How To Download and Print PDF Sewing Patterns | Step by Step Tutorial
Being able to purchase a PDF sewing pattern online is a good thing. In this post, I am going to show you step-by-step tips for downloading and printing PDF sewing patterns.
Where to find PDF sewing patterns?
There are several places to find printable patterns online. Some common places are Etsy and on private sewing websites.
You can find my sewing patterns HERE.
Where can I find my purchased PDF sewing patterns?
Email:
Most places will send you an email with a link to a download page, or they may direct you straight to a download page for an instant download.
Can’t find your email?
I get this a lot from customers who say they can’t find the email or don’t know where to find the pattern. 98% of the time, the file is in their spam folder.
So check there first. Another issue could be that the email you have on that account has changed, or you’re looking in the wrong email account.
CHECK YOUR SPAM FOLDER!
Etsy: Etsy digital shop purchases can always be located by going to your Etsy account.
Click on your account
Choose “purchases and reviews.”
There you will find all your purchases.
Click the digital purchase to go to the download page, where you can click DOWNLOAD. It will download the PDF to your computer.
Private Seller:
If you purchase the pattern from a private seller, you may need to register on their site or create an account.
Once you do that, you’ll have access to the files forever once you log in. All sellers handle their PDF files differently, but this is most likely the process.
How many times can I download the pattern?
This depends on the seller. Some have unlimited downloads, while others limit you to a set number of downloads. (I find this to be rare.
How to save PDF Sewing Patterns
Once you download the pattern, you’ll want to save it somewhere that you can easily find it. Here are a few suggestions.
- Dropbox
- Google Drive
- A designated file on your computer
- Other Cloud Storage
What you’ll need to download and print the PDF Sewing Pattern
- Some kind of PDF viewer. I recommend Adobe Acrobat and you can get the FREE download here.
- Printer
- Paper
- Desktop computer or laptop
Printing the PDF Sewing Pattern
Just a few things to note:
- Before printing, check whether there are any special printing instructions. Some patterns will come with a separate PDF with printing instructions.
- All printers are different and will have different printer queues.
- Most patterns will have you print at 100% or at ACTUAL SIZE. Make sure the “fit to page” or “page scaling” is turned off and not clicked.
- Check the paper size. (Most likely the pattern will print out on a letter or A4 size.
- TEST SQUARE. Most patterns will include a test square that you will measure to make sure the pattern is printing the correct size. Locate the test square and print that page only! (This will save a lot of paper in case it is not printing correctly.
- Measure the square to make sure it measures what it is supposed to, then print the rest of the pattern pages.
That’s it!
