Do you hate those little triangles too? 😅 Tell me, what is your notching method? Or which are you going to try now? If you want to learn more about making great quality garments with me, join me online at Vintage Sewing School www.vintagesewingschool.com/

I went to a "Technical College" for secondary schooling where every student did a semester of all the "trade" subjects for the first two years. In year 7 Textiles, I was having trouble remembering the difference between the single and double notches, until a grumpy boy who didn't want to be in that class piped up with "you do number ones from your front and number twos from your back". This cracked up the whole class including the teacher (as he'd actually used decent language that time) it was so unexpected, yet so apt! Before that semester was out, we'd made an apron to be used in woodwork and sheet-metal the following semester, a stuffed plush toy and a hand-stitched sampler (which took the most time).

I just came here to say that I've taken several in person sewing courses and haven't learned even 1/4 of the basics that your videos have taught me. I'm so thankful you have shared your knowledge and I continue to watch more and more. Thank you!

I'm so glad I found this - I find the notches really irritating to deal with, and have cut them off accidentally so many times!!

I just bought my first pattern (to sew my 3 year old a dress) and I opened it and my brain freaked out. Thanks for all of your videos!

Hi Eyelyn, I am watching as many videos as I can (at least 1 or 2 per day)... and praying for your complete recovery! God bless you!

Omg I just found out I’ve been doing them wrong and sewing them as triangles. Lol, thanks for teaching me what they are for.

I loved this. I need more videos on pattern instructions 🤦‍♀️ I’m going to tiny notch and mark 👍

i had always wondered why the notches came in singles and pairs! thank you!

Double notches shows the back and single notches shows the front of a garmet I had no idea of this!! That was some good information!!

As a beginner, I pin the pattern mark all the notches with a pen (or chalk) , and then take the smaller scissors and cut around the notches first. Then when I use my rotary cutter, it goes very smoothly and quickly. Because I can clearly see when I’m coming up to a notch. It sounds like extra work, but it really isn’t as I do it so quick. And since I am still learning, it reinforces the pattern in my mind.

I’m a new sewer and this was great with an aha moment at the end!

Omg the bonus tip, blew my mind haha

I was taught by my Grandma to nick the notches, and it wasn't until I was in high school and took a sewing class (after sewing with Grandma for 10 years), and the teacher had the class cut out the little triangles. If my material is very "busy" I will always put pins where I nicked the notch, to help me find it. But having been taught what the notches meant at 5 years old, meant I was always aware of the notches, and very glad to have them on the pattern to help me.

Lol, my sewing teacher at age 13 already taught me the notches right away. First time I came across the triangles I was SOOO bewildered. 😂😂😂

I've never sewn a garment, so yes, this is the type of video I need to watch a couple of times to give me confidence in what I'll be doing 😊 Thank you so much 💐 I hope you are feeling as good as possible 💜💜💜

I've been sewing for 30 years and I didn't know the double notches were always on the back pieces! I love your videos and always learn something!

No idea what I'm doing, sewing something for the first time. Did NOT understand I needed to cut the notches UP from the envelope. Thank you so much!

I confess, I have made a too deep notch that I had to fix by hand and it was still a bit visible 🙈 So don't do your notches with a rotary cutter -bad idea 😂😂😂

I have become addicted to your channel😊. I grew up with my Granny who was a sewing wizz and, always watching what she was doing, copying on my little kiddies machine. But obviously, I did not pay attention to everything. I did know about the notches and their function, but only figured out the double notch last week, with a sleeve no less😂. I have learnt so much from your videos that I have watched so far, some 4 years old, and look forward to learning even more❤❤

I’m not gonna lie up til now I’ve always ignored the notches I still don’t know what their for 😳 perfect timing with the video lol

As a very new sewist...12 months only. I started with a group sewing (my fav fabric shop called it a “B*tch and stitch) setting and left the group 7 months later still none the wiser although a whole heap more determined. I then enrolled in an on line course to do pattern making and garment construction...nothing like heading straight for the deep end. I bought a notching tool! I much rather use your nick nick method. I think it keeps it tidy, I will also use the nick and mark method. I used to watch my mother and grandmother sewing and sadly they never got around to teaching me what they did, I used to think they were magical....now I know Sewing is a Superpower!

