Tools Reference

Complete reference for all tools in the pattern editor.

Selection Tools

Select Tool (V)

Primary tool for selecting and manipulating elements.

• Click to select points/shapes
• Drag to select multiple points (box selection)
• Click+drag selected points to move them
• Hold Option/Alt and click on a shape to duplicate it
• Hold Shift to switch to Transform tool
• Grid Snapping: Always uses fine grid (1cm/0.25inch) for moving

Multi-Select

• Hold Shift and click to add/remove from selection
• Select multiple shapes to move together
• Edit properties of multiple shapes at once

Transform Tool (M)

Move, scale, and rotate entire shapes with a visual transform box.

• Click and drag inside shape to move
• Drag corner handles to scale proportionally
• Drag edge handles to scale non-proportionally
• Drag rotation handle (above shape) to rotate freely
• Click outside a shape to switch back to Select tool

Modifier Keys

• Hold Shift while scaling corners for non-proportional scaling
• Hold Shift while rotating to snap to 45° increments

Transform Box

• Blue outline shows bounding box around selected shape(s)
• White square handles at corners and edges for scaling
• Circular handle with stem at top for rotation
• Dimensions label shows current width × height

Drawing Tools

Pen Tool (P)

Draw custom shapes by clicking to add points.

• Click to add straight line segments
• Click + drag to create bezier curves for smooth curves
• Close shape by clicking on the first point
• Hold Alt for quick access to Arc tool
• Grid Snapping:
  • When zoomed out (large grid visible): snaps to 5cm/1inch grid
  • When zoomed in (small grid visible): snaps to 1cm/0.25inch grid

Arc Tool (C)

Create curved lines by converting straight segments to arcs.

• Click on a line segment to select it
• Move cursor to adjust curve amount
• Click to confirm the curve
• Creates smooth curved edges between points
• Great for rounded corners and organic shapes

Add Point Tool (A)

Add new vertices to existing shapes.

• Click on any line to add a point
• New point appears at click location
• Allows adding detail to existing shapes
• Useful for refining shapes after initial creation

Remove Point Tool (E)

Delete vertices from shapes.

• Click on a point to remove it
• Surrounding lines automatically reconnect
• Cannot remove points if it would leave fewer than 3 points
• Helps simplify shapes

Shape Tools

Rectangle Tool (R)

Create rectangular shapes quickly.

• Click and drag to define rectangle
• Hold Shift for perfect squares
• Snaps to grid based on zoom level
• Ideal for panels and basic shapes

Circle Tool (O)

Create circular shapes.

• Click to set center point
• Move cursor to adjust radius
• Click again to create the circle
• Hold Shift for perfect circles
• Snaps to grid based on zoom level

Line Tool (L)

Create straight line segments (not closed shapes).

• Click to set start point
• Click again to set end point
• Creates a standalone line element
• Useful for grain lines and reference marks
• Can add text labels along the line

Editing Tools

Paint Brush Tool (B)

Assign fabrics to pattern pieces.

• Select a fabric in the Fabrics section of sidebar first
• Click on shapes to apply the selected fabric
• Changes fill color in Material Mode
• Helps visualize fabric placement
• Essential for multi-material projects

Notch Tool (N)

Add notch markers to pattern edges.

• Click on any line to add a notch marker
• Notches help align pieces during assembly
• Visible in both editor and exports
• Standard pattern-making alignment marks
• Multiple notches can be added to same line

Fold Line Tool (F)

Mark fold lines for 3D visualization.

• Click two points to create a fold line
• Defines how pattern folds in 3D mode
• Shown as dashed line on pattern
• Essential for 3D preview accuracy
• Multiple fold lines can exist per piece

Slice Tool (J)

Cut pattern pieces along custom lines to split them into separate shapes.

• Click on any two edges of a shape to define a slice line
• Hover over edges shows a sky-colored dot preview of where the cut point will be placed
• Multiple slice lines can be added to a single shape
• Slice endpoints can be placed on other existing slice lines (e.g., from a corner to the center of another slice)
• Supports curved edges and bezier lines
• Slice lines turn yellow on hover with the select tool
• Slice endpoint dots can be dragged along their edge to reposition them
• Click "Slice Shape" in the sidebar to execute all slice lines at once

Slice Settings (Sidebar)

• Start/End position sliders (0–100%) with variable support for each slice line
• Delete individual slice lines
• Color-coded region preview shown on canvas with complementary Tailwind colors
• Slice names: rename each resulting piece before slicing
• Sliced pieces are automatically grouped under the original shape name
• Slice lines are shown on both active and inactive shapes

Dart Tool (D)

Add dart markers to pattern pieces for shaping.

• Click on any line/edge to place a dart
• Dart width and depth adjustable in sidebar
• Darts fold in 3D view when dart fold is enabled
• Multiple darts per shape supported
• Dart positions can be adjusted by dragging

Seam Allowance Tool (S)

Add and adjust seam allowances on pattern edges.

