The Patternmaker Needs To Get Good At Sewing (For Their Own Sake)

Weekends should always be devoted to your family (in addition to the time you set aside during the week for your family as well) but if you're going to do something for your business/career you should focus on those activities that don't necessarily make you any money right away but will help bring your career or business forward.   My personal example being my lemon tulip lingerie pattern.   I started sewing it today,  little machine sewing,  little hand stitching.

The first thing I'm working on is getting the facings and waist and bodice band together.  My past experience has been that small pieces get lost or damaged if you've got kids and pets so I'm avoiding the problem totally by hanging these sewn up sections on a hanger.   As for protecting my other work on the ironing board,  I've covered it all up with a blanket to keep my cats from putting pulls in my work.

I've started catchstitching the self fabric interfacing to the back bodice band already (see photo below)

and it had me reflecting on what Kathleen Fasenella said "a patternmaker should have exceptional sewing skills".   It's true for the benefit of both the clients in need of patternmaking services and the patternmakers themselves.   Speaking as an entry level patternmaker making money from providing this service I understand the reasons for this are:

1. being able to sew up your own patterns will crystalize several things:

     (a) where the notches need to be when you get confused
     (b) how much fabric a design actually needs
     (c) the fit resulting from your approach to drafting
    
2.  if your pattern turns out well,  you'll have full confidence in the product/service you're offering, you won't think it fit because you applied your knowledge of pattern drafting as well as you could,  but you KNOW your pattern is accurate.   This is confidence for a patternmaker.

3.  Confidence results in taking less time to do your work simply because your not hesitating any more about whether or not your making the right move.

Aside from all this perfection though,  I've got to make mention of how important is is not to be a perfectionist,  at least not right away.   My mom taught me how to sew and went a long way in inspiring me when it comes to fashion.  However,  she was a self proclaimed "non-perfectionist" which was good for me because it allowed me not to be quite so intimidated by the lengthy process of garment design,  development and construction.   Chances are, if she had enforced perfection,  I might not have took this career path.

Case in point,  I took my perfectionist attitude to my art and I didn't get nearly as far in developing my skills as an artist as I did in patternmaking and fashion design.   To this day I'm still intimidated by the thought of picking up a brush or pencil.  Although I do intend to overcome with this when I get the time.

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

Serious Progress on my Patternmaking Portfolio

I can't remember if I posted a link to my Patternmaking Portfolio I just put up a while ago,  if I didn't here it is: https://sites.google.com/site/ayisha1978designerpatternmaker/home/work-i-ve-completed-for-my-gracious-clients

Really though,  I should adjust the seo in that url.  The slideshow is a result of patterns I've drafted for another designer's collection.  I've got 3 collections of my own I should work on.  However,  for the moment I've been working on my first,  self designed portfolio piece,  the lemon tulip lingerie design.  Yesterday I was able to sew the skirt sections together,  using beautiful french seams,  and attached the hem facing to it's scalloped edge then clipped and understiched the seam.  Then I sewed the bodice sections together and pinned on the neckline facing.   Here are the pictures:

clipping the scalloped facing seam

right side of the skirt's scalloped edge

pin the corners of your scalloped facing to match correctly

didn't have the right pressing equipment to do a professional
job,  however, by using the tip of the iron and making tiny
pressing movements the resulting scallop edge turned out
very nicely

My first french seam,  such a beautiful seam,  it is time consuming
though, extra pressing is required and seam trimming.  One of my
books suggested to sew the first seam 1/4" press,  close and sew
it into another 1/4" seam,  this would have been messy though.  With
a little more research in two other sewing books,  you clip the seam
to 1/8" and then sew it into a 1/4" seam,  this is the correct way.



the completed skirt section,  ready for gathering
into the waist band

However,  as nice as the sewing is going,  I've discovered a 'lack of experience' issue with the drafting of the midriff area of the bodice,  it's got more ease than I meant for it to have.  Now I know a secret I have to learn more about (I actually love this kind of thing) Here it is:  

When you do a typical draft of a regular shoulder to waist pattern,  there's a little bit of ease at the waist unless you take it out and it will fit nicely.  But... if you draft a bodice pattern that reached down some where below the bustline, you'll discover that due to the inverse curve of the human body in that area,  there's quite a bit more ease than you'd like in a garment that supposed to be close fitting.   This is a very important detail to know,  especially if you want design or draft patterns for empire waist garments,  midriff designs or bras.   I probably would have learned this had I gotten my hands on the lingerie pattern drafting book I want to get.

