My New Sewing and Embroidery Studio

I'm all moved and settled into my new house. It doesn't feel like home yet in fact, I feel like I'm living someone else's life. I can't really describe it. I still feel like a big part of me is missing, and it is. I should probably replace settled with adjusting. However, with my new house comes my new sewing space. It's a lot different than the room my husband built special for me at the other house. That room had space for everything. Nothing had to be stored elsewhere. If you want to take a look at it, you can see it HERE. 

This room is so much smaller so there is less storage. I'm taking advantage of an extra dresser in my bedroom to store supplies that I don't use all the time. 

This room has no Murphy bed to turn it into a guest room. Since it's just me I have a second bedroom that is used just for guests. My granddaughter has taken over that room for her overnights here along with the guest bathroom. I let her decorate these two rooms and they are coming along nicely with a Paris theme.

My previous room had my desk where I do all the other aspects of business along with home management, journaling, correspondence, etc. I decided to buy a new desk and put it in the living room, which I do love since I spend so much time at it. As you can see in the image above. One thing remains the same, Berta, my trusty assistant, is always at my feet.

One of my favorite things about this room as the set of French doors where I enter the room. I just love them. And notice the sewing themed curtains? I got them from Amazon. 

When you look to the right, you'll see my new worktables. They are height adjustable, which is nice because when standing for long periods of time, the taller height will be so much easier on my back. I also have a three-drawer storage unit in the corner.

Along the other wall is another three drawer storage unit and next to it is my fabric cabinet with my colorful storage jars atop. Do you think I have enough zippers?

There is a little nook next to the fabric cabinet. What a perfect place to use my embroidery machine! I keep it on the old desk, and on top of that is a black box that my husband made for a completely different purpose. Funny how perfect it is to raise my embroidery machine. And the fabric drawers I picked up at Wal-Mart fit perfectly for some of my scrap fabric.

Of course, my aprons are included in this room. I think I'm starting a collection. I have a few that aren't up there yet. You'll also notice that I installed some shelving units for storage and cute things. My son came and did all the big stuff such as the TV mounts, fireplace mantle, curtain rods, and numerous other things. I gotta say, I'm quite proud of my installation of the small shelves. I hope they don't fall down!

I do love this new space although it's going to take some getting used to. Change can be so difficult but at the same time it opens new doors for new experiences and opportunities. I hope you enjoyed my sewing room tour. Maybe someday I'll do a YouTube video about it. Maybe...

Finding the Grainline and Why it Matters

I don't sew clothing, but I do make a lot of bags. I make bags for every purpose imaginable. If you sew clothes, curtains or bags, you need to know how important the grainline is. If you are using a woven fabric such as 100% cotton or a woven cotton blend, you need to pay attention to how you are laying your pattern pieces.

Woven fabrics are made up of lengthwise threads, and crosswise threads. It is important to know the difference when you are making something that needs to hang properly or where strength is needed. The best way to find the grainline is by looking at the selvage. The grainline always runs parallel to the selvage. But sometimes you may have a piece of fabric where the selvage has been cut away, or maybe the fabric is an odd shape. Finding the grainline is very simple and I’m going to show you how. You can use the images above for reference.

The crosswise grain has a slight amount of stretch. It’s strong (as far as holding its shape), but not nearly as strong as the grainline, or sometimes called the lengthwise grain.

The lengthwise grain has no stretch at all. This would be the grainline. Can you see why this would be stronger and holding its shape when you are making a purse where it will be holding weighted items? If you are making a purse for example, you'll want the lengthwise grain to be vertical. This way there would be no "give" in the fabric and it will hold its shape. If you are making a matching strap, you definitely want to cut the fabric along the grainline for the length of the strap.

The bias has a lot of stretch. This would be at a 45° angle from your grain lines. When you pull the fabric along the diagonal, you get a lot of stretch. That is why you would cut a bias tape in this direction. The stretch allows you to go around curves easily. 