Wow. I knew to cut the triangles. But, I didn't know any of the other info, didn't even know why to do it. Also, it was good to know the 3 ways of how to indicate where the triangles are. It helps us not judge other sewers as "doing it wrong".

The only thing is when overlocking/serging which ever method is used, disappears. So now I use the chalk/pen method and draw a line at least 2" so it is visible after overlocking/serging that seems to work for me 😊

Thanks for explaining the difference between single and double notches.

I forgot to say thank you. I never really paid attention that the double and single triangles are usually for back and front precess. Now I will have to pay more attention.

I used to cut a 'nick' in my fabric for the notches when I was a girl but got fed up when I had to let out a garment and there was a cut in the seam allowance. I wasn't very old when I decided that marking the notch was the best thing. We didn't have anything like the internet then, not even calculators! When I was sewing clothes for my children I had to have a lot of seam allowance to allow for growth of the children and clipping the notches would have meant I couldn't let out to the full amount. There wasn't such a variety of marking pens then either so I used whatever I could find and marked the reverse of the fabric so it wouldn't show if I needed to let the seam out. I used tucks to shorten dresses and let them down as necessary covering the fold line with braid or something suitable.

Your videos have helped me improve my sewing skills IMMENSELY. Thank you so much for your videos

I love the marked mini nick idea!

Cool timing ...I was thinking about notches watching another channel - it was cut too close to the stitch line & it frayed. My preference - cut triangles outward of pattern for extra fabric... but like you say it's easy to forget. Thanks for the tip - didn't know 1 notch for fronts, 2 notches for backs!

Of all the sewing-channels I follow, your content at the moment gives me the best information. Even though I thought I knew enough about notches, I still learned something new. The way you give supplementary explanations about the why and how aspects of notches is very educational. Most other tutorials only show one way of doing things and don't explain the benefits of this method. Thanks again!

I’d say do the nicks only if you’re 100% sure of the fit because they pretty well exclude letting the garment out by the seam allowance.

Thank you so much for all the advice. Also special thanks to Evelyn for showing us all these great tips. So glad I found this KZfaq. 😄

It's nice to see you putting out your past videos! I hope that means you are feeling good today 😊

Thanks Aunty Evelyn! You saved me a lot of pain

I felt overwhelmed with understanding the notches so haven't progressed with my project. I feel more prepared now. Thank you.

I am two weeks into my sewing journey and this video has been very helpful!

Hope you’re doing well! This old video came up in my feed. I started making my own clothes in the late 60s. I likely learned about notches in home ec class. Nowadays, I make fewer clothes but have been making bags and accessories. Instead of notches, I usually marked with air-erasable, or heat-erasable pens. The only problem was - the marks sometimes disappeared before needed them. On Facebook, someone mentioned a pattern notcher….I’d never heard of one. I ended up ordering one online, and it has become a favorite tool. Like you mentioned, I am careful to keep the notch at half the seam allowance. Again, hope you’re doing well, and will be back o making videos soon. God bless!

I've only been sewing for 2years. All videos I've watched to teach me have always used nicking. I didn't know that was a advanced technique.

Huge lightbulb moment! I just started sewing and have trouble reading all the crazy symbols on patterns. I was just abiut to brave cutting out my first dress pattern today, you have such great timing! 😄 THANK YOU 💖

Thank you for explaining double vs single notches! Now I know!😂✂️

Thank you for the tips!To be honest,i ignored them!But from now one i belive the last tip work for me!

Geez. . . I’ve been cutting the triangles into the seam allowance for 20+ years. Marker method here I come!

My great grandmother owned a dress shop way back in her day (early 1900s) She taught my mother how to sew and mother taught me the basics. Always using the little nip in the fabric to mark. Mother used the V to cut into the fabric because she couldn't find the nips to match them up, but then she didn't give fabric grain much consideration either. I learned a lot of "don'ts" in sewing from her. But g grandmother was a true seamstress from hand to machine sewing. I seem to have copied her style even if I'm far from her perfection. Still learning after almost 50 years. Lol

I had no idea. I started out by notching out an actual triangle shape into my fabric. Now I just snip the fabric a bit.

