Reviews

PatternMaker Tutorial: Basic Blocks collection patterns Men

June 23, 2016 by Daniela Leave a Comment

Hi Guys,

Thank you for visiting us today. This is: PatternMaker Tutorial: Basic Blocks collection patterns Men

This post is about the Basic Blocks Collection of the Patternmaker USA.

IF you want to know more about Patternmaker USA, please visit its website today.

ABOUT THE COLLECTION:

The Basic Blocks collection

I have chosen this collection because it was the most useful collection I could find. It provides a set of basic bodice blocks for babies, juniors, children, men and women; it also has different ease specifications and interchangeable collars.

HOW TO USE THE COLLECTION:

Start by clicking on the PatternMaker Icon on your screen. If you have not download the PATTER MAKER VIEWER for free software yet, click here.

After opening the Basic Viewer, you will see the yellow bodice icon on the left side bar. Click on it.

Then, open the Basic Blocks collection, you will see the following options:

Collars,

Babies,

Children,

Juniors,

Men,

Women

I choose the men’s basic blocks collection

Now, choose the amount of ease (based on chest)

You will have a great amount of options to choose from. Take advantage of the sample garment illustrations shown on each category.

After that, you will need to choose the size based on the standard measurement charts or a specific one you have entered to the program, prior starting with the basic blocks.

Add button extension and length from waist:

And voila! You will have the basic blocks pattern pieces displayed on the screen.

Now, the basic blocks collection will not give you the seam allowance option as the other collection.

Click in VIEW ICON on the top main bar, to see the PAGE GRID ( check on the page setup to know the correct size of page you are looking at!

If you need to move the pieces to arrange them in a better way, click on the HAND ICON. Then, click on the pieces you want to move. After choosing them, click on your mouse right button. Press DONE SELECTING and move the items on the screen.

You can also add texts to your pattern pieces, so you know exactly what you are looking at later.

ADDING SPECIFIC MEASUREMENT:

Click on SETTINGS in the main bar

Click ADD MEASUREMENTS.

After finished, press OK. You can also print them for reference!

And that is all for today!

I hope you enjoy it.

Happy Sewing!

Craftsy Class Review: Patternmaking for Knits- Essential Slopers

March 18, 2016 by Daniela Leave a Comment

Craftsy Class Review: Patternmaking for Knits- Essential Slopers

PatternMaker Tutorial: How to use the women’s collection

February 26, 2016 by Daniela 2 Comments

Hi Guys,

Thank you for visiting us today.

This post is about PatternMaker Tutorial: How to use the women’s collection

IF you want to know more about Patternmaker USA, please visit its website today.

ABOUT THE COLLECTION:

I have chosen this collection because it was a very practical set of patterns; it includes a little bit of everything I needed: fitted tops, shirts, skirts and tailored jackets. I knew with all the combinations and I was been able to make hundreds of patterns, so I ordered this one.

HOW TO USE THE COLLECTION:

Start by clicking on the PatternMaker Icon on your screen. If you have not download the PATTER MAKER VIEWER for free software yet, click here.

After opening the Basic Viewer, you will see the yellow bodice icon on the left sidebar; then click on it.

Then, open the Women 1 collection, you will see the following options:

Fitted Blouse, or

2. Fitted Pullover Shirt, or

3. Fitted bodice (sloper), or

4. Interchangeable collars, or

5. Men’s style shirt, or

6. Pants; pleats or darts, or

7. Sheath Dress, or

8. Straight Skirt, or

9. Tailored Jacket.

I chose the fitted blouse, because it is a classic look with lots of options on a wardrobe. However, you can also choose other modern details to it.

Now, choose the amount of ease: normal, minimum and maximum and you will be adding the ease to the pattern.

After, you will have the option for princess to shoulder seams or bust dart seam.

Then, the option for collar will show up, so you can choose between a convertible collar :

Choose between the sleeve styles. The one in the picture is the dropped sleeve style:

Then, you will be able to add a short or long sleeve.

And finally the option of shoulder pads or no-shoulder pads, so you can add a little bit of flare to the pattern 😉

SOOOO many options to choose and create hundreds of patterns!

After deciding the main design of your blouse, choose the size of it. If you can see, I have added a ”Daniela” measuring chart. You can add specific measurement charts for friends, family and customers.

To add a measurement chart to the program, check at the end of this post and learn more.

After this, you will be able to choose the length of the shirt and the seam allowance, this is very useful especially if you want to try the pattern without seam allowances.

And this is how the pattern pieces will look like or depending of the pattern you have chosen.

Click in VIEW ICON on the top main bar, to see the PAGE GRID ( check on the page setup to know the correct size of page you are looking at!

ADDING SPECIFIC MEASUREMENT:

Click on SETTINGS in the main bar

Click ADD MEASUREMENTS.

After finished, press OK. You can also print them for reference!

And that is all for today!

I hope you enjoy it.

Happy Sewing!

PatternMaker Tutorial:

How to use the women’s collection

Class Review: Beginner Serging

February 26, 2016 by Daniela Leave a Comment

Class Review: Beginner Serging

Hello there,

Thank you for visiting On the Cutting Floor. IF this is your first time here, you might want to sign up for our newsletter. Then, you will never miss a pattern from our blog 🙂

BEGINNER SERGING

BY AMY ALAN

(this post contains affiliate links to Craftsy. Thank you for your support!)

My review today is for the Beginner Serging class provided by Craftsy (affiliate)

I have recently noticed that my beloved serger has not been working normally. It is usually a workhorse, and I feel grateful to get it as a secondhand item for $100 bucks (though its original price is more than 12 times that!)

So, I thought, there must be something that I can learn from this class and use it on my little Pfaff.