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There's a free machine embroidery design in every issue (unless I'm running a sale). You'll also find links to free sewing tutorials and articles too. The newsletter goes out once a week.  

Cookie Sheets, Spatula, Oven Mitt - For the Sewing Room?

Some of my favorite sewing supplies are actually kitchen items, and I use them all the time. There are other odd things I've found around the house that I find helpful as well. Right now I'll discuss my three favorites.

Baking sheets: I bought the set that comes with three different sizes. These things are the most helpful for everything. I use them to separate fabric pieces for projects, to set on my lap while I'm watching a movie and doing some hand stitching or clipping jump threads from my embroidery projects. They are also great for organizing the various steps in smaller items like the gift card holders above. If you want to make those, there is a free tutorial right HERE on the blog. It's a great kids project. I made some that I hand stitched instead of gluing and painting.

Rubber spatula: I think of this one as my hand and finger saver. When I'm at the embroidery machine and I'm needing to hold something in place or move something out of the way, I use this instead of my fingers. As of this writing, I've never had a needle go through my fingers!

Super thick oven mitt: This item is invaluable for ironing in areas that can't be laid flat when pressing. I don't use this as much as the other items, but when I do need it, I'm happy to have it. 

And no, I don't use any of these items in the kitchen also. They are now my sewing supplies.

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There's a free machine embroidery design in every issue (unless I'm running a sale). You'll also find links to free sewing tutorials and articles too. The newsletter goes out once a week.  

Tutorial - Turn Any Small Toiletry Bag into a Hanging Bag!

I have been on the hunt for the perfect hanging toiletry bag for travel and have not found one. We just scheduled a (2 overnights) trip on the California Zephyr. It's our first rail trip and I've been doing my research. One of the things I've heard over and over again is that you want to hang your toiletries for two reasons. First, you do not want to set it down on the sink because it has been used by so many people before you. Second, there isn't much room anyway. So of course I continued with my search. Found nothing that I liked as much as the ones that I've been using for probably about ten years. I just really love these bags because when I made them, I really took my needs into consideration. Plus, anyone who know me, knows that I travel like a minimalist. I take the least amount possible and pack ultra light. If you'd like to hear more about this technique, drop me an email or comment right here. I have it down to a science now. Checking bags has gotten so expensive and it seems like halfway through boarding they always start gate checking carry-on bags anyway. But I think the thing I like most about packing everything in a personal size backpack is that my stuff will never get lost. It's also nice to have all your stuff with you and it's so much easier to throw it over your shoulder than lugging a suitcase around. I'm in my 60's and I still find it easier! 

NOTE: The bag located at the bottom of the image is a pattern by Andrie Designs which could be found HERE.

I decided to keep my well loved bags and just make an attachment that can turn it into a nice hanging bag. If I'm going somewhere that I don't know how much counter area I'm going to have, I throw a suction cup in my bag so I can hang it from the mirror if needed. But like I said, I take very little with me so if you have a whole lot of toiletries and your bag is heavy, this will not work for you. These seriously took me  minutes to make! If you prefer the PDF version of the pattern, you can click right HERE.

What you'll need to make the tab:

100% cotton fabric, scraps that will match or compliment your toiletry bag

Fusible fleece interfacing, scrap (you can also use a piece of felt or cotton batting in place of fleece)

Dimensions for the above supplies will depend on the size of your toiletry bag

Thread to match fabric

5/8” wide ribbon, 2 1/4 inches long

Long Prong KamSnaps were used for my project, but you can also use velcro or sew-in snaps

Large S-Hook or carabiner clip

General sewing supplies will also be needed such as pins, needles, cutting tools, ruler, marking pens, sewing machine, and iron.

NOTE & TIP: I strongly recommend using the long prong KanSnaps. I purchased mine at Etsy. I tried the regular ones for this project and they kept popping off. I switched to long prong and have no problems. Also, if you are going to make a hanger tab for one of those clear vinyl bags, regular KamSnaps will be fine. To add a little more strength to a vinyl bag, I would cut a narrow strip of medium to heavy weight interfacing or felt. Place this between the snap and the bag.

