PATTERNMAKING
FOR FASHION DESIGNERS
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The Practical Guide to Patternmaking
for Fashion Designers
The Practical Guide to Patternmaking
for Fashion Designers
Juniors, Misses, and JiIlOmen
Lori A. Knowles
Fairchild Publications,
Inc.
Assistant Acquisitions Editor: Jaclyn Bergeron
Development Editor: Jason Moring
Associate Development Editor: Suzette Lam
Production Manager: Ginger Monaco
Associate Production Editors: Elizabeth Marotta and Beth Cohen
Copy Editor: Donna Frassetto
Photography: Matt Knowles, Aesthetic Design and Photography
Interior Design: Mary Neal Meador
All rights reserved. No part of this book covered by thecopyright hereon may be reproduced or used inany fom1 or by any means-graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, or information storage and retrieval systems-without written permission of the publisher.
Library ofCongress Catalog Card Number: 2005920035 ISBN: 1-56367-328-2
Extended Contents vn Preface xv CHAPTER 1 CHAPTER 2 CHAPTER 3 CHAPTER 4 CHAPTER 5 CHAPTER 6 CHAPTER 7 CHAPTER 8 CHAPTER 9 CHAPTER 10 CHAPTER 11 CHAPTER 12 CHAPTER 13 CHAPTER 14 CHAPTER 15 CHAPTER 16 CHAPTER 17 CHAPTER 18 CHAPTER 19 CHAPTER 20 ApPENDIX A ApPENDIX B ApPENDIX C ApPENDIX D ApPENDIX E ApPENDIX F
Introduction to Pattern making 1
Taking Measurements, Body Forms, and Live Models 19
Drafting the Sloper Set 43
Draping the Sloper Set 81
Dart Manipulation for Bodices, Sleeves, and Skirts 105
Collar and Neckline Theory and Development 135
Sleeve Theory and Development 163
Dart Equivalents As Stylelines, Gathers, Pleats, and Release Tucks 187
Added Fullness and Flares, and Added Ease 225
The Torso Sloper and Its Uses 257
The Jacket Sloper and ItsUses 289
The Coat Sloper and Its Uses 315
The Dartless Jean Sloper and ItsUses 333
Special Body Forms, Live Models, and Contoured Styles 351
Patterns for Fabric Used on the Bias Grainline 369
Patterns for Fabrics That Stretch 389
Patterns for Fabrics That Shrink 415
Linings 423
Knockoff Pattern Techniques 439
Production Pattern Techniques 447
Quarter-Scale Sloper Set for Misses' Size Twelve 455
Metric Conversion Chart 461
Fractions of Inches to Decimal Point Chart 462
French Curve 463
Sample Pattern Chart 464
Sample Specification Sheets .465
Glossary 467
Preface xv Acknowledgments xv
CHAPTER 1 Introduction to Patternmaking 1
Introduction 1
Patternmaking for the Fashion Industry 2
Objective 3
KeyTerms 3 Fabric Grainlines 3 Pattern Grainlines 4 Marker 4
Pattern Labeling 5 Seam Allowance 8 Hem Allowance 10 Pattern Marking 12 Grading a Size Range 13
Tools and Equipment Used in Pattern making 14 Notions 16
Summary 16
Questions 17
CHAPTER 2 Taking Measurements, Body Forms, and Live Models 19
Introduction 19 Objective 19
Checklist for Taking Measurements 20 Preparing the Body Form 20
Preparing Live Models 21 Upper Torso Measurements 23 Arm Measurements 28
Lower Torso and Leg Measurements 30
Size Charts for Junior's, Misses', andWomen's Sizes 32
Summary 32 Questions 33
CHAPTER 3 Drafting the Sloper Set 43 Introduction 43
Objective 44
Checklist for Drafting the Sloper Set 44
General Instructions 44
Drafting the Bodice for Junior's, Misses', and Women's Sizes 45
Drafting the Fitted Set-In Sleeve for Junior's, Misses', and Women's Sizes 52
Drafting the Two-Dart Skirt for Junior's, Misses', and Women's Sizes 56
Drafting the One-Dart Skirt for Junior's, Misses', and Women's Sizes 60
Drafting the Two-Dart Trouser for Junior's, Misses', and Women's Sizes 62
Drafting the One-Dart Trouser for Junior's, Misses', and Women's Sizes 68
Test Fitting the Sloper Set and Creating the Two-Dart Front Bodice 70
Summary 75
Questions 75
Learning Activities 75
CHAPTER 4 Draping the Sloper Set 81
Introduction 81
Objective 81
Checklist for Draping the Sloper Set 81
General Instructions 82
Preparing the Body Form 82
Blocking Muslin 82
Two-Dart Bodice for Junior's, Misses', and Women's Sizes 83 Two-Dart Skirt for Junior's, Misses', and Women's Sizes 94 Checking the Trued Bodice and Skirt Drapes on the Form 101 Transferring the Trued Drapes onto Paper 102
Final Truing of Bodice and Skirt for Junior's, Misses', and Women's Sizes 103 Summary 103
Questions 103
Learning Activities 103
CHAPTER 5 DartManipulation for Bodices, Sleeves, and Skirts 105 Introduction 105
Objective 107
Style 0501:Front Bodice with Shoulder Tip Dart and Center Front Waist Dart 107 Style 0502:Front Bodice with Two Waist Darts 110
Style 0503: BackBodice with Neck and Waist Darts 112
Style 0504:Front Bodice with Converging Center Front Darts 114 Style 0505:Sleeve with Two Elbow Darts 116
Style 0506:Front Skirt with Inverted V Darts 119
Style 0508: Curved Dart Dress 722 Pattern Chart for Style 0508 737 Specification Sheets for Style 0508 732 Summary 734
Questions 734 Practice Problems 734
CHAPTER 6 Collarand Neckline Theory and Development 135
Introduction 735 Objective 737
Recreating the Proportions of aDesign Sketch 737
Style 0601: Bateau Neckline, Bodice with Intersecting Curved Darts 738 Style 0602: Funnel Neckline, Bodice with Neck Darts . 740
Style 0603: Tie Collar, Bodice with Center Front Darts and Placket 744
Style 0604: Straight Rolled Collar, Bodice with Zip Front and French Darts 748
Style 0605: One-Shoulder Neckline, Bodice with Contoured Darts 752 Style 0606: Sailor Collar with Asymmetrical Button-Front Bodice 755 Pattern Chart for Style 0606 767
Summary 767
Questions 762 Practice Problems 762