The instructor:

Amy Alan is the instructor of this class. She is able to provide useful information about sergers, make interesting comparison among brands and make exemplary projects to show you all the capabilities of the serger.

You will easily get on board and start using yours!

If you would like to know more about Amy, you would like to visit her blog here.

The class:

This class has always shown as one of the ‘‘recommended classes” on Craftsy. And no wonder why. With the prices of sergers being as competitive as they are these days, sewists have felt it is a necessary item to have it you are really a sewing enthusiast (even though it is not!)

We can agree that sergers can make life easier…when you know what you are doing…

…and that is the place this class covers completely.

IF you have had a serger for years without using it, or maybe taking it out of the box occasionally; then, this class would be a great acquisition.

The class is interesting, though I felt I knew more of the topics. It was my mistake though, I should have known that I have overpass the beginner serging stage by now 🙂

However, it can be a great referral class for a tough day at your sewing station.

The Lessons:

Lesson 1: Introduction

Lesson 2: Your Serger & How it Works

Lesson 3. Basic Stitches

Lesson 4. Decorative Stitches

Lesson 5. Troubleshooting Your Serger

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Lesson 6. Exposed Zipper Bag

Lesson 7. Ombré Ruffled Apron

Lesson 8. Striped Knit Scarf

Lesson 9. Bonus – Serger Feet

I hope you have enjoyed this review and it has been useful to decide about this Craftsy Class.

Other reviews you might be interested in:

GET YOUR CLASS HERE

Craftsy Class Review: Patternmaking Essentials: The Tailored Jacket

February 11, 2016 by Daniela Leave a Comment

Hello there,

Thank you for visiting us today at On the Cutting Floor. This is the Craftsy Class Review: Patternmaking Essentials: The Tailored Jacket

If this is your first time in our blog, remember to check our FREE SEWING PATTERNS page.

On that page you will find our collection of free sewing patterns for women, kids and men.

You can also visit our SEWING TUTORIALS and our SEWING REVIEWS.

We also have an ETSY STORE, where you will find unique and modern sewing pattern for women.

This class is provided by Craftsy (affiliate). The instructor is Oticca Beamer, a patternmaker teacher with more than 45 years of experience in sewing and patternmaking.

Craftsy Class Review: Patternmaking Essentials: The Tailored Jacket

I have enjoyed this class very much. The class has a great pace and it has a very specific information to deliver: no extra comments or class full of personal experience.

Oticca is clear and to the point; she will help you to get what you pay for: make a well-fitted jacket.

Ms Beamer is also very compelling. she was able to convince me that making a Tailored Jacket is an easy thing to do.

And it seems so. She uses a personal sloper to adapt it to make a jacket. There are also a great amount of tips to make it look professional and well finished.

If you are interested in Patternmaking and want to start making your own patterns, this class will be a great starting point. You might also like Suzy Furrer’s classes
What you get with the purchase of this class:

7 HD lessons that you can watch anytime.
Class materials, including a ease chart and list of reference materials
Access to the virtual classroom in which you can ask any questions you have about the class you have.

The Lessons:

Lesson 1. Drafting the Jacket Back Sloper

Lesson 2. Drafting the Jacket Front & Sleeve Sloper

Lesson 3. Designing the Lapel

Lesson 4. Designing the Collar

Lesson 5. Designing the Front

Lesson 6. Designing the Back

Lesson 7. Designing the Sleeve

I hope you enjoyed this review and gives you an idea about this class and how much you can learn from it.

Happy Sewing!

Patternmaker USA Tutorial: How to fully customized your FREE patterns

January 21, 2016 by Daniela 3 Comments

Hello there,

Thank you for visiting On the Cutting Floor today. This is the Patternmaker USA Tutorial: How to fully customized your FREE patterns

This tutorial has been sponsored by PatternMaker USA.

To know more about them, please visit its website here.

If this is your first time in our blog, remember to check our FREE SEWING PATTERNS page.

On that page you will find our collection of free sewing patterns for women, kids and men.

You can also visit our SEWING TUTORIALS and our SEWING REVIEWS.

We also have an ETSY STORE, where you will find unique and modern sewing pattern for women.

You can also sign up for our newsletter on the sidebar of this post, so you will never miss a post!

Today’s post will dig into the uses of the PatternMaker’s Basic Viewer.

This program is FREE to download and it comes with three basic slopers: bodice, pants and collars.

To download the program click here.

Once you have added the Basic Viewer to your PC, you will see an icon like this:

Open the program.

It will show you a blank page with a set of commands to work with. The commands are: (from left to right)

Draw

Mouse ( there is the option to design patterns with a digitizer)

Colors: Choose among 10 colors available

Lines: Choose among 5 different line options

Thickness of the line: choose among 10 line thicknesses’ options.

Layer: To make changes on the pattern

Yardage: Check on the SETTINGS to set the right amount of fabric width.

Program: The program you are using at the moment.

Command: Last action made.

Open the Macro Image (the yellow bodice image at the left side of the screen)

This will show you the sloper’s options available for free.

If you want to purchase a collection to add to your program, please visit its website here.

So, I clicked on the pants’s sloper.

This will show you the design’s options available.

Within the options, you can choose the amount of hip ease for it.

After that, you will be able to choose the waistband.

And how you would like the abdomen area to be.

After that, you will see the option to choose pockets:

Then, the customized measurements are available as well. If you want to see the measurements on centimeters, please, check on SETTINGS.

The program will show you exactly how to take that measurement.

There is also the options for lengths (zipper and outside seam), cuff circumference and seam allowance.

After that, press OK and it will show you the fully customized pants’ sloper.

Now it is ready to print!!!

Do you want to know how much fabric you will need? Check on this part of the screen for it.

And that it is all for today. I hope you enjoy this tutorial and make a great use of PatternMaker for your next project.