When you purchase and download a PDF sewing pattern from Sew Essential for the first time, printing at home can feel a bit daunting.

Fear not fellow sewists - once you know how it’s actually very straightforward. In this step-by-step guide, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know to print your digital sewing pattern correctly so you can start sewing with confidence.

The first thing to do is read the instructions for printing that are included with every PDF pattern download. Some pattern brands have slightly different requirements for printing and assembly, and this information will be in the instructions (and will be useful later on in this guide).

When you download the zip file for a digital sewing pattern, it often contains multiple files. These may include:

• A4 or US Letter PDF – for home printing on a standard printer
• A0 or Copyshop PDF – for large format printing (not suitable for home printers)
• Projector file PDF – for sewing with a projector setup
• Instructions in various languages

For home printing, make sure you’re using the PDF file for A4 or US Letter. In the example we show the correct file to open for a Fibre Mood pattern. The ONLY-SA in the file name means this file only contains seam allowances and NOT the stitching lines.

Always use Adobe Acrobat Reader to open and print your sewing pattern. Other programs (like browser viewers or Preview on Mac) can scale the file incorrectly.

Adobe Acrobat Reader is available as a free download here: https://get.adobe.com/reader

Printing the test square ensures your print setting are printing perfectly to scale - otherwise your pattern may print too small or too large.

Locate and print the page with the test square from the PDF. In our Fibre Mood example, the test square is on page 2. We have highlighted the test square on page 2 in Adobe Acrobat:

Now click the print icon to open the print dialog box. 

• In the 'Pages to Print' select 'Current' page (so it only prints the page with the test square and not the whole pattern).
• Under 'Page Sizing and Handling' set to Actual Size
• Make sure Page Scaling is off
• Use the correct paper size (A4 in the UK and Europe or US Letter in the United States)
• Disable options like “Fit to Printable Area” or “Shrink to Fit”

Now go ahead and print just the page with the test square.

Measure the square on your new print-out with a ruler checking it's the exact size stated on the square. If it’s too small or large, double-check your print settings in Acrobat before continuing.

When you are happy the printed square measurements are correct proceed to the next step.

Many modern patterns include layered PDF files, allowing you to print only the size(s) you need. Using the layers function makes the pattern much easier to read and trace, but if you want to simply print the pattern with all sizes you can skip straight to step 7.

To be able to use this option, first check that your pattern is a layered file. This should be mentioned in your pattern instructions. If your pattern does include a layered file, make sure to open Adobe Acrobat Reader on a desktop computer and not a mobile device or tablet, as the app and web version don’t support layer selection.

If you have a tendency to grade patterns between two sizes (for example, if you are a 10 on the top and a 12 on the bottom) you can print just sizes 10 and 12. This makes the pattern much easier to grade and cut out.

• Open the Layers Panel in Acrobat (click the 'stacked sheets' icon as highlighted in the image)

Deselect the layers you don't need by clicking the 'eye' icon to the left of the layer label in the layers panel.

From the example, we can see that there are only two pattern layers showing. This makes the pattern much easier to read and trace.

Once your test square prints correctly and you’ve (optional) selected the right layers:

• Print the full pattern or just the pages needed for your size or view
• Always double-check you're printing at 100% scale or Actual Size
• You may want to print 2–3 pages first to check they line up correctly before printing the full set

Once all your pages have printed out you can now begin assembly.

Depending on pattern brand, you may need to trim the pages before you tape them together. This information will be in the instructions.

If necessary, trim the right side and bottom edge of each page close to or on the border lines.

Most PDF patterns feature a 'layout guide' or 'map' of where each of the pieces of paper should be placed.

• Layout your pages according to the layout guide
• Match up the markings or lines of the corresponding page (dots, diamonds, numbers, letters etc.)
• Use clear tape to join the pages
• Assemble by taping row by row, then connect the rows

It's a good idea to use a large surface for assembling your pattern. Time to clear off the dining table!

Now that you have your complete pattern, you can either cut it out or trace it off (if you want to preserve the original).

So there you have it – our complete guide to printing and assembling PDF sewing patterns. We stock a wide range of digital sewing patterns ready for you to download, and we’re always adding fresh new-season styles and exciting brands, so be sure to check back regularly.

Prefer to skip the printing and sticking? We’ve got you covered - our large format A0 printer means we can print your pattern for you and pop it in the post. Just select the printed option from the drop down menu on our product pages.