Seemingly Repetitive Pattern Practice

With over 250 pattern blocks to draft in Connie Amaden Crawfords book "Patternmaking Made Easy" and a desire to start work as a fully trained patternmaker, I was tempted to skip doing the pattern blocks that looked a lot like the previous ones I'd already drafted from earlier in the manual. My recommendation, don't skip anything. I felt a little bad about the temptation to skip these seemingly repetitive practice pieces so I did them anyway and I have to say, there's something very important about doing this, a few things actually. They are:

1. it helps to crystallize techniques in their different forms and usages
2. this helps you to remember them better
3. this also creates more confidence in your abilities to a degree of almost comfort

So no matter what comes my way with Connie's book, I'm going to do it because it's all for the best.

Now the bad thing here is that I started this blog post almost a month ago, I get times like that because I've been in the middle of having to make some cash while struggling to learn patternmaking. Unfortunately, my cash cow (a skinny, anorexic thing it is) is my freelance article writing and it's been soaking up my time like a dry sponge on a hot day. So I've had to hang onto my hopes and dreams with a mere thread of perseverance. (I always do that, I'm working toward better days)I do wish I could get paid to teach myself patternmaking though, anybody know how that can happen?? Any way, I've just opened up my first facebook shop this morning, where I'm selling the first of my free to sell ebooks on art and craft related subjects. Check it out: "28 Fashion Templates" The-Free-To-Sell-Renaissance-Arts-Crafts-Shop

Or if you'd like to order Connie's book to learn pattern making (I highly recommend this over all other patternmaking books) you can get it through my fashion squidoo lens at: Budget Online Fashion Design Schools and Resources

Tell Yourself You Can Teach Yourself Patternmaking No Matter What

Improvise, Compromise and Keep Thinking and Working

I was working on my patternmaking studies on the kitchen table, a couple months went by and the surface of the table never saw the light of day. Was my husband happy about it, no way, he didn't say anything if he seen me working on the patterns, but not having a place to comfortably eat is not okay.

So my patternmaking came to a dead stop more or less, learning how to do it was left up to the desire in my head while I struggled with my article writing. Quite frankly making me more depressed as time goes on. I would love just to focus on learning patternmaking and make oodles more money from that later on. That's my hope and part of my dream, but not convenient reality.

I had this little motto running around in my head, echoing at me through lost time, "you make time for the things that are important to you..." and Shawn Connery's line from the Rock, "Losers always whine about their best..." Don't you just hate that? But it's true I guess. So what did I do, took me a couple more painful sad months to think of the idea. I took 4 boxes and an about 3.5' x 3.5' piece of laminate board and laid it on top, viola! I've got my worktable. Than I thought I might be able to get started getting serious with my patternmaking studies. No more having to set it all up and then putting it all away.

It didn't work out, I still had no time, I needed another table for my patternmaking supplies as well as my art supplies so I stacked another 2 boxes and laid my brother's framed Chinese painting over it, voila! Another table. This spare bedroom is now my studio too. I still had no luck with my time though, so another few months went by and I hadn't yet been able to get back to my patternmaking.

This is basically what I've got to deal with, regular family housework, keeping up with appointments so I can take care of my little sister, feeding (including breastfeeding my daughter at any time of day or night), changing, dressing and consoling my two little kids, taking care of my 4 cats, shopping, article writing (not so great source of income) and then find the time to do other things, like reading or patternmaking.... "NOT" happening, especially with 5 hrs average sleep...However, a solution did come to me a little while ago (just a few weeks ago actually), but that's for another post on my blog. Till my next post....

Have a wonderful day,

Ayisha

The Time Doctor, Setting Priorities And Patternmaking Practice

Okay, so there's only so much time you can squeeze out of a busy schedule. However, remember that you make time for the things that are important for you, we don't always like to face up to that. However, setting priorities and especially with something technical like patternmaking and making a commitment to laying one brick at a time, will allow you to reach your goals.

I'm already a quarter of the way through my patternmaking book and it's thanks to a great little program called TimeDoctor. It's free and what it does is help you stay focused on you're real priorities, not all your distractions. You'll be able to keep track of how you spend time on the computer and different tasks you list in you current schedule that way you have a little reminder and a way to get a bit self conscious about letting yourself swerve from the things you're supposed to do.

Well, I use it for sticking to my article work and when I've got milestones for article work completed that's when I'll use any bit of extra time to get busy with my patternmaking. Every little bit helps.

And a wonderful thing happened a few weeks ago, when I was working on developing the panels for the princess panels for the torso blocks, I discovered how to create the pattern for one of my own designs. This was a pivotal moment for me similar to how it felt when I first realized the secret to making successful cream puff dough. Or how to save your computer on your own from a virus. The knowledge of how to create something from scratch is very empowering and it definitely has increased my resolve to complete my study of Connie Amaden Crawford's "Patternmaking made easy".

Chapter 12 Kimonos and Raglans or Chapter 13 Sleeve Drafts pattern making practice?

