Loading…
12
Tried hand-drawing patterns on graph paper vs using a pattern drafting software and the software blew it out of the water for me
I spent 3 hours last night sketching out a bodice pattern on paper, erasing, re-measuring, nearly lost it when I sneezed and smudged everything. Decided to try out a free trial of that Seamly2D program just to see what the fuss was about. Had a basic sloper done in 45 minutes, adjustable seam allowances, and I could just click and drag to fix the waist curve instead of re-drawing the whole thing. Paper felt more 'authentic' but I don't have time for that kind of frustration anymore. Anyone else switch to digital drafting and never look back?
2 comments
Log in to join the discussion
Log In2 Comments
evan_jenkins4mo ago
Software is just better for the practical stuff. Paper feels nice but it's way too easy to mess up and have to start over. Once you get used to clicking and dragging curves it's hard to go back. Plus being able to save and tweak patterns later without re-drawing everything is a game changer. I switched a few years ago and never missed the smudges and ripped pages. Only thing paper wins on is not needing a charged laptop.
5
sean_walker454mo ago
Yo Evan, have you ever tried printing your paper drafts, then scanning them back in to trace in software? That's what I do when I want that hand-drawn feel but still want the undo button safety net. I sketch rough shapes on paper, take a photo, and drop it into a free vector tool to clean up. The smudge and tear issue is real though, I trashed so many notebooks before I figured that out. @evan_jenkins you're right about the laptop battery being the only downside, but I just keep a charging cable in my bag now.
2