It’s only the groups that are so neat & tidy. If you look at the actual file with the groups open, you’ll get a fright:
And this is only the front bodice pattern. I haven’t begun developing the pattern for use yet, but this is an example of using the groups to keep your patterns really nice & tidy. I like to open only the ones that I need before creating the pattern pieces for exporting. It makes my life very pleasant 
Haha, yes, but I don’t actually know how to do the dart manipulation properly. I have just been winging it using the rotation tool. If you can could you tell me how you draft dart manipulations? It doesn’t have to be in groups, just how you move the darts around to create the manipulation.
Also, here’s a picture of just how BADLY I was doing it:
I made this like 3 weeks ago when I still didn’t know much about Seamly, so I was trying to re-do it in a better way today, but I couldn’t figure it out. So if you could tell you how you do yours it would be really helpful!
Thanks!
It works exactly the same as it would if you were doing it by hand. You draw the line where you want the dart to go to & then you select all of the points and curves between the existing dart and the new dart (including the point where you want the dart to go).
In the angle formula box, you use the dart-leg angles of the existing dart (deduct the one from the other) to close that dart. which will rotate all of the other objects and will reveal the gap of the new dart.
Ohh, I hadn’t thought of using the dart angles! But how do you true the lines and curves when there are darts in the middle of straight lines and continuous curves?
I try to make simple curves from one point to another to avoid having to rotate large complex curves that stick out all over the show unnecessarily. This is probably why my rotations look so neat.
And then… if you true’d your original dart, the chances are that your new dart will be true’d already with the rotation.
True-ing the dart is just to make sure that the dart legs are the same length, so that when they’re sewn together, the one side isn’t longer than the other side. And that sewing them together won’t form a valley or a peak on the seam line. Since you’re moving items that normally fit together, this shouldn’t be a problem.
My business partner and I were in business for 42 years before a fire destroyed the building we were iin, and everything in it. Over the years we’ve done just about everything from holiday rentals, mascots, rental quality wholesale costumes, show rentals (just every show you can think of) - with Beauty & The Beast and Shrek being the most requested show over the past 10 years. We’ve provided custom made costumes for Disney World’s Easter Parade, Music videos, TV, professional theatres - including theatres such as the Fords Theatre (where Lincoln was shot) in Washington DC, Off Broadway, on Broadway… and too many to name. We recently made the mens costumes for the National Tour of Annie, as well as the orphan girl skrts and jackets for the Movie Cabrini.
There’s pics and vids I’ve posted in the past in introductions topic:
I’m still crying. 
Oh man, that’s crazy. It seems like it was such a successful 42 years, too. Did you retire from that industry after?
Pretty much. Now I just pretty much spend my time programming Seamly. 
@Grace I tried your advice on grouping and made this file: Everything Everywhere All At Once.sm2d (110.1 KB)
Here is the measurement file: measurements medha nov 24.smis (2.9 KB)
If you are free could you check it?
Thanks,
Medha
Hi @medha
The way that I do the groups is that if all the eyes are closed, the drawing board is blank. The initial pattern with all of it’s workings and guides is in a group (sometimes I make a group for all of the ‘messy’ things that are needed to achieve the desired result). Then each alteration to a design is in its own group, including any objects that are in the initial pattern group that are used to create the new pattern piece - objects can be in more than 1 group.
This way, if I close all the eyes and only open 1 eye, then I see the whole pattern for that pattern piece, without any missing details, and I can easily create the pattern piece to send to piece mode without having to have 2 eyes open and then need to guess which objects I need to select.
And this is one of the reasons that you thought mine looked so nice & clean.
Hi, @Grace
I cleaned it up making sure that every point, line, and curve is grouped. I also used the option of grouping the same objects into multiple groups at once. I also added a boat neck to the design. I thought you might like to take a look at it.
Here’s the file: Everything Everywhere All At Once.sm2d (122.2 KB)
And the measurements: measurements medha nov 24.smis (2.9 KB)
Thanks a lot!
Medha
Wow! that looks so much neater. Very nice 
Thanks so much!!
Hi @Grace
As I change the bodice darts and put them into the same file, I have also been putting bodices with different design elements, ease, necklines, lengths, etc. into different groupings. Because of this, though, the armhole sometimes different in other groupings, so I wanted to create groups for the sleeves not just for design elements, but also for which armhole it is getting its armscye length from. But for that I would have to redraft the entire armhole and make changes so that changes in one group do not affect the original. Is there a way to do that?
I am currently trying to make a sleeve that is based on the armscye of the “No Dart” grouping for my bodice.
Here is my File if it helps: No Dart Woven.sm2d (162.6 KB)
And Measurements: measurements medha nov 24.smis (2.9 KB)
I can’t think of a way, except to draft an armhole and a sleeve to match each other.
I work very differently. I save my basic pattern with all of the pattern pieces in it - bodice, sleeve, skirt, trousers (all in groups) - separately. In my basic pattern, I have variables for ease (among other things that can change from pattern to pattern) in the Variables Table.
The basic pattern remains my Master Plan and my template for any other design.
If I want to create a leotard (for instance) I’d open my Master and save it as Leotard. Then in the new file, I’d adjust the ease to reflect the amount of stretch in the fabric I’m going to use. This will automatically adjust it in the pattern. Then I’d go about widening the neck line and the armhole, move the trouser pattern to match the waist lines, draw in the leg lines (if it doesn’t have legs), add linings and anything else specific to that pattern. Create the pattern pieces and print the pattern.
The process would be pretty much the same for a T-Shirt or Tunic. Save the Master as Tunic, adjust the ease and physically lengthen the shoulder, lengthen the Across Chest to make the armhole curve shallower (which should adjust the sleeve cap), make any other changes and edits, create pattern pieces and you’re good to go.
However, I do know of some people who do work the way you are working and it does work for them. @Scholli is one such person who has this way down to a fine art - perhaps she will come by and advise you.
Alright, thanks! I’ll start in a new file for the time being then. 
Also, If you are free, can we have a Zoom Meeting? When I sewed my pattern the drafting ended weird, so my bust didn’t have any ease even though I added 3/4 inch or 3/4*4=3 inches in total from the Moulage to the T-Shirt. Basically, my shirt drafting went wrong somewhere and I was hoping you could check it and give me feedback, and we could discuss it on Zoom.
Thanks!
Can we Zoom tomorrow evening, please? I’ve just come off one & I’m at the office tomorrow during the day.
Okay, thank you! I am free anytime after 7pm in your timezone.