My mum taught me to cut the little nicks when I was 14. School was not happy about it but it worked for me then and still does.

Thank you sooo much Evelyn! I am so glad I found your channel. Your expertise and teaching is awesome. I quilt, but haven't sewn clothes since 1994 and I sewed some coulottes and tops for myself and a button down shirt for my husband for a vacation in Hawaii. I even made a matching purse to one of the outfits. I did a lot of sewing for my 4 children as toddlers. I never had any training, and oh what a struggle! I look forward to watching many more of your videos to make some simple clothes for myself and grandchildren. I also adore your clothes and head wraps. And, your beautiful smile. You are beautiful inside and out. 😊

In my patterns I mostly have to add the seam allowances when I cut. I have learned to cut the little triangles upside down in the fabric. I like your KZfaq video's. Greetings from Holland.

Sometimes, if I know I'm going to be fiddling with the pattern a lot, I do a small tailor's tack close to the edge. One centimetre parallel to the edge in contrasting thread. That way if I'm overlocking something, I can still clearly see the notch and it will end up in the seam allowance where no one will see it

Thank you Evelyn!! Hope you are well will check for updates! God Bless you. I am in beginning stages of garment construction.

I just came across this older video but wanted to add something that might be helpful to any sewist... I use a standard inexpensive hole punch to cut half-moon divots in paper patterns where the triangles are located, mark the locations with chalk, then snip out the triangles using regular nippers (yes, fabric bits will go flying). When using nippers, snip from the seam allowance out to the edge of the fabric, making a tiny triangle - that way you won't snip too close to where the seam will end up and you can take smaller snips. I tried using the little slots as shown in this video but found they weren't easy to see with my older eyes. And, if you're using fusible interfacing on darker fabric, snip the fabric first then apply the interfacing - the white of the interfacing will show the snipped triangles you made that much easier.

Perfect timing... I used to sew 40 yrs ago. Just started again with a girlfriend that's interested. Picked up a pattern to 'Test' out our skills. I cut the pattern pieces but instead of notching outwards I cut the notches inwards (oooops). Thankfully the fabric we're using is scrap. We wanted to use something we're OK messing up before moving on to our 'real' fabric. Back to the cutting board !!!

Great tutorial, I learned something new, the single notches indicate a front piece, the double notches indicate a back piece. Thank you!

I learned from you, again today! Double notches on the back!! Who knew?? I have progressed to the snip. I was taught to fold the pattern with fabric still pinned to the patter and cut the triangle out of the seam allowance. But I revised a couple of years ago that this was not giving me consistent marks. Thank you!!

ugh...I have been cutting the notch into the seam allowance...well, now I know! Thank you!

Every once in a while, I either try to cheat or just miss marking the notches. It is so nice to have your enjoyable lessons to review and reinforce the importance of paying attention and not cheating on the important things. In the case of double notches, I also use matching coloured pins to mark the backs of the pieces that are to be sewn together, before I remove the pattern tissue. It also helps a lot when the right and wrong sides of the fabric are hard to discern.

Definitely going to be trying the snip notch method, having suddenly become incapable of using scissors properly, so I don't have to struggle cutting out little triangles!

I loved this video! Such good content, as always. I have used all of the methods outlined in the video. Most often I use the nick method, but will mark over it if the fabric is difficult. While I was watching this video, I was putting together the side seam of a vintage blouse pattern I am making. I noted to myself how bad it would be to ignore the notches because the blouse seam is so straightforward. There is a small amount of ease right beside the bust. It would be easy to miss without notches, and would have ruined the look of the blouse entirely! Notches are important.

This is very helpful. I'm pretty new at sewing (clothing). I started a pair of linen pants and the online tutorial has the little snips for the notches (in their video). I was talking to a friend who is good at sewing and her advise to me was 'don't cut those little snips. You're too new. Mark with chalk'. On the first few pieces I had already cut the snips (very tiny). My fear was when finishing the edges I may lose them, but it all worked out. The rest of the pieces I've used chalk. I'm almost done. In future I will use the chalk but as I get better I will use a combo of chalk and the little snips. Thank you so much for this video.

