Assembling a Pattern. Step-by-step Preparation

January 31, 2019

Written by Eugenia Zorina

When I make sketches of all these charming girls for pattern illustrations, write articles or study the statistics of our site – I act as a member of MC2 Team.

However, when my holiday is coming and I want (I mean it!) to have a new fashionable jumpsuit, then... I'm just a user of our website and patterns. And I want this one, just as it is shown in the picture – it's beautiful and I have some fabric...

The first step to my new outfit is to print out the patterns.

Each MC2-file with PDF patterns has a paper format in its name:

A0 or Plotter – if you can use a large-format printer or a plotter (this is the simplest option as after printing all you've got to do – cut out pattern pieces),
A4 or Letter – for conventional printers.

My printer is an ordinary home one for letter-size paper, so I select a _Letter.pdf file.

NOTE: If you have got a layered PDF file, you will benefit from additional printing options that you might discover with a click here.

I check the printer settings by selecting and typing only a sheet with Test Square (should be 5x5cm / 2"x2" – hooray, it's correct!)
Now I send the entire file to print.

The printer finished buzzing and I'm the lucky owner of a paper bundle with intricate lines and a sheet with a diagram/layout. This piece of paper is now the most important – I put it in front of me.

Well... I see two rows of "tiles" on it, with large numbers.
Hmm... confusing a bit.
Aaaah! I've got it – they are indicating a number of sheets that I've got to deal with. There are 22 of them in total and I can no longer pay attention to it.

In my method only the number of rows and the number of tiles in each row is important:

1^st row: 11 tiles
2^nd row: 11 tiles

Sheets/tiles have been numbered and marked as following: Top left corner: "row number: tile number in the row".
For example:
1:1 means "1^st row: 1^st tile"
2:5 means "2^nd row: 5^th tile"
Numbers by the margins: "row number: tile number in the row" to be attached to.

What does it all mean?

I take the first two sheets "1:1" and "1:2" from the stack.

I cut off the left margin of the sheet "1:2" and overlap and stick it to the right margin of "1:1" (accurately corresponding the black corners).

Then I take the sheet "1:3", cut off its left margin and overlap and stick it... and so on until I've got to the sheet with the number "1:11".

The first row is ready. The same thing I do with the second row.

And then I attach the rows, cutting off the long margin of one of them.

Important. When sticking – pay attention to accurately matching pattern's lines.

Scotch tape or glue? I am happy to work with scotch tape, but you might find it better using a glue for paper.

Done!

Now once again look into the Body Measurements Chart to specify the size I want.
I would like a loose fit, therefore I took the pattern size that is MUCH BIGGER than my own measurements refer to. I've decided, UK24 size is what I want this time!

Positive? Yes! Cut it out. My pattern is ready!