WHAT IS A STITCH LINE?
It is essentially the seam line - the true line of construction. Here’s what that means in practice:
The STITCH LINE sits inside the CUT LINE, separated by the seam allowance (usually 1.2 / 1/2 in in In the Folds patterns, unless otherwise stated).
It shows you the exact point where two fabric pieces should join, which is crucial for accurate sewing, fitting, and pattern alterations.
In short: the stitch line is the line you actually sew on. The cut line is where you cut your fabric. The space between them is your seam allowance.
WHY DO WE INCLUDE THE STITCH LINE ON OUR PATTERNS?
In the Folds patterns include both STITCH LINES and CUT LINES because one of the core values of our brand is education. The aim is not just to give you a pattern, but to help you understand how sewing and garment construction work. Here’s why both are there:
1. Accuracy and clarity
As we mentioned above, the STITCH LINE (the actual sewing line) shows where your seam should end up. The CUT LINE (the outer edge) shows where to cut your fabric.
Having both makes it clear how much seam allowance has been included and gives you more accuracy if you’re learning or making adjustments (like pivoting darts, altering seam allowances, or checking notches).
When making adjustments the STITCH LINE is the reliable reference point. The CUT LINE can shift depending on seam allowance, but the STITCH LINE always stays consistent.
2. Teaching tool
In the Folds was founded with education in mind. By including both lines, sewists can see the relationship between the cut edge and the final seam, which is rarely shown in commercial patterns. It’s particularly helpful for beginners, but also valuable for more experienced makers who are fitting or altering patterns.
We also like to remind people that the joy of sewing your own clothes is that you can make it your own. You don’t have to make it exactly as it has been designed and you should feel free to experiment and explore what it is you want from a garment. By including the STITCH LINE, it is easier to alter and hack patterns.
3. Easier fitting and adjustments
When you’re altering a pattern, the STITCH LINE is what you need to make the alteration to. Most commercial patterns only mark the cut line, which means you need to mark in the STITCH LINE yourself when altering. In the Folds saves you that step by providing both.
4. Professional industry practice
Fashion industry patterns are often drafted with stitch lines marked, because those are the true lines of construction. In the Folds brings this professional practice into home sewing patterns, so you can work with the same level of precision as industry makers. If you were to hand a professionally drafted pattern over to a sample maker, you’re not handing them an instruction booklet with details about how to sew it. The pattern is those instructions, so the STITCH LINE, along with markings and notches provides that information to the sample maker. It also means that if a designer wants to come back to a design and alter it slightly, it is easy to dive back into the design without much context as all the information is on the pattern.
Happy sewing,
Emily
RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS ISSUE
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This month in our membership, we’re making the Mornington skirt