Sleeve Theory and Development 763 763 CHAPTER 7 Introduction Sleeve Theory Objective 763
Dartless Sleeve Sloper 764 Style 0701: Petal Sleeve 766
Style 0702: Dropped Shoulder Sleeve and Bodice 768 Style 0703: Long Sleeve with Upper Cap Combined with Bodice Style 0704: Square Armhole Sleeve and Bodice 774 Style 0705: Modified Kimono Bodice with Gussets 776 Style 0706: Dolman Sleeve, Dartless Wraparound Top 779 Pattern Chart for Style 0706 785
Summary 785
Questions 786 Practice Problems
CHAPTER 8 Dart Equivalents As Stylelines, Gathers, Pleats, andRelease Tucks... 187 Introduction 787
Objective 788
Style 0802: Bodice with Armhole Princess Styleline, Sweetheart Neckline,
and Cap Sleeves 192
Style 0803: Bodice with Yoke, Gathers, Shawl Collar, and Short Sleeves 196 Style 0804: Bodice with Stand Collar, Bare Shoulders, and Bust-Level Styleline 200 Style 0805: Bodice with Front Yoke,Back Pleats, Raglan Sleeves, and Convertible Collar 204 Style 0806: Skirt with Gathered Waist, Kick Pleat,Waistband, and Back Zipper 209
Style 0807:Skirt, Princess Line, Overlapped Waistband, Back Zipper, and Slit 211 Style 0808: Trouser with Stitched Pleats, Fly Front, Front Insert Pockets,
Back Double Piping Pockets, and Cuffs 215 Pattern Chart for Style 0808 222
Summary 222
Questions 223 Practice Problems 223
CHAPTER 9 Added Fullness and Flares, and Added Ease 225
Introduction 225 Objective 225
Style 0901:Top with Two Layers, Flared with Uneven Hem 226
Style 0902: Blouse with Gathered Front, Buttoned Placket, and Short Puffed Sleeves with Control Lining 229
Style 0903: Blouse with Long Full Gathered Sleeves, Flared Cuff Flounces, Peplum, and Collar 233
Style 0904: Flared Skirt, Waist Finished with Inside Facing 239 Style 0905: Circle Skirt and Waistband 241
Style 0906: Half-Circle Skirt 244
Style 0907: Pant, Pull-On with Low Crotch and Double Elastic Waistband 246
Style 0908:Jumpsuit, Double-Breasted, Wide Flat Collar, and Inverted Box Pleats 248 Pattern Chart for Style 0908 255
Summary 255
Questions 25fj Practice Problems 256
CHAPTER 10 The Torso Sloper and Its Uses 257
Introduction 257 Objective 257 Torso Sloper 257
Style 1001:Shirt with BoxPleats and Sleeve Placket 262
Style 1002:Shirt, Oversized, with Hidden Button Placket, Buttoned Tabs, Belt, and Inseam Pockets 267
Style 1003:Vest, Fitted, with FlatCollar 271
Style 1004:Skirt with High Waist and Insert Pockets 273
Style 1005: Dress with Short Kimono Sleeves and Empire Waist 277
Style 1006:Dresswith Modified Cape Collar, Low Waist, and Handkerchief Hem 278 Style 1007: Traditional Kimono 282
Pattern Chart for Style 1007 286 Summary 286
Questions 287 Practice Problems 287
CHAPTER 11 The Jacket Sloper and Its Uses 289
Introduction 289 Objective 289
Jacket Sloper: Front, Back, and Sleeve 290 Jacket Sloper, Separate Bodice, and Skirt 293 Style 1101: Bolero with Leg-of-Mutton Sleeves 293
Style 1102: Portrait Lapel Jacket, Panel Stylelines, and Front Ties 297
Style 1103: Bomber Jacket, Hidden Zipper Closure, Elastic-Cased Waist, Epaulets, and Pouch Pockets with Flaps 302
Style 1104: Single-Breasted Jacket with Low Notched Lapel, Two-Piece Sleeves, Welt Pockets, Vents, and Bound Buttonholes 306
Pattern Chart for Style 1104 314
Summary 314
Questions 314
CHAPTER 12 The Coat Sloper and ItsUses 315
Introduction 315 Objective 315
Coat Sloper: Front, Back, and Sleeve 315
Style 1201: Long Coat, Patch Pockets, Button Tabs, Back Vent, and Modified Shawl Collar 318
Style 1202: Pea Coat, Double-Breasted, Modified Design with Flared Back and Adjustable BackBelt 323
Style 1203:Cape with Over-the-Shoulder Yoke, Knife Pleats, and Loose Hood 326
Summary 330
Questions 331
CHAPTER 13 The Dartless Jean Sloperand ItsUses 333 Introduction 333
Objective 333
Dartless Jean Sloper 334 Style 1301: Runner's Shorts 338
Style 1302:Capri Pants with Low-Rise Waistline 341
Style 1303:Jeans with Slim Fit, Five Pockets, Tapered Legs, and Zippered Ankles 343 Style 1304: Sailor Pants 347
Summary 350
CHAPTER 14 Special Body Forms, Live Models, and Contoured Styles 351
Introduction 351
Additional Measurements Needed for Contoured Styles Objective 351
Style 1401: Halter Top with Contoured Bra Cups 352
Style 1402: Gown, Flattened Bust with Boning in Bodice, and Three Separate Tiers
on Skirt 354
Style 1403: Gown, Off-the-Shoulder, Pleated Collar, Boning and Padding, Skirt with Godets and Train 360
364 365 Summary
Questions
CHAPTER 15 Patterns for Fabric Used on the Bias Grainline 369
Introduction 369
Objective 370
Flat Patterned Bias Torso Sloper 371 Draped Bias Torso Sloper 373
Style 1501: Bias Camisole with Separate Cowl Front 376
Style 1502: Bias Top with Cowl Collar, Short Cowl Drape Sleeves, and Hip Band 378 Style 1503: Bias Skirt with Trumpet Hem 382
Style 1504: Bias Slip Dress with Low Back and Crisscross Spaghetti Straps 383
Summary 387
Questions 388
CHAPTER 16 Patternsfor Fabrics That Stretch 389
Introduction 389
Objective 391
Knit Torso Sloper Flat Patterned: Front, Back, and Sleeve, for 50-Percent Stretch Fabric
in Width, Only 391
Knit Torso Sloper Drape: Front and Back, For 50-Percent Stretch Fabric
in Width, Only 391
Style 1601: Classic Tee Shirt with Crew Neck in Ribbing 395
Style 1602: Knit Shirt with Raglan Sleeves, Shoulder Pads, V Neck, and Cuffs
in Ribbing 395
Knit Full-Length Bodysuit Sloper Draft: Front, Back, and Sleeve
for 1OO-Percent Stretch Fabric in Width and Length 397
Knit Full-Length Bodysuit Sloper Drape: Front and Back for 100-Percent Stretch Fabric
in Width and Length 401
