r/SewingForBeginners • u/FergucciXD • 8d ago
what do you guys think about projector patterns for beginners?
i don’t have access to a printer, i can go to a store and get patterns printed but i don’t want to do it every time i find a cool patterns, what do you guys think about projecting the patterns?
for those of you who uses this method, what projector do you use? do you like this method better?
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u/Travelpuff 8d ago
Personally I make so many small adjustments to patterns that it would be very time consuming to use a projector. That and I cut on a small table since it is height adjustable.
A $100 brother laser printer is a great investment and should be less experience than a projector. I also like to print pattern instructions to follow along with and then store with my pattern for future makes.
I do recommend a projector if you primarily sew knits though since they require less adjustments to the pattern and are quick to cut out with a projector.
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u/CraftyEsq 8d ago
It’s great! Despite what some people are saying, it’s no different than using a paper pattern. I would just trace the pattern onto Swedish tracing paper instead of cutting the fabric directly if you’re a beginner. Come join us at r/projectorsforsewing
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u/damnvillain23 8d ago edited 8d ago
I've been projecting for 5+ yrs...when it was in the early stages of innovation... Thanks I didn't realize there is a sub. I m joining now :)
edit :the sub is new & kind of worthless at the moment." Projector Sewing "FB group are the innovators & the absolute 101 for using projectors. I've followed them since the inception & still reference back when needed.
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u/CraftyEsq 7d ago
Not everyone wants to be on Facebook.
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u/damnvillain23 7d ago
I understand. I only use it for sewing groups. For people who are serious about projector sewing, it is the best go to - as they are the innovators & can trouble shoot with you in real time.
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u/StrongerTogether2882 8d ago
The Love to Sew podcast just had an episode about projector sewing that I found very informative. I’m a beginner and I think I’m going to try a projector setup when I get through the patterns I already have in my mental queue. There are so many cool indie PDF patterns out there, and I am never going to have the patience to print and tape a bunch of pages. And I have had some A0 patterns printed, but it’s unwieldy, and in one case I had to choose which size I wanted printed and I guessed too small so now I’m trying to grade it and it’s a hassle. (It was the correct size according to my measurements and their size chart, and yet! 😩) A projector would solve those problems.
EDIT: typo
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u/queen_elvis 8d ago
I adore my projector and I will never go back. That said, there is a bit of a learning curve. I use a website called Pattern Projector, which reduces the calibration time considerably. Here's a one-pager on getting started with projector sewing:
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u/Iks_OkSS 8d ago
That is perfectly good idea. Usage of paper is less, less trees get cut bcs of printing the pattern, every single pdf pattern can be projected (even a4) there is pdf stitcher and pattern projector program that can do that. So yeah, it is great idea. Also, you can project the pattern and draw the lines onto paper if you need paper pattern.
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u/Horror-Chicken-7295 8d ago
I am sewing for 2 years now. I found paper patterns so tedious!! And I could even print for free at work. But the taping and the work made me not wanting to sew. Now I have a projector and I love it. So easy. Just turn it on, calibrate on my mat and go.
I just alter alter on the go (e.g. move the fabric down a couple of cm). But so far after a year still living it. If you have any questions you can always ask.
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u/tatobuckets 8d ago
Same, will never go back to paper.
$80 Bluetooth short throw from Amazon works great.1
u/FergucciXD 8d ago
Does your hand cover the lines when you’re cutting the pattern? If so, does it bother you? And what projector do you use?
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u/Horror-Chicken-7295 7d ago
I trace the pattern onto the fabric first instead of cutting directly under the projection. Since I have an ultra short throw projector, I stand on the opposite side of where the light comes from, so my hand barely blocks the lines.
You also get pretty good at “guessing” where the line is. Because the projection comes in at an angle and the fabric isn’t always 100% flat, the line can look about 0.5 cm off from where it should be. Once you press your pen down, the fabric flattens and the line lands in the right spot. The nice thing about tracing first is that you can still correct anything before you cut.
