(even for an apron,lol) & end up improvising. Hope the apron is still together Lucie I just can't follow some of the directions. At least making an apron you can sorta make do, if I had something I had to follow to the letter (ie:something fitted)I just couldn't do it.
Sometimes even the pictures make me go, huh? I know I'm not stupid. I guess we all just learn different things differently. I'm a hands on show me kind of gal & it may take a few times,lol. Then I'm golden.

Thats me Darlene. Sometimes the pictures don't even help.

**sunshine** · 06-27-2004, 11:27 PM

Oh, I CAN follow the patterns, but I seldom do== I always want to impovise.

**SewCrafty** · 06-28-2004, 10:42 AM

Originally posted by sunshine
Oh, I CAN follow the patterns, but I seldom do== I always want to impovise.

Okay I admit it, this is me too!

**canadian gardener** · 06-28-2004, 04:56 PM

Sometimes the directions are completely wrong. I have a pattern I bought down in Vancouver, and one of the diagrams, they've reversed the way it should be, and the way it's written in the text.

Thank goodness I know better.

A lady posted on sewing world a while back that she had a Vogue pattern, very expensive, good reputation pattern company, who had printed a reverse of what a skirt insert panel should have been. It was a complicated couture skirt with some kind of inset.

As she pointed out, thank heaven's she knew what she was doing, and got it to go right. She simply redrafted it. BUT that was way beyond beginner or medium skill level.

On that thread, someone mentioned that a survey done of the big 4 pattern companies (McCalls, Butterick, Vogue and Simplicity) found some 75% had some error or other.

On another thread (sewing world disses pattern people regularly with good reason) another gal mentions how Simplicity's best marketing move was it's name, not it's pattern drafting ability.

Now that may be a wee bit harsh, there are some that work, but when you think it's just you,

think again.

Another thread mentions that you should have a good sewing reference and use it for better instructions and pics.

I like Sandra Betzina's Power Sewing btw if anyone needs a good resource-- look at it at the library first and see. http://www.sandrabetzinaonline.com/index.php
has some of her patterns and books. Her books are filled with step by step colour photos. She uses fabrics that show the stitches and techniques clearly.

Another good name is Nancy Zieman. http://www.nancysnotions.com/Nancys/...=false&GiftID=
her books are also really easy to follow with good clear photos.

Both those ladies (oh and Kwik Sew's Kerstin Martenson) are really good at explaining how to put something together and make it look professional.

As opposed to the pattern company and their "simple" instructions"!!!!

**canadian gardener** · 06-28-2004, 05:01 PM

One thing you should do is measure critical points on a good fitting outfit that approximates what you are going to make in a pattern.

Measure the pattern peices, WITHOUT the seam allowances and see plus or minus how close they come.

That takes out some of the strain worrying about how it's going to turn out.

**sixfreds** · 06-28-2004, 05:42 PM

I can follow directions but a lot of the time I cut them and do it my way....

Eileen

**Heather** · 06-28-2004, 07:15 PM

Ditto Darlene!!

**dolphin** · 07-08-2004, 02:56 PM

I seldom buy a Butterick pattern and refuse to buy a Vogue pattern. They are just too difficult for me to use or understand. I've been sewing since I was 13 and I absolutely hate those pattern brands.

**Katybird** · 07-08-2004, 03:09 PM

Originally posted by dolphin
I seldom buy a Butterick pattern and refuse to buy a Vogue pattern. They are just too difficult for me to use or understand. I've been sewing since I was 13 and I absolutely hate those pattern brands.

I could not agree more. Vogue patterns are so expensive that you almost by a similar outfit premade and spend what you would on the pattern for the Vogue.