Cutting out the panels is a demanding job that requires (as I have found out) large amounts of concentration. The cutting out process is divided into two stages. The first is cutting out the patterns and then the actual cutting out of the fabric.
Patterns - In the same way that dressmakers use paper patterns to cut out their fabric, so am I. The paper patterns are cut to exact size using a half panel measurement which is then copied onto the other side of the panel. This gives mirrored angles for both sides and makes the panels easier to handle.
The hardest part of the panels is getting the curve accurate. I have tried so many things to get a smooth curve but have finally settled on a piece of aluminium square tubing which works perfectly. It takes me approximately 30 minutes per pattern sheet and kills my back as my table is a bit lower than ideal for this sort of work. Some pics below of the process for the patterns.
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| Starting |
Panel
Data |
marking |
Curve |
Halfcut |
Full
length |
Dinner! |
Finish
marking |
Panels - This is the scary bit. If you get it
wrong it is very expensive as you need to buy new fabric. To cut out the panels
I used an OLFA rotary cutter which allows me to cut all 12 panels at the same
time which is a big time saver and means that every panel is identical in
the group. Pictures of the panel cutting process are below.
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| Colour
Scheme |
Roller
Setup |
Balloonist
Paperweights |
Rotary
Cutter in action |
Result
of rotary cutter |
Ready
for sewing |