May Martin’s Sewing Bible: 40 years of tips and tricks

2. Draw a line at right-angles to the selvedge.

3. If your ruler is not long enough to extend across the whole width of the fabric, you can move it further along the line you’ve drawn and continue the line across the fabric.

Transferring Pattern Markings onto Fabric

Having cut out your pattern pieces and laid them out on the fabric, you’ll need to transfer the relevant markings onto your fabric to ensure that you match up the pattern pieces accurately and insert details such as darts or pockets in exactly the right place. There are various techniques for doing this.

Tracing wheel and dressmaker’s carbon (tracing) paper

A traditional method for transferring pattern markings to fabric, this is ideal for marking stitching, grain and placement lines (such as for pockets and buttonholes) both quickly and accurately. I also use it to transfer the outline of a multi-size pattern, particularly when making children’s clothes as it means you don’t have to cut up the pattern and can keep it intact to use again for the next size up as they grow.

The tracing wheel has a serrated edge that punctures the carbon paper and leaves a row of dots on your fabric. The carbon comes in different colours – beware using bright pink on white fabric as it may not come off! Likewise, be gentle when marking darts or details on the middle of the garment piece, where they will be more visible. in case the markings are too firmly printed and difficult to rub off.

How to use

1. Before using dressmaker’s carbon paper on your garment fabric, test the different-coloured papers on a scrap of cloth.

2. Check that the tracing wheel does not damage the fabric.

3. Place the dressmaker’s carbon paper carbon side up on your work surface. Position your double layer of fabric with the paper pattern attached on top of the tracing paper.

4. Using the wheel, gently trace the detail lines – using a ruler along any straight lines – checking that all are marked.

5. Flip the fabric over, having first removed the paper pattern, and place the dressmaker’s carbon paper under the garment, carbon side up. Use the lines you have just made to transfer markings to the other side of the fabric.

Tailor’s Tacks

This is a method of marking and transferring key points, particularly darts, tucks, and seam lines, from a paper pattern onto fabric – usually a double layer. It’s best to use a double thickness of thread and in a colour that will show up on the fabric, although I wouldn’t advise using a dark thread on light fabric as it will leave fibres on your cloth that may not come out! When marking a crowded area, use different colours of thread – for tucks that are close together or overlap, for example. It will be easier to see individual tucks if a different colour is used for each one.

Marking darts and single dots on the pattern

1. Pick up the first spot and leave a tail 2.5cm (1in) long (diagram a).

2. Pick up the spot again and create a 2.5cm (1in) loop, then cut the thread, leaving another tail 2.5cm (1in) long. Repeat for the other two spots (diagrams b and c).

3. Remove the pattern carefully without cutting the loops (see tip (#ulink_905825ec-5e8c-527c-bca2-58aef0946a44)). Gently pull the two layers of fabric apart slightly and snip the threads in between the two layers.

Transferring lines

1. To transfer lines from a pattern to fabric, take a series of looped tacking stitches through the pattern and fabric. Make a loop every other stitch, making sure the loops are at least 2.5cm (1in) long.

2. Lift the pattern off carefully. Gently separate the two layers of fabric and cut the threads in between.

Top Tip

I use hole reinforcements on my paper pattern see photo (#litres_trial_promo) to prevent it from tearing when I pull my pattern off the tailor's tacks. I do not cut through the loops on top of the paper pattern, as these help to keep the layers of fabric anchored when you’re separating them for snipping the threads in between.

Clipping Detail Lines

It can be difficult to mark a line accurately using tailor’s tacks. Equally, a tracing wheel may not be suitable for your fabric if it’s delicate or could be permanently marked by the carbon paper. In such cases, an alternative is to make the tiniest clip with the tips of a really sharp pair of scissors at each end of each centre front and fold lines.

Dressmaker’s Chalk & Marker Pens

Dressmaker’s chalk is ideal for marking fabric. I use chalk triangles when marking soft furnishings and straightening the edge of fabric (#ulink_6f71c313-c982-5e32-b5a9-bd5d8199021e). A chalk wheel or pencil is perfect for marking finer details, as is a retractable pencil. Marker pens are designed to be used with fabric, but they can be dangerous, in my view. The markings are supposed to be air or water soluble, but once you place a hot iron on top of them, they become permanent! Great care and awareness are needed if you wish to use one.

Pin-Fitting a Paper Pattern

This is a great way of testing the fit of your paper pattern. You will get a really good idea about the fit of your chosen style. It is easier if you work with a friend or fellow student in class. It’s also best to fit the pattern over a close-fitting T-shirt.

1. Measure your body – bust, waist, hips and back length (photos 1 and 2).

2. Look at the flap on the pattern envelope (#ulink_b4e90497-75da-57d9-b75c-585e9169436e) and find the size closest to your measurements.

3. Referring to the pattern envelope, pull out all the pattern pieces you will need for the style you have chosen.

4. If the pattern is multi-size, it may be helpful to go over the pattern outline in your size using a coloured felt pen. It can be confusing when you have several rows of dots and dashes.

5. Cut out your pattern pieces. Following the details on the paper pattern, pin together darts and join panels together along the seams.

6. Put your arm through the sleeve hole – it may be easier to pin the shoulder seam once you are in!

7. Pin the paper pattern to your centre front and back (photos 3 and 4).

Altering a Paper Pattern

Paper patterns can be altered in numerous different ways – there are whole books on them! Here are a couple of very basic alterations that you can do.

Lengthening or shortening a paper pattern

Whether lengthening or shortening a pattern piece, first draw a coloured line in felt-tip pen at right-angles to the lengthening/shortening line and parallel with the grain line.

When you’ve made the alteration to the pattern, put a ruler across the gap to make sure that the line you’ve drawn still lines up on either side.

To lengthen a pattern piece, cut through the lengthening/shortening line and separate the two pieces of the pattern by the required amount. Place some paper behind the gap and tape in place using masking tape.

(Sellotape will melt when you iron your pattern pieces!)

To shorten a pattern piece, crease along the lengthening/shortening line and fold away the excess, making a tuck in the paper pattern measuring half the amount to be shortened.

A generous seam allowance!

While it’s easy enough to cut away any excess on pattern pieces, adding to them once you’ve cut them out isn’t so easy, of course. That’s why I always cut out side seams with a larger seam allowance of 2.5cm (1in) as a security blanket – just in case the pattern proves a bit too snug!

Making a Toile

When making a really special garment or a style for the first time, I often go a step further and make a toile. This is a test garment made from the pattern pieces cut out first in calico, curtain lining or sheeting. You get a much better idea of how the garment will fit, as the fabric follows the contour of the body much better than paper.

General Dressmaking Tips