7. Adding a custom seam allowance to your finished pattern
You’ve cut it, slashed it, designed a new neckline, rotated your darts and added all kinds of new design details. So what’s next? Adding seam allowance! This is usually a long, time-consuming process that takes some careful attention with a Pattern Master tool, especially when you’ve got lots of curves and panels. It’s a process that I personally used to dread. Well, not anymore. We’ve got two techniques for you to play with!
Adding Seam Allowance using the Offset Path tool (new technique)
A few of our followers have mentioned a technique for adding seam allowance that is far easier to use and more reliable than the Cutting Table. We’ve added a quick video tutorial to demonstrate the technique. It’s so simple and effortless, we’re now using it when customising our own digital sewing patterns. Thanks, guys!
Adding Seam Allowance using the Cutting Table (old technique)
We’ve created a very handy tool into the Cutting Table that does all the heavy lifting. Simply select your pattern pieces, pick from our range of pre-defined seam allowances and apply it to your block. We’ve even created a tutorial that shows you how to build your very own custom seam allowance that you can save to the Cutting Table and use on all your future blocks.
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Hello,
How do I effectively add sizes while keeping the same proportions/angles If that makes sense? I would like to be able to scale my pattern to larger sizes but I’m unsure of how to do that without having to make the pattern all over again. I might have completely missed something!
Thanks
Hi Charlotte, thanks for your comment.
Unfortunately, that’s grading and something that we do not have tutorials on. You will need to either redraft your pattern for each size or pay a grader to grade your pattern to fit larger and smaller sizes.
Hello, I just found you on YouTube and you are great! I took your pattern making course and it was a great help for a beginner like me. .. So…. I do leather work and sew by hand and because of your great course I am starting to create my patterns in AI. No problem with the shapes but when I go to add a stitching line, I created using the pattern brush, and apply it to say a box and then the same stitching pattern to a different sized box that would be sewn together, the stitching spacing doesn’t match up. So I guess what I am trying to say is I need my 2mm high 45 degree diagonal lines that are 3.38mm apart from each other (that’s the distance between the pricks on the pricking iron) to stay the same distance apart no matter what the size or shape. Make sense?
Thank you for your time!
When I try to use the scissor tool I keep getting the following note on screen. What am I doing wrong????
“Please use the scissors tool on a segment or an anchor point (but not an endpoint) of a path.”
Hi Alison. The scissor tool cuts a line (path/segment) or a joined corner (anchor point) creating two objects from one original object. The error you are seeing is appearing because you have already cut the path/segment at that point. I hope that helps?
Hello!
I have been really enjoying these videos. One issue I am having is I do not see the seam allowance brushes. I do have brushes enabled and I have been using the file “Cutting table CC compatible” but it only shows the basic brush. Is there a way I can download the brushes separately?
Hi Mary.
You can find the brushes on the cutting table download. Take a look at the bottom of the post page. You’ll see a button. Click it to download the Cutting Table. That being said, I would recommend using the other technique for adding seam allowance, it’s quicker far more reliable!
Thanks
Hi
The great courses!! I love them. I learned much moore as I supposed.
Could I have some question – can we use adding seam allowance brushes as a grading form?
simple grading method in AI this is the only one tips I miss
Hi Barbara.
As far as I am aware you can’t grade a pattern using the seam allowance brushes. A pattern does not grade up or down by simply adding 0.5cm or 1cm to the entire outline of the pattern. You need to know how and where to manually grade a pattern. The pattern is expanded or reduced in various areas by different amounts. The amount and area of the block that is expanded is something you need to learn or study. You can probably tell by my answer that I’m not a grader and don’t have that knowledge. But thank you for your comment!
thank you for your answer Ralph
I think you’re right!
