Great video! On your recommendation I used printyourpatterns. Brilliant service from Sarah. I had an issue with over 4 pages and Sarah handled it personally. In fact I gave her more than one to print. Arrived well packaged in a box as I had multiple and arrived next day. Brilliant! Thanks
Very helpful as to PDFs , ordered years ago and I'm ashamed to say I never used them . But I love the patterns themselves because I love craftsy from where they hale.
What a great vlog! You are so thorough, I really appreciate all the effort you went into to secure information on these companies. I am in the US, so I appreciate you including information on companies we can use here. I look forward to seeing all of your makes from these .pdf patterns!
Mine came from Netprinters today and the envelope was posted through my letterbox! One tip, when I first got patterns printed by them I accidentally chose to get my patterns printed as 'A0 plans' and they were half the price of the 'patterns', now, I only get them printed as patterns if they are longer than the standard 'A0' size (they still have to be standard A0 width, but they can be of any length).
Hi Cheryl, thanks for the invaluable information. Until recently I was frightened to try PDF patterns, however have been forced to go down this route as so many pattern choices are only available in this format. However I have had limited success with home printing so thanks to you I will be more confident in purchasing them in the future
Hi, I have just used dotty print with you discount, and I have to say things were as easy and the service was as good as you had said. Thank you again. Louise
Well, here I am, as you suggested. I love your videos. You're so easy to listen to. I got most of it, in a basic way. I'm not real technical but think I could do that as I get more into it. Don't understand the OA you mentioned but I'll catch on. Now I have to figure out how to view patterns online, how to buy them, and then how to get them printed. It's all very interesting. Meantime, I'll work on what I have available here. It's been so long since I've sewn that I have to begin by catching up with what I know. Thank so much for helping to inspire a spirit of creativity in me again.
Hi Cheryl! Thank you for this informative research which has helped my mind become clearer on what is best for me when buying patterns of one sort or another, so cheers and shall keep a look out for more of your helpful advice.
Very helpful! My local copy shop charge £6 per A0 sheet. So I normally go for the A4 at 10p per sheet, which is still a lot of money, on top of the price of the pattern and the fabric. Thanks for the information and for getting us the discount code. Looking forward to seeing your SOI cowl neck dress. X
I really like to use Netprinter great value for money if you are printing more than one pattern, I really don’t like putting pdfs together , great informative video
Thank you again for a hugely helpful vlog. As a new sewer I have tried to get my head around pdf patterns and this is definitely the most informative overview I have seen. I don't own a printer and have no desire to stick 30+ pieces of paper together but some simple patterns that really interest me are only available as pdfs, and also it would be helpful for patterns from the US and overseas generally. I had heard of the option to print commercially but wasn't sure how it would work. I will buy a few from my list and try these three printers. It's funny to read the comments about temperature in the middle of the heatwave.
Hi Cheryl, another great, informative video. I've always thought about sending my PDF patterns for printing, but usually when I decide I want one, I want it now and just print it off immediately and stick it together so I can get on with it! Although when I did my SOI Chloe Coat I really did struggle sticking that together, so ended up scrapping what I printed and went to a local printer which cost me £28 to get it printed!! So these sites you've reviewed are great value. Thanks as always for sharing xx
sewagnes omg! £28!! Well you know you can save on that now. Yes, it was the Chloe that persuaded me that my time was better spent sewing 😂 It took me longer to stick together than sew. 🌷
Timely video, I just emailed Netprinter for some information! But didn’t know about the other two companies. Your review was very helpful indeed, so thank you!.
