Video: Sewing: Positioning the Pattern

Learn how to lay a pattern straight on the grain and more from an expert seamstress in this free sewing video.

Video Transcript

Hi! I’m Stephany from Stephany’s Simply Sewing. I’d like to show you how to lay a pattern piece on the straight of the grain. The straight of the grain of your fabric runs parallel to your salvage edge. This is the grain that you want to follow when you see an arrow such as this one your pattern piece. Now, the question is, how do you make sure that that pattern piece is on the straight of the grain. I generally start by making sure that when I lay out my pattern, that I have put the pattern pieces as close as I can. I won’t be using these cutting lines, so it’s okay for me to overlap. The next thing I do is kind of give it a rough eyeball. In other words, I just look to be sure it’s straight with my edge of my fabric. Finally, I like to put a pin in one end of my arrow like this. That means that makes it so the fabric and the pattern doesn’t move. I then take my measuring tape, and I put the beginning of my measuring tape right on this line of this arrow, and I measure to my selvage. In this case, I’m 5 ½ inches. I then smooth my pattern piece and go to the opposite end of the arrow, and I again place my measuring tape on the line of the arrow. I notice that I’m off just a little bit, so I move my pattern piece and remeasure. This makes sure that your garment is on the straight of the grain, and this is important so that your fabric and your garment hang correctly. I then place another pin at the end of this arrow, the opposite end, and I just double-check to be sure that I haven’t moved it. Sometimes fans, pets, and kids can make a difference. After I have made sure that the pattern piece is placed on the straight of the grain, I go ahead and pin my fabric and my pattern just as I did when placing my pattern piece on the fold. That is how you make sure that your pattern pieces on the straight of the grain of the fabric.

Sewing: Positioning the Pattern

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