Another patterm making weekend, study/practice that is. I just completed chapter 11 dealing with drafting collars and hoods. Chapter 12 of Connie Amadon Crawford's Pattern Making Made Easy is dealing with Kimono and Raglan block construction, however, the next Chapter (13) is dealing with sleeve blocks, which I need to draft the Kimono and Raglan blocks, so I've decided to do Chapter 13 (the sleeve chapter) first. Looks like there's a really neat new way to draft sleeves too. The tecnique is based on a arm size measurement table, love those kind of guidelines. I also love learning all these different processes to drafting patterns. I remember thinking that patternmaking was some kind of illusive, magical art, which maybe a cute, sometimes inspiring way to look at things, but it can become a little daunting when you actually try to develop patternmaking skills without having proper instructions to follow and that's not really a good thing. Thanks to Connie's book I see pattern making as an adventure in practical geometry, based on clothing the human figure, all math, curves and a welcome comfortable logic. Lots of nice rules to follow to help you along too, taking the guess work out of the picture and of course laying the foundation for experimental changes and alterations.

I thought I was going to be able to just buy my dress form in a few weeks or less, well, I'm not going to be able to do that, however, I've started saving a little of all the money I make off my writting gigs :) to put toward my dressform. I can't wait to have the beautiful thing in my home. I'll have to mark it on my own but that's okay, I even like the idea (I might even decorate it, hehehe). What I've done is just started leaving 20 - 30 dollars what ever is a bit more than my usual $100 + writing project (usually a whole batch of article re-writes) and I am pretty close to what I need, just got to make sure I've got enough for shipping and handling for my dressform as well. I'm thinking I may be able to buy it at the end of the month which ain't really bad at all.

I want to make something clear to all you readers out there that may be wondering "but if she's already making patterns without a dressform, why is she buying one anyway?" Well, just let me square up about the situation, I have sewn and made my own clothes for quite a few years (since I was 13 or so) however you can imagine how errored those patterns were :(, I couldn't help it though, I just had to do it right? Well same thing here, my familiarity with basic pattern shapes helped me draft a bodice without a dressform, done just well enough as an educational tool to continue developing the rest of the blocks in the book. But these blocks are a bit distorted, and I don't like that. So, to get my patterns drafted perfectly, I obviously need what they all say, that lovely dressform. Working on the book ahead of time has just cut down my preparation time to be able to create ready to use patterns. When I'm done with this practice, I'll make the 24 or so basic blocks over again from dressform bodice draft and I'll be good to go. Just thinking about this is very exciting :) Any way, I got to throw some bread pudding in the oven and get started with my sleeve drafting practice. .

If you'd like to read more about fashion, information on the industry and online schools check out my site at:
Budget Online Fashion Design Schools and Resources


If you're a designer or home sewer and you'd like to find some cool eco-friendly fabrics and more check out my resource page at:
The Eco-Friendly Fashion Designer's Resource Page

If You Know You're Passionate About Patternmaking Invest In Your Tools

I can't emphasize this more, if you know you've really wanted to get into fashion design and patternmaking, like if you've really wanted to since you were a kid, get the tools you need. It's not fair to your potential progress to deprive yourself of the things you'll need to make it. I know because that's what I've been doing to myself for years. This is one of the bad things about having too many interests, you don't always know which ones you really want to see through till the end, or rather, through to the actual pursuit of a career. Also if you're one of those people that find this inner voice making you feel like you're irresponsible if you spend money on a skill you enjoy developing and working on, don't listen to that voice, kick it in the bud right away and spend that money, wisely. I'll give you my example: it's taken me years to finally get Connie Amadan Crawford's book, Patternmaking Made Easy, then, instead of getting a dressform, french curve for sleeves, buttonhole marker and things like that, I put it all off saying to myself "I don't want to spend all this money, just incase I don't make it" Well, a very good thing has happened because of this though, I've had the opportunity to find out just how serious I am about acquiring my fashion design and patternmaking skills because for every problem I inevitably run into, I find myself willing to fight to over come it. That's pretty nice.


So here's my new problem, I temporarily skipped the Raglan and Kimino blocks over the weekend in exchange for doing the sleeve blocks first, only to find out that I can't really complete the sleeve block procedure because they don't match up to the incorectly drafted bodice blocks, on account of the fact that they weren't made from a dressform. I'm not going to let that stop me though. One nice thing about the sleeve chapter, is that I discovered that I was already quite familiar with the various sleeve drafting concepts, puffed cap, bishop sleeve, cuffs, leg'o mutton sleeve from previous sewing and researching experience :) very nice. However, I learned a beautiful way to draft a fitted sleeve from which these variations are made. I've got artists french curves that I used to shape the cap, didn't quite work out the way the book suggested though, and I was of course un-able to "walk" the sleeve into the bodice armholes to check for accuracy. So what do I get out of this imperfection? I'm still more familiar with the sleeve drafting process than I would have been.

Well, yesterday I was 'lucky' enough not to have any writing assignments to work on, so I didn't take it easy, I went back to check out the Raglan and Kimino Sleeve Chapter, see if I could do it. Turns out that I could, I finished working on the Kimino block as I found out that I didn't really need a sleeve block to complete it, and even though, I don't have an accurate shirt and shirt sleeve blocks to work with I'm going to wing it with the Raglan block anyway, either today or this weekend. That is, depending on my writing work load.