I feel that five snaps are best because it provides more strength.

Create your pattern piece (or use the one that is with the PDF instructions linked above and below).

If designing your own tab, remember that you will also be using a 1/4 inch seam allowance all the way around.

From your pattern piece, cut two from the cotton fabric, and one from the fusible fleece interfacing. Iron the fusible fleece interfacing to one of the backs of the fabric pieces. Be sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions for the fusible product you are using. If you are using cotton batting or felt for this piece, just baste it along the edges to the back of one of the fabric pieces about 1/8 inch away from raw edge.

Fold the piece of ribbon in half with wrong sides together. Place it on the upper portion of one of the fabric pieces. The fold will be toward the bottom and the raw edges will be even with the raw edges of the fabric.

Place the remaining fabric piece on top of this. The right sides of the fabrics will be facing each other and the ribbon will be “sandwiched” between the two.

Beginning at the bottom edge, stitch around using a 1/4 inch seam allowance, leaving about 2 inches open in the bottom for turning.

Clip at corners and turn right side out. Gently push out corners and iron. Fold the edges to the inside where you left it open and press.

Stitch about 1/8 inch away from the edge all the way around the tab.

Find the center of the tab, closer to the bottom and use the pointed object that came with your snaps to make a hole. Place this on the toiletry bag and make a hole in that using this hole as a guide. Then make two more holes on each side of the center hole about one inch apart. Attach your snaps using the instructions for the snaps you are using. If you are using velcro (not my first choice) or large sew-in snaps instead, stitch them at those markings (do not make holes if using snaps or velcro).

Snap the tab to the bag and slip your hook or carabiner through the ribbon. You now have a hanging bag!

FOR THE FREE PDF PATTERN CLICK HERE

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There's a free machine embroidery design in every issue (unless I'm running a sale). You'll also find links to free sewing tutorials and articles too. The newsletter goes out once a week. 

Favorites - Sewing Machine Feet

Time for some more favorites! I probably have every sewing machine foot they make. I want to share with you my favorites and the ones I use regularly. I actually have more favorite feet to share later. Many years ago when I first started sewing (I was a teenager) it wasn't so easy to get the feet. You had to go to your dealer and order them from there. Then the wait for them to come in was forever! Now it's so easy. Who has the biggest selection? You guessed it, Amazon!

The walking foot: Great for using on your layered projects such as quilts and even mini quilts. It actually "walks" over the project so your layers don't shift. I like to do a lot of the strip quilting and quilt as you go projects and this is so helpful!

The narrow zipper foot: All zipper feet are not created equal! My last machine came with a zipper foot but it wasn't a narrow version. Of course I hopped on Amazon and ordered me the narrow zipper foot. The foot that came with my machine was a wider version. I remember trying one years ago and I could never get close to my zipper or piping while using it. If you're going to make a lot of zipper projects or use piping, you need to get the narrow version.

Open toe foot: This is my number one favorite sewing machine foot and I use it all the time. If you look at it, you'll see that there is a really wide cutout where the needle is. I do a lot of applique with my sewing machine and I can get a good look at the edge of my appliques during stitching so my stitching goes exactly where I want it.

So there you have it. My favorite and most used sewing machine feet.

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There's a free machine embroidery design in every issue (unless I'm running a sale). You'll also find links to free sewing tutorials and articles too. The newsletter goes out once a week. 

Favorites - I Love These Machine Embroidery Supplies

Time for some more favorites! These are the four items that I use in my studio on a regular basis. 

Pre-wound bobbins are a massive time saver. I order a large box of white, and I also have them in several colors. The last thing I want to do when I need a bobbin is to stop and create some more. This way they are always on hand, and I don't have to stop what I'm doing.

