Sewing patterns are commonly distributed as many-page A4-size PDFs intended to be printed and taped together to create a full size template for cutting fabric. Recently, many home sewists have begun projecting patterns directly onto fabric in order to save time and paper. While some pattern designers offer A0 size or larger “projector format” patterns, there is still a need for end users to be able to modify patterns for optimal use with projectors, such as combining pages into a single large format document, modifying line properties, removing unused size layers, and more.
PDFStitcher is an open-source program developed to address the needs of the sewing community. In conjunction with Inkscape, PDFStitcher aims to help sewists replace a traditional paper workflow with an open-source digital pattern manipulation workflow. This talk will begin by discussing the unique requirements of PDF sewing patterns and how existing open source tools help to address those needs, then present a number of ongoing challenges and future directions.