Sewing Pattern paper issues!?

Question

When you cut the paper tissue, do you cut out all the lines that's your size? and what about the circle with the x in the middle?

Answer 1

Listen to Kay.  She REALLY knows what to do.  All her answers are right on!  She, obviously, has been sewing for all those years, and has learned soooo many tricks. She's a valuable contributor!!!!

Answer 2

May I suggest a couple of books for you?  Simplicity's Simply

The Best Sewing Book was written for people new to sewing.  Reader's Digest Complete Book of Sewing is a general textbook that you can grow on.  Both are commonly available in public libraries.

Yes, you'll choose the pattern size you need and cut along the cutting lines of the pieces you need.  Before cutting, be sure to compare your measurements to that of the pattern, because pattern size is not the same as ready to wear size.  

Sometimes you'll combine a couple of sizes... a fairly typical

one is to need to use a smaller size through the upper body, and a larger size one through the hips.  Just make a smooth transition from one size to the other when cutting.

No, darts are not cut out.  You'll mark the point of the dart and

the two points where the dart reaches the seamline, and then draw in the lines on your fabric (I prefer tailor's chalk), then sew on those lines.  The triangle of fabric you're sewing out is what give it the shaping.  Some darts have extra fabric trimmed out after sewing, but others do not.  Bust darts are the most likely to be trimmed, but narrow darts often are not.

The circle with the + in it on the front of patterns denotes the bustpoint the pattern designer was expecting.  If your bust falls much higher or lower than that, you may need to make some adjustments, particularly for dart shaping... it looks kind of funny to have the bust shaping several inches higher than the bust.  Darts do not reach the bust point when sewn... otherwise you get sort of a 1955 bullet effect that isn't terribly flattering.  The bigger the cup size, the farther away from the actual bust point the darts will end.

Some helps:

http://www.taunton.com/threads/pages/t00...

http://www.taunton.com/threads/pages/t00...

http://www.taunton.com/threads/pages/t00...

http://www.taunton.com/threads/pages/bt0...

http://sewing.about.com/library/weekly/a...

You might also be interested in Connie Crawford's new

beginning sewing DVD -- the young lady in the DVD had never sewn before, and made a very credible garment.  Very step by step.  Not out quite yet, but supposedly in June.

http://www.fashionpatterns.com  Or if you can possibly find it at the library, try Crawford's Guide to Fashion Sewing.  It's a very step by step book with lots of clear illustrations that she wrote for her students at FIDM who had to (surprise!) learn how to sew before they could learn how to design.