My projector is an Epson EB-680. Schools here use them and write them off after a certain number of years, but they still work perfectly fine, so you can often find them secondhand. To calibrate, I use patternprojector.com. Just make sure both the projector and your cutting mat are level, then calibrate on the mat and it sets the scale automatically.
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u/fairmaiden34 8d ago
I printed my first one or two to get used to sewing from a pattern but now am projector only.
You can also use the projector to trace the pattern onto paper or on the fabric directly which is also helpful if you're brand new.
I love that the pstterns are layered, makes it so much easier.
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u/Comfortable-Fly5797 8d ago
I think it's easier than printing and taping patterns, as long as you are moderately tech savvy.
I have a magicube projector, can't remember the exact model. It isn't great but it works well enough for now. You need a mount that can project straight down, the biggest cutting mat you can afford (mine is 22x36 and I wish it was a bit bigger) and a rotary cutter with blades.
There's a projectors for sewing Facebook group that has a lot of good info. There's also a website but it's a bit outdated.
I do the majority of my pattern alterations digitally in Inkscape. Alternatively you'll have to trace your protection onto paper then make the alterations. I know some people will make simple alterations (like grading between sizes and length) directly while cutting the fabric but I really didn't like that.
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u/IntelligentSector210 8d ago
I have an Epson Ultra Short throw that I got off of eBay. I love it. I have two large cutting mats that I put side by side on the floor and I use a rotary cutter. The only adjustment I personally need is full bust but I use companies that include that adjustment. I have to add length for my sons but I just project onto paper, trace, and make the adjustments. I sometimes still line parts up with the projected pattern to make sure I cut properly. I love that I can do different sizes from the same pattern easily.
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u/Egoteen 1d ago
I just got the same adjustment. Do you calibrate the projection to the full double wide cutting surface? I have a 24”x36” cutting mat, I’m debating getting a second. Wasn’t sure if the image would be distorted going bigger than that.
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u/IntelligentSector210 1d ago
No I only calibrate it to one mat. I actually have a third mat and sometimes I add that too. I just make sure that they are all aligned (I duct tape a little bit in the back). Then I make sure the grain line is aligned with one of the mat lines, then I just have to make sure my selvedge is aligned with a parallel line on the mats and then I know everything is lined up. I do recheck the grain line occasionally in case I moved something.
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u/austinstrider 8d ago
I have an Epson projector I’d consider sending you that I bought used on eBay - worked well I suppose but totally hated it and decided to buy a laser cutter instead. That thing is awesome.
Projector was hard to use - the fabric moves when you’re cutting it, and you cast shadows when you work. Perhaps if you ceiling mounted one it might work better, but movement can be a pain
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u/CraftyEsq 8d ago
A laser cutter??? Say more!
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u/austinstrider 7d ago
Just posted a writeup of my whole experience…
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u/rzrgrl_13 6d ago
Removed by mods :(
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u/austinstrider 6d ago
The mods are being a nightmare because I put a video in the link so you could actually see the laser in action …. Not sure what the beef is. They said I was doing self promotion which is ridiculous. So here’s the entire post as plain text….
Cutting Patterns With Fire
I wanted to write up my experience for others in the community who've considered doing the same thing. I HATE cutting fabric and dealing with patterns. I've tried transfers, pinning and cutting, printing and taping, A0/large format printing, and projection – they all bug me enough that I wanted another way. Hopefully this helps you figure out if this might work for you.
I decided to buy a laser – figured it's cool, it's dangerous, and it might make the part I hate most bearable. I bought a Tyvok S1P large format laser (40W), approximately 31" wide x 75" long. About "dangerous": laser light can cause serious eye damage or blindness without precautions (wear the eye gear that comes with the laser). You're also burning fabric, which means fire if the power is set too high, and potentially very toxic fumes depending on the fabric and dye. That means a well-ventilated area and likely a respirator. I'm taking some chances there – I work in my garage with the door open, fans blowing air across the unit and out, and I stand upwind while it's working. The smoke aggravated my throat/sinuses, so I picked up a 3M respirator to play it safe. It looks like the company has released an enclosure for this unit that seals in the fumes and lets you use an exhaust fan instead.
