Sewing Pattern Size Highlighter Beta
Multi-size PDF patterns without layers print every size on top of each other. Pick the lines of your size, and Corbula adds a coloured highlight along them. The original lines and markings stay as they are, and so does the printed scale.
Drop a PDF pattern here
or
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The demonstration sheet is synthetic test content, not a usable garment pattern.
How to highlight your size
- Open your PDF pattern with Choose a PDF, or drop it on the box above. It is read on your device and never uploaded.
- Find your size’s line. Point at a line to see exactly which stroke would be picked. Click (or tap) to add it, and click again to remove it.
- Where several lines overlap, a small panel lists them. Hover over each entry to see it outlined, then add the one you want.
- Optionally use Suggest similar strokes to find other lines drawn in the same style. Review the dashed suggestions before adding them.
- Use Preview download to see the finished file, then Download PDF.
- Print at Actual size / 100% and measure the pattern’s test square before cutting.
What PDFs work
- Works: PDF patterns whose lines are vector paths, which covers most patterns exported from design software. All sizes may share one layer or have no layers at all.
- Works with notes: pages that mix images and vector lines (only the vector lines are selectable), and PDFs that already have layers (you may be able to hide sizes in your PDF reader instead).
- Doesn’t work: scanned or image-only pages, since there are no lines to select, only pixels. Password-protected PDFs don’t work either; open them with the password and save an unprotected copy, if your pattern’s licence allows that. Encrypted PDFs with editing restrictions can be viewed but not downloaded with highlights.
Limitations
- Corbula does not detect sizes automatically. You choose the lines, and “Suggest similar strokes” only matches drawing style (colour, width, dash), which is a hint, not proof.
- The other sizes stay in the file. The highlight marks your line; it doesn’t delete or fade the rest.
- A line is selected as one continuous drawn piece (a subpath). If the pattern drew several sizes as one piece, they are selected together.
- Lines drawn through soft masks or clipped by text can’t be reproduced exactly and are refused. Filled shapes (for example solid arrowheads) aren’t selectable.
- Pages with an extremely large number of paths are shown, but selection is turned off for them.
- Corbula has been tested on synthetic pattern-like files. Commercial patterns vary, so check the preview before printing.
Questions
Is my pattern uploaded anywhere?
No. The PDF is read, displayed and rewritten by code running in your browser. After the page has loaded you can even disconnect from the internet and keep working.
Will the printed pattern still be the right size?
Yes, if you print at Actual size / 100%. Corbula adds highlight strokes on top of the original page without changing its size, position, rotation or contents. Always measure the test square on the printout.
How is this different from a layered PDF?
A layered pattern lets your PDF reader hide whole sizes. This tool is for patterns without layers. It doesn’t hide anything; it draws a clear coloured band along the lines you pick so that your size stands out.
Why can’t I select a line?
The line may be part of an image (scanned patterns), a filled shape rather than a stroke, or on a hidden layer. The notes in the File panel explain what was found on each page.
Can I highlight several sizes in different colours?
Not in one pass yet. Download the file with one highlighted size, open that file again, and highlight the next size in another colour.