I never make a tissue pattern for the purses, I just cut the dimensions required with my rotary cutter and mat. I appreciate not dealing with the tissue patterns, but I do agree commercial patterns of all kinds are very vague, and hard to understand sometimes. I would hate to be a beginner, trying to guess what the heck thay are talking about. I have found that Halloween costume patterns are the worst. I think it is very unwise of the pattern companies to be so vague in ther costume pattern instructions, as many beginners start out making a Halloween costume and then decide if sewing is that confusing, they want no part of it.