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| Pattern Notation Guide |
Hopefully our patterns are easy enough to understand, but if you come across something that confuses you, below is a reference of all our pattern notation:
Might vary slightly between preview and final result
For reasons that are surprisingly complex, there might be slight differences in fonts and colors between how a pattern looks online and how it looks as a downloaded PDF or SVG.
Lines
Lines (and curves) make up the bulk of marking you'll find on any sewing pattern, including FreeSewing's patterns.
Seams
Seams (the lines on which you sew) are indicated by a solid line. The color of the line indicates the fabric type of the pattern piece:
Seamlines for different fabric types
Seam allowance
Seam allowance is indicated by a dashed line, that has the same width and color as the seam they belong to:
Seam allowance for different fabric typesNote that the corners of the seam allowance are trimmed, and not extended:
A trimmed seam allowance cornerGrainline
Grainlines — a line that indicates the fabric grain — look like this:
A grainline indicator
Cut-on-fold indicator
Cut-on-fold indicators look similar to grainline indicators, but point towards the line on which the fabric should be folded:
A cut-on-fold indicator
Dimensions
When you opt for a paperless pattern, your pattern will come with dimensions:
An example of a dimension on a pattern
Other lines
Some patterns may have other lines on them, there are 4 additional styles:
- Note
- Mark
- Contrast
- Help
They might be used by patterns designers to add additional info, depending on the context.
Other line styles
Line widths and strokes
Designers can, if they so choose, override the default line widths or set a specific stroke. They might do that to add additional info, like where to fold a pattern, or the outline of where a pocket would go.
For reference, here are the different available line widths:
The different line widths
And these are the different stroke styles:
The different line strokes
Annotations
Annotations are extra embellishments on the pattern that further clarify the designer's intent, help with construction, or otherwise provide value to the pattern.
Notches
There are two types of notches. The default notch is a dot in a circle.
An alternative style shows a cross in a circle. This style is used to indicate the back of a garment. For example, on a sleevecap you may see a dot and a cross notch. This way you know which side of the sleevecap is the back (the one with the cross notch).
The default notch style (shown left) and alternative style for notches on the back
Why we chose these notches
In electromagnetism, a ⊙ symbol is used to indicate a flow of current coming towards you (to the front), whereas ⊗ is used for a current moving away from you (to the back).
You can also think of an arrow. When an arrow flies towards you, you see its tip (⊙). When an arrow flies away from you, you see its fletches (⊗).
Buttons and Buttonholes
Buttons and buttonholes may come in different sizes, but always have the same shape that represents how they look in real life:
A button is shown on the left, and a buttonhole on the right
Bartacks
A bartack is a stitch of varying size and length used to reinforce fabric. It is often used on the edges of seams such as at a pocket or fly opening.
This is how a bartack displays on a pattern.
Snaps
Snaps have a stud and socket part, and also look like the real thing:
A snap stud is shown on the left, and a snap socket on the right
Titles
Each pattern piece has a title that tells you the number and name of the piece, as well as the pattern name and a timestamp of when the pattern was drafted:
Example of a title
Logo
Some (or all) pattern pieces may also include the FreeSewing logo. The logo has no special meaning, it's just branding.
The FreeSewing logo
Scale box
The scale box allows you to verify that your pattern was printed to the correct scale:
The scale box