Thanks so much Cheryl - I have just ordered the Chloe coat from Dottyprint with your discount code. I did not want to face putting all those pieces together and can now look forward to making it soon :)
Very informative video Cheryl. I’ve only used Netprinter. I saw some query that they used to charge 75p a sheet but now with the thinner paper it’s £3.00. However I’ve done it twice now and 3patterns came to £14 which wasn’t too bad. I love your dress fabric and have it in a jersey so must make it as so pretty. 😚😚
Very interesting vlog, I live in Cyprus and proceeded to place an order with netprinter, but when I got to the checkout they wanted to charge 15.00 pound delivery to Cyprus, which I think is rather a lot for 2 patterns (4 A0 sheets of paper), I did ask the question why so much but have never received an answer. In the meantime I sourced a printing shop in Limassol and they printed the same 4 A0 sheets for 4.50 euro, big saving. So advise you check out your local printing shops. Love your vlogs x
Thanks Cheryl! I’ve used net printer as my ‘go to’ pdf printer but also used Patternsy (heard about them through my Seamwork subscription). The patterns are printed on traditional pattern tissue paper, but the pricing system wasn’t very clear to me (at the time, may have changed now) however I did get valuable advice/great service (I had a pattern with multiple cup sizes, they emailed me to suggest nominating which cup size I wanted printing to save on unnecessary printing and cost, which was appreciated!)
Thank you so much for looking into options for those of us in the US! "Santa" gave me two pdf patterns for Christmas.( the Ginger Jeans, and Blackwood cardi) My kids have seen me taping and cutting out before, so I thought having them printed on AO paper would confirm they were indeed from Santa. I took them to the least expensive copyshop near me. It cost $9 US dollars per page. I threw up in my mouth handing over my debit card to pay, and vowed never to do that again! I will be looking into pdf Plotting! Thanks again!!
i was just doing this today...and found only a few who even knew what i was talking about lol...ill def try out one of them and see if they will send to canada. tfs:)
Val Clements hi val, my local printshop recommended reprodux.com and they are about 0.50 sq/ft, victory patterns jackie dress was quoted at $21 on bond? paper but will call them to see if i can get it for less..staples is 0.36 sq/ft but a pain to deal with....i dont know if kinkos exists anymore but they were the best for large format. if i find anything else ill send another msg:)
Hi cherries honey, if it’s that expensive you may as well get the original pattern. I tried about 4 years ago to deal with staples and it was a lot of work so I just had the regular pattern printed. I’m in Grand Bend and was going to see if I could find a print shop in Goderich.
Hi Cheryl I love your channel even though living in Canada makes it cost prohibited to buy fabric and get it shipped. I don't know if your aware of this but Css industries bought Simplicity patterns in Nov 2017. They are the parent company of McCall, Butterick, Vogue and Kwik Sew. They also distribute the Burda paper patterns. I don't know how this will effect the sewing industry yet, but remember these companies also control notion companies like wright's, tailor form and others. Many Indie pattern company's use McCall's to print there patterns as they have the set up for mass production. How this will effect the pattern companies, or maybe the smaller companies will be forced to use only pdf. When you add the cost of the pattern plus printing sewing is becoming more expensive. With all the Indie pattern companies popping up it can be extremely difficult to know if they have any pattern designing skills whatsoever. There are companies that offer a free pattern and those are the ones I try first to make sure it is well drafted, and decently fitted. Only then will I purchase from them. I hope this information is useful to you.
Cherry Lane thanks Cherry, I wasn’t aware, although most indie pattern companies here arrange their own printing 👍🏻 The good thing about social media is that you can read reviews of the new indie designers before you buy 🌷 Thanks for watching and following along 💐
Thanks for all the info Cheryl Tell you what I wish,, that some company would offer a service on re-sizing patterns I’m sure it could be done in this digital age and they be computer generated My problem isn’t the sewing,, it’s the sizing. I always have to do a FBA then grade out for my waist then grade in for my hips. It’s all very hit and miss and I never know if it’s going to work or not Wouldn’t it be wonderful if you could choose a pattern, give all your sizes and get a perfect custom fit pattern that you knew , when made, would fit perfectly !!!
Jackie Blakemore The future is here 😁 Have a look at bootstrapsfashion.com Full disclosure: I haven’t used them myself yet...I’ve found them while researching ways to make diy dressforms. They offer to make a custom shell to your measurements which you can stuff. They seem to have lots of other garments, too, though. And there are others like it, too, I‘m sure...I‘ve certainly seen them for underwear on Etsy.