Basting adhesive really makes stabilizing easy. I much prefer it over pins and tape. Sometimes, depending on what I'm stabilizing, I'll use it with pins. It makes such a difference when making things that require a layer of batting such as coasters, zipper bags, etc. I used to worry about it gumming up my needle, but after several years of use, it hasn't happened yet.

These snips make clipping threads neater. I don't use these for cutting away fabrics, but they are great when you need to clip that thread close to the stitching. They are so thin and lightweight. As for clipping away excess fabric for applique, I like to use my curved embroidery scissors.

Snag Nab-It Tool is probably the best thing ever invented for embroidery, sewing, and basic snag repair. It has a sharp point on one end, and a rough section on the other end. It's made to pull snags through to the back which turns a damaged sweater into like new. Have you ever finished a project, and everything looks beautiful except those one or two stiches in your silky satin stitches that the needle obviously missed? Of course you have! And it's not your fault. This tool is designed to make it look like it never happened. You just find the stitch that didn't stitch (or just sticking out in a weird way) and insert the pointed end right at that stitch on the top of the project. Then you gently push it completely through. The rough edges on the opposite end of the tool will catch that annoying thread and bring it right through to the backside. If you want you can put a tiny drop of Fray Check on the back where the stitch is but honestly, I've never worried about that. And you know these thread mishaps always happen at the end of your project after you've done all that work! TIP: Store it in the little plastic sleeve it came in and maybe put a dot of paint or nail polish on the plastic sleeve. This little thing is so easy to lose.

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There's a free machine embroidery design in every issue (unless I'm running a sale). You'll also find links to free sewing tutorials and articles too. The newsletter goes out once a week. 

Some of My Favorite Sewing Supplies

This week I'm sharing some of my absolute favorite sewing supplies. I have been sewing for over 50 years. That's right, I started as a young child. When we were younger my sister and I made all our Barbie clothes and Barbie furniture. That was also the time when I made my first purse. I wish everyday photography were a thing then because I could share the pictures. I was quite proud of that one. I'm not sure which of my addictions began, the sewing or the purses. A girl cannot have too many purses! But that's a whole other blog post.

Let's get started on my favorite supplies. From left to right...

1. Anything from the Sewline brand. Their marking pencils are the best! I have the pencil with the three different colors (white, pink, dark gray). It's a mechanical type of pencil that works beautifully. You turn the bottom half of the pencil to the desired marking color. You can also adjust to let out more lead when you need it. I use it so much and I'm waiting on my refills to arrive any day now. I also love their eraser that is made to go with these pencils. Just like the marking pencil, you can extend it for more eraser. Since it's designed like a pencil, it's so easy to use. And there are also refills available for these too. Probably my favorite of all my tools.

2. Next is HeatnBond Lite. All the products with this name are the best in my opinion. The strong or ultra hold sticks very well and is easy to use. Most of the time I use the Lite. It's designed to hold things down so you can stitch on it. It never gums up your needle and holds very well. This is the only one I will use when making my fabric appliques for machine embroidery and hand embroidery.

3. Jean-a-ma-jig. There are other brands and styles of this that do the job, but this is the one that I have had for many, many years and it has served me well. Since I love to make tote bags, small wallets, and purses there are times when I'm trying to stitch over a bulky seam, and this is a huge help. It prevents my sewing machine foot from getting stuck at the beginning of that area, so the seam is nice and even. I just used it yesterday when making up a bunch of credit card wallets for a donation for the local women's shelter. I zipped right on through with ease!

4. These little fabric clips. I have the Clover brand. I got them when they first came out and I believe that Clover was the only brand at that time. Now you can easily find them, and you can find them at a better price. Sometimes I feel a pin is needed but for the most part, I use these.

So, there you have it. These are my top four sewing tools. I have many tools and I'll be sharing more of them with you at another time. All the tools listed above are very easy to find.

 

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There's a free machine embroidery design in every issue (unless I'm running a sale). You'll also find links to free sewing tutorials and articles too. The newsletter goes out once a week. 