Anyway,  my bodice ends just under the bust and I'm going to do a double check to see if I need to adjust the entire side seam or just the underbust edge. If so I'll determine the amount to take from each side seam at the underarms and then check how much more needs to be taken up at the midriff edge.  What ever needs to be taken up at the midriff,  I'm going to divide by 6,  with an amount taken up by each of the 4 darts (2 in the back and 2 in the front) and an amount at each side. (Mind you,  pattern wise, it'll look like I only took half the amount from the side seam).  

Then I'll have to adjust the midriff band accordingly as well as the bias cut tulip sleeves and take all the adjustments to my pattern in CorelDraw 9.  I'll complete that with some fitting notes for lingerie.  It will help to crystalize all the information. 

As for the skirt fit,  I'm pretty sure it'll be fitting like I want,  since it's at the waist and all,  I just hope it's going to have a bit of puff I was hoping for,  we'll see.

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 The Buttons Left To Do On My Lemon Tulip Pattern

Okay,  I've got to fess up,  this post is a week late as I did all this work last weekend and simply wasn't able to write a post for the life of me due to housework.   It's a shame,  but here are the photos of my finished look. My only complaints about the finished design,  is that I think I should have made the waist and midriff band half the width (I just had to say that),  I wish there was at least an extra 1/2" of ease in the waistband and the sleeves,  although every bit as beautiful as I wanted them to be,  should have been a bit shorter by at least 2".  I'll be sure to put in all these tweaks when I re-work the pattern.

Other than that,  there are only the buttons left to put in and those are going to be the metal ball buttons.  I still liked them after I had the garments sewn up,  they're a little quirky for the design,  I know,  but I like them,  it fits anyway.  I'm not so sure about the lingerie part though actually,  lol,  after watching a few Tinkerbell movies,  great 3D movies there,  I think my design is more of a fairy costume,  so funny.  I'll have to do some serious lingerie another time, Oh hold it,  I had an idea for a piece a few months back,  I should work it out for my portfolio...!  Awesome idea there.  I think I want to do my jacket design anyway though.  Now to decide which one I'm going to work on first.   

It might have to wait till next weekend though because I've got a pile of dishes sitting in the kitchen (note,  I didn't restrict it to 'sink'  eeeck!)  and unfortunately my article writing suffered this week so I've got to make that up too.

I've got another confession to make as well,  out of all the "how to" fashion books I've read,  pattern making,  sewing secrets,  couture sewing,  designer details,  pattern grading and even various book on the fashion industry but .... after all is said and done,  I realized last week that I've never actually read a book on Fashion Design.  Isn't that crazy?   I've got to get another book on pattern making,  either dealing with women's suites,  specialty patternmaking or patternmaking for lingerie,  but my next book purchase will have to also include a book on Fashion Design,  as in the design process that goes into collection development.  I've already got a list of books I'm going to be picking from.

I'll have to choose between a book that focuses on the process itself from the perspective of a fashion school professor or another that focuses on the history of fashion design and the process.  (I'm a sucker for history so this is a tough choice).   Soon as I get my web cam up and running, or get a real camera,  I'll start making book reviews of all the cool books I've been reading,  or rather have read on fashion and patternmaking.

Any way,  I didn't eat anything yet since early this morning either so I better get busy with my non-fashion work for now :(

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

Got My Fashion Design Book And Started My Pattern Revision

It's only Wednesday but a lot has happened this week to allow me to now actually have more time to work on my patternmaking and play with my kids more,  what a blessing.  See I got a sinus infection about a week ago,  and it was just getting worse,  till I looked up some herbs for it,  the three I started taking are cat's claw,  burdock and St John's Wort.

And what do you know?  Although it's been slow in treating my sinus infection,  it's brought my depression down to some positive side effects.  I can now quickly get my articles done in the morning,  with them only taking about 45 minutes a piece rather then 2 and 1/2 hours so I'm having time I haven't had in years and years.   It's like a miracle.   I recommend it to anyone who has any level of depression that your psychiatrist can't prescribe medicine for,  this herb is a God send.

