Add Alignment Marks Tool

What it Does

Adds small marks along a line or curve, on every size of a grading set at once. You can add a series of marks at even distances, or a single mark at one distance. When you sew two pattern pieces together, you match their marks so the seam lines up. The marks can have colors and numbers, which makes it easy to see which marks belong together. Use this tool for long seams, where a few marks along the way keep both pieces from drifting apart.

To learn more about alignment marks, see Pattern Markings & Annotations in the Academy.

How to Use

1. Select a pattern set with the Activate Base Pattern tool.
2. Activate the tool by clicking the Add Alignment Marks icon.
3. Select a line or curve on the base pattern.
4. Choose the type. Series of marks adds marks at even distances along the line. Single mark adds one mark. Series of marks is selected at first. Then select Continue. The marks are added on the matching line of every size.
5. The two ends of the line are listed. Select the end to measure from. Hover over a name in the list to see that point in the workspace.

Series of Marks

1. If you have made alignment marks before, you can choose them from the Copy settings from existing marks list. This fills in the distance, start number and style for you, and you can still change them.
2. Enter the Distance Between the marks.
3. To number the marks, enter the Start Number. Leave it at 0 for no numbers.
4. Select a color/style for the marks.
5. Select Preview to see the marks.

Single Mark

1. Enter the Distance From End, which is how far along the line the mark goes. You can type a number or a formula. A formula is worked out on each size.
2. To number the mark, enter the Number. Leave it at 0 for no number.
3. Select a color/style for the mark.
4. Select Preview to see the mark.

Saving

1. Select Show All Sizes to see the marks on the other sizes. The button changes to Show Base Only.
2. Select Save to keep the marks and return to showing only the base, or Cancel to abort.

info

For a series of marks, the distance is the same on every size, so a longer line on a larger size gets more marks, with the numbering continuing the same way. For a single mark, a number is used as is on every size, and a formula is worked out on each size's own lines. If a size's line runs the opposite way to the base line, the marks still measure from the same end of the pattern.

info

If the line cannot be found on some sizes, a message lists the sizes that were skipped. For a single mark, a message also lists any size where the distance does not fit on the line.

tip

On the two pieces, measure from the matching end of the seam and use the same distance. Then the marks will line up when the pieces are sewn together.