hmm.. I have some idea how to grade in illustrator.. but firts need to test this method on the several patterns how it works 🙂
Grading in illustrator is actually a lot easier than you might think. There are two basic ways. The first is to section off your pattern into a grid, placing lines where the body grows or decreases. Then using the Pathfinder: Divide separate the sections. This would be similar to how you would slash and spread a pattern to grade it without a grade ruler. Then you would move the sections up and over using designated sides as your zero point the amount for your grade rules. Then using the pen tool, draw in the new lines using the spread sections as a guide. The second is to use your direct selection tool to move different anchor points or groups of anchor points up and over the specified amount, This method more closely mimics how you would grade using a grade ruler. The best part is there is a tool that makes grading the in between sizes really fast, so long as the sizes use the same grade rules. For example, most sizes from 6 to 12 have the same grade rules. You start with size 6 then grade straight to 12 not worrying about sizes 8 and 10. Then once finished with 12, select both blocks and use the blend tool with specified steps and it will evenly grade sizes 8 and 10. Expand the blend group. Then if you like them nested a certain way you use the align tools
Hiya…can you tell me if the e-pattern has seam allowance already accounted for. I put in seam allowance but its not showing up when I import to illustrator. If yes, then do I need to use the brushes on cutting mat and delete the outer line or does the e-pattern need seam allowance adding
Hi Lynne.
Our ePatterns don’t come with seam allowance. They are editable files that are designed to have the seam allowance added in after the design elements have been added to the pattern. You will need to add your own seam allowance to these patterns.
You can do this by using the cutting table brushes. Delete the inner line and keep the outer line. The outer line is your cutting line.
Hi,
Thanks for all your helpful videos! There’s a third function similar to the one Britta has mentioned, it is called offset path. Object/offset path/ input distance. Use the direct selection tool to delete inner line and manipulate. It might even be the same tool..not sure- just another way to get there. ( I am using CC 2017)
Thanks again!
I’m using this method and it’s so straightforward.
That’s great news! I’m glad it is helping you. Enjoy!
Hi,
I am an upholsterer, specialising in replacement car seat covers. I am in the middle of digitising a number of my patterns via the tracing jpg route, in Illustrator. I tried the modified brush method, but found it too fiddly and rather laborious to be honest. I the investigated the aforementioned by Britta.
This certainly seems easier and does exactly what is required without all the extra end point editing of the brush method. Not intended as a criticism but merely a confirmation of the validity of the method
regards
Dave H
I totally agree. I’ve recently tried the technique and it is a very clean and refined way of applying seam allowance to a pattern. I’ll create a tutorial and post it here to demonstrate the process for other users. A big thank you to Britta for suggesting it!
Hi!
What a fantastic job you’ve done with these tutorials! Really simple and to the point, so bravo to that!
I do have a couple of questions to this particular tutorial though. When working with and generating seam allowances there is another option and that is to use Effect/Path/Generate Outer contours – and then select whatever distance you’d like your seam allowances to be – and then Direct selection tool to manipulate specific anchor points as needed. Any thoughts on that option vs. using brushes?
The second question is why you’re adding three strokes to each brush, if you’re only going to use two of them (in the tutorial you demonstrate how to remove the innermost stroke). It just seams like one step too many, if you understand. 🙂 I’m sure there is a good explanation.
Hi Britta. Thanks for your comment. I haven’t hear of that technique before, so if it’s quicker i’d happily use it. I’ll give it go and possibly post an add-on tutorial to demonstrate the concept to our users. Thanks for your help! Collaboration and info sharing is what we live for.
Thanks for your reply – do check it out and see if you like it. If nothing, then you’ve at least tried it. 🙂
With regards to my Q on brushes, I realized why 3 paths is needed (as the brush is applied to the centermost path), so never mind that question.
Also, again, it’s ah-maze-ing that you’ve done all these tutorials and are providing them for free. They’re really high quality so kudos on that! 🙂
I’ve actually now started using this technique and it’s so incredibly simple and effortless! Thank you for the suggestion it worked a charm.
Hi Britta
I tried with a few alterations as I lost the original line to start with and only ended up with the offset.
I ensured the original lines were grouped and made it a dashed line.
Then Cmd C copied it, then Cmd F to put it directly on top of the copied line.
Next I used Effect/Path/Offset path to create the outer line (from the copied line),
Finally I changed the offset line back from dashed to continuous
I still only in training mode with Pattern Lab and loving it, I really would like to know if this is usable as it seems so much simpler.