Creating the Pattern

Introduction & Overview Creating the Pattern So the patternmaker knows how to read a flat and refers to the Flat AND the Specification sheet for all the details of the garment.  How does she then go about creating, or using patternmaking terminology, drafting the pattern? The patternmaker starts with a basic pattern, a Block, to […]

Reading a Flat

Introduction & Overview Reading a Flat Pattern-makers are able to recognize the following information in Technical Flats: darts dart equivalents (gathers, pleats, tucks) design lines information about added fullness and contouring information about garment parts such as pockets and collars, and details such as stitching and notions. However, the patternmaker will also be given a […]

Why draw designs on the block?

Introduction & Overview Why draw designs on the block? Why draw design lines on the Block?  Why not keep the block nice and clean.  Why not trace the block and draw the design lines on the paper pattern? Maybe experienced patternmakers work this way, and you can choose to as well, but there are a […]

Instructions and Markings

Introduction & Overview Instructions and Markings Once all the pattern pieces have been made, they first need to be checked against each other before they are finalized.  Then they need to be marked. Pattern Pieces checked against each other These should be done before adding seam allowance.  The following needs to be checked: adjoining pattern […]

Sketches & Flats

Introduction & Overview Sketches & Flats There are two types of drawings used in the fashion industry, both used for very different purposes; the Design and the Fashion Flat.  As a home-sewer patternmaker, you don’t need to be able to the first, but you do need to draw what you are wanting to create to […]

Dart Equivalents

Introduction & Overview Dart Equivalents In the previous page we mentioned Dart Equivalents, and showed that gathers, pleats and tucks fell into this category. What does “Dart Equivalent” mean? Darts are used to create shaping over the contours of the body.  The nature of a dart means that it finishes somewhere within the inside of […]

Seam Allowance

Introduction & Overview Seam Allowance When adding seam allowance to pattern pieces there are two issues to consider: How much seam allowance to add, and How to finish off the seam allowance corners; i.e. do you want the cut edges to line up? You do not have to add the same amount of seam allowance […]