icon-background-square
New
New
Year 3

Fabric patterns and seam allowance

I can plan and create fabric patterns.

icon-background-square
New
New
Year 3

Fabric patterns and seam allowance

I can plan and create fabric patterns.

warning

These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.

Switch to our new teaching resources now - designed by teachers and leading subject experts, and tested in classrooms.

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Fabric patterns are paper shapes that are used to cut fabric for textile products.
  2. A seam is where two pieces of fabric are sewn together.
  3. Seam allowance is the extra fabric between the stitching and the edge, allowing for sewing.

Keywords

  • Fabric pattern - a paper template that shows the shapes needed to cut from fabric

  • Seam - a line of stitching that joins pieces of fabric together

  • Seam allowance - extra fabric between the stitching and the edge, allowing for room to sew

Common misconception

Fabric patterns are the same size as the product dimensions.

A seam allowance must be added to allow for joining; retaining the product dimesions.


To help you plan your year 3 design and technology lesson on: Fabric patterns and seam allowance, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

A pre-made pattern is available in the additional materials document.
speech-bubble
Teacher tip
equipment-required

Equipment

Please see additional materials document for a list of resources needed in this lesson.

copyright

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

Loading...

6 Questions

Q1.
Which of these materials is commonly used to make clothes?
wood
Correct answer: cotton
paper
metal
Q2.
Which natural material comes from this animal?
An image in a quiz
cotton
silk
linen
Correct answer: wool
Q3.
Which of these fabrics is made from threads that come from a type of worm?
polyester
Correct answer: silk
wool
cotton
Q4.
Which of these fabrics is stretchy?
Correct answer: lycra
linen
denim
hessian
Q5.
Which process is used to turn threads into textiles?
sewing
dyeing
cutting
Correct answer: weaving
Q6.
What does the word 'synthetic' mean?
natural
shiny
Correct answer: man-made
stretchy

5 Questions

Q1.
Which pencil case is this template for?
An image in a quiz
An image in a quiz
An image in a quiz
Correct Answer: An image in a quiz
An image in a quiz
An image in a quiz
Q2.
What is a seam allowance?
a line of stitches
a pattern piece
Correct answer: extra space allowed for joining
a template
Q3.
How big is a typical seam allowance?
15 cm
Correct answer: 15 mm
150 mm
5 cm
Q4.
Which pencil cases would fit a 180 mm pencil inside?
150 mm length
Correct answer: 190 mm length
135 mm length
Correct answer: 200 mm length
Q5.
Why do we need seams in clothing?
Correct answer: to hold fabric pieces together
to make clothes look colourful
to cut fabric into shapes
to glue fabric together

Additional material

Download additional material