Tutorial - Fabric Tray, Great for Travel

We like to do a lot of traveling. We do two-week road trips and extra-long weekends. Some of our travels are to visit family while some, like road trips, we stay in hotels. I wanted a little tray that I could put on the dresser in a hotel or guest room that would hold my small items, so they don't get lost. When I travel alone to visit my daughter, I like to take nothing more than a backpack that fits under my airplane seat. I needed a tray that would take up no extra room. This is perfect because it packs flat. It would also be a great gift idea. Even dad would like it if you used fabrics with his favorite sports team or hobby!

If you want a downloadable PDF of this pattern, click HERE

Let's get started on this super speedy project!

You'll need the following: 

10 1/2 inch square of outer fabric

10 1/2 inch square of inner fabric

10 1/2 inch square of med weight fusible interfacing

10 1/2 inch square of fusible fleece interfacing 

*In place of the fusible fleece interfacing, you can use 100% cotton batting and either spray it to one of the fabric pieces with basting spray, or machine baste in place along the edges. 

4 sets of KamSnaps (or you can use sew-in snaps or velcro)

Thread and general sewing supplies

Instructions:

Fuse the fusible fleece interfacing to the back of one of the fabric pieces, and the medium weight fusible interfacing to the back of the other fabric piece. Be sure to follow the manufacturer's instructions for the interfacings you will be using.

On the backside of the fabric with the medium weight interfacing, draw a line 1/4 inch away from the edge on each side. Then take something rounded (I used a large thread spool) to round the corners. Since this is on the interfacing it will not show so you can use a pen or pencil for marking if you want. The red circles show where I rounded the corners.

Place fabric with right sides together and pin to secure. Stitch all the way around your edges, rounding the corners. Stitch on the lines and the curved corners you just drew. Leave a 2-inch opening in the center of one of the edges for turning. Trim at corners to relieve bulk. Turn right side out, gently pushing out the corners, and iron. Fold the excess fabric (at the opening) toward the inside even with the edges and iron. This opening will be closed with the next stitching.

Decide which side you want to be your inside. I'm choosing the travel themed fabric for mine. With this side facing up, stitch all the way around 1/8 away from the edges. This will also seal that opening closed that you used for turning right side out.

Take a ruler and measure 1 3/4 inches away from each edge. Mark with a disappearing marker or a chalk pencil like I am using since the markings can be brushed away. Stitch on that line, all the way from one edge to the other. Do this on each side.

TIP: I like to take a piece of painter’s tape and place it on the bed of my machine and keep the edge of the fabric even with the tape. Perfect stitching every time!

Take a ruler and draw a line from each intersection (where the seams cross each other) to the end of the rounded corner. This will be a 45-degree angle. Use your disappearing marker or chalk for this. Stitch on each of these lines.

You'll need four sets of snaps or some velcro for the final part. Apply them at each corner. The connecting side of the snaps or velcro should be against the inside of the basket. KamSnaps makes this so easy. You'll want your snaps close to the side seams and the outer edges. You'll use one set of snaps at each corner.

That's it! Snap the corners together and you have a little tray. Taking it traveling, just unsnap and it will stow flat in your travel bag.

 

Don't miss any sewing tutorials, helpful tips, or free embroidery designs! 

Sign up for Sher's Creative News

There's a free machine embroidery design in every issue (unless I'm running a sale). You'll also find links to free sewing tutorials and articles too. The newsletter goes out once a week. 

Applique Tips for the Regular Sewing Machine

There are two ways to think about machine applique. There is the applique that you do on an embroidery machine where the machine does all the stitching, and there is applique that you do on a regular sewing machine where you do the stitching. You can also choose different types of stitching around your appliques.

Since I'm hosting the monthly mug rug freebie here on the blog, I thought it would be a great time to reintroduce my two-part series of my favorite applique tips. These tips are for the applique that you do with the regular sewing machine. You can also do them by hand if you choose. Sometimes I prefer to applique by hand because I can kick back and watch a show or two while I stitch.