Now a little bit about career and interest confusion. Years ago, actually since I was a young child I felt driven to get into film and fashion, it was so engrained in my heart, so early, that I can't really remember which came first. It started like this: everytime I watched a movie I liked, Star Wars, Dark Crystal, Legend etc, I would think to myself "I want to make it go on". I would then imagine an ongoing story or scenario for what ever film. This interest/passion went right into my teen years where I started getting my father to take me to the downtown library so I could pick up every book I could get my hands on that was about filmmaking and screenwriting. I halted my homeschooling and purchased a typewriter with the gift of $50 given to me by my mother's dearest friend and started working on film screenplays and treatments. Well after about 15 years of perpetual discouragement from my father, constant noise and interuption from my younger siblings and too many responsibilties, family instability, getting married, becoming a parent and a family break up (between my parents) I lost my zeal for the dream. Of course it didn't help any not to have any friends or contacts to network with and films took on a new charactor, at least the ones that someone brought home from time to time. I didn't have time any more to watch movies any way.

Where does the fashion come in? At the same time, from earliest memories of childhood to now, I've loved beautiful clothes, my mom would buy patterns from Woodwards department store where we would sit for hours looking at pattern books from Vogue, Butterick, McCalls and others. I could just die for how beautiful the illustrations were. I wanted to do everything I was looking at, the sewing, the cloths design, the illustrations. It was all so beautiful. These times make up some of my happiest memories. My mom would pick out some nice fabric too, back in the 80s they had some awesome prints, I'd have to see and touch as many as I could while my mom looked for the deals. And it didn't stop there, she would lay out all of these things on the living room floor and cut them out then sew them on her manual Singer sewing machine which she later handed down to me when I was about eleven years old. Every time I seen a dress or costume I liked in a cartoon, movie or comic book, I'd always dream about being able to make it myself. This turned into me eventually making my own patterns, they were terrible of course, but some of them were actually wearable and I did wear them, outside even when they were good enough. For years I made the mistake in thinking that if a person truly had a talent for something, they would be able to somehow just 'know' the skill without going to school (my parents were against formal education). I thought that a person wouldn't have to be taught and they would simply be able to develop the necessary skills on their own, lol. The problem with that, is it's true, however, it will take a very long time to do. And this time is unecessary thanks to books and schools. My father always taught that schools were for people who weren't really talented and didn't have an imagination, I laugh at that now as it's ridiculously unfair and so untrue.

Oh, oh, time is slipping here, I've got to attend to other things now, before my babies wake up. Blogger has taken away (only temporarily I hope) the spell checker, so I apologize for any typing errors.

If you'd like to read more about fashion, information on the industry and online schools check out my site at:
Budget Online Fashion Design Schools and Resources

If you're a designer or home sewer and you'd like to find some cool eco-friendly fabrics and more check out my resource page at:
The Eco-Friendly Fashion Designer's Resource Page

An Adventure Awaits In Patternmaking

Hmm, sometimes you got to jump in headlong, don't wait around and think too much. That's if you can actually take action though. Turns out, a friend of mine has offered to give me her dressform, I'm very thankful for this. And it also means that I'll be able to get started much sooner than I expected. This Wednesday my brother is going to pick it up for me and I'll start working on my 'master block' set made from the dressform. Because I think I better try to get some writing work done as I'm switching over to patternmaking, this process may take me a month, but that's okay. I'm going to start putting together my patternmaking ad, a new that is, and than think about a delema I'm having.

I've done a bit of work for two designers now, with some really great pictures from one of their completed collections. With permission of course from the designer (Joneien), I'll see if I can post links to the garmets I worked on for her as examples of what I've done. What I'd love to do though as well, is draft the patterns of my own designs, sew up some muslins of them and take photos to post as examples of my work as well. And there's the delema, which is really about time and money I guess. I'll have to wait to get a new camera as my old one is hopelessly broken and wait till I've got enough money made to buy eco-friendly, organic cotton muslin fabric for my designs. I'm just not going to buy anything that isn't eco-friendly. For now than, I'll just have to settle for those links and pray I can get permission to use them. I think she'll let me though.

A while back I put together a great little squidoo lens on eco-friendly fashion design resources, nice list of shops, however, I've got to add another online store that happens to provide a nice range of organic fabrics, and not just cotton either. It's Fabric.com, I typed in 'organic' and chose quilting to narrow my search, than sorted by 'prices (ascending)' and came across an olive green fabric for just under $6 a yard, sale price. Soon as I get a chance to buy some fabric, I'll see if I can get a bulk order of something like that for my muslin samples. And they take paypal too, so that's totally awesome.

I want to learn Industrial sewing techniques as well, so my samples will be professional. What I'm actually planning on doing, if I can squeeze in some time, is to cut out some great Lutterloh patterns for myself, use my old fabric stash and refer to the step by step instructions in my book "Sewing Secrets From The Fashion Industry" and check out Threads DVD on Industrial sewing techniques that they have at the Vancouver Public Library. You've got to love your library if you have one, such a wonderful resource.


