Pattern Instructions....

[BrendaP]

Yes, seam finishing is basic, but most newbie sewers only have a regular machine, so they need to know other ways to finish the seam allowances.

[Bodgeitandscarper]

I don't have much of a problem with the big 4 although I've never made a mermaid costume! I don't know if anyone has tried the 'Bold and Beutiful' book. Fabulous patterns but terrible Instructions. Supposed to be easy but a beginner would struggle.

Oops, I seem to have just ordered that book... 

[Tamnymore]

@Bodgeitandscarper I really like the patterns in that book but I warn you the instructions are not very good and there are no.line drawings of the finished items.I've made the asymmetric jacket twice, the long asymmetric dress with short sleeves and the pinafore dress. Haven't had a chance to wear the pinafore dress as I made it out of a rather heavy fabric. Might try it again in linen.

[Acorn]

I have the Bold and Beautiful book too (I bought it from sewmuchmore last year), but I haven't made anything from it yet.  To be honest I had forgotten I had it...  ... I'm going to get it out and put it on my desk right now.

...OK then, just as soon as I remember where I put it... 

[UttaRetch]

@BrendaP: I don't mean an overlocker - I don't think one is necessary - rather an overlock stitch.

[BrendaP]

@BrendaP: I don't mean an overlocker - I don't think one is necessary - rather an overlock stitch.

 I wouldn't be without my overlocker.

Ordinary lockstitch machines can make an overcast stitch  or a machine balnket stitch but they are not the same as proper overlocking. 

Properly tensioned overlocking makes the two looper threads wrap around each other on the very edge of the fabric (which it conveniently cuts just before each stitch is made).   Ovecast/blanket  stitch on a lock stitch machine only takes the thread to the edge of the fabric and then they go back again, hence they don't cover the raw edges quite so well.

[sewingj]

Over the years most of my sewing skills have come just from using the Big 4 patterns - I didn`t own a sewing book until about 4 years ago and obviously there was no youtube in the dark ages when I was starting.
You can learn a lot from the Sewing Directions right at the front of the pattern - it`s a shame that novices now are missing out on that by avoiding the bigger pattern companies
On the whole I find I can follow the instructions - though sometimes I do have to turn the radio off and concentrate very hard!

[BrendaP]

For many, many years the only sewing book I owned was "McCalls Sewing, in colour" dated 1964. Colour meant a handful of colour plates, mostly of different types of fabric, and a single spot-colour on a lot of the diagrams, and it doesn't assume the sewing machine will even have zig-zag; and overlockers are not mentioned - things of the future.  It explains all the info on pattern envelopes, fitting alterations and shows all the various construction methods.  A good solid foundation
I think it's this but mine lost it jacket years ago.

The seam finishes shown are: pinked, edge stitched, pinked and edge stitched, zig-zagged, hand overcast, turned and stitched, bound, hand rolled.

[wrenkins]

Sewing Bible
This is mine. I bought it at around the same time as I bought my first machine and it takes you through everything from "this is what a bobbin looks like" to "Dior pleats".
I would be quite methodical in my approach to most things so I start at the beginning and follow patterns to the letter until I'm familiar enough to experiment. Thankfully I haven't come to grief yet but I haven't done that many and I pick easy peasy ones.  Some day I will be doing adjustments...then we'll see how smart I am!!! 

[jen]

I’m quite used to working with minimal or no instructions, but like DF said, the origami patterns are the ones where I try to follow them. I’ve nothing but admiration for people who learnt to sew from patterns alone. Not sure I could have done that.
There are so many methods of doing the same thing. Pattern companies have to plump for one, it won’t necessarily be the best for your fabric.

[Gernella]

There are so many methods of doing the same thing. Pattern companies have to plump for one, it won’t necessarily be the best for your fabric.

Oh so true.  I've been using the Palmer Pletsch method of doing welt pockets.  I picked another thread on here, saw a video then  went onto another one and realised the step that caused me problems was the step I didn't need and there method actually made it harder (to me).

[Pineau]

I'm just making a pair of Thread Theory Jedediah trousers (I'm not going to call them pants for anyone) for Mr P. While the pattern itself is well crafted (so far) the instructions are terrible, and if I've noticed then they really must be since normally I'm a very compliant follower.

For a start it suggests you need 3m of fabric for a pair of trousers because the assumption is you will just stack fronts and backs in the same direction (as if your fabric had a nap).  Then the order is all wrong - do a plain side seam first and then a felled inseam, so you have to manage topstitching along a tube instead of a flat piece.  And the fly front instructions are incomprehensible to me.

What really irksome is that several people have pointed these things out on the sew along blog posts and the response in each case has been to the effect of "oh yeah you're probably right, we've just always done it this way".  So how about changing the instructions then?

I've only just started sewing again after a whole bunch of years and I am enjoying discovering new stuff and exploring the possibilities of indie patterns, but sometimes these people don't do themselves justice.  I'm just glad that in this case I've had the nous to stop before it's too late and do things in a more logical way.