Fitting your Figure with Affinity Designer (Projectors for Sewing)

Have you joined the Projectors for Sewing movement yet? I've had a projector and the pattern alteration software for a while now, but it's been quite the year, and I'm only just starting to convert my favourite patterns to digital.

If you're considering taking the plunge and you’d like more detailed and helpful information on the topic, the lovely people over at Projectors for Sewing on Facebook have all the answers you could possibly need. I’d urge you to pop over there and search the group with your questions. And if you still get stuck, one of the founders / moderators (“Sasha Sewist”, who must surely be the most patient and polite person on the face of the earth) will assist.

My simple setup: Epson UST Projector with MacBook Pro

This is what I am using right now:

➡️ PROJECTOR:

I do not have a dedicated cutting space, so after a bit of research I found that the best type for me would be one of the Epson Ultra Short Throw (UST) projectors, which does not need to be ceiling mounted. I purchased a used one online.

➡️ SOFTWARE:

1) Pattern Projector: A free calibration tool (thank you, Courtney Pattison) which allows you to calibrate your projector in minutes, enabling you to project an existing pattern to the correct scale, without distortions, so that you can start cutting out immediately. This is particularly useful when you don't have a fixed projector mounted to the ceiling, and have to move it around each time you want to use it, as I do.

2) Affinity Designer 2: If want to make adjustments to a projector pattern, and to save these pattern adjustments and your various alteration iterations (IYKYK), additional software is also required. I chose Affinity Designer based on the recommendation of a fellow sewist over on the Facebook page (thank you, Carmen Strang).

➡️ COMPUTER:

I am using a MacBook Pro.

This is all still pretty new to me, but I’ll be sharing a few simple videos on my Instagram and YouTube pages, in case the information might help anyone else using the same hardware and software.

Until next time,

Caroline