If you'd like to read more about fashion, information on the industry and online schools check out my site at:
Budget Online Fashion Design Schools and Resources

If you're a designer or home sewer and you'd like to find some cool eco-friendly fabrics and more check out my resource page at:
The Eco-Friendly Fashion Designer's Resource Page

Working With A Dress Form And Plotting A Course

Well, I had another rewarding educational experience,  my dress form wasn't marked with the usual princess seams and neckline,  waist,  bust and hip lines so I had to draw those in.   Took me all evening to get it right,  but I just had to get it done (the same evening I brought the dress form home)so it would be ready to use.    First I drew in the 'rough' lines with a pencil,  using Connie Amaden Crawford's dress form illustrations in her 'pattern making made easy' book as a reference to how they're supposed to look.   Then,  when I was satisfied with my line work,  I darkened the lines with a blue sharpy and here are the results:

So that wasn't too bad,  than the next morning,  I just had to drape the basic front and back bodice blocks,  I loved it and unfortunately got so carried away I forgot to take pictures of it with my cell phone :(,   I did take a shot of the fabric blocks afterward though and here they are:

 I haven't trued them up or anything,  they clearly need it.   I've already traced them on paper and I'm going to true them up this morning.   I then want to make a seam allowance copy,  sew it up and test it on the dressform.   If it fits like it's supposed to then,  Voila!  I've got my perfect set of basic blocks then I'll be able to get to work on the rest of the master blocks that are built from these two.   I'll just draft all of them on paper first then transfer them to poster board to make my durable working copies.

As for my sewing and fashion illustration skill development,  I've come up with a practical plan.   Just like how I tried to practice my pattern making whenever there's been a dry spell in my article work (and on weekends),   whenever there's no pattern making to do,  I'll practice my sewing or illustration skills.  Just build on one thing at a time like Will Smith's "brick wall" principal.  For all of you who aren't familar with this reference,  check out "Will's Wisdom" on Youtube,  he's a very inspirational/motivational speaker.  (Thanks again for that one Philippe).

I'll keep you guys posted.

If you'd like to read more about fashion, information on the industry and online schools check out my site at:
Budget Online Fashion Design Schools and Resources

If you're a designer or home sewer and you'd like to find some cool eco-friendly fabrics and more check out my resource page at:
The Eco-Friendly Fashion Designer's Resource Page

Getting The Master Pattern Blocks Complete

Going through the master slopers again like this is proving very useful.   Pattern blocks have to be perfect,  as a matter of fact,  if you haven't been called a perfectionist more than once in your life,  than you may want to pick a different form of work.   You kind of want to be the sort of person that feels perection is a kind of beauty in itself. 

I'm doing the sleeve patterns again right now.   and I want to get them right.   Because I didn't have the dressform when I first started studying patternmaking,  I didn't actually take too many precaustions toward accuracy since there was no way for them to turn out right.   Now,  however,  I'm paying attention.

There are varying amounts of fullness that's drafted into the top of the sleeve cap to create that "cap" effect when the sleeve is sewn into the armhole.  However,  once I 'walk' the sleeve into the front and back armscye slopers,  I'll have to make sure the 'center line' on the sleeve to be sure there's 1/4 or so more for back portion of the sleeve as compared to the front.   And that's fine,  but there's no ease in the wrist area and I don't like that so I think I'll add some to the master pattern,  think I'll make that an 1" or 1 1/2".   Then I'll be doing the shirt sleeve and then the raglan pattern blocks.   (sweater dress patterns,  here I come :).

Now when I have to draft another pattern block from the basic bodice blocks I don't have any pattern weights to keep it in place,  I've thought of a neat idea though,  I just take the square off sleeve curve ruler and lay it on top of the pattern to hold it in place.

If I have something larger to deal with though,  I just use my little square books "Arts and Crafts" and "Art Nouveau" from Flame Tree Publishing.   Nice as that may sound though,  I'm thinking about getting some real pattern weights along with a flexi-curve ruler,  a replacement sleeve and neck line curve ruler because the fairgate sleeve curve ruller I have right now is too narrow,  and the one shown above (it's actually cracked in two places) I can't find any where.  I'll keep looking though.  It's too good not to have.

If you'd like to read more about fashion, information on the industry and online schools check out my site at:

Budget Online Fashion Design Schools and Resources

If you're a designer or home sewer and you'd like to find some cool eco-friendly fabrics and more check out my resource page at:
The Eco-Friendly Fashion Designer's Resource Page

Only 6 More Pattern Blocks To Go

Well,  here's what my patternmaking progress has been the past several days,  I read the stretch knit pattern block chapter,  I've got the dressform alright,  but I really needed to have some stretch knit fabric to drape onto the form directly in order to make a proper set of blocks,  I don't have any stretch fabric to speak of.   However,  as always I couldn't just let it go at that so I adapted some of the directions for completing the pattern blocks after draping them,  here's what I did:

1.  traced the basic bodice and removed all ease

2.  removed the shoulder dart,  redrew the shoulder seam and lifted the shoulder/armscye corner to the height it would be if the dart is sewn then re-drew the armscye curves

3.  calculated the width of the waistline without the dart

4.  removed a 1/4" from the armscye/side seam corner and tapered to nothing at the side seam

5.  drew a line from the hipline measurement up to the waistline/side seam crossmark

6.   then smoothed the ugly waistline corner with a curve

And here's the result:

According the Connie's book though,  the pattern blocks for a knit garment pretty much have to be remade before for each different pattern due to fit variations and differences in the degree of stretch between one knit fabric and the next.   So technically speaking,  my little (perhaps,  sorry excuse) pattern blocks up there I would only try for a fabric with minimum stretch capacity,  because these blocks are made to measure,  there was no stretching involved in their construction as there would be with a correctly produced pair of pattern blocks that a gently stretched and smoothed over the dressform.