If you plan on doing a lot these mug rugs or applique in general, I can not stress enough what a difference your machine foot makes! I highly recommend using an "open toe foot" for your sewing machine (not embroidery machine). It gives you a clear view of every stitch you are making. I just checked on Amazon and you can still get them for under $10. So worth the price!

Below are the two articles that I wrote with favorite and most helpful tips for the applique process. 

Applique Tips - Part 1

Applique Tips - Part 2

If you want to join in on the fun by making the free mug rug of the month, you can click HERE.

Do you like free embroidery designs and tutorials?

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Bobbin Storage Solution - Keep Them Neat

 

I was starting to get so frustrated when choosing my bobbins because of all the loose threads. I don't remember where I saw this idea but I thought I'd try it and it works beautifully.

I went to a home store (Menards, Lowes, Home Depot) and picked up some vinyl tubing. I picked up a whole lot of it (more than enough to share) for under $10. What you need to get is the following:

1/2" I.D. X 5/8" O.D. Clear Vinyl Tubing

The I.D. means inner diameter and the O.D. means outer diameter. 

I found that the easiest way to cut them is to cut off about an 8-inch length. Cut a slit lengthwise then open up one of the ends and cut it into thin (under 1/4") strips. I didn't measure, I just judged by eye. They just need to fit in the bobbin to cover the thread.

Then you just wrap the plastic piece around the thread. That's it, you're done!

Machine Applique - Adjusting the Size of Your Applique Templates

One of the questions I get asked a lot is if my mug rug patterns can be made smaller or bigger for place mats and other things. Just because I put these appliques on a mug rug doesn’t mean that you have to make a mug rug. For me, they are the perfect size to use for decoration either on a wall, bookshelf, or in a china hutch. Since most people use them for decoration, maybe they’d like a bigger display for their wall or for a quilt. In any case, it’s very easy to adjust the size of the appliques.

Machine Applique - Tips and Tricks - Part 2

Last week we focused on supplies that will make your machine applique life easier. Today I’m going to share some of the tips and techniques that I’ve learned through the years. If you missed last week’s article, you can find it HERE. So, let’s begin on the next article. 

Machine Applique - Tools and Tips to Make the Job Easier - Part 1

By far, the biggest sellers in my pattern shops are my applique templates and mug rug patterns. Judging by the feedback I get from my customers, most of them use the machine applique method. I’ll admit, it’s my favorite way as well. When I first started designing them I used the hand applique technique, but once I discovered how fast these go together when using the sewing machine, I changed my method quickly! I’ve learned a lot during my four or so years of designing mug rugs. I’ve always known how to machine applique, but I’ve learned a lot of tricks and tips along the way that will give excellent results.

Stitch Up A Memory!

In the photo above you will see one of my favorite gifts ever received. My daughter in law had it made for me using one of my dad's favorite shirts. She didn't know it when she was having it made, but I actually bought that shirt for him the previous Father's Day. I will treasure this forever!

There are so many great things you can stitch up from clothing that belonged to loved ones for either a special occasion, or as a memory project.

I've seen so many great ideas for this. In one of my sewing groups a lady made boxy zipper bags for her family members from some of her mother's favorite skirts. She shared a picture and the were beautiful!

Other great ideas would be making a christening gown out of a wedding dress, or sachets from clothing items. How about Christmas ornaments from some of their jewelry or clothing? There are so many small things that you can make from a loved one's clothing that other family members will cherish.

I was very lucky because I had two dad's growing up. My biological father who is living in Florida with my bonus mom (aka stepmom), and I also have the dad that raised me. He passed just under two years ago. I wrote him a poem for his 80th birthday and I'm sharing it below. As much as I believe in a bloodline, I also believe 100% in a LOVE line!

That Special Someone

As we walk the path of life

we will meet many people.

Some people will come and go

with nothing more than a glance or a nod,

while others will come into your life

and leave an impression one way or another.

