From pressing the cloth to marking darts: how to lay out and cut a paper blouse farma without wasting fabric.
A paper farma saves the drafting, but the cutting still decides whether the blouse fits. These are the steps we follow, in order. They apply to any blouse cutting farma.
1. Press the fabric first
Creases and a rolled-up fold change the size of the cloth once it is flat. Press the fabric, and if it can shrink, wash and dry it before cutting.
2. Find the grain
Every piece carries a grain direction printed on it. Lay that line parallel to the selvedge - the finished edge of the cloth. A piece cut off the grain hangs crooked, however well the pattern was drafted.
3. Lay out all the pieces before you cut any
Place every piece on the cloth first, with printed sides up, and check they all fit. Fold the fabric where the pattern says to cut on a fold. Moving a piece after one cut is how fabric gets wasted.
4. Hold the pattern still
Pin it at the corners and along the edges, or use weights. The sheet is 200 GSM and non-tearable, so it takes pins without ripping.
5. Cut on the line
The seam allowance is already outside the cut line, so cut exactly along the edge of the paper. Do not add another allowance.
6. Transfer the marks
Mark the dart points, dart legs and notches on the cloth with chalk or a pin before you lift the pattern. Notches are what let you match the front to the back when you sew.
7. Check before you stitch
Count the pieces against the pattern, and check each is cut as a pair where it should be. A missing piece found halfway through the sewing is the most expensive mistake in tailoring.
Frequently asked questions
Do I add seam allowance?
No. It is already on the farma.
What if the blouse still does not fit?
Check the measurements you entered first. Our guide on how to measure for a blouse pattern shows the common mistakes.