You have given me such great information. I am excited to get started sewing a vest for my daughter's costume.

Quite interesting. I'm from Germany and I've learned sewing with Burda. I've never seen any triangles on their patterns. They mark notches with short lines. Since I only use their special copy paper for fabric, I never had the need to cut any notches. The copy paper is very useful for any kind of lines and darts.

Hi Evelyn, love your tutorials. I love the snip and mark idea. Also will start to cut v out of pattern, would make life so much easier. Also never knew what double v was, now I do. Thank you 🙂

In the Netherlands (Europe probably) the notches are marked with little T shapes standing inwards on the edge of the pattern. I always use a soft pencil to put them on the fabric.

I’ve recently started with a little snip into the seam allowance for notches, two snips for a double notch. And thanks for the extra tip, I didn’t realise the double notch was usually on the back piece. I’ll start watching for that now.

Love the nick with chalk❤ thank you - in my second career I am looking to up cycle clothes with new life…. First for myself and then maybe a business xx

As always, thank you so much!😄👏🏼

I love the hybrid notch, going to try that on my next project. Thank you so much for this series of "basic" sewing knowledge. It's amazing how much I have forgotten over the years.

I use pig ear notcher in my shop usually for vinyl or leather. Witness marks are super important. Especially if you're sewing a 110 long cushions

I've used a few paper patterns over the years but mostly I draft my own patterns these days. I then put little nicks as appropriate.

I never notice the notches before. I am glad I learned it because I am going to try to make some new sewing. I guess I would use the markings, to me is better then cutting.

Great tips-I also don't fold my pattern pieces away till I'm just about done. Just in case I missed some thing or want to measure some more. Yes those triangles are a pain to cut out! I was so pleased when I learned I didn't have to do them.

When my grandmother taught me she told me to stick the fabric and pattern under the foot and make a small zigzag line on zero so it doesn't move the feeders. It wastes a bit of thread but the fabrics not gonna move. She would just tap the foot like she was sewing a button. I should go see her sometime next month 🧵 ❤️ 🪡

Thank you Evelyn, I didn't know until recently the reason for the double notches in the back and only one notch in the front on patterns, even though i've been dressmaking for about 3 decades now! I like all your tutorials that you bring to your channel :-)

I started sewing bags and canvas last year but love your channel! Really top notch!

Hello Evelyn, thank you for sharing… the way I learned how to mark those noches was instead of cutting out wise, we would cut them inward…

As an American boy, I never learned to sew, when I would ask, I of coarse was told by my Mother, "No, boys don't sew"... I think they are afraid you will learn how to make gowns and become a drag queen, LOL! I love your video's, super helpful! I did teach myself how to sew, but not from patterns. Originally I taught myself because I had a vintage chair I wanted to recover it. I ended up upholstering a lot of vintage furniture, to which my Mother then wanted to know how I did it so well (you know, since she refused to teach me what she knew), jealousy is an ugly color on anyone, Ha!!! Maybe her fears were right, because I did end up being a gay guy, LOL, but her fears also fed my passions. I had asked a million times for a Ken, I knew better than to ask for a Barbie I would never get a Barbie, and I was always told, "No, boys don't play with dolls". Now as a 40+ adult, with adult money, I have a collection of about 600 vintage Barbies. Don't tell me no, I will make up for it later. I had ran out of vintage outfits to collect, having pretty much every outfit made for Barbie and Ken between 1959 to 1975. I found a vintage Barbie Advance pattern, which then made me think.. "I can make her something fierce"! Your video's on how to follow patterns were super helpful!!! Even though I am well aware of how to actually sew and how the machine works, following a pattern is not intuitive as it would seem. I see in the back ground of your video's vintage sewing machines... I would love you to do a video on the virtues of vintage machines over newer machines. I had a newer Singer that I had used for upholstery, when I tried to use this to make 1/6th scale clothes I had so many problems with the machine sucking the fabric in under the throat plate. An older neighbor lady helped, she said with fine fabrics and small seam allowances I should find an old straight stitch machine. The larger hole in the needle plate of newer machines needed for all those fancy built in stitches, most of which you never use, allows fine fabrics to just get sucked right into the machine and just causes problems. Older straight stitch machines have one tiny hole, just big enough for the needle to pass through. I bought a Singer 15-91 for $100, I did have to clean it up, but it is now a rare chance that I even turn on the newer machine. The 1940's Singer could sew circles around the much newer Singer, the stitches are even better, more accurate and from doing long stretches of upholstery, I got really good at not pinning and feeding the fabric through, but the newer machine I could slam to the ground, I could easily keep up... I am telling you, if I slammed down the vintage machine it would sew so fast an accurate, I wouldn't be able to keep up without pinning more often.

