How to Cut Out and Mark Pattern Pieces on Fabric

Accuracy in cutting your sewing pattern and in transferring the construction symbols, or marks, onto the fabric is crucial. These are the final steps taken before you begin to sew your garment.

Difficulty:

Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Dressmaker's Carbon
• Pattern Weights
• Sewing Patterns
• Fabric Chalks
• Fabric Pencils
• Fabric-marking Pens
• Fabrics
• Straight Pins
• Rulers
• Tracing Wheels

Cutting

1. Pin sewing pattern pieces to fabric as explained in "Lay Out Sewing Pattern Pieces," under Related eHows.

2. 

   Use dressmaker shears to cut fabric along designated cutting line.

3. 

   Cut all notches - diamond-shaped symbols that appear along cutting line - outward from the cutting line. These notches will be used to match pattern pieces later on. Treat double and triple notches as one and cut them together with a continuous edge.

4. Leave pins intact until all markings have been transferred from sewing pattern pieces to the fabric.

5. 

   Transfer all marks to your fabric. These marks include pockets, pleats, circles, darts and tucks. Mark a single dot with a small cross. Mark lining fabric only if you have chosen to pin and cut both lining and fashion fabrics as one.

Marking With Chalk, Marking Pen

1. Transfer marks using pins and a chalk fabric pencil or marking pen.

2. Support fabric with one hand, and insert pins through all layers of fabric along outline of pattern mark.

3. Carefully turn pattern piece over and use a ruler and marking pencil or pen to trace along outline made by the pins.

4. Turn pattern piece over so that tissue side is facing up.

5. Unpin pattern and carefully pull the pattern piece over the heads of the marking pins.

6. Once again, follow the outline made by the marking pins to trace the pattern mark onto your fabric.

Marking With Tracing Paper, Wheel

1. Use dressmaker's carbon, or tracing paper, and a tracing wheel as an alternate method of transferring pattern marks to fabric.

2. Mark two layers of fabric by cutting a strip of carbon paper about 4 inches by 10 inches and folding it in half.

3. Place coated sides together.

4. Slide the bottom half of paper under the fabric and the top half between the fabric and pattern.

5. Trace along marking lines with a tracing wheel.

Tips & Warnings

• Any sharpened pair of scissors will do, although the bent handles of dressmaker shears allow fabric to lie flat while you are cutting.

• Cut fabric with long, even strokes for a smoother cutting line.

• If your pattern calls for interfacing or lining, save time by pinning and cutting these items at the same time as your fabric.

• If you use a marking pen, test on a piece of scrap fabric to ensure that any marks made with it can be laundered out.

• Use carbon paper only if fabric is opaque, as marks will not wash out. Make sure to mark on the wrong side of fabric.