Do you Cut Patterns on the Right or Wrong Side of the Fabric?
Sewing is a very detail-oriented hobby. In every step you take to get a project done, there are a thousand tiny details that you need to pay attention to. Take cutting the fabric, for example. You need to learn about grainline, pattern symbols, cutting techniques, washing the fabric, ironing the fabric, and so on. It’s no surprise that you also question which way the fabric needs to be folded before you cut.
The general recommendation is to cut sewing pattern pieces on the wrong side of the fabric (with the right sides folded together). This layout makes it easier to add dart lines and marks onto the hidden side of the fabric pieces. It’s especially important to pay attention to this for asymmetrical garments.
However, if you have a typical piece of clothing that is symmetrical on both sides of your body, it doesn’t really matter if you cut your pattern pieces out on the right or wrong side of the fabric. As long as you have a pair of pieces for everything you need to cut two of, you can do whatever you want.
Which side of the fabric should you pin and cut your pattern on?
Conventional knowledge says that it’s better to fold the fabric right-sides together when cutting, pinning your pattern pieces to the wrong side of the fabric. There are reasons, which I’ll get to in a minute, but it’s really more of a guideline than it is a rule.
For the most part, as long as you are consistent and cut out all of your pattern pieces the same way, it doesn’t actually matter if the fabric is folded with the right or wrong sides together.
That being said, I will usually follow the conventional wisdom and cut my pattern pieces with the right sides of the fabric folded together. Some of the reasons this is the better way to do it include:
- You can more easily add the internal pattern markings to your pieces. I like to add the dart lines and other pattern symbols to the wrong side of the fabric. It’s just easier if the wrong sides are already facing out.
- It protects the right side of the fabric from pulling threads. The inside of the fabric will always be more protected than the outside. Folding the right sides together keeps it cleaner and less likely to get rips, pulls, or stains that are visible on the finished garment.
There are also some instances where you would ignore this rule. Mainly, when you are trying to match patterns or stripes across the seams of your pattern pieces. This is much easier to do if you can see the fabric design on the right side. The other time it’s advantageous to put the wrong sides together when cutting is when you’re working with a fabric that is slippery on one side. To make your cuts more accurate, it’s best to cut your fabric with the less slippery sides together.
The other thing you can do to decide which way to fold your fabric is to look at the cutting layouts on your pattern instructions (usually it will show right sides together). They will have a guide telling you how to cut your pieces. This is especially useful if you’re working with an asymmetrical pattern (when it’s not just two mirror images of each pattern piece).
What to do if it’s a slippery fabric?
I cut slippery fabrics differently than most other types of fabrics. This is because usually, only one side of the fabric is super slippery (or at least, one side is significantly more slippery than the other). To prevent slip-ups and mistakes while cutting the pattern pieces, I will always fold the fabric with the less slippery sides together.
Almost always, this means I’m folding the fabric with the wrong sides together. It’s much more common for the front face of the fabric to have a satin, smooth finish, while the back is matte and a bit rougher.
Which side to add pattern markings to your fabric?
Whichever way you cut your fabric, you still want to add the pattern markings to the back of the material. This includes dart and pleat lines, pattern symbols, stitch lines, pocket markings, button marks, and any other symbols that are relevant to your particular pattern.
Adding these markings to the back keeps the front clean. If the chalk or fabric marker does erase or wash out as expected, the garment will still be wearable. You can also wear your new handmade garment as soon as you finish since you don’t need to wash the marks off right away.
Which way to cut your fabric when matching prints and stripes?
If you’re attempting to match stripes on the front or side seams, it’s usually best to cut your pattern out from the right side. This allows you to see the intricacies of the pattern more clearly, so you can cut it accurately. The most important part of pattern matching is always cutting out the pieces properly.
Unless you have a very basic pattern that you need to match, such as simple stripes, it’s best to cut one piece out at a time (meaning you’re not folding the fabric at all. You’re just working with one layer of fabric). This will give you more precise control over where you place and cut your pattern pieces so that the center seams and side seams can line up correctly.
Should pattern pieces be facing up or down on the fabric?
Most of the time, it doesn’t really matter if your pattern pieces are face up or face down on the fabric. This is because, if the fabric is folded you’ll get two mirrored pieces anyway. One will automatically be face up, while the other is face down.
However, it does matter when you are dealing with a sewing pattern that uses asymmetrical pieces. So if the right side of your garment is different from the left, you’ll just be cutting one of each side, and you’ll need to check the pattern layout on your instructions to make sure you’re cutting it correctly. Usually, they’ll either be both facing up, or both facing down.