Style 1603: Mid-Thigh-Length Bodysuit with U-Front Neck, Racer Back,
and Empire Seam 404
Knit Legging Sloper Flat Patterned: Front and Back for 100-Percent Stretch Fabric
Style 1104:Single-Breasted Jacket, Including Lining, from Chapter 18 447 Pattern Chart for Style 1104 452
Summary 453 ApPENDIX A ApPENDIX B ApPENDIX C ApPENDIX D ApPENDIX E ApPENDIX F
Quarter-Scale Sloper Set for Misses' Size Twelve 455
Metric Conversion Chart 461
Fractionsof Inches to Decimal Point Chart 462
French Curve 463
Sample Pattern Chart 464
Sample Specification Sheets 465
Glossary 467
Preface
I have had the good fortune of finding a career in the fashion industry that suited myabilities, offered challenges and excit e-ment, and introduced me to many fine,
hard-working people. While a student at the Fashion Institute of Design and M er-chandising in San Francisco, California, I discovered that patternmaking was my area of expertise. After a fewyears of work -ing full-time in the fashion industry as a patternmaker, I began teaching patter n-making courses at West Valley College in Saratoga, California, working concurren t-ly as a professional patternmaker for Marian Clayden Ine. My students appre-ciated the handouts I created to supple -ment my classes and suggested that Iwrite apatternmaking textbook. I discussed the contents of the proposed book with s tu-dents, other instructors at the college, and professional patternmakers, and, with their input and my own knowledge and experience as a pattern maker and ins truc-tor,undertook the project.
This textbook demonstrates how to draft, drape, and flat pattern an array of garment styles in a variety of textiles for Misses', Junior's and Women's sizes. Fashion styles are ever changing; the re-fore, whenever possible, classic styles are shown in this text rather than up-to-the-minute, trendy styles that will become dated after one season. The styles shown represent a range of pattern work, from beginning to advanced.
The content in this book isorganized differently from other pattern books on the market. I felt it was important to pro-vide the theory of pattern making along
with detailed drawings of the patternma k-ing process. Going through the steps toward completing a pattern is effective only if the student understands the process, and how all of the pieces work together in a finished garment. Most of the styles are shown complete, including facings and closures. This approach re in-forces the fact that the patternmaker must consider how garment pieces such as bodice, sleeves, collar, and facings work together as aunit, aswell as how the ga r-ment isput on. Fitting tips are given for several styles to correct fit problems before the first sample garment is cut. Emphasis is placed on the marking and labeling of pattern pieces, and the listing ofthepieces and notions on pattern charts. Students indicated that this approach was the most effective, enabling them to understand the pattern making process and apply what they learned to patterns of their own design. To further enhance students' edu-cation, learning activities, practice pro b-lems, and a glossary are provided.
Women's bodies come in all different shapes and sizes, and an effort has been made to accommodate this variety with detailed size charts and measurement tables so that students are not limited to designing for the "perfect" size-8 figure. While preparing this book, I conducted exhaustive research on the body meas ure-ments of women of different weights,
heights, ages, and ethnicities. With this information, I developed size charts that reflect the average proportions of today's women. These charts should be helpful for pattern makers and manufacturers try
-ing to fitthe modem-day publie. The gar -ment styles are shown on drawings of a Misses' size-12 body form, instead of an
elongated fashion figure, to give students
a more accurate idea of the actual propor -tions of the finished garment in an av er-age sIze.
My goals inwriting this textbook are to:
• Explain the techniques of patternm ak-ing and make them easy tounderstand.
• Include tips for improving fit.
• Include considerations of the manufac -turing process.
• Include a wide variety of textile uses, styles, and sizes.
• Help students attain their goals as pr o-fessionals in the fashion industry. I hope I've achieved these goals and that this book serves as auseful guide to those seeking, or already possessing, careers in the fashion industry as pattern makers. Happy pattern making!
Acknowledgments
I would not have written this book w ith-out the encouragement of many students at West ValleyCollege and my co-workers at Marian Clayden Ine. Some of the more vocal advocates include Justine Ly,
Trang DeHaesleer, Ginna Macaraeg, Anu Godsey, Laura Brosius, Tina Bui,
LaRhonda Harris, Debbie Lewis, and Maria Luisa Castillo De Gulick. I wish to thank all of my students at West Valley College, who peppered me with questions
that required me to come upwith answers; as well as those whose designs challenged myskills, and those who shared their own expertise from careers in the fashion industry in other countries.
Sally Aitken and Kaee Min of the Fashion Design and Apparel Technology Department at West Valley College have been very encouraging during my time as an instructor, and they helped convince me to write this book. Thank you foryour support, advice, and friendship, without which I could not have completed this project!
