My Experience with the Ditto Paperless Pattern System
Surprise, I
am finally back to posting on Chicken Little Sews. This was an unplanned break away from my blog
and sewing. I had big plans for both in
January when I wrote my article on making a sewing plan for 2023. However, life can throw a curve at any of us
and I was hit hard with one of those curves shortly after returning home from
St. Simons Island in early March. I kept
getting ill and as soon as I recovered from one illness, I was hit by another
one. The one that really toppled me was
actually a three-in-one. I had covid,
the flu, and pneumonia all at once. It
has taken me a long time to get my strength back so that I can participate in
my normal activities.
Needless to
say, I have not accomplished anything that I put in my 2023 sewing plan. I did not even start those spring jackets for
my husband and me. I guess I will wait
until another year to do that. My new
sewing plan for the rest of this year will be to sew as much as possible and to
blog about the projects I do. There will
be no formal plan. I may try that again
next year, but the plan is gone for this year.
Just prior
to getting really sick, I purchased the Ditto Paperless Pattern System after
attending a demonstration at Country Stitches.
This is the system that allows you to choose a pattern from the Ditto
library on your computer and project it onto your cutting table. This allows you to place your fabric on the
cutting table, project the pattern onto your fabric and cut directly from the
projected lines without using a paper pattern.
The Ditto patterns allow you to enter your personal measurements into
the pattern and should eliminate the need for altering the pattern.
This works
for some people, but I will tell you I had problems. I had to make changes to each of the patterns
I made in order to get them to fit. I
found that the Ditto System did a good job of making the forward should
adjustment for me. However, I did not
like the results of the full bust adjustment.
For example, I cut out the Andrea knit top. The pattern gave me ample room through the
bust, but at the same time it put way too much room in the armscye at the bust
causing the fabric to fold over and point down. I knew that in order to wear that particular
pattern I would need to make a bust dart.
Since I had already cut the pattern out of the fabric, I had no choice
but to make darts radiating from the armscye down toward the bust. I was able to save the top by adding these
darts. Fortunately, before cutting my
fabric I raised the neckline to a level I thought I would like. The pattern also had a curved hemline which I
did not like, so I cut off some of the excess from the bottom edge and
straightened the hemline. A picture of
my finished top is shown below along with a picture of the original pattern.
Ditto Andrea Top
I intended
to call the Ditto Customer Service to discuss the problem of too much fabric in
the armscye, but I got sick and still have not talked to them about the
issue. I will and I know from previous
experience with them that they will attempt to find a solution. Prior to making the knit top, I attempted
pants and had big problems with the fit.
I contacted the Customer Service Department and they researched my
personal pattern. I received an email
with specific instructions about how to correct the problems, but I was sick at
the time and I have not yet tried to make the changes they suggested. I will
let you know when I try to make more Ditto pants and will show a picture of the
results.
I did not
care for the patterns in the Ditto library when I first purchased the
system. However, Ditto has responded to
their customers’ requests for additional patterns and new ones are being added
monthly. I am hoping that soon they will
add some patterns that are more like the garments I wear. I do not have the figure or the desire to
wear tight-fitting, low cut, and extremely short garments. If I can find patterns I like and that fit me
on the Ditto System, I will be extremely happy!
I need to
spend more time to try to get the Ditto System to work for me. I know that it is working for lots of other
sewers, so I will continue to try to get it to work for me. I plan to try more patterns and contact Ditto
Customer Service with any problems I may have.
I hope you
are experimenting with new sewing technology and trying new methods to improve
or enhance your sewing abilities.
Happy
sewing!
Judy
