SAY GOOD BYE TO PAPER PATTERNS? WELCOME AGUMENTED REALITY (AR)?

 

image source: makerist.com

The hobby/home sewists now play with the coolest of toys to make sewing easier. Sewing patterns are traditionally made on paper to be used by sewist but today PDF sewing patterns that can be downloaded and printed at home have become really popular. The downside is the time it takes to print, trim. tape/gum and the numerous pages together. Today a growing number of sewist use projectors to project their PDF sewing patterns from their device (computer/phone) onto fabrics without having to print and tape sheets of paper. This saves the sewist time and is also more eco-friendly by reducing the amount of paper used. There is a Facebook group dedicated to all things projector cutting, from choosing the right type of projector to setting it up. There are also some Youtube videos to help. 

Similarly, in the spirit of saving time and reducing carbon footprint. Makerist, an online marketplace for crafts, has developed a similar technology that will help hobby/home sewists bypass printing paper printing sheets. This technology known as AR makes use of your phone, so there is no need to invest in a projector. Just download the app, follow the instructions and you are good to go. Patterns formatted for this tech are referred to as AR patterns. Last month(May 2021), Makerist launched the tech and SewExplicit Patterns was privileged to be among the first sewing patterns designers to make their patterns available in AR format. 

AR patterns of some of our current patterns can be purchased in addition to the PDF versions on the Makerist website only. Sally of Secret Life of a Seamstress blog made a Youtube video using the SewExplicit Ebun sewing pattern to demonstrate how AR patterns work, the pros and the cons. You can watch the video below.

What do you think about this technology, would you consider using it? Have you heard about project cutting? which of the two do you prefer? As a sewing pattern designer, one has to be abreast and on top of these new craft tools that will not only save time but ultimately do their bit in helping our environment.