Now for patternmaking,  I've been deciding to tie up loose ends with my pattern making stuff so this morning I checked out my basic bodice block, posted the image of the finished product on facebook and I've just finished a couple hours work on the revision for my lemon tulip lingerie pattern.  Next,  I'm going to do a couple extra blocks for the size 6 set of pattern blocks,  the jacket,  pant and skirt slopers.  Then I'll grade a set up to size 8.

After that though,  I think I really want to start working either on one of the designs in my personal collection,  or the other portfolio piece I designed (a light purple asymmetrical jacket and skirt set).  Then again,  although,  I like that portfolio piece,  I could use the one from my collection as my portfolio piece too.   I'll see how I feel about it later.

Now about the fashion design book I got from the book depository.  "Fashion Design Course" by Steven Faerm came in the mail on Monday and you know,  I'm just on the fifth section,  but I realize I should have gotten some books on specifically fashion design too rather then just getting all the other stuff,  portfolio development,   fashion illustration,  fashion designer's sewing secrets,  patternmaking and even how to survive as a fashion designer.  I actually made the mistake of thinking that fashion illustration and a book on how to make it as a fashion designer would basically cover everything that I'd need to know as a designer.  I was wrong though,

A book specifically about fashion design,  such as this one written by a leader in fashion design education (the director at Parsons,  no less) will cover history of fashion,  reasons why certain designers are so important,  why fashion changes as it does,  who controls it,  how and why.  The other things it covers are details in how a fashion designer works with other people,  such as the illustrators,  patternmakers and sample hands to create prototypes and so  on.  The responsibilities of the fashion designer are mapped out in great detail.

This book will also be teaching me about the different techniques designers use to develop collections,  like how to use inspiration around them,  how to combine things,  learn more about garment engineering and things like that.  I mean it's not to say I don't know anything about it already,  I do,  but I'll be learning so much more through this,  it'll open new doors and crystallize things I already have the right idea about. I'm hoping it'll cover a few extra 'designer' insights about patternmaking too though.


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

In Need Of A Discount Digital Pattern Cutting Service?

If you are looking for a pattern cutting services as in an individual who can provide you with pattern drafting / pattern making skills to provide you with finished garment patterns, and you're also looking for a discount, then you've come to the right place.

Unlike other pattern makers I don't charge the high fees for my discount digital pattern making services. As a beginner in the industry, I will draft your clothing patterns for only $35 per garment item, and include free alterations should your pattern(s) need any adjustments.

The first step in my pattern cutting service will include a free drafting of a basic bodice pattern called a sloper, in the size or sizes you require, ( according to the Butterick standard size chart). Then the appropriate blocks which are also completed free of charge will be constructed for the given garment design and the pattern cutting process for your design(s) will begin.

Depending on the complexity of your garment design your pattern may take 1 - 3 days to be completed and delivered as a full size printable jpeg file via email.

Information I will need in order to start the pattern making process for your designs will include the following:

- fabric weight and type

- required seam width

- desire hem width

- desired garment fit

- intended garment closures if applicable

- size (as compliant with Butterick standard size charts)

I will also require an illustration, photo or drawing of the garment(s) for which you need patterns drafted for as well as a similar visual reference for the back of the garment and details regarding any unseen elements to be included in the pattern.

Once complete, I will email your pattern to you via the email address you've provided. You'll then be able to take your digital pattern file to your local print shop or print services to have them print out your garment pattern(s).

Aside from pattern cutting / drafting, I also provide pattern digitization and can convert your flat paper or fabric pattern to digital jpeg format so it can be converted into an accurate digitally reproduction with clean, consistent seam widths and identical, correctly placed notches.

If you are interested in this pattern cutting or digitization service or you have any questions please email me for more information at stylistwithacause@gmail.com

Practical Pattern Cutting Tips

As I work on my pattern cutting work,  (I've got a few clients at the moment after not actually having any for a while) I realize having gotten a bit rusty in a few areas has it's benefits of helping crystallize some key procedures that need to take place during the drafting of a pattern.

First,  sometimes when you have a cool design to do for your designer,  say you really like the style lines in the garment, you may be tempted to start drafting up the style lines on the pattern sloper before you take care of deciding the exact placement of where the silhouette and length lines should be.  Don't do this, you'll make the pattern cutting a repetitive process of adjusting and re-adjusting as you re-tweek style lines to properly accommodate the designer's intended look.

