Zippers & Hardware
When drafting openings for closures, the seam allowances and edge margins must be calculated based on the specific type of hardware you plan to install. Drafting the wrong seam allowance width or failing to leave proper hardware clearance can cause zippers to buckle or allow metal fasteners to show on the finished garment edge.
Fastener Extensions
When designing front or back button closures, the pattern draft must account for both functional overlap and geometric button placement. A common beginner error is adding an extension without understanding where the Center Front line sits, which leads to misaligned closures or garments that gap open during movement.
Buttons & Buttonholes
While buttons and buttonholes may look like simple finishing details, improper spacing, wrong orientation, or incorrect sizing can cause plackets to gap open, collar bands to choke, or buttonholes to stretch out prematurely.
Facings & Edge Finishes
Every edge of your patterns must be finished in some way. Most of them will be finished by sewing one edge to another, such as a side seam or center back seam.