Well you now have the User Manual which as you will note is very complete and the small notes on setting up your browser and desktop on your computer.
The next obvious thing is drafting a pattern and printing it out.
There are a couple of kewl features that I don�t think were intended but work very well.. and one is printing out your selection and advance sewing options pages.
You can dress the model... and yes, it would be super neat if we could have a model sized just like us.. but can you imagine the amount of art required to dress her???
There is a virtual model out there.. not so very precise at virtualmodel.com with a selection of maybe a total of 10-15 body types, shapes.. you can go play there and come back with some better ideas about how a style selection will work for you.
And of course the mini mannequin works very well... see the class on the v2.5 pages if you are unsure about how to make or use one... But I still use her frequently.. especially if I want to see what the rest of the world looks at 1/2 the time... my back...and side views..
But lets start with the styles... V4 offers a considerably more fitted look in the style lines cause things hang great.. (tee hee) and there is less DESIGN ease in these garments. so you are starting with LESS ease in most cases than you did in V2.5 and have even more control on its addition!!!
This program really drafts to the numbers!!!!
So enter a measurement chart or select one from default.
Then the Select Garment page will come up.
So on the garment selection page pick your garment.. click on blouse , then The blouse you want select the sleeve, sleeve length, hem or cuff, neckline, collar type, shoulder pads (scroll down if you need to) dart option type of closure all on ONE page .
Now before the obvious proceed to next using the little hand or clicking on sewing options go to the top tool bar and find file then print... instead of accepting the print out as only the selected frame select as laid out on screen.. you will get a printout with the model and all your selections!!
You will also notice that the blouse you selected is now on the model and there is a check mark next to it. This is the garment that will color on the �next� page.. but before we go there click on sewing options..
Here you will find options for ease at various body points ( mostly set to 0 remember there is design ease in there) plus pleat size for kick pleats, jacket lengths if doing jackets and how far below the jewel neck you want the neck front AND BACK , sleeve or pant cuffs, hem heights, skirt flares and so on...this is where you get to really DESIGN the basic silhouette you started with!!!
You also have the option of saving this for a sloper... now why would you want to do that with a shell for instance??? Well. if you are making a full outfit say shell pants and jacket... you can check that shell out UNDER the jacket and make sure its �gonna� work!
But always set your basic bodice 0 ease as a sloper so you can use it under all kinds of garments later. all it will take is a single click to see it!
Once you have made all your selections go back up on the tool bar and click file, print and as laid out on screen to get this page in it�s entirety.. you now have a full working history of all your selections to attach to your finished pattern, add a fabric swatch from the scraps for your archive and staple the entire thing to the pattern latter. When you approach this same style line in the future with a different fabric having now worn the garment you can decide if the new fabric requires more or less ease or flare and KNOW exactly what you did before!
Click done and you are back at the garment selection options and then click the little hand pointing to the right and it will take you to the fabric swatches and color chart... select your solid color, fabric choice ( there are several pages to choose from use the arrows to scroll though them) and color the blouse...
IF you also go and add a pant to this model or a skirt it will color BOTH.. to eliminate one uncheck the one you don�t want to draft and go to that box and click NO pant or blouse or it will throw the pattern at you on the pattern page.
Next will take you to Print patterns pages.. and boy do you have options here!
The patterns default to the left side... I like right so click right and all the pattern pieces in this session will show Right..
If you want to view the sloper under the pattern piece click sloper... ( want to turn it off again before printing.. click sloper again and it goes.
To get the grid button up click FULL first then grid.. the grid is 1� by 1� squares in yellow... if you have the sloper under you will get a rough idea of the actual ease in the garment.
If you click screen you go back down to screen size ( roughly 15% of scale) or to quarter which gives you 25% depictions...OK.. so you are picky and want a 50% depiction...click full and then click smaller.
Click on EASE.. this is too kewl and the numbers pop up on screen !!! and the body lines ( apex waist abd hip appear!!!!) IT will then print out on your pattern.
Now when you have printed a scale larger than screen you are presented with print options on the left hand side.. and you will see an edit curve button.
My suggestion is you do this in FULL scale unless you are really good at visualizing in 25%...and use the grid feature. You can CHANGE the arm hole curve if you want. In the beginning accept this curve.. if you have good measurements its going be pretty good!!!!
Ok.. on to the print function... I have a real love/hate thing going with this.. what�s to love?.. you can reprint a single sheet.. whats to hate.. you have to sit and click click click to get your pattern piece... why.. well it works better with this delivery system than print a full sheet... sniff sniff...
I must say that after many many uses of this its become second nature and I almost don�t mind the clicking though it drove me wild the first few times.
Do remember that I said this can work with a wide bed printer!!!!! I�ve been one happy camper since I got that to work..!! More on that later... Ill put up a separate page
ok so you have the manual.. what tip would I offer.. First remember I said to write down the margin settings.. well this is where you will need them.
If your top and bottom margins are not set to zero you have to subtract the total amount from your page length on this screen and if your east/west side margins are not zero you have to total them and subtract it from your page width.
What�s at �default� will probably do just fine for most single sheet feeds. but IF you have a problem check the browser settings, write them down and adjust the paper width and length accordingly!!
Next the first sheet is going to take a few seconds ( up to 30 seconds) to appear ( be patient it�s not that long).. after that they move pretty quick... click print, click next page click print click next page.. on and on... when its back to the first page of that pattern piece it will tell you... then click on NEXT PIECE.. there�s a big difference between click next page and click next piece!!!
You will find registration numbers on your pages and taping is pretty obvious.. start at the furthest left sheet set the strip in order.. there should be 3 inches between registration numbers.. if there aren�t check your desktop and browser settings!!! then overlay the 2nd strip on the first.
The best and fastest method I�ve found so far is to lay these out on a gridded mat .. be careful in your taping.
Remember the help screens are always there... the floating ? mark goes to the user manual the ? mark at the bottom of the page is the one associated with that particular page and the help word over by print takes you straight to print questions.
Ok.. during the beta testing process I sent a �seam allowance� report every single report I made.. sometimes several times a day! well.... its better BUT NOT ACCURATE!!!
YOU will still find seam allowances wavering in dimension...its an annoyance and must be dealt with... most U.S. tape measures are 5/8th of an inch wide...this is a grab a pencil fix.
Have a seam gauge handy. Sorry about that.. its a way bigger deal than I ever suspected.. Bob is aware, Annette is aware, all rose�s have thorns ( I think)
So.. that�s about enough for one day... we have covered so far browser, desktop settings, measurements, garment selections and print options, sewing options, advanced sewing options, printing those pages in full, and printing the actual pattern pieces. Editing the arm hole curve, printing the ease dimensions on the pattern, and of course seam allowances. We have come a LONG way... and by now you have to be impressed with the friendly and exicitng technology this new program offers.
My hope is that soon Ill put up a synopsis of style lines and a bit more on selections.
