Projecting sewing patterns on your phone or tablet

Projecting sewing patterns lets you cut fabric directly from a projected image, without printing or taping paper.

This guide walks through the full process step by step — from setting up your projector to calibrating and adjusting your pattern inside Sewsy.

Step 1: Set up your projector

First, physically set up your projector so it points at your cutting surface. 

• Mount it on the ceiling (most stable option)
• Or place it on a tripod

Turn the projector on and make sure it is displaying an image.

Before continuing, confirm:

• The projector is powered on
• You can see a projected image

Connecting wirelessly (recommended)

Most modern projectors let you show your phone or tablet screen wirelessly. This means whatever you see on your device will appear on the projector.

On iPhone or iPad

1. Turn on your projector.
2. On your iPhone or iPad, swipe down from the top-right corner of the screen.
3. This opens Control Center.
4. Tap Screen Mirroring.
5. Select your projector from the list.

After a moment, your phone or tablet screen should appear on the projector.

On Android

1. Turn on your projector.
2. Swipe down from the top of the screen to open Quick Settings.
3. Look for Cast, Screen Share, or Smart View.
4. Tap it and select your projector.

If you see your home screen projected, the connection worked.

If you don’t see your projector listed, make sure both your device and the projector are connected to the same Wi-Fi network.

Step 2: Open your pattern in Sewsy

1. Open Sewsy on your phone or tablet.
2. On the Home screen, choose Projector pattern.
   
3. Choose your PDF sewing pattern from Files, iCloud Drive, or Google Drive.

Step 3: Choose a calibration method

Calibration ensures your projected pattern is the correct size. This only takes a minute or two.

Option A: Use a cutting mat (easiest for most people)

This is the fastest and simplest method if you have a cutting mat.

Option B: Use a measuring tape

If you don’t have a cutting mat, you can measure the projected lines using a tape measure.

Step 4A: Calibrate using a cutting mat

1. Place your cutting mat on the floor or table.
2. On the projected image, drag the four corner handles to align with a section of your mat.
3. Use the largest area of the mat possible for best accuracy.
4. Enter the mat’s width and height.
5. Tap Save.

Your projection is now calibrated.

Step 4B: Calibrate using a measuring tape

If you don’t have a cutting mat, you can still calibrate your projector using a measuring tape or ruler.

This method takes a little longer but works just as well.

1. When prompted, choose Use a measuring tape.
2. Sewsy will project several straight lines onto your surface.
3. Measure each line carefully using a tape measure or ruler.
4. Enter the measurement shown on your tape into the app.
5. Repeat for each line until all measurements are entered.
6. Tap Save when finished.

Once saved, your projection will be scaled correctly.

Step 5: Adjust display and pattern options

Once your pattern loads, you can customize how it looks on the projector.

Top toolbar options

• Layers – choose which sizes or layers are visible
• Transform – rotate, flip horizontally, or flip vertically
• Display Options – adjust line color, line weight, or darken lines
• Grid – toggle the calibration grid on or off

Step 6: Zoom and navigate the pattern

In the bottom-left corner of the screen, you’ll see the zoom control.

• Tap to zoom to 100%, 200%, or fit to screen
• Use pinch gestures to zoom in and out
• Toggle the mini-map to help find where you are on large patterns

Step 7: Saved settings and recalibration

Sewsy remembers your setup automatically:

• Calibration is saved between sessions
• Your position in the pattern is saved
• Selected layers, colors, and transforms are remembered

If you move your projector or want to recalibrate, tap Recalibrate at any time.