But every now and then

you will come across someone so special

who will touch you in a way

that will change you forever.

When you are blessed enough

to have this person in your life,

you will treasure them, and love them,

and hang on to every moment,

and hold a place for them in your heart forever.

Written by Sheryl Lynn Hastings

Sewing for a Cause 2016

It’s that time of year again when people are thinking about the upcoming holidays and the hustle and bustle begins! It’s also the time when people think that it’s time to give back. In the photo above is a bunch of small wallets that I’m stitching up to donate to our local animal rescue group so they can use them for their holiday fundraisers. This year I’m also going to do the Case for Smiles project (link below) where I’ll be making some fun and colorful pillowcases for children in a hospital.

If you aren’t sure where to begin, here are a few links to get you inspired:

Hey bag makers! Here’s a place where you can make purses for girls in school:
http://sewpowerful.org/ 

Here is one of my favorites which I will be participating in this year. You can make some quick and easy pillowcases that will be given to kids with cancer. Make sure they are fun and colorful!
http://caseforsmiles.org/ 

Here’s one for adults and children. Make some chemotherapy turbans.
http://www.sewing.org/html/turban.html 

How about making a blanket for a child in need? Give them a little extra comfort that they so desperately need.
http://www.projectlinus.org/about/

Since many of you know, our furry little friends are very near and dear to my heart, make up some simple beds that they can snuggle on while in the shelter and waiting for their forever homes.
http://kennelcomforters.blogspot.com/ 

Still haven’t found one that tickles you fancy? Here is a whole list of them!
http://www.sewingpartsonline.com/blog/sew-for-charity.aspx 

Do you prefer to support your local charities? Call your local humane societies, churches, women’s shelters, and hospitals to see where help is needed. Many of them do fundraisers throughout the year, while some of them will take any items that someone will find helpful. How about stopping by your local assisted living places or nursing homes, and see if someone could use a walker caddy or another personal item. Not everyone there is lucky enough to have family visit so their needs go unnoticed. You can even start your own!

Whether you sew for charity, shovel your elderly neighbor's driveway, or volunteer your time where needed, one thing is for sure, it will make your heart feel good! That's what I call a Win/Win!

Viewing, Using, and Printing PDF Patterns

PDF patterns are becoming more and more popular everyday! Yes, everyday. There are numerous reasons for this such as:

Instant gratification When you see a pattern you like, you can purchase it and get started on making the project immediately.

Everyone can open them No matter what computer or mobile device you have, everyone can use the PDF which is actually a Portable Document Format file. It's pretty standard and the reader is free.

Price PDF patterns are often a little less expensive than printed patterns. There are no printing costs which can keep the cost down for the designer.

Easy to read You can easily read the pattern on your computer or mobile device and print only the pages that you need.

Huge selection You have pretty much an unlimited supply to make anything you need right at your fingertips, literally!

Supporting your independent designers Most PDF pattern makers are not sitting behind a desk delegating. No way! These designers are working in their studios for hours and hours on end to get the pattern from the image in their mind to the digital copy you receive. There is a lot more work put into designing digital patterns than most people realize. By supporting these small business owners, you are keeping their creative flow going, and contributing to a business that they are personally proud of. 

For those who are unsure to to read or print a PDF patterns, I'm going to guide you along the way. As a designer I do get questions on this subject, as well as seeing it brought up elsewhere.

First and foremost, every designer I know recommends you open, read, and print your files from the Adobe Acrobat Reader. If you don't have it, you can download it free from the ADOBE WEBSITE. If you are using your mobile device (cellphone, tablet, etc) you can download the Adobe Acrobat Reader app.

Why Adobe? Because it's the best! Also, it's completely stable, it's free, it's the most popular reader, it's user friendly, and a million other reasons. It's also a program that the designers are familiar with and are best able to help you if you run into a snag. There are so many readers out there, and I'm sure many of them are very good, and if it works for you, great, use it. If it doesn't, switch to Adobe where we can better assist you.