Thanks are also due to Marian and Roger Clayden, who employed me for so many years and provided afamily atmos -phere inwhich their employees could feel comfortable and flourish. I learned so much while under their wings, a great deal of which went into this book. I can't thank them both enough.
I wish to thank my wonderful hus -band, Matt Knowles, whose professional photography helped to illustrate this text, and whose computer knowledge helped me learn the programs necessary to com -plete this textbook. Thank you, too, for putting up with me during this very long process!
I consider Mr. Hector Edward Lopez to be my patternmaking and teaching mentor. He was one of my instructors at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in San Francisco, Califo r-nia. I have tried to emulate his pattern-making prowess and his engaging, profes-sional manner as an instructor-but I don't think I'll ever be as suave ashe is!
Fairchild Books has given me the honor of having my work published, for which I cannot thank them enough. Olga Kontzias, Executive Editor, has been a supporter since I first contacted Fairchild
and was instrumental in seeing this proj -ect to fruition. Olga also put me in touch with Beth Cohen, Joseph Miranda, Elizabeth Marotta, and others at Fairchild who have been there to keep me going, help me stay organized, and pull me through the most stressful times. Thank you, all! Reviewers selected by the pub -lisher were also velYhelpful. They include Missy Bye, University of Minnesota; Betty Davie, Kent State University; and Elaine Zarse, Mount Mary College.
To my family, friends and models, thank you for your continued interest in my project, for participating in size meas
-urement research, and for listening to my book updates with eagerness instead of boredom. From now on I'll be able to converse on a variety of topics rather than just the contents of this and mymenswear
1
Introduction to Patternmaking
Patternmaking =pattern draft-ing, pattern draping, and flat patternmaking
Figure 1.1
Pattern drafting is a design process that involves taking measurements from a
per-son's body or abody form, adding ease to these measurements (usually), and then transferring these measurements onto a paper pattern. This isdone using pencils,
tape measures, rulers, curves, scissors, and tape. The finished paper pattern isplaced on top of fabric as aguide to cutting out garment pieces.
Figure 1.2
Pattern draping is adesign process that involves pinning and marking pieces of fabric that have been placed on a body form, or a human body, into the desired shape. These "draped" pieces of fabric are then corrected and transferred onto paper using tracing wheels, pencils, rulers, curves, scissors, and tape. The finished paper pattern is placed on top of fabric as a guide to cutting out garment pieces.
Figure 1.3
Flat patternmaking is adesign process in which a base block, or sloper, is used to create a pattern for a new style. The sloper
front bodice sloper
size 12
centuries, machines have been used to create patterns. Before the advent of com-puters, patterns were always made by hand. The introduction of body scanners
to record minute detail about individual body shape may revolutionize the way
clothing is produced. In the future, an individual's measurements may be sent directly to aclothing manufacturer, where
they will be used to create a custom pat-tern that willguide the cutting of the g ar-ment-ail done by computer.
Currently, the majority of clothing worn bypeople in industrialized nations is
mass produced in third world countries. Clothing manufacturers often produce garments offshore to reduce costs to the manufacturer, which in turn reduces the
retail cost to the consumer. The fashion industry has had its share of bad press about the conditions under which its
products are made. Manufacturers should
do their utmost to ensure that their work
-ers and contractors are treated fairly and
with respect, as demonstrated by reason -able compensation and hours, and decent
working conditions.
The patternmaking process starts with the fashion designer's idea. A ftrst pattern isdrafted, draped, flat patterned, or created on a computer. Next, a ftrst
is traced, then set aside. The traced copy is
transferred into a new style using one or more pattern making techniques. These techniques include adding fullness,
con-touring, pivoting, and slash and spread.
Figure 1.4
Patternmaking has come along way since people first started cutting shapes out of fabric instead of just wrapping large sec
-tions of it around themselves. As people made clothing that conformed more cl
ose-lyto the human body, they found that fab
-rics that do not stretch need tobe shaped
by placing darts, pleats, gathers, or style
-lines at strategic areas, thus enabling the
fabric to ftt smoothly over the body's con
-tours. This is especially true of the adult female form, which has many convex (outward) and concave (inward) curves throughout its three-dimensional shape.
Pattern making for the Fashion Industry
Patternmaking techniques have dev
el-oped over the centuries to convert fabrics and animal skins intoclothing to cover the
sample of the new style is cut and sewn.
The first sample is fitted toabody formor
a live model. Changes are almost always made to the firstpattern, either toperfect
the fitor to adjust the styleof the garment. A second sample is then cut, sewn, and fit
-ted. Further changes may be made, and
more sample garments may be cut and
sewn, until thedesigner, patternmaker, or in-house merchandiser and company
owner are satisfied. At this point, more
samples aremade for in-house salespeople
and sales representatives who show the garments to prospective buyers for retail establishments; or,the manufacturer may
sell directly to the public. Once a style is deemed worthy of going into production, the pattern issent to the production pat-ternmaker, who prepares the pattern for
grading into a size range. The
produc-tion pattern must be asperfect as possible
so that errors are not transferred into pro -duction garments, which number into the hundreds or thousands for large compa -nies. This is only one way of producing patterns; each company has its own sys
-tem. In smaller companies, feweremploy
-ees may be responsible for more than one part of the production process. Some
companies are so small that the designer does all of the pattern work, and some -times even the cutting and sewing!
Objective
This chapter introduces the student of fashion design and patternmaking to the
industry terms, tools, and equipment.
Basic information about the type ofpaper used for patternmaking, fabric grain -lines, pattern labeling, seam allowance
and hem allowance, pattern marking, grading asizerange, and the names of the
body form parts prepare students to pro
-ceed through the rest of the chapters. Students who have an extensive knowl
-edge of sewing using commercial pat-terns will find that the fashion industry
has its own standards for widths ofseam
allowance, pattern marking (such as
notches and punch holes), and timesav -ing construction methods. For example,
the seam allowance depth on theneckline of a pattern produced by afashion manu· facturer isnarrow,usually 1/4inch, toelim -inate the need to "grade" the seam allowance by cutting the seam allowance layers with scissors. A knowledge of sewing techniques isvery valuable for a
patternmaker, but the beginning student
can be successfully taught patternmaking and sewing simultaneously ifhe or shehas
an aptitude for working with the hands
and is able to visualize patterns and gar -ments three dimensionally.
