---
title: How to generate bespoke sewing patterns
sidebar_position: 10
---

import ControlTip from '@site/docs/_controltip.mdx'

Generating custom sewing patterns based on your measurements is the flagship
feature of our website. We provide an online environment that allows you to
customize various aspects of your pattern.

:::warning FIXME
Adapt this for the most recent editor changes
:::

This environment provides a wide range of features, and on these pages we will
explain all of them.

<ControlTip />

## The editor

Below is a screenshot of FreeSewing's pattern editor in **kiosk mode** which
hides the site header and footer and lets the editor take up the entire screen.
It also has the **View menu** (on the left) expanded. By default you will only
see the icons, and not the text of the menu on the left.

![Screenshot of FreeSewing's pattern editor](editor.png "Screenshot of
Freesewing's pattern editor")

### The view menu

The **View menu** on the left allows you to select the view. Each view serves a
different purpose. The different views are:

- **Pattern editor**: This is where you can tweak your pattern
- **Pattern measurements**: This is where you can choose which measurements set
  to use to generate the pattern, or tweak measurements manually
- **Pattern tests**: Allows you to test the pattern. This is an advanced
  feature.
- **Print layout**: Allows you to manually arrange the pattern parts to
  optimize the layout for printing
- **Save pattern as...**: Allows you to save the pattern to your account
- **Export pattern**: Allows you to export the pattern as PDF or SVG
- **Edit settings by hand**: Allows you to -- you guessed it -- edit the
  settings to generate the pattern by hand. This is an advanced feature.
- **Pattern logs**: This shows the logs generated when drafting the pattern.
  This is an advanced feature.
- **Pattern inspector**: Allows pattern designer to inspect various aspects of
  the pattern. This is an advanced feature.
- **Documentation**: Provides links to the documentation.

Feel free to check out the other views, but our focus here is on the **Pattern
editor**.

### The settings menu

On the right side of the screen is the **Settings menu** which in turn is made
up of four sections:

- **Messages from the designer**: Holds information the designer of the pattern
  flagged for your attention. Note that these are not generic remarks about the
  design in general (those go in the documentation), but rather information
  specific to this very pattern. Make sure to check them out. As such, these
  messages will be different for every user, measurements set, or even
  combination of design options.
- **Design options**: Holds all the different options the designer has added
  that allow you to tweak your pattern. These options will be different for
  each design. Refer to the design documentation for a list of all available
  options, or check the inline documentation.
- **Core settings**: These are settings that are not provided by the design(er)
  but rather by FreeSewing's core library. As such, the settings you'll find
  here are the same accross all designs as they all use the same core library.
  Refer to [Core Settings](#core-settings) for all
  details, or check the inline documentation.
- **UI preferences**: And finally, these settings do not control the pattern as
  such, but rather the user interface. For example, here you can enable kiosk
  mode or tweak the user experience setting to see more or less features. Like
  the core settings, the UI preferences are the same for every design. Refer to
  [UI preferences](/docs/about/site/draft/#ui-preferences) or check the inline
  documentation.

### The header menu

At the top is a header with icons to give you quick access to both Core
settings and UI preferences. There is also an icon to clear your settings, clear
both settings and measurements, or to bookmark the current pattern.

## Design Options Menu

Each FreeSewing design can define a list of options that allow you to further
customize your pattern. You can find them in the **Design Options** menu.

Since each design has its own options, the contents of the menu will be
different for each design, but you typically find options to adjust the fit --
such as changing the amount of ease -- as well options to change the style of
the pattern.

## Core Settings Menu {#core-settings}

The editor's **Core Settings** menu allows you to tweak various aspects of the
FreeSewing Core library, which -- under the hood -- generates your pattern for
you.

In contrast to Design options which are
specific for a given design, these Core Settings are the same for every design.
So you will find this menu always provides the same settings, regardless of
what design you are generating a pattern for.

The following core settings are available:

### Pattern Details {#complete}

This setting -- which is enabled by default -- will give you a pattern with all
details included.

