12 Best Sewing Magazines With Patterns

Best Sewing Magazines With Patterns in 2023

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Using Free Downloadable Sewing Patterns

Find, download and print sewing patterns. Accuracy, usability and what do they actually cost you?

The printer? Brother 790 multi -fax,scan, print. Ink cartridges cost approximately $20 per black cartridge.(this will print approximately 500 pages). Copy paper $6 a ream (500 sheets). Most packaging or advertisement comes with an estimated number of pages per ink cartridge. Use the most accurate figure known for a more exact expense total. This total is figured to be 5 cents a printed page.

To test this source of patterns, a search engine was used to find pajama bottoms and a tank style top. Not sure how true to size and having never used this source before, a safe project that would still be wearable no matter how it turned out. Simplicity has an informative website of 101 sewing. A nice refresher for someone who hasn't sewn in a while, but depending on your style of learning could be helpful. The 101 sewing pj bottoms for adult women and men running from extra small to extra large. The hip measurements 31- 49.

This pattern took 37 pages to print out. Total cost for printing is estimated to be $1.85. Each must then be taped together to form the pattern. It was helpful with so many pages to print the guide page, since this was a first. One point here, some online patterns provide a test square. This square is printed as a part of the pattern that allows for measurement to ensure accuracy between printer settings and pattern sizing. Some are printed with a lighter grid mark, generally 1 inch grid, which again can be measured to insure that pattern pieces once taped together will be accurate for the size indicated. Depending on the pattern pieces, sizes, and intricacy of the item to be constructed has a bearing on the number of pages to be printed. If ink and paper is a concern, then take this advice to check for the number of pages to be printed prior to printing. Most of these can be saved as a file to be printed later, so if a pattern is found but not ready to make it, save all files for the item. Directions can be included in the pattern, or as a separate file. So before leaving the website, make sure you have all pertaining files to the item chosen.

How are those pieces of paper put together? The bottoms were taped to the picture window that was available. It was easy to see the marks to line up the sheets of paper. Note, the window provided back lighting, but advise to use this method on cloudy day, bright sun light is NOT easy on the eyes. They can also be pieced together on a large flat surface, such as a table or floor. Either works, but the window was easier to see, and was more physically comfortable than bending over a table or kneeling on the floor. If used to the tissue paper patterns, these were printed on regular copy paper, and transferred to a pattern drafting gridded material, which can be easier to use the multisize pattern without cutting all the sizes out, and holds up better than tissue if it will be reused. Pellon Tru-Grid 1" can be used just like stabilizer, or in this case a way to have an easier pattern to handle and store. The cost runs about $63 for a bolt of 25 yards. Taping, or pinning the grid fabric to the pattern and transferring the markings. With multisize, a different colored ink for each size helps when marking and cutting fabric. Some patterns have you cut each sheet down, others you are merely overlapping pieces of paper. Again it's easier to transfer markings by taping the grid fabric up to the window before removing the pieced pattern. . If you choose to use this method, It took up approximately a yard of material to cut a multisized copy, $2.48 for this pattern. Grand total of reproducing the pattern including the pellon copy is $4.33

Once the pattern pieces are constructed and instructions either downloaded and saved, or printed per personal preference, the rest of the construction is much like any other pattern. Consideration for the cost of supplying your own paper, ink for the printer, and any further pattern copying, such as the gridded fabric and markers, along with the drive time, gas, and shopping time to go to a store to purchase a pattern. Most patterns can be purchased on line, and mailed to you, but the value of downloading and putting together a pattern which can take a couple of hours, versus waiting for the pattern to arrive in the mail or the time to purchase in a store depends on when you want to make the garment. These expenses will vary based on the cost of ink for printer, the miles per gallon on the vehicle, time and distance from the store or mail delivery, versus desire to have that pattern right now.

The pajama bottoms were accurate in sizing, with plenty of room and ease for non woven fabric. They were easy to sew, very straight forward and quick. The pattern is now being used to make pajama bottoms for birthday presents, so the cost is spread out over the various number of times this pattern is/has been used. So far I have made 5 pairs of these pajama bottoms. Spreading that cost out means printing this pattern at home has cost me 87 cents to reproduce per pair and will continue to go down the more it is used.