You will need to be familiar with several terms before you start the lessons in this
book. Terms included in the glossary appear in boldface type at the first text mention. Additional terms may require a longer explanation oravisual example to be fully understood. The explanation of these terms comprises the rest of this chapter.
Figure 1.5
It isimportant tounderstand and use fa b-ricgrainlines correctly, otherwise yourga r-ments will hang improperly and willtwist. Have you ever bought agarment that had
sideseams that twisted toward the front or back? Well, agood guess isthat the gar -ment wasnot "cut on grain." When fabric
pattern grainlines are always placed parallel to the straight
grain and selvages
on the loom are called the warp yarns or
warp grain. Another name for these yarns isthe straight grain. These yarns run the length of thefabric, soif you have 3 yards of fabric, the warp grain yarns are 3 yards
long. The warp grain has the most strength in a woven fabric and the least
amount of stretch, because there is tension on the yarns when they are set in the loom. In garments made of woven fabric, the warp or straight grain usually runs up and down the body.Garments hang well when cut out of fabricthis way as long as the pat
-tern pieceshave been made correctly.
Cross Grainline
After the loom has been set with warp yarns, the next step is to add or weave the weft yarns or weft grain. Another name for these yarns is the cross grain. These yarns run across the width of the fabric from side to side or "selvage to selvage" and are at a 90-degree or right angle to the straight grain. The selvages are the tightly woven edges that run along the outer length of a bolt of fabric and are parallel to the straight grain.
Occasionally a garment is cut with the weftor cross grain running up and down instead of around the body. This might be done when a border design on one or both
edges of the fabric is featured athems. A
fabric hangs differently if cut on the cross
grain, especially if there are gathers or
pleats. The gathers or pleats do not lay
flat; instead they puff out away from the body. This isusually acceptable in skirts but should be kept in mind when desig
n-ing with borders.
Bias Grainline
Another way tocut garments out of fabric is to use the bias grainline. If a perfect
cross grain (torn edge or pulled thread) is
laid on a perfect straight grain (torn edge
orpulled thread), you will have a di ago-nal fold that isaperfect 45-degree angle
to the straight or cross grain. This 45 -degree angle line is called true bias. A garment that is cut with the true bias run-ning up and down on the body stretches
and clings to the body. This is one way to make a garment size fit a wider range of figure types, as knits do, but it uses
more fabric per garment and can be diffi
-cult to sew without ripples or stresslines
on the seams.
Figure 1.6
Grainlines are drawn on pattern pieces to ensure that they will be placed on afabric in a way that enables the garment to be
cut properly. The grainline is drawn as a straight line that runs from edge to edge of the pattern piece. It includes arrows to distinguish it from other lines on the pat-tern. The grainline can be drawn in vari-ous places on the pattern, depending on whether the garment is to be cut on the straight, cross, or bias grainline. When placing the pattern on a piece of fabric, the grain line drawn on the pattern piece is
always laid parallel to the straight grain
and selvages of the fabric.
Figure 1.7
Most fashion manufacturers expect to make multiple copies of their designs, and the patternmaker must remember what goes into the production of such garments. The fabric probably will be stacked in several layers or "ply" (one layer = 1 ply), with a marker on top. A
marker is a piece of paper the same width as the fabric from edge to edge (selvage
,
~'j
=~
.
.
to selvage) onto which pattern pieces
have been traced. The pattern pieces are
placed in such a way as to use the least amount of fabric per garment. When you draw grainlines on pattern pieces, be sure
the lines go from edge to edge. Then when the pattern piece is placed on marker paper, the grainline can easily be
lined up with the grid of letters and num-bers on the paper.
When fabric is stacked in several lay -ers with amarker on top and with pattern pieces close together, cutting can be diff
i-cult. Special electric tools or compute r-ized cutters are used to cut through the
layers. Because of this, you should refrain from making patterns with very odd shapes, extremely sharp points, and cutouts that would make the production process difficult if not impossible.
Pattern Labeling
Pattern labeling helps the people who use your patterns. Each pattern should have a style number, which usually consists of 4 or 5 digits. These digits generally have some significance; for instance, the first number may indicate the year or season for which the pattern ismade; the second number, whether the garment is adress,
-~1
2.004
!
,0 I
top, or jacket; and the last two or three
numbers, the style itself.
When creating first patterns, it's best
to write the name of the pattern piece, such as "bodice front" or "collar," on the pattern for easier recognition. You should
also indicate the size of the garment, usu
-ally a number such as "12" with a line
under it,which means "cut." Beneath this, you should note the number of pieces to
be cut, such as "1," followed by the word
for the type of fabric, such as "self." The
garment industry uses words such as"self'
or "lining" to designate different fabrics without having to write the whole name of the fabric, such as "wooljersey,"on each pattern piece. Usually manufacturers make up stamps with these words on them for use in labeling pattern pieces. Each pattern should be accompanied by a pat-tern chart, also called a"pattern card" or
"face card," which acts as a legend or key
explaining these words. The pattern chart also lists the individual pattern pieces so that someone using the pattern knows what they are and whether any are miss -ing. Pattern charts usually list the notions a garment requires and provide asketch of thegarment to identify it.There are many
examples of completed pattern charts
1002
scarf
all sizes
2-self
shirt may have a black collar and black
belt. Even if the grey and black fabrics are from the same mill and have the same
fiber content, they are still different co
l-ors on different bolts. The pattern pieces to be cut from the grey fabric (self) would be labeled "self' and the pattern pieces to be cut from the black fabric (contrast) would be labeled "contrast." The word "contrast" isusually written in blue ink. If another fabric were used on the outside of the garment, such as a white necktie, that pattern piece would be labeled "contrast 2," and patterns cut from the black fabric would now be labeled "contrast 1"to indicate the use of
more than one contrasting fabric on the garment. The words "contrast 2" can be written in brown ink.
