Valentina and computer drafting systems

[Gatto]

Terri, hallo !

I did donwload Valentina.
I am not used to cad designing.
Where did you start to study it  ? You just practice or did you find Youtube tutorial ?
I saw the  Valentina's page on Wikipedia, where there are a bit of instructions .
Any suggestion on where I could start my studies ?

Thanks,
Andrea

[TTailor]

I watched as many of the youtube videos as I could, and I still go back and watch more.

I also was learning inkscape which is like Illustrator. I learned many things there that are used in Valentina.

I have many years of pattern making already, so I am not trying to learn Valentina and pattern making.
Valentina does not teach how to make patterns, just how to use software to make patterns

[Voncarlos]

Terri, that looks really good !
It looks like you found how to do dashed lines. 

It will take me a very long time to reach your level as I have too many projects under my belt.
I'm really only interested in learning about pattern making and not creating various patterns or using for a business.

As much as I like using computers in a creative way, they have a hard time replacing the beautiful tactile feeling of working with paper and pencil. It's very rewarding and almost "zen." A perfect balance of left and right brain.

If I may, I would like to offer a few more computer tips. Of course, I don't know your level of computer familiarity.

1. Windows or Mac, both are equal theses days in what they can do and in their frustration. However, Macs are superior in the Graphics world, very intuitive. CAD is better on Windows.

2. Save separate copies of your working file often. And change the file name each time, i.e., file_01.jpg to file_02.jpg. If your file should become corrupted, you'll have various versions to fall back on without losing all your work.

3. Back-up all your created-working files on a separate hard drive or zip not connected to your computer and to a cloud storage site, i.e., Google, icloud, Onedrive, etc.

Short story: I know of someone who works with passion, with immense knowledge, in a field not unlike the "the fashion industry," "violin making," or any such endeavor where the collected knowledge is kept hidden from one to another. I'm sure this is a holdover from the days of medieval European guilds. This person was writing an instruction book and was almost finished. They did not make backups to separate drives, their computer was hacked with ransomware and all was lost. Obviously they were deflated over this and have made no attempt to restart the project. It is a terrible loss to lose this immense knowledge. The End.

Re: Valentina and Seamly2D.

I think Seamly2D is a non-functioning site these days, as I cannot get any links to work on it's main page and it points to using Valentina.
I like what the person behind Seamly2D is doing in similar fields. Seams to be a very forward, progressive thinking person. Yaaaaaa!

Opps ! Looks like there are a couple of sites to get Seamly2D and I saw below that Terri (thanks) listed a site . So it is available, but on my Windows computer it only works with a 64 bit operating system. Tried it first on a 32 bit and it wouldn't load.

I received a notice from Valentina that there is a manual in English in various formats for 20 euros.
They have a private group Facebook page available.
They have their own YouTube videos here: https://www.youtube.com/c/ValentinaProjectTutorials/featured
They are also available on their Facebook group page, under the media tab.
Unfortunately there is no dialogue. I suggest turning the video playback speed down to make it easier to see whats going on.
And I also recommend opening up a file that can be trashed. Open it and click on all the various tools and features even though you don't understand what they do, just go through them and see what happens. Then there's no worry of destroying a good file.

Forgot to add, they have a very good wiki that lists all the tools, what they do and how to use them. https://valentinawiki.miraheze.org/wiki/Tools_in_Valentina#Point_at_distance_and_angle

Again, cheers

[Gatto]

Terri, sorry for the misunderstanding.
I did not ask you how to draft patterns,  but  suggestions on how I could learn to use the software.
Thanks again.
Andrea

[TTailor]

Terri, sorry for the misunderstanding.
I did not ask you how to draft patterns,  but  suggestions on how I could learn to use the software.
Thanks again.
Andrea

My apologies!

I think the youtube channel is really helpful, although it is silent.
There is a one hour video of a tailor making a trousers pattern, also helpful to watch was minimalist machinist on you tube.
Some videos are people who dont know patternmaking well, but know how to use software, others are the opposite.
I believe I found a user manual for Seamly 2D https://wiki.seamly.net/wiki/Main_Pageand there is a seamly forum that is runninghttps://forum.seamly.net/ you can join and look through all the questions and answers there. They are very helpful.

Other than that I have no easy answer.
I just keep trying.
I also made tests by making squares and different shape and trying to use the tools to see what each of them did.
It does get easier. I still have much to learn.
Some aspects of the tools I prefer to use by eye (drawing curves) rather than use settings to control them- and that is because right now, its too much effort to understand mathematiclly how to set a curve when making it by my eye is fine.

[Gatto]

Thank you very much, Terri.
I saw that on the web there are more things about Seamly then about Valentina.
I am at the very beginning and I also start to design squares.
It will be a long way !!!
Thanks again and keep in touch !
Andrea

[Voncarlos]

I think these programs are at the doorstep of pattern making dominance.
I would like to list them here to help others discover and try them out. I have no affiliation or connection to either one.
I was able to download Seamly2D and have it opened here. This is the default way it opened, with it's measuring app, SeamlyMe, in the background.
I tried opening the program on my 32-bit Windows operating system, but it would not. I then tried it on a 64-bit Windows operating system and that was successful.



Here next is the program Valentina as it opens, with it's measuring app in the foreground. This is also installed on a 64-bit OS.

[posaune]

Very good progress, Terri! Congratulations! You will see you will be fixed by it.
lg
posaune

[Voncarlos]

I started working with Valentina and created the back piece for a jacket using the Rundschau Cutting System (1964ed).
I then switched to Seamly2d and worked my way through it from start to finish.
They seem similar, although I've spent only a couple of days working with them.
If you get stuck with a problem, I recommend using the search in their forum page.

[TTailor]

I am going to try to download seamly2d again.
Not sure why my imac didnt want to open it previously.

[Voncarlos]

I am going to try to download seamly2d again.
Not sure why my imac didnt want to open it previously.

Terri, I'm sure there are folks on the Seamly forum page that could help with your install if there is a problem.
I know I've seen a few posts there asking about MacOS problems.
You should have an "install log" that will list the insult to the OS.

[Voncarlos]

Of the many hats I've worn in life, one as a Graphics Design/Desktop Publishing dude, I learned the "dual-monitor" setup is the way to go and never looked back.
I would always drag all my toolbars off the working screen.
I'm happy to see that with Seamly2D you can do so, and increase your working size board.
Here's a pic to see. In case folks didn't know.

[Schneiderfrei]

I am trying to download Seamly2d but I get an error page, says the download site does not exist.  What am I doing wrong??

G

[Voncarlos]

I am trying to download Seamly2d but I get an error page, says the download site does not exist.  What am I doing wrong??
G

Yes, there are some problems with the links on the main webpage, I think it's being remodeled.
Here is the page where I got it.
https://github.com/FashionFreedom/Seamly2D/releases

[TTailor]

re the opposite.
I believe I found a user manual for Seamly 2D https://wiki.seamly.net/wiki/Main_Pageand there is a seamly forum that is running  https://forum.seamly.net/
you can join and look through all the questions and answers there. They are very helpful.

Try the link to the forum, and i believe at the top of the page there is a link to the current release of the software.
It seams that the website is under construction?