If you disable it, you will instead get a pattern that does not include any
details such as text or annotations, and only include the seamlines.

### Pattern expansion {#expand}

This option suppresses all efforts to make the pattern consume less
space/paper.

Designers will often take steps to reduce the amount of paper consumed by a
pattern. For example, a strip of fabric used for binding, or a simple
rectangular part may not be included, or only partially.

This option -- which is disabled by default -- allows you to suppress the space
saving and indicate you rather want to get full-sized views on all pattern
parts.

### Margin {#margin}

The margin setting controls how much space will be added around each pattern
part when calculating the pattern layout.

Each pattern part is laid out as a rectangle on the page. The spacing around
(and between) these rectangles is controlled by this setting.

### Included Parts {#include}

This setting allows you to specify which patterns parts you want to generate.

This can be useful if you want to only use a specific part. For example perhaps
you have a shirt pattern and you only want to generate a different collar
style.

It can also be used to include pattern parts that -- for whatever reason -- are
hidden by default.

### Paperless Patterns {#paperless}

The paperless setting lets you generate a sewing pattern that includes extra
dimensions as well as a grid (in either metric or imperial, based on your
choice of units).

This allows you to skip printing the pattern altogether. Instead you can
transfer it directly onto the fabric, or an intermediate medium such as pattern
paper.

### Render Engine {#renderer}

This setting allows you to choose how your pattern will be rendered. In other
words, how it will be drawn on the screen. There are two options:

- `React` allows for more interactivity, and is optimized for displaying
  patterns on-screen
- `SVG` does not allow interactivity like the `React` option does. Instead it
  is optimized for printing

By default, this website only uses SVG when you are exporting your pattern.
While you are generating and tweaking your pattern, we use React, unless you
use this setting to change that to SVG.

### Include Seam Allowance {#sabool}

This [Core Setting][#core-settings] controls whether or not to include seam
allowance on your pattern.

By default, seam allowance is not included. To generate a pattern with seam
allowance, you should enable it by changing this option to **Yes**.

:::note
FreeSewing's core library only takes a single setting to handle seam allowance:
`sa`. However, for convenience, we've split this up into two different
settings on the website:

- **[Include Seam Allowance](/docs/about/site/draft#sabool)**: Controls whether
  or not to include seam allowance
- **[Seam Allowance Size](/docs/about/site/draft/#samm)**: Controls how big to
  make the seam allowance, if it is included

The latter will only be shown if you've enabled the former.
:::

### Seam Allowance Size {#samm}

This Core Setting controls the base size of your seam
allowance. In other words, the default seam allowance will be this size. Other
allowance that is intended to be wider, like hem allowance, will be a multiple
of this size.

:::note
FreeSewing's core library only takes a single setting to handle seam allowance:
`sa`. However, for convenience, we've split this up into two different
settings on the website:

- **[Include Seam Allowance](#sabool)**:
  Controls whether or not to include seam allowance
- **[Seam Allowance Size](/docs/about/site/draft/#samm)**:
  Controls how big to make the seam allowance, if it is included

The latter will only be shown if you've enabled the former.
:::

### Scale {#scale}

The scale settings allow you to scale those parts of a pattern that do not
scale with measurements. Things like logos, line widths, font sizes, and so
on.

This setting was added at the requests of people who like to use our patterns
to make doll clothes. When generating such a small pattern, the arrowheads,
titles, and so on tend to obscure much of the pattern. This setting allows you
to scale them down or -- if you so wish -- scale them up.

### Units {#units}

This controls the units used on your pattern. FreeSewing supports both metric
and imperial units.

Note that as a FreeSewing user, you can configure your units in your account,
and those are the units that will be used by default. However, if you want to
override those settings on an individual basis -- perhaps you are generating a
pattern on behalf of someone else -- this setting allows you to do that.

## UI Preferences

The **UI Preferences** menu allows you to tweak certain aspects of the user
interface (UI).