Needless to say,  soon as I get my hands on a bit of knit fabric those blocks are going to get made.

Aside from that little set back,  I went on (the same day) to construct all three skirt slopers for the double dart skirt,  single dart skirt and the flared skirt and they turned out perfectly.

My next patternmaking exercise was to draft a pair of pants blocks.    Unlike the skirt patterns I messed up the first attempt at drafting my pants blocks due to some bad measurement decisions and actually forgetting to use the three different length measurements for centre front back,  front and side seams.   It was a discouraging disaster.  But that evening I looked back and decided to re-work the math in my head and plan what I would do the next day.  

Like I thought,  re-drafting the pants was a breeze thanks to the planning the night before.   However,  when I was done evaluating my pants blocks,  checking if the inseams,  side seams and grain lines are parallel in both shape and distance from each other,  observation revealed that although these new pants blocks were very well done, they still needed some work because the back pants block flare slightly at the hip and waist areas.  The instructions for fixing this kind of issue aren't complete in the book so I decided to email Connie about it from her fashionpatterns.com website and she wrote me back with a set of instructions I'll be implementing over the next few days.   I'll post the results in my next blog entry :)

Hopefully I won't make anymore errors though because I down to my last little bit of paper on my roll and I don't want to get my brother to pick me up another roll till I've got my first client.   I've only got about 5 or 6 master patterns to go so I'll cross my fingers.

If you'd like to read more about fashion, information on the industry and online schools check out my site at:
Budget Online Fashion Design Schools and Resources

If you're a designer or home sewer and you'd like to find some cool eco-friendly fabrics and more check out my resource page at:
The Eco-Friendly Fashion Designer's Resource Page

Waiting For My Prospective Pattern Clients

Well,  I posted my ads on Friday,  this is a good and bad thing.   It's good because people have already contacted me who,  I'm guessing will get back to me sometime this coming week (Yeah!!!) the bad side though is the waiting,  but I always make the best of that.

I wanted to update my squidoo lens but there are some bugs not allowing me to do that at the moment so I'm waiting for the squidoo team to return my request for help about that,  so I'm got to focus on something else for now.

Two patternmaking books I've read over the years now are Helen Joseph Armstrong's and Connie Amaden Crawford's.   Connie's book wins out with me because speaking as one who didn't know enough about patternmaking when I first bought Armstrong's patternmaking book  I was terribly intimidated.   The instructions seemed unapproachable to me and I never plucked up the courage to get past drafthing the initial first block (I think this was the bodice block,  too many years ago to remember).

The thing that made me take the plunge and buy Connie's book though was that I'd heard her book was replacing Armstrong's book in the fashion schools,  that's big time.   Now,  however,  after successfully learning Connie's Amaden Crawford's Patternmaking Made Easy,  I kind of regret selling my Helen Joseph Armstrong book because now that I actually know my way around patternmaking I realize Armstrong's book would be great to have on hand as reference for different kinds of pattern blocks.  Or maybe it's just my subconscious desire to now closely compare the two books to see how many ways they differ.

One of these days I'll look into it.   For now though while I'm waiting,  I'm going to review things here and there in Connie's book and probably some of my other books as well.   I've got a regular little library now,  here's a group of photos of some of my favorite books I've studied/read/bought so far that I would highly recommend anyone interested in design to check out:

Butterick Size Compliant Bodice Pattern Block Completed All Sewn Up

Okay,  I wanted to find a nifty way to post both these images side by side so you could see them at the same time without scrolling.  Although my favorite thing to do is draft patterns and design clothes,  I do like finding great ways of using social media platforms as well and then sharing them with people.   If you'd like to know how to do this with your blogger photos, check it out at:  http://tips.blogdoctor.me/2007/10/tips-on-pictures-in-blogger.html

As I figured my pattern blocks turned out fine even though Butterick's size 6 measurements are 1/2 " off from  the ones for my dressform,  no biggy.   Now it's time for me to start making the torso blocks,  jacket/coat block and skirt blocks for this size and then grading it up or down for the other sizes,  actually,  I don't know what I want to do first there.  Maybe I'll grade it up and down a few times first,  just to review my pattern  grading book by Connie Amaden Crawford,  that book was worth the money just for a few of the key diagrams that are in there.

Front View Of Bodice Pattern

Side View Of Bodice Pattern

Speaking of books,  I'm really looking forward to my new ones coming from Alibris and The Book Depository,  I ordered "Fashion 101: a Crash Course in Clothing " a kind of history of fashion garments,  I know that's going to be a big inspiration as I love history too and the "Fashion Design Course: Principles, Practice, and Techniques: a Practical Guide for Aspiring Fashion" as my fashion design pick.   There's also a book of 600 designer elements and discussion of proportion and other proportion of design elements,  however before I order it I want to make sure it's not already covered in the design book that's coming.

So,  I'm going to streamline my book purchases by getting ones I think I can learn the most new,  most valuable stuff from,  rather then getting good books that cover information I've read already.  So I think my next book purchase will be either  "Pattern Cutting for Lingerie, Beachwear and Leisurewear"

by Ann Haggar or "Pattern Making" by Lo, Dennic Chunman which I've heard was a "holistic approach" to pattern cutting.  Apparently he's got stuff in there about John Galliano's pattern drafting techniques,  I can't wait to get my hands on that one.