Lining and Interfacing
Figure 1.10
Lining is any fabric used on the inside of a garment that hides construction. Alter -nately, it may be used to reduce bulk in a garment, such as under the collar or on
the back in the vest style shown here.
Lining pattern pieces should be labeled
in red ink with the word "lining." You
might use a stiffener fabric called inter -facing inside pieces such as the collar or
the front to give them more body and help them retain their shape. Pattern
pieces that are tobe cut ininterfacing fab -ricshould belabeled in green ink with the
abbreviation "int'f."
Interlining and Underlining Figure 1.11
Some garments have an inner layer oflin
-ing, called an interlining, that is sand -wiched between the self fabric layer and the lining on the inside of the garment. An interlining might be used to add extra weight and stability to the garment and provide a layer to which boning is attached. Or, it might be used as insula -tion in cold weather wear, such as batting in a ski jacket. The word "interlining" is color coded in orange ink. An underlin-ing fabric layer might also be used insome garments to add stability to a flimsy self
fabric, or to provide a layer towhich inter
-facing is hand sewn in a tailored jacket. The word "underlining" is color coded in yellow ink.
Fashion manufacturers have dev
el-oped their own systems for labeling and
1002 back shirt \ 12 1- self on thefold ~ .0 1002 front shirt 12 2-self _0> OJC .:.: .-o C o OJ Q.Q. o 0-0 -00 ~. ~ OJ CD co -.- ~ en ;::+ 1002 12 1002 riqht back belt 2-self sleeve
I- .
~
-
, I
12 1002 122-=5elf left back belt 2-self
button £ 1002
'
"
tab~I~
collar tab
stitchline all sizes c~ c_ 2-self OID =-'" g~ 1- int'! N:JO N:JO ~ o..o.EQ OD.£:! aco. aco. -IDID -QJQJ "0- "0 -"00 "00 :.c.c :.c..c; blank pattern chart in Appendix E that maybe copied for your own patterns. Self Figure 1.8
To help the people who work with pat
-terns, acolor codesystem isused by some
manufacturers. This helps todifferentiate the pattern pieces that are cut from
differ-ent fabrics. The fabric from which most of theouter garment iscut is called "self' fab-ric, and these pattern pieces are usually labeled in black ink.
Contrast Figure 1.9
If more than one fabric is used on the outside of the garment, the other fabrics
1002 scarf all sizes 2-contrast 2 1002 sleevetab ~ allsizes 4- contrast 1 2-int'f 1003 upper collar ~ 2- contrast 2- int'f 1002 back shirt 12 1- self on 0' the fold n: 1002 front shirt 12 2- self _ OJ Q) C -D 'c o Cll 0..0.. o 1002 12
right back belt 2-contrast 1
I· •
,
I
1002 12
le!t back belt 2-COntrast 1
I
I
button tab stitchline 1002 collar tab allsizes 2-contrast 1 1- int'! ~ 12 1003 2-imIng ~ 1003 12 ~2-liiiiii9the fabric layers of this bodice are as follows: outermost layer
=
self 2nd layer=
underlining 3rd layer=
interliningwith boning sewn onseams 4th layer
=
lining, whichis the layer that goes next to the model's skin
color coding pattern pieces. A color code
is provided below. You may customize your own color code system.
Standard Color Code System Self=black inkor pencil Contrast #1 =blue Contrast #2 =brown Contrast #3=purple Contrast #4 =pink Lining =red
Interlining =orange
Underlining =yellow
Interfacing #1 =green
Interfacing #2 =light green
Contrast #1 = Contrast #2 = Contrast #3= Contrast #4 = Lining = Interlining = Underlining = Interfacing #1 = Interfacing #2 = Figure 1.12
First patterns or original drafts are usu
-ally drafted onto alightweight paper that
creases easily for truing darts or pleats.
First patterns may be "half' patterns, as shown in the sketch. In this example, you would draft one sleeve but write "2-self' to cut a right and a left sleeve, and then
draft one half of a front bodice and write
"I-self on the fold." The sketch shows the
fabric folded with selvage edges together and the front bodice pattern piece placed with the center front against the fabric fold. This results in a full front bodice
with right and left sides attached in the
center. To indicate this type of cut layout, draw afoldline against center front.
Figure 1.13
To enable garment pieces to be sewn
together, excess fabric, called seam
allowance, is provided beyond the st itch-lines. Seam allowance varies in width
depending on how the seams are
fin-ished. Most fashion manufacturers use
1/2 inch for average seams on garments.
Seam allowance of lj4 inch is used at
enclosed seams or very curvy seams such as necklines and facings. The patter
allowance to make it easier to sew in a
zipper. Seam widths vary according to
both the type of machine used and the
type of fabric.
Figure 1.14
If a garmen tis sewn together
using afive-thread overlock
machine, the patternmaker
might add 1/2 inch or 3/8
inch seam allowance. The
reason for this variance is that the five-thread machine
sews a 3/8-inch wide seam
but it also has a blade that trims fraying edges beyond
3/8 inch. The garment may need 1/8 inch of fraying threads trimmed while the garment issewn.
-L~ 0) U C <1l ;;: q\
.Q ca N -0" E "0 <1l ~ 0) (IJ ~¥
~ 1004"
back skirt 0 -0) 12 u c 2- self <1l ;;: .Q ca E <1l 0) (IJ = ~y
" 0" ~ " "0 co ~ Figure 1.15Garments that are sewn with three threads
on an overlock machine produce seams
that are 3/16to1/4inchwide, sothe patte rn-maker will probably leave 1/4 inch seam
~)
~,
I
seam allowance shaped to bepressed back
allowance on edges to be sewn with this type of machine. Three-thread overlock
seams are commonly used on knits. Knits
do not ravel, therefore, the raw edges do
not need tobe trimmed bythe blade.
Seam Allowance at Pattern Corners
The seam allowance shape at pattern
cor-ners can bedetermined bydifferent factors:
Figure 1.16
1.To simplify the cutting process, seam
allowance shapes in the corners may
be extensions of the curves of the
pat-tern. The tool used to cut the garment
cancontinue its course.
