[Nicole]

Bren, I used the stiff paper a few times but I just didn’t like working with it. I think I am spoiled as I use a soft interfacing type stuff for tracing and I am used to that.

You definitely could use the paper copy and I know a lot of girls do.

PS I am waiting to go to the city and use MacDonald’s WiFi to watch your video link. Our internet is slow and expensive.

[Robin]

Nicole, that is the best use of a McDonald’s ever!

[meleliza]

The taped together ones aren’t usable because there are all these annoying flimsy joins. Lots of layers of stiff paper and lots of flapping about. You can’t make adjustments to that. I still submit that the PDF patterns take more time and cost more money. If I do the legwork the first time, I’m sure it would get easier. But since I hate the blasted things anyway and almost never use them except in a case like this when we’re talking about a really perfect pattern, why bother? Waiting for a paper pattern to arrive in the mail gets me actually sewing much more quickly than sorting out all this printing malarkey.

I will ask my boys to tape for me, but they’re 7 and 6, so it will be an interesting experiment.

Nicole, I love that you have to go to the city to find a McDonalds and get wi fi. How far for a Starbucks? 🙂

[Jillls]

No flapping joints with glue. I usually use glue from a bottle though. Glue stick joints don’t hold up as well.

[Anonymous]

I’m surprised that you are having so much difficulty with Liesl’s pdf patterns. I have worked with pdf patterns that made me want to poke my eyes out, but Liesl does such a beautiful job with them. No gigantic assemblies just to get one or two pieces on the sheet and the pieces are very clearly marked. I love them. If you trim along the edges where indicated, you won’t have flapping joins or bulky sections with multiple layers of paper. You can either leave a bit of margin on one side to overlap bit and glue or just tape them with the edges butted up to each other. If I overlap and tape, I always put a bit of tape on the back side as well to prevent the flopping edges back there. If you try some of these suggestions, you’ll find the pdf format much easier to work with.

One tip for printing the large format – I use a print shop that primarily prints off blueprints and technical drawings. They are MUCH MUCH cheaper than any sort of office store or copy shop. I pay just $0.13 per square foot. For example, a sheet that is 24″ x 36″ is $0.78. You definitely need to look for a commercial printer who typically does drawings for architects and engineering designers. Try searching under “blueprint”.

The only thing I don’t like as well with the bond paper is that they are more difficult to fold up than the tracing paper I use. I don’t mind too much, though.

[bren5kids]

My joints don’t flap (ha ha ) either with tape, but that is because I tape across the entire front and back at each join.

We may have different preferences when it comes to paper or digital patterns, Meleliza, but I totally sympathize with you on the waste of precious time. I bought an airplane ticket yesterday to go spend a little time with my husband who has been away from home quite a bit lately, taking care of our out-of-state business. I am taking my 14 mo. old baby with me, which means that I have to arrange baby-sitters for my other five school age children; and everything else that has to be taken care of when a mom leaves home for nearly a week. And this all needs to be done by Wednesday morning. So basically what I’m trying to say is that my time is very precious until I leave, and when things don’t go the way I planned it is very annoying.

[Sarvi]

Yeah, sahmcolorado is right. I thought for sure that Staples would be cheaper than the drafting/blueprint place but it turned out in the end to be other way around. Not everybody lives someplace that has that kind of shop, though, but Meleliza, you live in an urban area, right? If there are architects where you live, there will be this kind of print shop.

It sounds like the issue for you is not *these* PDFs, though, it’s just PDFs at all? Because even if you were trying to print another company’s PDFs on a bunch of individual 8.5×11 sheets you’d still have the tape-flop issue?

[meleliza]

Yes, I thought I was pretty clear, all PDFs have the same time wasting issues, as far as I’m concerned. I’m well aware that Liesl’s are better than most, as is everything Liesl does! I realize producing paper patterns is expensive, but I’d still pay for good ones that cost more. And I’m still loathe to try PDF patterns from unknown companies including the ones sold by Oliver and S. it simply isn’t worth the frustration. Look, I’m good with the crafty. I can figure out how to tape or glue or paper mâché the sheets together in a way that would make Martha Stweart proud. It’s still a time drain and the paper is still a little think to be comfortable for dressmaking.

[Sarvi]

Ok, sorry, I misunderstood. I thought you posted about a problem you were having in hopes that somebody in the community might be able to suggest a solution, which is where my comments were coming from, and a few other folks’ as well. If you want to give your feedback to Liesl + Co rather than to the community there’s a Contact Us button at the bottom of the page — I wonder if that might be a quicker way to get in touch? I guess after asking the community about preferences re: PDFs* and trialling some of the other patterns in digital it seemed like a good business decision to go ahead this way. Hopefully the demand for these patterns will be huge and they’ll be able to afford to print some paper ones as well and everybody can get their favorite format one day! Heck as long as we’re voting for our wishes I’d like a blazer pattern please, hehe!

*For those new to the fora, before launching PDF patterns (originally as re-releases of out-of-print patterns), Liesl + Co. solicited feedback and ideas from the community here:

https://oliverands.com/forums/topic.php?id=779

[Tamara]

Meleliza, if only we could get together and have a pdf pattern sticking bee to help you (and anyone else) out of the frustration. Then you’d have more time to sew and your patterns would be all done and pretty to use. I’m wondering if there is a place in you city where they deliver? Wouldn’t it be great to send in an order to print off a pattern and have it delivered the same day? In a perfect world I guess.

I’m planning to later this week print off some Colette pdf’s just to challenge myself. I just hope I get to stay calm through the ordeal and have just as pleasant an experience as I would with Liesl’s patterns.

[meleliza]

I was trying to have it delivered. The Staples website lets you upload and order, it just doesn’t work with this PDF becuase all 33 pages of the pattern are stuck together. For regular copies and all kinds of stuff, you can order and have it shipped. But their service can’t read that large 36×48 pattern page at the end.

Sarvi, I was hoping someone might have an easy solution to the whole PDF thing, but I guess the conversation proved there isn’t an easy one. But I got some ideas on how to deal with it, and since there was no other discussion on this, maybe it’s helpful to see everyone’s suggestions in one place. I asked Facebook, since people always seem to have opinions on such things and myabe I’ll get a lead. My neighbor is an architect and he’s going to send me the name of his copy shop downtown. Maybe one of these days I’ll have a chance to go there.

[meleliza]

Bren, I hope you have a wonderful trip!

[gy17]

I have printed only the last page at Staples with no problem – maybe you can ask them to look into it? The ones that are larger than 36×48 (I think some are 36×55?) they needed to print that last page as an image.

[Sarvi]

I hope your neighbor’s print shop comes through! Good luck!