HOW TO DRAFT A PATTERN FROM MEASUREMENTS

If you are struggling to make Outfits that
Fits Perfectly?

Growing up in a home filled with fashion designers has always been one of the highlights of my childhood.

It was fascinating watching the people around me make a dress from start to finish, the joy was indescribable except that as beautiful as the craft was there were just too many problems tied to fittings, precision, and accuracy. It just didn’t look right to me.

Interacting with people from different places, the complaints were the same everywhere I met fashion designers, everyone had a problem with getting the right fit.

I started watching fashion channels on Television, went for Lagos Fashion and design weekend (LFDW) and it started making sense as to what the problem was.

I’m a number and precision person, so you can imagine my excitement when I heard there was something called “Pattern making”

I started learning about pattern making Till I found a signature framework, that helped me in taking accurate measurements and helped me understand Pattern Making concepts better.

Through my research, i discovered that the reason why designers didn’t add the skill of pattern drafting was that it seemed so difficult to learn and then they abandoned it. Not that people didn’t want to add the skill of pattern making, it was the process: how it was being taught and the way it was being explained.

So how do we make thing easier so that most fashion designers can go from making mediocre basic to fit dresses to making perfectly tailored to fit dresses?

While i was learn pattern making, i was documenting and taking note of every steps that has made it easier for me to quickly acquire this very important skill.

What is Pattern Making and Why is it so important?

The development of a garment comprises of different processes. Fit is the most important factor leading to the final acceptance or rejection of a garment. You need to understand this if you don’t want to be fighting with your customers everyday. Fit must be designed into the original pattern through subtleties in the pattern, which provides fullness unobtrusively at appropriate locations to accommodate body bulges in a flattering manner. Good customized fit is dependent on the pattern drafting by incorporating various shapes and proportions of the individual customer from measurements taken.

Pattern making is a Profession art. It is the art of manipulating and shaping a flat piece of fabric to conform to one or more curves of the human figure . Pattern making is a bridge function between design and production. A sketch can be turned into a garment via a pattern which interprets the design in the form of the garment components.

A pattern is flat while the body is not. The body has height, width and depth. With in this roughly cylindrical framework, there are a series of secondary curves and bulges, which are of concern to the pattern maker. Darts are the basis of all pattern making. They convert the flat piece of cloth into a three dimensional form, which fits the bulges of the body.

Remember people are not the same, we have orobo, we have lepa. You need to be able to understand the different body shapes and make sizes.

A patternmaker typically makes a pattern from a flat sketch with measurements or a two dimensional fashion illustration. The basic pattern is the very foundation upon which pattern making, fit and design are based. The basic pattern is the starting point for flat pattern designing. It is a simple pattern that fits the body with just enough ease for movement and comfort

Methods of Pattern Making

Pattern making involves three methods-

• Drafting
• Draping
• Flat paper patternmaking

Drafting:

It involves measurements derived from sizing systems or accurate measurements taken on a person, dress or body form. Measurements for chest, waist, hip and so on, and ease allowances are marked on paper and construction lines are drawn to complete the pattern. Drafting is used to create basic, foundation or design patterns.

Draping:

It involves the draping of a two dimensional piece of fabric around a form, conforming to its shape, creating a three-dimensional fabric pattern. This muslin is transferred to paper to be used as a final pattern. Ease allowances for movement are added to make the garment comfortable to wear. Advantage of draping is that the designer can see the overall design effect of the finished garment on the body form before the garment piece is cut and sewn. However, it is more expensive and time consuming than flat pattern making.

Flat Pattern Making:

It involves the development of a fitted basic pattern with comfort ease to fit a person or body form. A sloper is the starting point for flat pattern designing. It is a simple pattern that fits the body with just enough ease for movement and comfort. Five basic pattern pieces are used for womens clothing. They include a snug-fitting bodice front and bodice back with darts and a basic neckline, a sleeve and a fitted skirt front and back with darts. However, as fashion changes frequently womens styles fluctuate frequently. These basic slopers are then manipulated to create fashions.

A basic sloper has no seam allowances, which facilitates its manipulations to various styles. It has no design interest, only construction lines are marked on it. It is necessary that the basic structure of a sloper should be such that adjustments can be introduced easily. For a good pattern making, accurate measurements are of utmost importance.

Pattern making with ease has really helped in understading concept of how to draft patterns from measurements and you can get the training course before the price finally goes up by clicking on the link.

Note that you might lose the offer if you refresh or might not be available the next time you visit this page. So take the opportunity to learn this great skill that will help you make better garments than your competitors today.

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