Figure 1.17
2.To simplify the sewing process, seam
allowance corners may be folded and
shaped in the direction the seam will
be pressed orironed.
Figure 1.18
3.Another option to simplify the sewing
process is to square the seams. In
some instances, this will show the
depth of the seam allowance, reduc
-ing the need for seam allowance
notches. This method also matches
seams that sew toeach other, from the
stitchline out to the edge of the fabric.
To finish the raw edges of fabric at the outer edges of garments, such as the bottom edge of a blouse, jacket, coat,
squared seam corners
dress, or pants, hem allowance is added
beyond the finished edges of the
gar-ment. There are many different types of
hem finishings, and the measurement
of the hem allowance can vary accord
-ingly. Following are just a few types of
hem finishes. .
Figure 1.19
The narrowest hem finish isthe roll hem,
which can be sewn with three threads
on an overlock machine by setting the
stitches very close together and tightening
the tension of the upper looper. Some
machines, such as those made by Merrow,
are designed toproduce this type of deco
-rative overedge or pearl edge. Unless the
fabric frays, only 1/8to3/16 inch isused in
the hem depth. Fraying necessitates trim
-ming with the blade of the machine. With
sheer and very lightweight fabrics, roll hems produce a ripple effect ifthe fabric is
stretched while being sewn.
Figure 1.20
Baby hems, which are also very narrow,
use from 3/16to1/4inch in the hem depth.
They can be sewn using a straight-stitch
machine and a special presser foot
attachment, which rolls the fabric as it is
sewn. Like roll hems, baby hems can also
produce a ripple effect in sheer or light
-weight fabrics if the fabric is stretched while being sewn.
Figure 1.21
Rolled hems that are 1/4and 1/4 inch or
1/2 and 1/2 inch are often used on casual
clothing, especially at the bottom of
shirts, full skirts, or jeans (1/2 and 1/2
inch). These hems are sewn on astraight
-stitch machine and can be used on light-to heavy-weight fabrics.
Figure 1.22
Knit fabrics may have hems that range in depth from 1/2 to2inches, depending on the style and type of thegarment. Usually the raw edge ofthe fabric isfolded to the
desired depth and then stitched. Aco ver-stitch machine is used, which shows two or three rows of straight stitches on the outside of the garment and hasan overcast of stitches on the inside of the garment, finishing off the raw edge.
Another way to finish knit fabrics is
to use a three-thread overlock machine on the raw edges, turn up the hem the desired depth, and use a straight-stitch machine with woolly nylon thread in the bobbin (so the stitchline will stretch). This produces a similar effect to a CQver -stitch machine.
Figure 1.23
To produce a more
expensive look for a hem, use abl ind-stitch machine or hand sew the hem so that you do not see stitches on the outside of the gar -ment. The hem depth should be 1 to 2 inches. Jacket and Coat Hems Figure 1.24 A jacket that has a lining attached
should have a llj2- Figure 1.24 to 2-inch deep hem,
and the lining should finish 1/4to1/2inch
shorter than the outer fabric. A coat,
cape, dress, pant, or skirt with a free -hanging lining should have a 11/2- to 2-inch deep hem, and the lining should finish 1/2to 1inch shorter than the outer fabric. free hanging lining used on: coats, capes, dresses, ~ pants, ~ skirts 3
Note: For full skirts with curved hems, use shallow hem folds. Otherwise, puckers will form because the raw edge is too full to lay flat.
...•
\
N -6. "0 ~ I> -0807 back skirt R 2-self " c -~ ;:;:'/
\
0807 side back skirt 12 2- self \ 0807 side front skirt 12 2- self back patch pocket 0807 front skirt 12 1:seif on the foldI
Figure 1.25The fashion industry uses nonverbal com -munication, in the form of notches, on
garments. Notches are clips or slices into
the seam allowance on a pattern or on a garment piece. They tell the person
sewing the garment whether the garment piece isintended for the front or back. If several garment pieces look alike, notches can indicate which pieces match together and in what order (indicated by the addi-tion of one more notch to each seam
going around the body).
Notches also mark the intake of a
dart, pleat, or tuckand can be used to con-trol where gathers are placed. Notches
may be used to indicate seam allowance width; however, not allmanufacturers use them for this purpose. It can be costly to have several notches on each pattern piece. Although one notch is cut through allthe layers at once, there isthe danger of the notches being cut too deep, so use them sparingly.
1303 back pant
12 2- self
punch holes apex or marked 112" • bust point from dart points
punch holes marked l/s" from stitchlines
at center of double ended
darts
Figure 1.26
Punch holes are tiny holes that may be used to indicate pocket or dart placement.
They are marked in the fabric using an awl. Because it is a hole in the garment,
thepunch hole needs to beplaced where it will be hidden inside the garment. To
mark the placement of a pocket, draw the pocket outline on the body piece and mark punch holes 1/8inch insidethe pocket
outline. Punch holes are marked on pat -tern pieces with ascrewpunch, which cuts
out a tiny hole.
To mark a double-ended dart, the middle section of the dart intake or dart
excess is marked with punch holes lj8inch from the dart stitchlines (or with one
punch hole 1/8 inch from the stitchline and one punch hole at the dart's center). The ends of the dart taper tosharp points and are marked with the punch hole lj2
inch from the dart point. You must circle the punch holes to differentiate them from other dots or marks that may be on your pattern.
Grading a Size Range
Figure 1.27
Grading patterns makes it pos-sible to offer arange ofsizes to
your customers. Patterns can be graded using a see-through ruler.
Figure 1.28
A grading machine may also
be used to grade a size range. It isfaster and more exact than the ruler method.
Figure 1.29
Some companies use com-puters to grade patterns. Of course this is much more costly, but many manufactur-ers have computer systems to perform this function.
\
I~('
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t
14I
',< 20'
-l
•
•
l
A
,
.