As for when I make my next order,  I think I'm going to wait till the 20th of next month,  just to make sure I'm sticking with my budget and things because when you work as a freelancer,  you never know how the work flow is going to go.   Instead,  I'll just see how much pattern making stuff I can do and post in a bit of free time I may be getting over the next few days or so (if I'm lucky).

I've also been putting together an "Eco Friendly MakeUp Mall" on Pinterest,  to help prevent and raise awareness for breast cancer with all natural,  chemical and cruelty free cosmetics,  you can check it out here at: http://pinterest.com/ayisha1978/the-eco-friendly-makeup-mall/  and be sure to visit often for more product images/listings


If you're interested in my digital pattern making service (at $35 per garment pattern) contact me at stylistwithacause@gmail.com or on my FaceBook page "Fashion Patternmaking And Design"

If you would just like to order basic pattern blocks for bodice,  torso,  coat/jacket or skirt you can place an order for the size and kind you need here at  my fiverr gig where I will draft a basic digital bodice or skirt pattern block in the size you require for $5

Want more information on the industry and online schools?  Check out my site at:
Budget Online Fashion Design Schools and Resources

Want to find some cool eco-friendly fabrics and more check out my resource page at:

The Eco-Friendly Fashion Designer's Resource Page

This PatternMaker Just Finished Reading Fashion Design Course By Steven Faerm

I've just got finished reading Fashion Design Course by Steven Faerm,  the BFA Director of New Yorks Fashion Design at Parsons The New School For Design.  As a patternmaker / aspiring designer and someone who has already read quite a few books on the fashion industry I hadn't actually realized how informative and insightful this book would be.  And when I got it in the mail,  between it's saturation with pictures and it's apparent thinness,  I felt it would just be a fun read about things I'd already read about fashion design.

I was dead wrong!

Where can I start?  Yes,  there is a lot of pictures,  but once you read the deceptively small amount of text that comes with them Steven Faerm shares a wealth of key advice and tips in so many areas:

- how to find,  use,  and combine different sources of inspiration
- the intricate chemistry and importance of preparing color and fabric stories
- the key purpose and creation of mood/inspiration boards for your collections and how to put them together
- how to easily develop numerous looks for a single cohesive collection
- how to compose your collection to maintain viewers' interest and why collections should include a selection of day to evening wear
- how and why to create a 'one stop shopping' element in your collection
- demystifies the incorporation of important marketability in your collection
- how to choose, use and combine textiles for a collection in unique,  imaginative and appropriate ways
- ideas regarding the interpretation of chosen inspiritions
- how to create a focus collection that isn't redundant
- and so much more

And the images and layout which clearly demonstrates the information provided in the text is very professional and very cool:

Although a few things, (a very few) were in it that I've read before, (and previously only very lightly covered in a fairly uninformative way),  Just about everything in this book is new,  in depth information for me and as for the small size,  what Steven Faerm has done was outline many, many ways to learn more about each aspect of the elements that go into designing a fashion collection.  He's also explained why each of these elements are so important in fashion design so that any aspiring designer will have a clear understanding of their creative responsibilities and exactly what they have to do to meet them.

If you're serious about fashion design,  you have to get this book. Following the assignments given in the book,  it's truly a surprisingly outstanding crash course in fashion design.  If you're an aspiring designer,  or you are already a designer,  you should read this book,  you should read this book,  you should read this book.  The only thing missing that could get you hired is the networking opportunities.

The one thing I would have liked to see in this book however,  is discussion of fashion design theory regarding the art and science of using proportion, and more discussion and illustration of design styling dealing with garment components (as in types of sleeves,  skirts,  necklines,  hem finishes,  style lines etc, etc).  That's why the bulk is missing,  but hey,  for that I can always get the book The Fashion Designer's Directory of Shape and Style: Over 500 Mix-And-Match Elements for Creative Clothing Design.  I just need to get either that book on patternmaking for lingerie or Chunman's book on patternmaking,  the portfolio skills one.  Because as a patternmaker first,  I need to specialize in what I'm doing here.  I've got to get a book on draping for patternmaking too.  I'm going to get Connie Amaden Crawford's book for that.


If you're interested in my digital pattern making service (at $35 per garment pattern) contact me at stylistwithacause@gmail.com or on my FaceBook page "Fashion Patternmaking And Design"

Want more information on the industry and online schools?  Check out my site at:
Budget Online Fashion Design Schools and Resources

Want to find some cool eco-friendly fabrics and more check out my resource page at:

The Eco-Friendly Fashion Designer's Resource Page

If you would just like to order basic pattern blocks for bodice,  torso,  coat/jacket or skirt you can place an order for the size and kind you need here at  my fiverr gig Patternmaker 78, where I will draft a basic digital bodice or skirt pattern block in the size you require for $5

Pattern Grading Experiment For Pattern Cutting Skill Development

The results for yesterday's pattern grading experiment for expanding my pattern cutting skills.  The red bodice pattern and sleeve blocks are the 'Internet' grade I did.  This is where a pattern is simply scaled down or up to whatever size it needs to be.  For example if you need to grade a size 6 up to a size 8,  you've got to increase bust,  waist and hip measurements by 1" and this is what I was doing.