Second,  notches.  When you've drafted the main pattern blocks for a garment,  you may sometimes be tempted to start placing your notches in their corresponding places (don't put them on the center of any seam lines though,  as pieces can get sewn upside down and miss-matched this way).  This is not the right time to notch so don't fall for it.  You've got to make sure you've decided on you facing shape lines( if you're using facings) and drafted the other attached but smaller pattern pieces first so that it's easier and quicker to place accurate notches,  in all their correct places rather then having a couple notching and notch adjusting sessions.

Third,  whenever possible do all similar work on your pattern as a single step in the over all process of drafting your pattern.  This doesn't include measuring though (for example,  when you draft a basic bodice pattern,  you've got to measure the armscye to correctly check the curve on the sleeve block before preceding with anything else).  However,  when you've got your basic sloper set up for a design,  do all the silhouette and length drafting first such as neckline depth, waistline placement,  hems,  sleeve lengths etc.  Zipper and button plackets are next.  Then place your style lines on each of the pieces.  Then draft your facings,  hem facings and hems lengths.  In digital pattern making I create my facings by setting up a shaped line that will be used to 'cut' through a copy of the main pattern block so that the seams and shapes will be identical to the main garment block.  However,  I don't 'cut' the facing out till all the notching work is complete so that I can simply copy the notches as well as the facing pieces to eliminate double measuring of notch placements.

So when you're drafting up your patterns,  keep these practical pattern cutting procedures in mind to speed up your work and help keep it more accurate as well.  After all,  accuracy is just about everything in pattern making.  And as they say,  time is money.

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.

Grading Shortcut For Patternmaker's Without Pattern Maker Software

Wow,  sorry there's often so much time between posts,  it's been a struggle between projects,  my kids devouring computer time and other responsibilities but,  I never forget about my patternmaker blog and while I get more experience in pattern cutting and grading I'm slowly coming across different shortcuts and techniques as well.

I haven't actually gotten around to doing any grading work on my sloper library lately,  but this weekend I figured out a way to grade both the front and back sloper sections simultaneously to save a bit of time.  This is how I managed it:

First you've got to slice your sloper sections up in the required areas,  then,  because the sliced portions of the front and back sections have to spread apart the same amount of distance all you really need to do is group together the corresponding vertical and horizontal portions and move them to where they need to be.   See below for an example:

Vertical Sections Selected For Spreading

Horizontal Sections Selected For Spreading

Now,  when your doing any kind of patternmaking work, grading or drafting,  you've got to always check things over,  your measurements of everything,  the 1/2" difference between the front and back sections and their armscye curve measurements,  then the sleeve curve ease and the shoulder notch.  All are small things,  but even in computer software,  if you're not using pattern maker software,  you could accidentally move something or even resize something and through off all your work.  

I spent the weekend tweeking my previous slopers to make sure measurements were in order,  no errors or anything that could pose a problem and then got started with grading my bodice sloper and it's sleeve up to size 12.   Yes,  I'm still working on grading up to Butterick size 24 so I can work with some online clothing companies I want to do business with.   I'm very excited getting my own patterns drafted finally.  But about doing business as a designer or patternmaker,  you've got to know what you're getting into and get ready for the long haul if you're not going to a complete, "you're going to learn everything" kind of fashion design course.  

First of all,  checking out my competition,  other patternmakers don't just have portfolios and years of awesome experience with designers everyone's heard about.   I've noticed patternmakers online offer a full range of services from pattern cutting,  grading,  sample making,  marker preparation,  spec sheets,  the works.  Basically, you want to have friends that do these things or you want to know how to do all of these things single handedly.  It's tough.  But,  don't shy away from it if this is what you want to do,  all I tell myself for example,  is that it's all a matter of reading a few more books and working on these skills.  That's pretty much all it takes.  Never let the time something may take deter you from learning how to do something you want to do, just do it.

As both a patternmaker and hopeful designer, while doing other people's patterns and eventually drafting my own patterns so I can get boutiques to sell my designs,  once the photos from their promotional campaigns start coming in,  I'll have my portfolio coming together without any extra cost and what could be cooler then that?  How long is this going to take??  Maybe another year or two I'm thinking,  but that's fine because it'll just get me more experience under my belt and I'll develop the confidence to take my endeavors to the next step like working for a company or a couple companies as a regular staff member or service provider.  :)  hehehe,  New York,  Paris,  Milan... Vancouver and Dubai here I come.

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