Sewing can be a fun and rewarding hobby, but it can also be daunting if you are just starting out. One of the most important things to understand is how sewing patterns work.

This post will cover everything you need to know about sewing patterns - from what they are and how to read them to the types available. Peekaboo Pattern Shop offers a wide range of sewing patterns for women, girls, boys, and babies. We will take a closer look at all the categories so you can find the perfect pattern for your next project. And the best part? You can get started with a free sewing pattern! So let's dive in and learn all about sewing patterns so you can start creating beautiful garments with ease.

What are Digital or PDF Sewing Patterns?

PDF sewing patterns are the new normal for sewists. These digital patterns offer a convenient and affordable alternative to traditional printed patterns. With our sewing patterns, you can easily download, print, and assemble the pattern at home, saving time and money on shipping costs. The beauty of PDF patterns lies in their versatility - you can print them as many times as you need, allowing for multiple sizes or variations of the same design. Additionally, all of our PDF sewing patterns come with detailed instructions and helpful illustrations, making them easy to understand, even for beginners.

Printing PDF Sewing Patterns

To use our PDF Patterns, you simply download, print, and tape them together according to the instructions. Many of our patterns have what are called "layers." This helps for only printing one size you need. This is how you do it:

• To begin, open your pattern in Adobe Reader to access the layers function. You are looking for the icon on the left of the screen that looks like three pages stacked on each other.

• After clicking the layers icon, you will most likely need to select the drop-down icon.

• Selecting the Layer / Size to Print: Now you are able to select your size by deselecting (the eye icon beside the listed size) the sizes you do not wish to print. If you need to grade between sizes, select more than one. Make sure to leave the option “print for all sizes” selected as well!
• Printing Guide: Make sure to read all the pattern instructions before printing, especially if a printing guide like below is included. This way you are saving paper and only printing the options you need!
• Printing to Scale: At the "print screen, make sure that "Actual Size or "Custom Scale" is set to "100." Test print the first page before printing the entire pattern. This will let you measure the 2 inch box before printing the entire pattern.
• Measure: Once you have your test page printed, make sure to measure the 2-inch box. If this is off, double-check your print setup page and try again.

Cutting the Patterns

Now you know how to print pdf sewing patterns. Next, is cutting. Using a light source (window or lightbox) overlap pages aligning the circles, or trim the pages and align the circles.

Saving Time / Paper

Try to lay out your pattern before trimming or taping, to see which pages will need to be trimmed and pieced together to save time. To save tape, only use tape when conjoining pattern pieces. Do not worry with taping the entire page or blank spaces.

Save time and only print the pieces/pages that you need. For this pattern, I only plan on doing the peplum or tee length with short sleeves. It's Spring now and by the time longer sleeves is needed, my kiddos will most likely need a larger size. If I were printing out an adult sized pattern, I would print all options at one time, storing them all together.

If trimming the edges of the pages, you can use a rotary cutter or scissors. You generally will only need to cut the pages' left and/or top edges, not every single border. With such a small size (3T) and small pattern, I find it easier to trim only the pages I need with scissors. If this was a larger pattern, you could stack the pages and using the rotary cutter and ruler, trim multiple pages at a time. Be careful if your printer is prone to printing pages at an angle, as you might cut some of the patterns if trimming multiple times.

Can I use a projector to avoid printing the sewing patterns?

Many of our patterns have projector files so if you have a mounted projector you can just project the patterns onto the fabric and start cutting. Check out our post on Sewing with a Projector for more information.

Types of Sewing Patterns Available at Peekaboo Pattern Shop

Peekaboo Pattern Shop offers a wide variety of sewing patterns to suit every style and skill level. Whether you're looking to create adorable children's clothing, stylish women's wear, or even accessories like bags and hats, Peekaboo Pattern Shop has you covered. With clear instructions and detailed illustrations, our patterns are easy to follow, ensuring that even beginners can achieve professional-looking results. Here are a few of our favorite patterns:

Sewing Patterns for Women

Discover fashionable blouse patterns for women of all sizes at Peekaboo Pattern Shop. Create stylish beach attire with swimwear patterns. Find patterns for shirts, pants, and skirts that cater to different body types.

Sewing Patterns for Girls

Peekaboo Pattern Shop offers a range of adorable sewing patterns for girls' clothing, including dress patterns in various styles and lengths. You can also create matching outfits with patterns for tops and bottoms. Additionally, there are fun and functional patterns available for activewear and play clothes, all with detailed instructions for easy customization.

Sewing Patterns for Boys

Discover a range of comfortable, stylish sewing patterns for boys' clothing at Peekaboo Pattern Shop, including shirts, trousers, shorts, swimwear, and more. From casual to formal wear, there's a pattern for every little gentleman.

Baby Patterns

Babies are always a favorite to sew for. We have over 30 fun options perfect for babies. In fact, we have a special section called our Lullaby Line for Baby. Our selection includes Psewing patterns for babies, including cozy onesies, dresses, skirts, and adorable accessories like hats and bibs.

Get Started with a Free Sewing Pattern

If you are just starting your sewing journey, we have over 25 Free Sewing Patterns to get you started. Just sign up for our newsletter HERE to get the free code to use on checkout after adding one of the patterns from our Freebies Section.

Well, it times to wrap up this guide. Unfortunately, with over 300 options we were only able to shine the spotlight on a few but that shouldn't stop you. Our Shop Sewing Patterns Section on the website has details about all of them. Each specific one has all of the details you need, customer reviews, and a variety of pictures to give you inspiration. They can also be sorted by skill level, fabric type, etc. Finally, be sure to come join our Peek-a-Boo Pattern Shop Facebook Group where all of our customers love to share what they sew up.