Because I'm working with half the front and back bodice sections,  you've got to change each using a 1/4 of the over all grade,  in this case I had to add on 1/4" to the front and back sections and do almost the same for the vertical measurements as well.

The green bodice pattern and sleeve blocks however,  were graded according to Connie Amaden Crawford's book on grading.  First you've got to section the blocks in certain horizontal and vertical areas,  then you've got to figure the amounts to spread them outward or inward to enlarge them or decrease the block's size,  respectively.  (A little bit needs to be reserved  for the hip measurement so it's left out when the bodice section  is being vertically graded). A detail totally neglected in the 'Internet' method.

Click to see the actual difference between the aligned patterns.

Here,  I've aligned the green version over the red version and it turns out that the red version is a bit bigger then it's supposed to be and a bit longer as well.  You'll have to click on the link to really see the difference,  but it's a bit too much of a difference.  On a lazy day,  I might grade a pattern using the 'Internet' method if I was working on a pattern I'd be sewing for myself,  like to wear right... maybe.   However,  seeing as how Kathleen Fasanella said that when pattern cutting professionally,  your patterns can't have as much as 1/32 of a error,  I think I'd better stick to Connie Amaden Crawford's grading technique when I'm doing client work.   No questions or doubts about that in my mind.

So now, I've got to check the armscye balance,  that's the armhole measurement,  adjust the curves,  check and possibly adjust the sleeve cap curve and ease,  place the notches in their correct places and give them their 1/2" seam allowances.   Then I'll take this size 8 (Butterick standard) and grade it up to a size 10 getting ready to do some work for a client.

For all those aspiring designers and those who want to learn pattern cutting,  I'll be offering these additional sizes of blocks for only $5,  once I've got my pavment store set back up on my facebook page,  so stay tuned,  hopefully over the course of this coming month you'll see these new size 8 and size 10 bodice patterns available.

If you are interested in my discount digital pattern cutting or digitization service however,  or you have any questions,  please email me for more information at stylistwithacause@gmail.com or visit my Facebook page to learn more.

Secrets Of How To Expand Your Patternmaking Skills

Okay,  I've read the best book on patternmaking by Connie Amaden Crawford,  and it's a good one,  better than the first one I bought.   However,  once you're "in the field" and dealing with clients,  you learn something real fast...you didn't learn everything you need to know.  Not by a long shot.  Clients will always ask you for something that will be undiscovered territory for you,  be it a bra,  or tailored suit or, oh horrors (just kidding) an unusual size.  Okay so here's what you do.

1.  first of all get real practice in,  you'll learn soon enough that you want more educational resources

2.  even though pattern grading and alterations are actually different job descriptions,  as in people get paid to these things,  like only those things,  as a patternmaker,  it would seriously behove you to learn them,  and quickly

3. think specialization and seek out the available resources,  I'll get specific here

(a) there's a chance someone will want a tailored suit,  find books on patterncutting,  patternmaking for tailored suites,  you need to do lingerie patterns for another client,  hurry up and find a book on patternmaking for lingerie,  not sewing lingerie,  patternmaking for lingerie,  this will have more info on what you need where as the sewing type instruction book will have those less fitted designs you could have drafted on your own any way,  that's not what your clients are asking for

(b) clients sometimes ask for their own size,  they're fashionista designers and they fit into tiny clothes but they aren't the exact size of industry fit models so you need to learn pattern alterations,  another reason for this,  if a client is in a niche size market,  say for a really big cup size and shape,  then you'll definitely need pattern alteration skills,  go to Amazon and look up pattern alteration books and dvds.  Also do a google search for pattern alterations,  you'll find ideas on people's blogs,  there are a lot of them,  as well as books,  classes,  dvds,  see what people are saying before you spend your money though.

(c) definietly get a book on grading,  clients don't ask for one little size,  your clients will ask for all kind of sizes and the reason you want to know how to grade corrrectly is because you'll need and want to know how to take the basic bodice you know is a perfect fit and grade it into a perfect bodice of another size without serious fitting issues for your new clients. 

Speaking of which,  I've just ordered Connie Amaden Crawford's Pattern Grading workbook and can't wait to get it,  to be sure.  I've looked up grading info online and learnt some great stuff,  but I don't really have the confidence I need to know,  that I know what I'm doing for sure,  I just have the courage to keep going.  There's a difference,   believe me.

Okay,  I hope all you fellow aspiring patternmakers out there have found this at least somewhat enlightning.  Also,  as I collect more educational resources,  books and dvds,  I'll post the reviews of them here on my blog too.  So be sure to come back again.

Good news is too,  I was finally able to get through the Squidoo so that I can start editing and publishing changes on my lenses again,  so hopefully between my current patternmaking client and article client I'll find a few moments here and there to update my two fashion lenses.  Or I might leave it for a few weeks still.  I'll make it easy and post announcements here for you guys.

If you'd like to read more about fashion, information on the industry and online schools check out my site at:
Budget Online Fashion Design Schools and Resources

If you're a designer or home sewer and you'd like to find some cool eco-friendly fabrics and more check out my resource page at:
The Eco-Friendly Fashion Designer's Resource Page

Lemon Tulip Lingerie Pattern Completed ! What To Do Next...

