How to Print and Assemble Your PDF Sewing Pattern
Your pattern download includes two formats: A4 for standard printers and large-format (600 mm / 900 mm wide) for plotter printing. Follow the printing, assembly and troubleshooting common issues instructions for your chosen format below.
Printing on a Standard Printer (A4 Format)
What you'll need: A standard home or office printer, PDF reader (if you don't have any, you can download Adobe Acrobat Reader for free), and standard copy paper (80gsm works perfectly).
Step-by-step:
1. Download your pattern file and open it in PDF reader
2. Go to File → Print
3. In the Pages field, enter 1 to print the first page only.
4. In the print settings, set:
- Page Scaling / Size: Custom Scale (100%);
- Orientation: Auto
- Make sure that the check box "Choose paper source by PDF page size" is unchecked
5. Print and measure the test square on the printed page with a ruler — it should be exactly 10 × 10 cm (3.9 x 3.9 in)
6. If the square measures correctly and there are margins on all sides, print the remaining pages
7. If not, adjust the scale and reprint page 1 to confirm before continuing
Paper Recommendations
For home printing, standard copy paper (80gsm) works great. If you plan to reuse the pattern many times, slightly heavier paper (100-120gsm) is more durable but not necessary.
How to Assemble a PDF Sewing Pattern
Step-by-step assembly:
1. Trim the margins — cut off the top and right margins on every sheet. Do not trim other two edges.
2. Understand the page numbering — each sheet has a code, for example C2:
- Letter = row (horizontal position)
- Number = column (vertical position)
3. Lay out your sheets in order — columns run left to right, rows run bottom to top
4. Align and glue — Place the trimmed edge over the uncut margin of the neighbouring sheet, align the frame lines, then glue or tape in place. Work row by row, left to right, then move to the next row up. Some sheets may be blank — this is expected and keeps the row and column order intact.
5. Once assembled, cut out your pattern pieces and you're ready to sew
Printing Large-Format (600 mm / 900 mm wide)
600 mm wide is the standard plotter roll width. Choose 900 mm if your print shop offers it and you want fewer cuts for wide pattern pieces.
Step-by-step:
1. Download the Large-Format pattern file and open it in PDF reader
2. Find your print dimensions — hover your cursor over the bottom-left corner of the page in PDF reader and note the width × height in mm (you can change units to inches in PDF reader Preferences). These dimensions are also included in the file name for quick reference.
3. Go to File → Print, select your plotter
4. In the print settings set:
- Scale: 100% / Real size
- Orientation: Auto
5. Open Properties and set a custom paper size matching your file dimensions exactly
6. Print and measure the test square — it should be 10 × 10 cm (3.9 x 3.9 in)
7. Once printed, cut out your pattern pieces — no assembly required.
Paper Recommendations
Standard plotter paper is fine — no special paper needed
Troubleshooting PDF Sewing Pattern Printing
The test square is the wrong size
Your printer is scaling the file. In print settings, make sure you're using Custom Scale (not "Fit to page" or "Shrink to printable area"). If the problem persists, calculate the adjusted scale using this formula:
New scale % = 100 ÷ (measured side in cm) × 10
Example: square measures 9.5 cm → 100 ÷ 9.5 × 10 = 105%
Pages don't align when assembling
Check that you trimmed the correct edges. Also confirm all pages were printed at the same scale.
Pattern pieces seem too large or too small
If the test square measured correctly, the pattern is printed at the right scale — recheck your size selection before cutting.
Some pages are blank
Check if the page has a frame and a letter-number combination printed on it — if yes, it's intentional. Blank pages are part of the file structure and keep the row and column grid intact. If a page has no frame or markings at all, try re-downloading the file and opening it in PDF reader. If the issue persists, contact us and we'll help.