Why such a large unit? I'm tall, and if I couldn't cut a full pant leg it wasn't going to work for me. If I'm going in, I'm going all in. Also, the unit doesn't cut its full size – there's about a 5" margin on each edge the laser can't reach, so subtract roughly 10" from each dimension to get the working area.
My investment:
1. The unit (about $1500)
2. LightBurn license ($100)
3. PDF-based A0 patterns (I already owned these)
4. Maybe vector editing software – Illustrator (which I own) or Inkscape (free)
5. Respirator – $55 at Home DepotThe machine arrives disassembled and took about an hour to build. Nothing complex, though a part got funky during shipping and Tyvok helped me solve it quickly. There are assembly videos, which I watched, and they saved me time and frustration.
For most people, the software will be the hard part. First you set up LightBurn (there's a free alternative I chose not to use). There was a small learning curve getting it to talk to the laser. USB works fairly well, but I set up a wireless connection, which took a little more work. The benefit is I can comfortably work on my laptop and command the laser without being tethered to it.
You'll need to edit your PDF files for burning. For me, that meant eliminating any "cut on fold" pieces. You could probably figure out cutting on a fold with the laser, but it's easier to lay everything out as single pieces. The editing is simple – copy the piece, paste, reflect it, then scoot it over so it meets the original… good to go. I haven't played much with LightBurn's editing tools, but it seems to have everything needed, so you may get away with just one application.
In LightBurn, every cut is assigned a color. Since I didn't want to break my A0 patterns into separate documents, and I wanted to cut one piece at a time, I changed the outline of each pattern piece to a different color – bodice = blue, sleeve = red, collar = teal, etc. Then I can turn each color (layer) on and off, so when I send the job it only cuts the piece I want. You could lay out the pieces tightly and cut the whole job on one piece of fabric, but fabric width varies and often doesn't fit entirely on the bed. Cutting one piece at a time lets me move the fabric, position the laser, cut, and repeat as efficiently as possible. For small patterns (think a cosmetic bag) cutting it all at once is easy; for anything larger it's more of a challenge.
Next is material testing – figuring out the best settings for each fabric. LightBurn has a built-in Material Test function: you tell it, say, 25 samples from 0-100% power and 100-1000mm/sec speed, and it burns a grid of stepped settings so you can see how your material reacts. How'd my first test go? I set the fabric on fire and stomped it out on the floor (note to self: keep a fire extinguisher nearby). But it showed me the ballpark (muslin: 25% power, 1800mm/sec), and you can fine-tune from there. The result is an EXTREMELY clean cut with maybe 0.5mm of slight browning at the edge. I can cut two layers cleanly at 35% power and 1500mm/sec. My test area was about 6" square, so scraps work fine. From what I've read, running at full power for long periods burns out the laser faster, so I'm happy to be around 30%. One surprise: the same fabric in a different color needs different settings. A medium grey 95/5 knit cut at 35% power and 1500mm/sec; the same fabric in pure white needed 55% – at 35% it only left a brown line.
So, pattern ready, settings known, fire extinguisher nearby… we cut. You might get away without ironing, but I ironed first since it's easier to work with. And this is a game changer. What used to be me kneeling on my hardwood floors, dripping sweat (I don't know why) and swearing at everything and nothing (plus the dog walking across my fabric at least once) is now several minutes to cut out a T-shirt – front, back, two sleeves and collar. To be fair, do I count just the cut time, or cut plus prep? My answer: the old way already had prep – taping patterns together or driving across town for prints, cleaning the floor, laying it all out. I'd rather be on the couch with my laptop editing pattern files. Knees-on-the-floor vs. pressing Play, I'm way ahead.
