Reply To: pattern size numbers on pattern

[the_professors_assistantKeymaster]

the length or shorten here is just indicating the area of where you should lengthen or shorten the pattern if you need to. If you do not need to make any alterations, then you can just ignore this. To shorten just fold up across the line. If you need to shorten 1″, then fold up 1/2″ because the when you fold it up, it’s automatically doubles. To lengthen, you can cut on this line, tape a piece of tissue paper to the bottom of the top portion. On the tissue paper mark down how much you want to extend it, then tape the bottom portion of the pattern to your mark on the tissue paper. I do have a tutorial demonstrating this on our site, but it’s part of our premium membership. https://www.professorpincushion.com/professorpincushion/lengthen-or-shorten-pattern/
The arrows pointing to the lines with sizes next to them are pointing to the cutting lines. You just have to find your size, follow the arrow up to the line and that will be your cutting line for that size. If you look at this tutorial https://www.professorpincushion.com/professorpincushion/mccalls-pattern-6690/ at timecode 04:17, you’ll see one of my patterns with arrows. Does that help or is your example way different?