great tips and the nick notch i looove!!!!!

I would like to thank you for explain how important notches are and the different method is leve2 similar to level 3 I understand level 3 but I did not quite get level 2 I know level1: you make learning to sew such fun.I enjoy your skill videos, thank you once again bs

Love the tips on notches!

Great advice THANK YOU!!

Been sewing since I was 8 (54yrs) and have always just clipped/nicked 'notches' about 6mm in.

Excellent video!

I transfer notches by drawing them, although I never thought to cut into the pattern to make marking easier. I did wonder about the single vs double notches, and it's definitely going to be helpful going forward!

I'm on my first sewing project... I definitely am doing the chalk/pen only! Until I get a feel for how things go together I don't want to cut anything😅 I imagine in a couple projects I will definitely be doing the little snip and adding chalk if I struggle visually. Thanks for this vid🩵

Ooooh! Snip & mark! Great idea!!

Thank you for explaining the notches on a pattern. I absolutely love the outfit in the background.

Thank you Evelyn! I recently was cutting out a pattern that had those triangles. Ugh! I will try marking them because I have to admit, I have forgotten to notch and had to look at the pattern piece to figure out where the notch was supposed to be.

I'm so impressed by your fabric cutting skills. I always struggle with that step: cutting my fabric pieces from the pattern. I usually trace the shape on my fabric using the pattern and then cut it, but you seem to cut it directly, with the pattern just pinned on the fabric. Could you do a video about this?

Please make more of these videos on pattern reading! Loving them. I would love to see a video on how you drape on a mannequin, turn it into a pattern and then make it into a garment from beginning to finish!

Thanks for teaching this. It's something that is needed to show where the pieces need to meet, but as someone who has been sewing for awhile I just do my own thing and don't think about the notches anymore. Thinks for the reminder.

I've recently upgraded to cutting the notches in after seeing it on a KZfaq video and thinking...AHHH! GENIUS!🤣 Didn't know about the double versus single though, so thank you!

My mom taught me to nip at the triangle. If I have pieces that are very large I will do the triangle out so I dont miss it. Will try chalk to add to it!

My mother sewed. I had Home Ec in high school that included a part on sewing. So I have been a sewist for decades. At first I would cut those notches outward and that is a pain. Now I snip the notches. I also transfer all my multi-sized patterns onto paper in case I need another size at some point.

I didn’t know double noches meant for the back and single meant for the front of pattern. Thank you 🤗

I appreciate how straightforward this was for someone like me who didn't even know patterns had notches sometimes. :D

I do the snips in the seam allowance, for exactly the reasons you noted - it’s easier, and it’s more precise. If a fabric is prone to fraying I might also mark it with my fabric pen so I don’t lose track of the location. I do snips in the seam allowance for all notches, match lines, and dart legs. The latter makes it SO much easier to line up darts accurately!

I had no idea about the double notch that makes SO much sense

If something requires really precise sewing (especially curves) I like to mark the notch right across the seam line itself so I know exactly where the seams should match at that point - not where the cut edge needs to meet. I use chalk or an erasable marker or, sometimes, pins. I'll use, say, green-headed pins for any other pinning and red-headed pins for notches so they jump out at me.

Good idea nick and mark as i lose them sometimes using overclocker . Thanks hun xx

Great tips! I always just cut them out (sweating the whole time) nice to know that there are other ways!