• Click edges to select them for seam allowance adjustment
• Double-click an edge to exclude/include it from seam allowance
• Per-edge seam allowance width in sidebar
• Global seam allowance can be set on the shape
• Visual preview shows the allowance offset

Measure Tool (U)

Measure distances between points on the canvas.

• Click two points to measure the distance between them
• Snaps to shape points for precision
• Press Escape to clear all measurements
• Displays measurements in current unit (cm/in)

Hardware Tools

Webbing / Strap Tool (Y)

Draw webbing straps and hardware attachment points on pattern pieces.

• Click to place strap waypoints along desired path
• Double-click or press Enter to finish the strap
• Click an existing strap to select it
• Adjustable strap width in sidebar
• Material types: webbing, grosgrain, elastic, daisy-chain, binding
• Add stitch marks (bartack, box-x, straight) along the strap
• Fold ends for hardware attachment loops
• Assign fabrics for color/texture

Cord / Elastic Tool (Q)

Draw cord and elastic routing paths through hardware points.

• Click to place cord guide/anchor points
• Double-click or press Enter to finish
• Cord follows a smooth catenary curve between points
• Adjust global tension (0 = fully slack, 1 = fully taut)
• Per-segment tension overrides available
• Cord types: shock-cord, paracord, drawcord, elastic, bungee
• Adjustable thickness (mm) and color
• Closed loop option for continuous cord runs

Tent Pattern Generator

Generate tent and shelter pattern pieces from parametric dimensions.

• Select base shape: Triangle, Rectangle, Pentagon, or Hexagon
• Set width, length, and apex height
• Adjust apex position (X/Y percentage)
• Interactive plan view with draggable corners and apex
• 3D preview of the tent shape
• Flat pattern preview showing all unfolded panels
• Generates floor + panel pieces with correct connections
• Panel-to-panel ridge connections for sewing
• Auto-computes 3D vertex positions for accurate tent preview

Fabric Drape

Add realistic fabric billow to the 3D preview. Toggle in the 3D viewer (bottom-left button) or set per-shape in Sidebar → 3D Settings.

• Global slider (1–100) controls drape intensity for all shapes
• Per-shape override: set individual pieces flat (0) or custom amount
• Edges stay flush at seams; only interior fabric billows
• Multi-scale noise creates organic wrinkles, not a single smooth bulge
• Group children, zippers, and hardware follow the draped surface automatically

See Piece Properties → Fabric Drape for full details.

Annotation Tools

Text Tool (T)

Add text labels to your pattern.

• Click on canvas to create a text box
• Type directly in the WYSIWYG editor
• Drag the grip handle (left) to move text
• Drag the resize handle (right) to set fixed width
• Double-click resize handle to auto-fit width to text

Text Options :

• Font size: H1, H2, Subtitle, Body, Caption

• Font family: Sans or Mono

• Color: Auto (theme-dependent), or choose from palette

• Opacity: Adjustable transparency

• Text alignment: Left, Center, Right

• Rotation: Rotate in 45° increments

• Multiline text supported

• Text appears in exports (SVG, PDF)

Comment Tool (K)

Add collaboration notes and annotations.

• Click to place comment marker
• Edit text content in popup
• Toggle visibility in preview mode
• Lock/unlock to prevent accidental editing
• Useful for construction notes and reminders
• Includes timestamp and username

Image Tool (I)

Add reference images to your pattern.

• Click to upload and place an image
• Drag corners to resize
• Drag to reposition
• Upload images to trace or reference
• Useful for converting sketches to patterns

Tool Tips

Grid Snapping

Most drawing tools snap to grid:

• Coarse grid (5cm/1inch) when zoomed out
• Fine grid (1cm/0.25inch) when zoomed in
• Hold Shift while drawing to disable snapping temporarily

Tool Switching

• Use keyboard shortcuts for fastest tool switching
• Click dropdown arrows in toolbar to access grouped tools
• Recently used tool in each group appears as main button
• Tool settings persist between switches

Mobile Usage

• Some tools have simplified behavior on touchscreens
• Bezier editing uses dedicated buttons on mobile
• Preview lines may be hidden on mobile for clarity
• Long-press gestures enable additional functions

Keyboard Shortcuts

Quick reference for all tool shortcuts:

Tool	Shortcut	Icon
Select	V
Transform	M
Pen	P
Arc	C
Add Point	A
Remove Point	E
Rectangle	R
Circle	O
Line	L
Paint Brush	B
Notch	N
Fold Line	F
Dart	D
Slice	J
Seam Allowance	S
Measure	U
Webbing	Y
Cord	Q
Text	T
Comment	K
Image	I

Related Features

• Point Editing - Advanced point manipulation techniques
• Piece Properties - Configure shape settings
• Material Mode - Visualize fabric assignments
• 3D Mode - Preview with fold lines