[Greenpip]

With the release of the patterns today it’s made me think hard about what format I would order. I’ve decided to get paper versions because I really hate taping ( though the O+ S digital pattern layouts are easily the best I’ve tried). What I do love about the digital patterns though is having the instructions on my iPad which I can have next to me while I sew – much easier than the larger sheets. So just floating the possibility of having an option in the future of purchasing the paper pattern plus an add on ( for a fee of course) of a PDF copy of the instructions?

Thanks

[with love Heidi]

How useful is it to be able to have the instructions on the ipad (or equivelent)? I haven’t used one but I could imagine using it for this but not sure how much of an advantage it would be over priniting them off over a paper copy.

[Tamara]

I guess it all depends on where you are at the time of sewing. I have bought both the paper and digital versions of both patterns simply because I am too impatient to wait the two weeks for them to get here. Having said that though, downloading them today has been the supreme pain in the backside because of my internet going the pace of half a snail (yes slower than a whole snail). It is because of the internet connection that I have to sit in front of the computer all day in the hopes that by the end of it I will have two patterns, downloaded, saved and printed.

If you were going shopping for fabric, the measurements section would be ideal because then you could just save that chunk and off you go with it and without the need to get all concerned about leaving the envelope you wrote it on behind on the kitchen table!

The instructions themselves would also be handy if you were away from home and sewing – say you are past the cutting the pattern out stage and you have your pieces half put together and you have to go to your mum’s house for the weekend or something. It would save on having to find the pieces of paper with the instructions on it – you would just pick up your ipad and the fabric bits and go!

I can see the benefits of this idea. However, when I am sewing at home I tend to have the pattern I’m working on close at hand and that includes the digital copy instructions. I keep my digital patterns in a display folder with the instructions set out like a book and I put the pattern pieces behind them for safe keeping.

It is a good idea though and worth considering I think.

Tamara

[Jillls]

I find it easier to glue the pattern together. I love digital patterns!

[Greenpip]

Heidi I think Justsewit has covered a number of the advantages. For me it’s a space saver on my sewing table – I just use a stand for my iPad and swipe from page to page so no folding of the paper sheet or trying to remember rwhich side of the sheet I’m on. It’s also a great organising tool for me. usually I trace my pattern and put the pieces in a bag with the cut fabric and the instructions. This process led to some anxious moments when my family reunion instructions went walking. Having them on the iPad means I can just look them up when I need them and easily refer to other patterns if there’s a technique I want to use from another pattern.

I imagine if I was in the US I’d just get the digital pattern and print the large format sheet but to expensive to do so in Australia where architectural printing is done on the smaller A0 sheet. Plus I LOVE the O+S packaging.

[Sarvi]

I also wish I could somehow have both. I have thought about snapping photos of my paper copies and running them through Evernote or similar, for the convenience of not having to unfold and re fold the big sheet to check that I really got all my notches, or how many I was supposed to cut of a piece, something like that. But this time I went for the digital patterns because I just love that big single sheet from the print shop, and this way I can start stash bust that much faster!

[Greenpip]

Sarvi what a wonderful idea. Tomorrow I’ll try scanning the instruction sheets for a pattern and joining them into a single document via my notability app. Might not be pretty but should be just the fix I need.

[cybele727]

I too would love the directions on digital. I bought paper but I do love having digital directions on my iPad. I sit and am able to read them, and enlarge where necessary for my age-ing eyes.

[sarahb]

I would also be interested in a both-versions combo too. As much as I want the pattern right away, I love the printed packaging too much to only go with digital.

[Jane]

When I told hubby that I bought the digital versions he questioned why I didn’t get the paper ones too. I think that means I have his blessing to purchase them as well (yay me!). It’s nice to have the directions in a digital format. My iPad takes up a lot less space on my work table than the paper patterns. I also tend to lose my place on the paper patterns which doesn’t happen with the digital version.

Jane

[cybele727]

It would be great if the paper versions came with a code for redeeming even just the directions. Jane, you are so right, less space on the table, and I don’t lose my place!

Maybe add on $1 for the right to both paper and digital when you buy paper via the website? But Todd et al would have too look into that to see if offering paper +digital combo for a buck or so more would increase paper sales via the web versus paper sales at retail (don’t want to ruin your vendor relationships), and would have to consider if paper sales would eviscerate the digital sales or support them. Always tough business choices.

But as a consumer.. I would DEFINITELY pay a buck or two more for the paper copy with a digital down load, so I can have the flexibility of use as what works for me at that moment. 🙂

[Todd Gibson]

Well, isn’t this an interesting idea? It’s something we’ve never thought about or discussed before this week, but it seems there is some interest in it. And I can see where it would make sense.

We love hearing feedback like this. I can’t promise we’ll have something along these lines to release immediately (I can think of all sorts of boring, behind-the-scenes issues that would make it a little difficult for us to do this immediately…), but we’ll definitely keep this in mind and do some serious thinking about it.

We think the nature of what a “sewing pattern” is is in the very first stages of a transformation, and we want to be the ones to help create the next generation of pattern–which I am convinced will look nothing like what you buy today. It’s feedback like this from you that will help us do that–and will help make sure you get what you want!

Thanks for sharing these thoughts. And, please, keep them coming.

[Adrienne]

I love the idea of a “combo”! I have yet to try a pattern in digital form….I love the paper packaging and how nicely it fits in my pattern bin! However, directions on the iPad would be great! It would also be nice to have the pattern layout available quickly instead of having to unfold the big, big paper layout! I usually take a picture with my phone to avoid unfolding….but it would be nice to have it all right there in one place!

Another thought….could there be an option to buy the pattern digitally, but on a CD? That way those of us who like getting the paper envelopes and sleeves could still add those to our collections, but have the ease of use that digital patterns provide. That would be a happy medium! It would also allow you to keep your vendors in the loop as well! They could offer the digital versions as well. Just a thought! (I really like the little paper dolls that come on the patterns!)

[Sarvi]

In a perfect world I’d be able to choose from a menu of options, because I use different patterns differently. I’d especially like one option to be one where I pay, say, $12 for the digital instructions, and then $2 per pattern sheet, with only one size printed on it. I’d print out a size three now, and pay another $2 in size months for a size 4. My kid fits a single size pretty well, but I imagine you could even choose piece by piece which sizes to print if you wanted to do something other than add length.

I’d simply tell the order form where my local print shop was and I could go pick it up.

[LucyM]

The idea of being offered access to the digital version of a pattern with purchase of the paper one seems to be a useful option to me. Like many, I value the advantages of both versions. I enjoy the speed of availability of the digital pattern, being able to choose the size I need, and not having to trace anything. I enjoy the look of the paper one in my pattern box, and the paper doll is a nice bonus as well. Frankly, it never occurred to me to take the pattern with me to the fabric store. That makes sense, but I don’t do it. I do, however, save the pattern information page from the website for each of my O+S patterns onto my tablet. This way, I always have fabric, yardage, notion information available whenever inspiration hits at the fabric store. I too prefer the sewing instructions on my tablet rather than on paper. I look forward to the time when there is a digital/paper bundle available.