I personally like to read and print my patterns from my laptop, although I've used my mobile devices in the past as well. On my desktop version, you can see at the left, you get little images of the pages. This is so helpful when you are trying to find something.

What I like best is that if you want to remember something that you will need to refer back to, you can easily "highlight" that area so it will stand out from the rest of the pattern. It's so simple too. Just click on that little highlighter icon at the top of the screen, then drag your cursor over the are you want to highlight. Simple! You can also do this on your mobile devices by clicking on your menu at the bottom and it will bring up your little highlighter.

Many of you are probably already familiar with the bookmarking. Just click the little bookmark item at the top, and you can bring that page up anytime you want! You'll find it at the top on the mobile devices and the upper left on the desktop version.

Another thing you will find super handy is the "notes" feature. You will see a little icon that resembles one of those speaking clouds you see on cartoons. Inside that will be little lines. You click on that then it will ask you to tap on an area you want to leave a note. It brings up a little sticky note type thing and you make your notation there. This is especially handy if you want to change the size of something, or you don't want to forget where you purchased your supplies. After you write your note and close it, you will always see that little icon there so you can click on it and see what the note is telling you. Just be sure to save your changes to the document if you want to use that pattern again. If you don't want to save the changes, don't, and your pattern will be exactly the way you started. This is also available on the mobile devices too. How many of us have written all over our paper patterns? I do all the time. This way, you are doing the same thing but on your digital pattern. Love this feature more than I thought I would.

There are so many other things you can do with this reader, but that's an entire lesson so those were the basics for reading and making your patterns work best for you. I personally plan to play with the program more so I can find other things to do with it.

OK, you now know the basics. One of the most important things to know is how to print your pattern. If you want your pattern to turn out perfect, it must be printed out at 100% actual size. This will be found in your printer settings.

When your print box appears, you will have that option. Not all readers make it this easy for you and that's another reason why we all like Adobe. You will notice you have the option to print at Actual Size. You will also see a Custom Scale where my box says 100%. If you want a bigger item, you can choose a bigger percent, if you want a smaller item, you can choose a smaller percent. This is best handy when you are printing out things such as appliques. Many of the applique templates I sell are changed by the customer this way. If they want to add an applique to a baby bib or candle cozy, they certainly don't need the 7 inch size I have provided. For most patterns, you will print it out at 100%.

Some patterns you might want to enlarge or reduce most of the pieces while others will be printed out at 100% such as wrist straps, connector tabs, zipper ends, etc. Those need to remain the size they were designed at while the other pattern pieces can be adjusted by changing the percent of your printout.

The next most important thing you need to know about printing a pattern is which pages you want to print. I don't like to print the instructions because it's a waste of paper and ink. I print out the pattern pages I need and the list of dimensions if there are any. So I just put those pages into the box for printing. On my mobile app, I check or un-check the pages. Obviously, the pages I'm printing will be left checked.

Also remember that you will need to make sure your page orientation matches, and in most cases this is set to automatic so they do. This means if your pattern is being read in portrait style, make sure it prints this way.

On many patterns you will have to piece together a couple or more pieces. This is because your printer only prints out so big and your pattern piece will not fit on one page. The pattern designer will show you what to tape to, and where to tape it. On my patterns I have a little image that looks like scotch tape that tell you exactly where to tape your pieces. Super simple!

Basically that's it! If you are unfamiliar with reading, using, and printing your patterns, I hope this article was a big help to you.

The pattern I've been using for a reference is the So Many Ways Cellphone Case which is available at Etsy and Craftsy.

Here is one more final tip; if you go into the advanced computer settings you can choose to print in DRAFT mode. This is where your computer will print while using the least amount of ink possible to do the job. I used to do this but now I use the HP Instant Ink Program where I'm charged by the amount of pages I print instead of the amount of ink I use. I suppose that is a tip in itself and well worth it if you have an HP printer. I save a fortune on ink! Just printing out my photos used to cost a fortune, but no more!