Cutting Layouts and an update

Thank you so much all for your comments regarding cutting layouts, both here, on my Twitter account and on Suzy Patterns Facebook page.
General feeling I got: Cutting layouts are really not followed but attention to grainline is still important!
This is very, very true! You can cut up your fabric pretty much however you feel like but you cannot loose sight of the grain line and must always ensure you are aligning the fabric correctly (either straight or on the bias). I would add to that attention to nap or fabric pattern direction.
Some of you like cutting layouts:
 Alice said:
"I like the cutting layouts. I like to arrange my fabric and then make sure there wasn't a better way!!
Oh, also, I do like to check that I have put the pattern pieces the right way up for nap etc. Sometimes I get confused."
And Marina, whom I am a huge fan of said (on twitter):
"yes, absolutely - it helps even if i want to change the way it's laid out"
And for the extreme beginners out there, having a cutting layout is essential not to feel lost with a sewing pattern. I can totally sympathise with this, when I started sewing I never did without one but I do confess that I quickly learned that there was a better way to lay my fabric and started ignoring them.


Like I previously mentioned, the Antoinette Dress pattern will not have cutting layouts, but not because I do not use them myself. As this is a first pattern, of a almost experimental nature to be available for free, I limited the work I sourced elsewhere, and as I did not have a vector graphics programme I decided not to include them.  I am now in the process of self learning Illustrator and plan on having both cutting layouts and instruction diagrams and illustrations on next pattern (Antoinette has photographs). 
I am now in the process of finishing the pattern instructions and will have final version ready either tomorrow or Monday. I will them have it proofread and after that, it'll be ready to go. It's definitely taking me longer than I wished or thought but I'm loving the process.


I'll leave you with a (bad) photo of the last instalment of Antoinette. I'm sure the fabric choice won't surprise you!