How to play
A commission, step by step
Ring the bell on the counter to call the next client. From there, the path is always the same:
- Hear the request. Each commission has requirements: a minimum quality, style tag values (for example Romantic: 60), fabric or colour rules and a budget.
- Measure the client. Hold the tape measure over the guide lines for bust, waist and hips. Measurements are saved: next time you can just confirm.
- Design in the sketchbook. Pick a bodice, collar, sleeves and skirt, drag fabric and accessory swatches onto the page and watch each tag bar move. When it all looks right, press Draft Pattern.
- Buy fabric. At the shop (The International Emporium) you buy by the metre. The sketchbook shows roughly how many metres you need.
- Size the mannequin to the client's measurements, in the sizing room.
- Cut. At the cutting table, lay the pattern pieces on the fabric, align the grain and cut.
- Sew. Put the pieces on the mannequin and sew each seam on the machine, following the line.
- Decorate. Buttons, bows, jewels, appliqué and trims, wherever you like.
- Photograph and hand in. After the photo you hand in the commission; later you can also sell the dress off-rack or gift it to a client.
You don't have to follow the order strictly: you can jump between the sketchbook, the shop, the cutting table and the mannequin at any time (for example, to buy fabric before pressing Draft Pattern).
Where quality comes from
Quality is one of the requirements of almost every commission. Three things feed into it:
Measurements
Correct client and mannequin measurements. According to the community they are worth 20 points: if the panel shows under 20 quality at the cutting table, the mannequin is off and it is best to restart before cutting.
Grain
Each pattern piece has a double arrow. Rotate the piece until the arrow turns green (100%) before cutting. Cutting off-grain (or on the bias) is allowed but lowers quality.
Sewing
Follow the line on the machine; the meter stays green while you are on track. If you slip, R restarts only the current piece. Sewing well afterwards also brings the percentage back up.
100% quality
For the 99 Problems But A Stitch Ain't One achievement, community guides say the mannequin may show 100% even when the measurements are 0.1 or 0.2 off: match the exact numbers, cut everything at 100% grain and sew cleanly.
Handy controls
The game is played with the mouse. These shortcuts come from the build 443 notes and community guides; some changed in that update and may change again.
| Where | Action | Control |
|---|---|---|
| Cutting table | Rotate the pattern piece | Mouse wheel or arrows |
| Cutting table | Unroll more or less fabric | A / D or arrows |
| Cutting table | Pan the view | Drag, or mouse wheel with scissors selected |
| Sewing machine | Sew | Space, right mouse button or mouse wheel |
| Sewing machine | Speed | W (faster) / S (slower) |
| Sewing machine | Restart the piece | R |
| Sewing machine | Thread colour | Click the spools |
| Mannequin | Zoom | Ctrl + mouse wheel |
| Mannequin | Pan the view | Right mouse button + drag |
| Mannequin | Place the same accessory repeatedly | Shift + click |
| Mannequin | Rotate the gizmo in the accessory's frame | Hold Ctrl |
| Sizing room | Adjust the mannequin gears | Mouse wheel or arrow keys |
Options that help
Sewing Assist
Turns the fabric for you as you sew. The achievements guide says there is no penalty; slow down on tight corners, where the assist sometimes turns early or late.
Fast Trim Placement
Added in build 443: places trim with far less clicking, for speed and accessibility.
Accessory Rotation Gizmo
Gives you rotation on all three axes for fine decorations; since build 443 it also has buttons to nudge the accessory.
Less Animation, red outline and bloom
Build 443 added an option to cut animations (scrolling textures and zoom in the sewing and cutting scenes), one to turn off the red outline and one for bloom.