The Pros and Cons of PDF Patterns

Sewing has always been a part of my life. In the early years, it was watching my mom as she sewed school outfits and semi-formals for dances. Both my brother and I received handmade blankets and quilts, as did my son when he was born. I remember her helping me sew an outfit for my cabbage patch doll that joined a full-on fashion collection she had already completed. However, I didn't start sewing until after college, off and on as time permitted. Of all the projects I attempted during that period, only two worked out--a gown worn at an awards ceremony and a costume used in a dance performance. 

Tissue paper pattern

Back then, I primarily used traditional tissue patterns. This fragile, transparent, beige paper always stresses me out because I lack gentleness and would need to tape tears before I even pinned the pattern to the fabric. PDFs were in their infancy at this time and weren't always an option for sewing patterns. A lot changed during the 5-year hiatus I took from sewing. When I started sewing regularly in my mid-40s, PDF patterns became a thing, and many were free. Even those that required purchase were a fraction of the cost compared to tissue paper patterns. I felt as if I had struck it rich! That is until I tried to put one together.

There are many pros and cons of PDF patterns. Below, we'll list a few, along with ways I've tackled the challenges of printing, assembling, and storing them for later use.

Pros 

PDF pattern with Instructions

Cost: A new tissue paper pattern packaged in a paper sleeve can range from $4 (on sale) to $17 for newly released designs. Depending on the company, a PDF pattern can range from $0 to $9. The instructions for free patterns (such as Mood Fabrics) are not quite as detailed as the designers are betting that you already have sewing experience. Paid patterns often have extensive instructions and occasionally video tutorials. Some sewing sites like Seamwork offer downloadable patterns as part of their annual subscriptions.

Durability: Flimsy, see-through, faded tissue paper vs. 100-pound paper coming through your printer. That's a no-brainer. That said, I find smoothing out tissue paper with a dry iron much easier than smoothing out printer paper after it's been folded.

Availability: There are so many free and low-cost PDF patterns online. Mood Fabrics, Threads Monthly, All Free Sewing, and So Sew Easy are just a few. Of course, you can always go to your local sewing shop or online to order the traditional tissue patterns. 

Cons

Taping the PDF pattern

Potentially Inaccurate Printing: Downloading the PDF is the easy part. Printing it may take some experimentation. Depending on your PDF software and printer settings, there may be different ways to scale and position the pattern on a page. In most cases, you are printing sections of the pattern onto an 8.5" X 11" letter-sized page for assembly. If the scale and position aren't correct, then the pattern will print incorrectly and will be difficult or even impossible to assemble. Some patterns are offered in a format that can be printed on a single sheet using a plotter.

Difficult Assembly: If you are printing sections of the pattern on letter-sized paper, then you will have to assemble them. Each section will have corner brackets or center lines to help align each section. Some PDF designs are more accurate than others.

Bulky Storage: 100 lb paper is thicker than tissue paper. Assembled pieces don't fold as flat or fit as neatly into a folder, bag, or container and may take more space than expected.

Managing the Challenges

Pay Attention to the Sizing Square: Be sure to print only the first page of the pattern and use a ruler to ensure the size of the square measures correctly. Once they do, continue printing the rest of the pages.

Cut and Tape: Get a refillable tape dispenser and purchase rolls of transparent tape in bulk. The PDF instructions swear you don't need to trim the page to make it fit correctly. Don't believe them. Sometimes, there are misalignments in the design or how the paper went through the printer. I trim the top and right sides of each page. I only tape the seams of the pages and add more tape as needed to stabilize the pattern during the cutting process.

Tracing paper pattern to
lightweight home decor
interfacing 

Transfer Patterns to Lightweight Fabric: After I assemble the printed pattern, I will trace pieces and corresponding markings to lightweight interfacing to reduce the bulk when storing. I make sure to include the size of each pattern in case I decide to assemble the same pattern in a different size.

Purchase a Ditto Projector: I almost bit the bullet and bought one this year. Ditto allows you to project the PDF pattern directly onto the fabric so you can mark and cut without the need to print and assemble the PDF. It sounds like a technological wonder, but it only works if you have the room for this setup.

PDF patterns are a tremendous improvement over tissue paper, and I recommend collecting as many as possible for your sewing/inspirational file.