How to transfer pattern markings: notches, darts and dots

Transfer the markings right after cutting, while the paper is still pinned to the fabric. Snip each notch 3 mm (1/8 in) into the seam allowance, push a pin through each dot and mark both layers on the wrong side with chalk or a washable pen, and draw the dart legs from the edge to the tip with a ruler. On fabrics that will not hold chalk, use tailor's tacks: loose loops of thread sewn through both layers.

Which markings need transferring?

• Notches on the cutting line: matching points between pieces, the ends of pocket openings and zips, the front and back of sleeves. See notch.
• Dots: dart tips, pivot points at corners, the start and end of gathering, pleat marks.
• Dart legs: the two lines from the edge to the tip. On Sewly patterns the tip is marked with a dot, and on skirt and bust darts each leg also ends at a notch on the cutting line.
• Placement lines: pocket positions, buttonholes and buttons, the center front, the fold line of a cut-on facing.
• Right and wrong sides, and the name of each piece when several look alike.

Marking methods compared

Always test a marker on a scrap of your fabric: mark it, press it, wash or erase it, and look at it in daylight.

How to mark notches

1. Keep the paper pinned on. With the tips of your scissors, snip straight into each notch through all layers, 3 mm (1/8 in) deep. With 1.5 cm (5/8 in) or 1 cm (3/8 in) allowances, that is safe.
2. For double notches, make two separate snips. Do not merge them into one wide cut.
3. On fabrics that fray badly, cut a small triangle pointing outward instead, or mark the notch with chalk on the allowance.
4. Mark the fold edges too: a tiny snip at the top and bottom of each place-on-fold edge locates the center front and center back when you need them later.

How to mark darts and dots

1. Push a pin straight down through the paper and both layers at the dart tip.
2. Lift the paper around the pin, or separate the fabric layers slightly, and make a small chalk mark where the pin enters each layer, on the wrong side.
3. Snip the notches where the dart legs meet the edge.
4. Unpin the paper and, on the wrong side of each layer, draw a straight line from each leg snip to the tip mark with a ruler. That line is your stitching line.
5. For a double-pointed dart, mark both tips and the widest point of each leg, then join them with a ruler.

With a tracing wheel, slip dressmaker's carbon paper between the paper pattern and the fabric with the colored side facing the wrong side of the fabric, then roll along the dart legs against a ruler. For a pair, place a second sheet under the bottom layer, colored side up, so both pieces get the lines.

How to sew tailor's tacks

1. Thread a hand needle with a long double strand of contrasting thread. Do not knot it.
2. At the dot, take a small stitch through the paper and both layers of fabric, and pull through, leaving a 2.5 cm (1 in) tail.
3. Take a second stitch in the same place, leaving a loop about 2.5 cm (1 in) tall. Cut the thread, leaving another 2.5 cm (1 in) tail.
4. Tear the paper gently off over the tack.
5. Separate the two layers slightly and cut the threads between them. Each layer now has a tuft of thread marking the exact spot.

Marking placement lines on the right side

Pocket positions and buttonholes are seen from the right side, so mark them there with a removable method: thread tracing (long running stitches along the line), a chalk line that the pocket will cover, or a water-soluble pen after testing. For buttonholes, mark each position and its length. On Sewly patterns a buttonhole is drawn as a line with a short bar at each end, the length of the buttonhole, and a button as a small open circle.

Marking knits and slippery fabrics

Knits do not hold snips well: a notch cut into jersey can run or disappear as the edge curls. Mark knit notches with a short chalk line on the allowance, or with a pin, and use a water-soluble pen for dots. On slippery fabrics such as viscose, satin and silk, the layers shift as soon as you lift the paper, so mark with the paper still in place: tailor's tacks through both layers, or a pin pushed straight down at every dot before anything moves.

Label the pieces

Before the paper comes off, stick a piece of masking tape on the wrong side of each fabric piece with its name ("front", "back left", "sleeve"). For fabrics where both sides look alike, add a chalk cross on the wrong side of every piece. It saves you from sewing a sleeve in inside out late at night.

Will pressing set the marks?

Heat can make some marks permanent. Press seams with the iron on the right setting for the fiber, about 200 °C (390 °F) for cotton and linen, 150 °C (300 °F) for wool, silk and viscose, 110 °C (230 °F) for synthetics, but avoid pressing directly over water-soluble ink and wax chalk until you have removed them. Heat-erasable pens are designed to disappear with the iron, which is exactly why they should never be used for marks you still need.

Common mistakes and fixes

• Snips too deep. Snips deeper than half the allowance weaken the seam and can fray through to the stitching. Fuse a small square of interfacing over them on the wrong side before sewing.
• Marks on only one layer. The second piece of a pair has no dart. Pin the two cut pieces together exactly, push pins through the marks on the first, and mark the second.
• Ink that will not come out. Stop pressing it. Try cold water and a little soap, then let it dry before pressing again.
• Marks rubbed off before sewing. Chalk fades with handling. Mark close to the time you sew, or use tailor's tacks for long projects.
• Paper already removed. Lay it back on the piece, align the cutting lines, pin, and mark again.

Next, sew your darts or your first seams. For a refresher on what each symbol means, see how to read a sewing pattern.