Garment-Elements

The concepts covered in the Principles menu are the basics of patternmaking, but generally, for a beginner, that isn't enough to create a complete pattern. This is especially the case when you start adding add details such as pockets and sleeves, plackets, etc.  Creating the pattern pieces for some of these garment elements does consist of applying a principle; e.g. creating a puff sleeve is achieved by adding fullness, but sometimes it isn't obvious.   Sometimes those basic principles don't really assist much; for example, in the case of creating a shawl collar, (and we are talking about beginners here) you need to be shown how to do it first. Sometimes it might just be obvious how to make the pattern piece for a certain detail/element; you could probably figure out how to make the pattern pieces for a basic square pocket yourself.  However, when you are starting, the problem is that you don't know what you don't know... so it's best the first time you go to make a pattern piece for a certain detail or element, that you check the Garment Elements pages to get some guidance.

Example

In the image below is an example of something you could might out for yourself, but you might not.  You may think that to create this collar you put the front and back bodice together at the shoulder seam lines and trace out the collar piece, but in actual fact you should overlap the bodice blocks at the shoulder.  If you don't overlap them, the collar won't sit correctly.  These are the kind of things that Someone Else Has Figured Out, and this saves you having to reinvent the wheel yourself for every Element like this. (Note that I may have exaggerated the overlap in this image, to make the point, but even an overlap of 1/8" will can make a difference to how the collar sits.  Different collars will have different amounts of overlap, depending on the effect wanted). 

So these Element pages will eventually contain most of the Elements that will assist you in creating your own patterns.  However, as at the time this website went live, it does not contain all the main Elements.  They will be added on an ongoing basis.

Garment Element Pages Planned For This Website

Below is a list of all the Garment Elements I plan on adding to these pages over time; the ones in black are the ones that have been done and are available in the menu on the right.  Those that are in red font are pages that have not yet been created, but is on my list to be done.  As I create those pages, this list will be updated. Those elements in the list below in black font have been created, those in red are on the list and will be (eventually) created.  I am working through the Skirts section in May 2019.

• Button Stand
• Collars
  • Eton Collar
  • Frilled Collar
  • Mandarin Collar
  • Stand Collar
  • Peter Pan Collar
  • Rever Collar
  • (Classic) Roll Collar
  • Sailor Collar
  • Shawl Collar
  • (Two-piece) Shirt Collar
  • Stand Collar
  • Turnover Collar
• Facings
  • (Separate) Neck and Armhole
  • All in one
  • Neckline facing with Button Stand
  • Grown on Facing (Button Stand)
• Necklines
  • Built Up
  • Cowl
  • Low Necklines
  • Square
• Misc
  • Curing the Waist
  • Finishing Darts
  • Frills
  • Godets
• Pants
• Plackets
• Pleats & Tucks
  • Kick Pleats
  • Box Pleats
  • Pleats
  • Pin Tucks
• Pockets
• Sleeves
  • Sleeve Cuffs
  • Bishop Sleeve
  • Cap Sleeve
  • Dolman Sleeve
  • Drop Shoulders
  • Flared Sleeve
  • Gathered Head
  • Kimono Sleeve
  • Lantern Sleeve
  • Petal Sleeve
  • Puff Sleeve
  • Raglan Sleeve
  • Sleeve with Mock Cuff
• Skirts
  • A-Line & Flare Intro Page
    • A-line Skirt from 1-Dart Block
    • A-line Skirt from 2-Dart Block
    • Flared Skirt 1
    • Flared Skirt 2
    • Skirt with Bias Flare
    • Slinky Skirt
  • Circle Skirt Intro Page
    • Full Circle Skirt
    • Three-Quarter Circle Skirt
    • Half Circle Skirt
  • Gore Skirts Intro Page
    • 4_gore Skirt
    • 6-Gore Skirt
    • 8-Gore Skirt
    • 12-Gore Skirt
  • Other Skirts Intro Page
    • Skirt with Lowered Waist
    • Yoked Skirt
    • Dirndl Skirt
    • Wrap Skirt
  • Pleated Skirts
    • Skirt with Inverted Box Pleat
    • Skirt with Knife Pleat
    • Skirt with Accordion Pleat
  • Skirt Elements
    • Straight Waistband
    • Contoured Waistband
    • Skirt Flounce
    • Skirt Lining
    • Godets
    • Skirt Pocket
• Shirt
• Style-lines (Bodice/Dress)
  • Princess Line Shoulder
  • Princess Line Armhole
  • Empire Line