this post was submitted on 28 Jul 2023
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leathercraft

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bowreality@lemmy.ca
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Software for pattern design (lemmy.ca)
submitted 2 years ago by bowreality@lemmy.ca to c/leathercraft@lemmy.ca
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If you like to design your own patterns check out Affinity Designer. Blows my mind!

Quick to learn how to draw patterns, easy to resize and so so much more.

Here is a great example from today: I tried to figure out how to get the length of the one side of an odd shaped part of my pattern. I know the measuring tool in Affinity but it seemed to only do straight lines, distance between objects or area.

Quick search and I learned I can break the curve points and then it shows me the length of the different sides and the area 🤯

Extremely handy especially when working with zippers in a certain size.

I also can export as svg or pdf. Print and cut your patterns (pdf) or if you have a Cricut or Silhouette (svg), cut the patterns with that! Or even the leather if not too thick.

I am considering selling some patterns in the future and I can even toss in the afdesign file for people so they can adjust what they want.

Affinity Designer btw is super affordable especially compared to Adobe Illustrator and such. If I remember correctly there is free 30 day trial.

Anybody else using Affinity Designer?

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[–] optiki@beehaw.org 3 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Another vote for Affinity! I use it for making designs for my Cricut and even as a starting point for machine embroidery files.

[–] bowreality@lemmy.ca 2 points 2 years ago

Nice!! I use a Cricut as well to cut my patterns. Finally back using it after it was collecting dust for a while.

[–] Pipster@lemmy.blahaj.zone 2 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

I originally tried to use Inkscape to make a simple pattern but I found it frustrating to make anything of accurate size. I then decided to have a go with LibreCAD instead and found it far more intuitive to make things accurately. It can ouput to svg, pdf and png as well as using dxf natively. I plan to get a cheap little cnc router to just send a pattern and get something cut out of wood or acrylic.

[–] bowreality@lemmy.ca 2 points 2 weeks ago

I’ll check it out. Thanks for the tip