What is lay outing in dressmaking?

Answer 1

In dressmaking, a lay out is how you put the pattern pieces on the material. There are certain ways to put the pieces on the material that will NOT work, such as putting the "fold" piece in the center of the material...and then not cutting the other half of the fold. If you have a definite pattern such as stripes or checks to your material, you need to fit the pattern pieces differently in order to make the pattern design come out right in the finished clothing. Some pieces need to be cut on the diagonal. Material has a straight weave, but the bias is a way for the material to stretch in a way that it ordinarily would not. If you are a beginner in dressmaking, please refer to the lay out directions that accompany the pattern. They give directions for each size of the pattern according to the amount of material needed. It helps to circle the lay out that you need so you don't get confused.