[Denise Rose]

Hello! I am new to these patterns as I have new girl (and boy) grandbabies (twins!). They are now toddlers actually and I want to do some sewing for them. I have long admired these oliver & s patterns online and have a ? before I order. I am a digital person, but I wanted advice on how to decide which to buy, digital or paper? What are the pros/cons of each format? Thanks so much!

[Denise Rose]

I think I might have answered some of my own question already! Am I right in that not all patterns of oliver & s are offered as a paper pattern? It looks like that some are only offered in digital?

[Sarvi]

Hi Denise! You’re right, the patterns that went out of print are now happily available in digital, and some have been digital-only from the beginning. This is a popular topic, so if you don’t mind, I’ll give you a quick recap and then try to dig up some of the older links.

Pro-Paper
The nice quality of the physical patterns
Can’t lose due to computer glitch
No need to take to printer’s bureau or print & tape at home
No additional printing cost above cost of pattern

Pro-Digital
If you lose your printout, you can print as many more as you like
“Instant” deliver/No shipping cost
More options for how you store it
Some people prefer the heavier weight of the print bureau paper

[Sarvi]

Here are a few older links:

To those that prefer digital patterns

Digital Patterns

Digital vs paper? How about a combo?

Oh and congrats on the babies/toddlers!

[Denise Rose]

Oh thanks so much Sarvi! You are so helpful! I read all the links and feel so educated now! I am going to download a digital version and figure out all that printing stuff. Thanks again for your help! I searched but apparently I didn’t find any of those links so I must not have searched correctly!

Denise 🙂

[Sarvi]

Oh, no worries, I had the advantage of knowing which threads I was looking for 🙂 Please give a shout if we give you any help with printing and such!

[Nicole]

Just popping in to say that if you already like digital you will love these ones
Rather then glueing together a huge sheet one pieces just the patterns pieces
It will make sense when you print

A big welcome to you!

[cybele727]

Another pro digital: no tracing the original. Since you can print as many times as you like, you don’t have to trace the originals on tissue, parchment, swiss, freezer, or whatever paper. You can print, tape, and cut without worrying about nested sizes.

[Nicole]

I still draft mine off, I dislike working with the stiff paper. I find the glued sheets fold nicely and I store them in a ziplock bag.
The paper sheets are far nicer to trace then tissue.

[Tamara]

Yes I still draft mine also but sometimes I cheat and use the paper pieces for the parts that are one size for the whole size range (ie pockets on the puppet show shorts).

So I am intrigued Denise, which pattern did you decide on first?

[Nicole]

I don’t see it as ‘cheating’, just whatever method you prefer.
I can definitely see the ease in printing and cutting the paper pattern if you are only using that size once.

[Denise Rose]

Yall are so helpful!! And with what to do first, I can reall picture that ice cream dress in my girl twin grandbaby so I think I’m doing that first. They are staying with me this upcoming week so no sewing for me until they go back home! They keep me really busy at 21 months! Thanks again everyone for your help and suggestions!

[Nicole]

How exciting Denise (my twin ‘babies’ are 15)!

I can’t wait to be a Nana.

[Rosie]

I bought a digital pattern the other day, and went to get it printed at a print place, alas it doesn’t fit on A0, the largest I can get printed here in Australia at my local print place :-(. For this reason I would pick paper patterns. You can tape the digital together but I find them harder to store and prefer one big piece of paper.

[Todd Gibson]

Yes, digital patterns currently available are not sized to be printed on A0 paper–which, by the way, seems to be an Australian standard not used most other places.

Starting with our Spring 2015 patterns, though, we will be included A0 layouts for those of you Down Under.