Rara Avis well,, it just goes to show that others are already thinking along these lines then. What I would like is a company that can reprint your pattern in your perfect fit size. I would definitely pay for this. What you are saying though is a real step forward. Thank you for telling me xxx
Stitchy Bee god,, it would be bloody fantastic!! There is nothing worse than putting all that effort in to sewing , to then find that the fit isn’t quite right. It would almost do away with the need to make a toile and all the faffing around that involves xxx
Jackie Blakemore Well, there are copyright issues to consider. The only company who could do that, is the one who designed the pattern in the first place. And big companies are notoriously slow to adapt to these changes. But it sure is ‚the future‘. At some point, it’ll be normal to order your custom pattern from McCall and the likes in any design they offer. The technology is there...it just needs to be implemented.
Hi, I really enjoy watching your videos and all the information you give out. On an aside, I have ordered the Argon Oil you use for your skin. I know I'm being a bit thick, but how do you get it out? there is a plastic top in there and the instructions say use 3 drops..... hope you can help x
I've exchanged a few messages with the very helpful Mark and uploaded 10 files. I'm also getting a 50% discount on postage (today only) and things seem to be going really well so far. It looks like this is going to be at least twice cheaper, and much less of a hassle, than at my local copyshop...
Well, I just paid just under £28, international shipping included, for ten A0 sheets- which would cover the cost of three sheets at said copyshop, so, I'm very happy so far.
Thank you! It *was* frustrating hearing about all the possibilities you have in the UK and not finding anything similar in France- the only French service I found out had actually stopped their activity months earlier... If you don't mind, I'll pop in again when I've received my patterns to let you know how the whole experience turned out.
Great video Cheryl - I love your honest style 😊. I’ve only ever used net printer (I use the plan printing option which is thicker paper but 75p per sheet). Off to try dotty print now to see how they compare!!
Dotty print were so great - they even turned a PDF A4 only pattern into an A0 print for me!! Fantastic service - I've just ordered another batch while the discount is still on! Thanks again!! xx
Hiya the way some posties screw up envelopes through letterboxes I’m glad netprinter are signed for as they can’t just shove it through. Had to phone them up as they completely missed one pattern off my last order and I had to phone them. They did send it next day but a discount code for inconvenience would have been nice but just got pattern.
I don't get it. I buy PDF patterns because they are cheaper and instant. I print them and put them together myself. There are 2 reasons I do this..... Firstly it is cheaper and secondly I hate tissue paper patterns, prefering to have my patterns on more durable paper. I save money and time by printing them myself. If I were to send my PDF's to be professionally printed then for me it would mean I wouldn't get my pattern right away and it would end up costing more than purchasing the original pre printed pattern... and I am all about saving money where I can :o)
Halla patterns print in colour, but their test square was only half inch, the thickness of the line affected the size of the printed pattern, garment ended up significantly smaller. I would rather have to sign for a parcel, especially if I have spent quite a bit on fabric.
Great vlog - very thorough review. I use net printer - I like the weight of the paper. I had a problem with one of my orders which the sorted very promptly over email.
Wouldn't it be lovely if the PDF patterns would come in single size per PDF, but you get all the sizes they offer? That way I'd only print the size I need and it would be easier to trace or cut.
I used to think that, too, and it sounds like some PDF patterns come with "layers" you can turn on or off to get that. But for me, I get a lot of good out of having multiple sizes since I can then easily blend up a size around my hips, for instance.
I could understand that, but if you have a chance watch Nancy Zieman Pivot and Slide fitting technique. She makes it look so easy. www.nancyzieman.com/blog/sewing-general/solving-the-pattern-fitting-puzzle-part-one/
Debbie Chittick Hello, and thank you for the link. If that works for you, by all means stick with it! I'm still feeling my way a bit with altering/tweaking patterns and have been doing a bit off both. Grading between sizes on the outside hip, for instance, but getting good results by adjusting what I call "the crotch shelf" to get more room for thighs. And that last one is more like what your recommended video shows. Pretty nifty that we have all these options! And one reason I do enjoy Pdfs... Lots of opportunity to reprint the pattern. :-)
I’m a bit late for this but found it very informative, thank you. Could I ask when downloading the PDF what happens if lots of pages have instructions on them. Do you have to omit them so you just send the pattern pieces or will they be printed as well.? Thank you
Hi Cheryl, I hve just placed an order with Print Your Pattern so fingers crossed, but the main reason for this message is ,your hair, I see you endorse the Curls Rock Hair Creme, so how about a demonstration ! Ive always admired your hair so pretty, I have naturally curly/frizzy hair that just looks a mess most of the time, so how about a few tips for us less fortunate mortals in the hair department !!
