[miss_sonja]

So far, I’ve sort of fudged these (Bucket hat, Sunny Day shorts), but since I want to start on my Sleepover PJs, I want to get it right. The little triangles on the patterns, that are pointing into the centre of the pattern–do you cut those in like the lines imply or do you go outside the pattern and freehand the triangle?

Hope this question make sense and thanks!

[Robin]

I like to make a single, little cut in the middle of the triangle.

[Little_Anj]

Hi Sonja,

I think I can help with this one…

The little triangles on the seam lines (notches) are for matching pattern pieces together.

You can do a number of things, it is just personal preference.

Cut the triangle inwards, be sure to stay within seam allowances

Cut the triangle outwards

Snip where the triangle is (my prefered way)

Mark with tailors chalk, dissolvable pen etc..

Good luck 🙂

Oh, Liesl has a few videos on youtube to watch to boost your confidence too!!

[Nicole]

I have a little gadget that snips a notch, similar to Robin.

I used to cut a V in on wovens but shape a V out on knits as there is generally a narrower seam allowance.

I love notches, they let me know I have it right!

[with love Heidi]

I always cut the V like the pattern. Oliver and S ones always match up! Unlike the Big 4 I used to used growing up, I stopped cutting thoes notches as I could rarely get them to match!

If I’m cutting them on knits I cut much shallower V.

[dubhels2003]

I have always snipped outwards rather than into the seam allowance. My mum ‘caught’ me experimenting by snipping into the seam allowance the other week and it had never occurred to her that there are different ways of doing it.

[Nicole]

Often the notch will be positioned where some clipping for ease is advisable anyway. So by clipping in, it can be useful for the finish.

[Justine J]

My mum (a very talented sewist) always cuts the notches outwards, so I do too 🙂

Really, in or out both work equally well, as long as you mark them somehow (although for knits you should notch outwards due to the smaller seam allowance)

[miss_sonja]

thanks for the replies! I’m going to try the cut inward method on my next pair of Sunny Day shorts and see how that goes.

[Lightning McStitch]

I used to cut notches but after doing it to knit projects without having anticipated the smaller seam allowance I stopped.

I also sometimes decide last minute to do flat felled seams which are impossible to keep nice if you’ve cut the seam allowance.

So now I use a fabric pencil to mark them.

[jay_1965vw]

When I started sewing I used to snip a triangle outwards, because that’s how my mum taught me, then when I learnt patternmaking and started working in the rag trade I discovered how much easier it is to snip into the seam allowance. On knits I just do the tiniest of snips.