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Gone are the days when you had to go to a fabric store to buy patterns…
Digital sewing patterns have become a BIG business! There are now hundreds of indie designers to choose from. I think it’s great that you can find modern designs for practically anything you want to sew, and you no longer have to rely on just Simplicity, McCall’s, Butterick, and Vogue.
The only drawback to buying digital sewing patterns is that you must print them out on 8.5”x11” paper and then tape all your pieces together before you can use your patterns. This wastes a lot of paper and ink because some PDF patterns are 60+ pages long.
Sometimes the printing, taping, and cutting takes just as long as the actual sewing!
Some people have even started using projectors because they are so tired of printing their PDF patterns… Check out this post to learn more: READ THIS Before Buying a Projector for Sewing Patterns.
I usually don’t mind taping patterns together because I sew a lot of children’s clothing and the patterns are not very big. However, when I made the Marsha Wrap Dress from Rad Patterns, the taping and cutting was exhausting… This sewing pattern was 77 pages long! I really liked the Marsha Wrap Dress — it is just a large pattern because the bodice is lined and the skirt portion is practically a circle skirt.
Printing PDF Sewing Patterns
When you’re printing really large sewing patterns, it’s not economical to do it on a home printer. That’s why a lot of pattern companies include an A0 format that is 36”x48” with their PDF files. You can give this AO format to a copy shop to get your digital sewing pattern printed on the large size paper. The cost varies widely from one provider to another, so get a quote before moving forward with the printing to avoid sticker shock.
I recently stumbled upon a website that specializes in printing digital sewing patterns: PDFplotting.com. (I am not an affiliate.) All you have to do is upload your pattern file, select the paper size, and pay a fee. This company will then print and mail your sewing pattern on a large piece of paper. Then all you have to do is cut it out and use it like a regular, commercial sewing pattern.
How Does PDFPlotting.com Work?
Now, before you get too excited, there are a few things you need to know about PDFplotting…
First, it is only worth the money if you want to print three or more patterns at a time. This is because PDFplotting.com has a minimum order surcharge. The printing is relatively cheap ($2-$3/page), but you must spend at least $10 dollars and pay for shipping.
I’ve used PDFplottting.com a few times now for my digital sewing patterns. I’m happy with their service. They ship the patterns to you in a tube so that they don’t get creases. You just have to wait a few days for your patterns to arrive. Of course, if you’re wanting to get started on a sewing project in a hurry, you’re better off printing the pattern at home or going to a local copy shop that has the ability to print on large paper.
If the only reason why you haven’t tried sewing patterns from indie designers yet is that you were worried about the printing, you need to give PDFPlotting.com a try.
I love digital sewing patterns. Check out this Massive List of Indie Pattern Designers. You don’t know what you’re missing!
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I use The Plotted Pattern for pdf pattern printing. It is a woman owned and run company which appeals to me, afterall most of us sewists are women.
She offers various types of paper like pattern tissue, which is so much easier to use and store than the bulky paper used by pdfplotting.com and I find her website much more user friendly. And she is fast!
I have no affiliation, just really appreciate her service.