Diane Delaney ahh, thanks Diane, ha ha, mine too, it’s taken me years to discover what works. Maybe I’ll create another channel one day for non-sewing things 👍🏻🌷
I sent my PDF pattern to Staples. A pants pattern with four pieces and was charged $30. It was in color but I was stunned after paying $9 for the PDF pattern. I have never paid $39 ever for a pattern. I can’t use them again at that price. I also hate tiling the pages together. Your pricing was great. Maybe as this catches on prices will be more competitive and will drop.
Hi I'm new to sewing, I purchased some chiffon fabric and I wish to make a cami top with slim straps. Can you recommend a simple and easy patteren please.
jean b. kelly hard to find but i just got a quote from reprodux.com at 0.50sq/ft and i think staples is 0.36sq/ft for large format b/w prints...reprodux will give you a quote for the work so you can upload to them without submitting a work order. staples is just a pain in the neck. good luck
Hi Cheryl, firstly your sewing channel is the best by a mile, and thanks for making me rethink how I print my pdf patterns. I'm in Ireland so still searching for an online printers here that will do this. Postal cost and time from the UK is prohibitive. I have a question for you please. When a Copyshop AO pdf has several size layers, does the print shop have to print all of them? I tried "unticking" some layers and saving the pdf as a new file but they were all there when I opened the copy up again. That's a downside for me so any ideas? I'll stick with the A4s and Scotch tape unless the alternative looks promising. Thanks a mil.
Clare Thornley bless you, thanks Clare 🌷 Yes, it does frustrate me too why postage to Ireland is so high. I bet if you emailed a local printer, they will help. No idea about the layers issue, but the U.K printers I spoke to will definitely help. Email any of the people I ordered from, they’re all really helpful 👍🏻 Their emails are on the sites I link to. Thanks again for your kind words.
Thanks Cheryl, I'll do that. And I'll keep searching for a Copy shop that will work for me. I'd kind of given up but you've revived my interest. Mind you, I probably have enough patterns to see me out :-) but I just can't resist those pdfs!
Really interesting and easy to listen to.I,personally don't like PDFs as I like having my patterns in the envelopes with the art work.Also,they seem to be more expensive when you take into account the cost of printing. What I find annoying is indie pattern companies are offering a lot of patterns PDFs only.This means the only choice left to the sewer is buy pdf or go without which I think is unfair.I think the only people who are saving money are the sewing companies.If you print the patterns at home there is still the cost of paper,ink storage envelopes,electricity and time..Im really pleased the big companies are not following this trend.
Maureen I don't know if your aware of this but in Nov Css industries purchased Simplicity patterns. They are the parent company of McCall's, Butterick, Vogue, and Kwik Sew. The also distribute the Burda pattern line. This now means that they controlled all the big companies. Many Indie pattern companies use McCall's to print their paper patterns as they have the equipment. At this time there has been no impact but it might push more of the smaller companies only to be able to offer pdf. The other scenario is the big 4 now start pdf in competition Also remember that those big pattern companies supply notions under various names like wright's, tailor form and many more and they are now under the power of one company
I forgot to mention Pattern Review last week, but glad someone else mentioned them, they are awesome. I've used them and pdf plotting. Great video Cheryl
Brilliant vlog Stitchy Bee.... I have also used patternsy in the uk via Facebook, they offer a more traditional tissue paper printing, very fast delivery, packages are much smaller due to lightweight paper, more like the traditional paper patterns we all used to buy!.
Dotty print are excellent, I've used them a couple of times I had my deliveries the next day. I've had loads of problems with Netprinter I'm never able to successfully upload to them and they always work out more expensive as if you only have one pattern they have a minimum order of £5 excluding postage and VAT. On a side note always check your scale box with a ruler NOT a tape measure, tape measures are notoriously inaccurate as they stretch.