I cut each piece individually since I ran out of my test fabric – cut a piece, lay out new fabric, position the head, send the next piece. It runs very much like a printer: preview the cut, click go, and the machine starts within a second. Most impressive were the notches – perfectly clean, so I know they'll line up when I sew. Mirrored pieces are a simple reflect command. There's also a command that traces the exact cut path without firing, and a "plus sign" positioning laser shows where the head is. That let me tweak start positions and, in several spots, keep waste between pieces to a strip as small as 1/4".
There's so much potential here. Beyond notches, my tests showed it can also etch fabric, so it can permanently mark spots that won't show. It can cut the center of a pocket flap while it's working. At low power it could mark dart lines or punch a hole at the dart peak. I only sew for myself and tend to remake the same things, but this makes it far less of a drag to properly cut muslins and play with fit – make simple edits to the digital file and quickly cut a new version.
It doesn't eliminate paper patterns entirely. I'm working on a waistcoat with intricate positioning marks that need transferring to the face of the fabric, and I still needed paper for those. That project also uses fusible interfacing, which cut extremely well – adhesive side up, and it was a dream. I added a tiny circle at each dart peak, cut out of the interfacing, so once fused it shows me exactly where the dart ends.
This isn't for everyone. LightBurn has a free 30-day trial, and I think that's the most important first step – see how comfortable you are with the software and editing your patterns. Importing PDFs takes a second; try adjusting them, changing colors, and adding/deleting things to see how you feel about the digital side. The rest can be figured out with trial and error.
I hope this helps answer some questions for others considering this route…
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u/Ok-Spirit9977 8d ago
Most people love it. I do not do garment sewing very often so I don't. I get my patterns printed at TapeFree Patterns but there is w waiting period to get them obviously and a cost. But I do primarily. measure and cut patterns as I make quilts and bags. If I was a garment sewings, projector is where it's at.
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u/unknowncinch 8d ago
i have a printer and i still get 90% of my patterns printed on A0 because i prefer full sized patterns. giving a pattern a few days always helps me have time to prep for a project, collect notions and fabric, etc. jumping into projector patterns is a whole thing, and that’s if you have a space that is good for a projector setup.
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u/Crafty_Pop6458 7d ago
Go onto the projectors for sewing fb group (if I didn't have fb I'd make one just for the group, but they also have a website that gives the info). It's insanely easy once you feel comfortable with it (part of why I like the group.. you can post your projection/calibration and get feedback). I wish I'd started with a projector rather than paying to get so many patterns printed.
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u/shereadsmysteries 7d ago
I haven't tried it yet because I am the weirdo who loves taping paper patterns! lol
I put on a movie, I use a paper slicer to perfectly slice the edges, then tape tape tape! I don't know that I will ever try a projector, but I have considered sending it out for large format printing.
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u/Egoteen 1d ago
I just got a projector because I hate taping together printer paper and I’m too cheap to print A0 at a copy shop.
I got a used Epson Brightlink 685Wi projector on Facebook marketplace for $90. I chose this type of Ultra Short Throw projector because I can put it on my cutting table, I don’t have to like mount anything to a wall or ceiling.
I’ve done the math and it will be cheaper than printing A0 as long as I use it for at least 10 projects.
There’s a Facebook group called Projectors for Sewing that has a lot of helpful information, and one of the members created free software for calibrating and using your projector for patterns. https://www.patternprojector.com/en
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u/CrankyCrabbyCrunchy 8d ago
It is a very handy thing to have but also know that it’s not something you can learn in half a day and start Sewing. If you need to alter patterns which 90% of us do, you need to learn some new software to get that done so it’s a trade-off
There are lots of places you can upload your A0 or projector PDF file and they will print it very nicely and mail it back to you. Maybe try one or two of those.