Here it is,  my pattern is all done,  anotations,  pattern markings, seams and print ready layout:

Now before I did the layout of the blocks I looked for a print shop that could make me a print out of the finished pattern.   I settled on Staples,  you got to love that place,  however,  unlike the Staples printing services that offer affordable printing for custom oversized print outs,  Canadian Staples only offer print jobs that fit into poster sized layouts.   This being 24 by 36 inches and 22 by 79 inches.   Not bad but I would have liked having the US oversized Staples options available.  Oh well,  this will be good too.

I decided to make the front blocks pink and the back blocks green just so it would look pretty on my blog,  but if I was sending this out to a client,  I think I'd better stick with black.  It's more professional,  unless of course they like the color idea.

Now I have to find out how much it's going to cost to get this printed out for the prototype garment.  If it's a bit too pricey for me right now,  I guess I'll 'cut' the layout up in Adobe Photoshop and print the little letter size portions out on my HP and tape it all together.   I'll only do that though if I get too impatient and someone isn't ready to send any work my way in the coming week.   

This is so neat to be sewing up my own pattern.   I know that it's going to be a big learning/thrill experience that will help me gain some terrific insight into patternmaking.   However,  I've got my worries too,  such as

1.  how relaxed and puffy will the gathers in the skirt and tulip sleeves look?  I want it to look really floral,  not tired

2.  will the darts in the bodice allow the bodice to sit nicely on the bust area?

3.  how will the wide,  deep neckline sit on the shoulders and neck?  (I took care of the gaposis issue following Connie's advice in her book "Patternmaking Made Easy" but you never know right with one this large,  I'll learn through this experience)

4. how will the hem facing affect the hang and 'puff' of the tulip skirt?  I hope it won't be too heavy

5. how will the bias cut effect the hang and puff of the tulip sleeves?  Again,  I want them to look floral not droopy, at the same time though I didn't want to give it a normal hem and stitchy up the edge of these "flowers" so I took up Roberta Carr's suggestion in her book "Couture: The Art Of Fine Sewing"

6. I cut the side seams of the bodice band at an angle matching the angle of the bodice side seams and I'm wondering if it'll allow the bodice to sit right and look okay while gently anchoring the garment just below the bustline?

So I'm apprehensive,  excited and even a little scared,  but my curiosity of course has got the better of me which is a good thing.

Soon as I have the esemble complete I'll post it here on my blog,  but that may be awhile so the next several posts will mostly likely cover patternmaking issues/discoveries I make through working with my clients and so on.

If you'd like to read more about fashion, information on the industry and online schools check out my site at:
Budget Online Fashion Design Schools and Resources

If you're a designer or home sewer and you'd like to find some cool eco-friendly fabrics and more check out my resource page at:
The Eco-Friendly Fashion Designer's Resource Page



Scary Sloper Issues And Patternmaking Problems (Solved)

Last week I got a client who wanted me to start work as soon as possible.   I started checking out my size six sloper so I could grade it down to a size 4 only to discover that the front and back blocks were not drafted correctly.   They just sit well at all on the dress form,  complete with gaping around the armscye, centre bust  and lop-sided waitstline.   After having followed all the instructions I actually emailled Connie Amaden Crawford to see if she could help me figure out what went wrong.   This wasn't the first time either,  she's a wonderful help when I ask her for patternmaking advice.   She got back to me the same day and it was a Sunday!

First of all my dressform is a home sewer's dress form,  it's an okay tool,  but according to Connie because of it's imperfections ( such as having caps at the armscye position instead of being flat) it can cause problems.   Which brings me back to something I said before,  it's a good idea to try and invest in professional tools.   However this didn't bring me to the point of giving up.  the dress form is shaped like a human being,  so it's got to be some use even if there aren't any of the special aids to help me get the drape right and so on.  

Connie assured me that beginners always stretch their drape,  so this second time around,  I very carefully handled my fabric  with the gentlest touch possible,  following the steps one by one, not skipping anything and not doing a later step before it's time.  For example, in the book "Pattern Making Made Easy"  Connie states that you need to pinch the darts from the apex (the bust point) I didn't do this with my first drape.   This creates the problem of a twisted and incorrect dart where as a dart pinched from the apex will lie smoothly and be easily pivoted in the right position later on (in your paper draft) if you want to move it.

So I fixed up the drape,  traced it on 3 sheets of paper,  back block on top of the front block so that side seams would automatically match :),  nice little trick there I tell you.  Then after a bit of  tweeking and experimenting I adjusted the armscye,  got rid of the gaping,  eliminated unwanted ease and my beautiful sloper pictured above was the result:

This didn't come easy though,  this is making a terribly long story of trial and error short.   I did several failed pin fittings with paper re-visions of my slopers,  I was disheartened and tired too.  Making matters worse,  my later experimental adjustments to the sloper in CorelDraw9 were worse than the first few attempts.  I was clearly going in the wrong direction (you can do this when you're tired) so it finally dawned on me that maybe the real problem was that I was checking the paper fit and not a fabric one.  You can see those below,  they're stiff but they're still kind of neat.   Lol,  when  I sewed up my sloper in a nice hand of fabric (pictured above) it fit like a glove,  a thing of beauty.

If you'd like to check out my fashion or eco friendly fashion resources lenses here are their links, feel free to drop me a note if you like what you see/read, I'll be happy to hear from you:

Budget Online Fashion Design Schools and Resources

The Eco-Friendly Fashion Designer's Resource Page