'
1
:
-S",,\I,.t 23 ~\o(cr ~ I>ttftf; '"1. Heavy paper (manila paper) for slopers and production pa
t-terns
2.Muslin
3.Clear tape approximately lj2inch wide
4. Straight metal rulers ofvarious lengths: 36,48, and 60inches
5.Pattern paper: solid paper in white or other light colors 6. Tissue paper: lightweight, pliable paper used to test the fitof
patterns
7. Pattern hole punch, which makes a 3/4-inch diameter hole
through which apattern hook isput
8. Tape measure
9.Straight pins, size#17
10. Ninety-degree-angle metal ruler or L-square, the longer the better
11.Hip curve, of metal or plastic, alsocalled "varyform curve rule"
12. See-through plastic ruler, 18by 2 inches, with alis-inch grid
spacmg
13. Pattern hooks, on which a completed pattern isstored, with a pattern chart in front
14.Needlepoint tracing wheel
15. Awl, used to make tiny holes through fabric when marking punch-hole placement
16. Screw punch, used to make tinypunch holes in paper patterns
when marking punch-hole placement 17.Pushpins
18.Weights, used to hold pattern pieces while being traced or to
keep markers in place
19. Marker paper: white paper having a grid printed on it with letters and numbers; also called dotpaper
20. Notcher
21. Hard pencils, which leave afiner line than soft ones
22. Pattern snips, used to cut heavy pattern paper
23. Rotary cutter: used with a surface that can be cut on, such as
lj16-inch thick sheet ofStyrene 24. Colored pencils or pens for color coding and marking correc -tions on patterns 25. Fabric scissors: to be used only for fabric so that blades stay sharp longer 26. Paper scissors: to be used only for paper, which dulls the
blades more quickly than fabric
27.Circle template, for drawing button or snap placement on pat -terns
28. Plastic curves invarious shapes
Figure 1.31
A body form or a person to act as a fit model is necessary for patternmaking. It
iseasier to work with abody form rather
than a live person. You can't poke pins
into a person, and their arms can't be removed to make certain patterns easier to draft or drape. However, a live person can tell you if something is uncomfort -able and can sit, walk, bend over, and raise the arms-all very helpful when test fitting a garment to seewhether someone
can move in it. If you want to design a
dress or bodice that pushes the breasts
up and flattens them, then you'll need a live fit model. Most dress forms cannot flatten at the bust. Chapter 14 covers special body forms and live fit models
for contoured styles. It is best to use a
body form that has legs so you can make
pants, bodysuits, and other garments
that cover the lower limbs. If a body
form with legs is not available, you
will need to find a live model to fit these styles.
Parts ofthe Body Form
Figure 1.32shows the front of the body
form and Figure 1.33,asideview.Figure
1.34shows the back ofthe body form.
Pattern Paper
Some pattern makers use marker paper for first patterns. Asolid paper in white or any other light color may also be
used. Alightweight paper that enables you to see marks through the paper when itisfolded ispreferred.
Tissue Paper
This paper is very handy when testing the fitof apattern draft before it is cut in fabric. Because it isso pliable, it fits
over curves almost likefabric. Figure 1.31
shoulder shoulder tip
tip +-armhole plat g bottomof 0 +- shoulder 0 (J) blade level ~
.
8
armhole.
8
.2 upper chest Q; Q; plate Q;+- bust level n. -+ +-apex or n. +- bust level
n.
n.bust level
n.
(largest part ~. bustpoint (largest part
::J ::J (largest 0- ::J
of upper torso) part of '"(Jl +-rib cage ofupper torso)
'" level upper l>l torso) 3 +-waist level 0 (smallest part 0 (J) of torso) 0 (J)
.
8
(J).
8
.
8
Q; Q; Q; ;;: ;;: +- hip level ;;: .Q +- hip level .Q .Q .- hip level(largest part (largest part (largest part
of lower torso) J' of lower torso) of lower torso)
crotch level 0 c in '" III 3 ) ( +-mid-knee Q(Jl mid-knee level a: '" level (Jl '" calf l>l3
Button Diameter Size in Inches and Line Number (1 line
=
.025") Note: There are differences between button vendors in line sizes.1
/
2
h
5/Qh
3Q
7Q
0
0
0
(10 line) (12/13 line) (14/15/16 line) (18
r
)
1/2 I~ch 9/16 Inch 5/8 Inch Ine (20 line) (22 line) (24/25 line)000
11/16inch(27/28 line)
3/4inch
(30 line) (1332/1/33 line6 inch) 7/8inch
(35/36 line) (1537//1638inlince)h 1inch (40line) 1 1/16 inch (42/43 line) 11/8inch (45 line) 13/16 inch (47/48 line)
o
~dome quarter ball
~O
half ballO
M
o
V
00
0
Heavy Pattern Paper
This paper has several names, including manila paper, tag board, oak tag, and hard paper. It comes invarious widths and weights, similar to a manila folder. It is durable, with stiff edges that are easy to trace around. I t is used for slopers and production patterns, which are traced to make markers.
Muslin
Muslin is a lOO-percent cotton fabric with a weave that is easily seen, on both the
straight grain and cross grain. It isused
as a substitute for the fabric that willbe
used in the final garment (fashion
fab-ric), to drape or test fit. Several weights of muslin are available, to rep
-resent various weights of woven fa
b-rics, but it cannot substitute for very
soft fabrics, especially when used on
the bias grainline. If your fashion fab
-ricisone that stretches, such as aknit, muslin cannot be asubstitute.
Buttons and zippers are some of the
notions used on garments. Figure 1.35
illustrates different types and sizes of buttons. Figure 1.36 shows several types of zippers.
Summary
The information in this chapter will help prepare you as you begin your training as a patternmaker. As you work through the chapters in this text, you will take what you've learned in this chapter and apply it to the pattern
styles you create. Because each chapter and each pattern style in this text
builds on previously learned material, you should not skip chapters.
An important aspect of pattern
-making involves "what" or "who" serves as your fit model. A pattern -maker must have a full-scale body
form or a live fit model readily ava
il-able for fitting patterns. The pattern -maker's choice offit model iscrucial in
determining the garment's end use. To
become a custom dressmaker, he orshe
may use a potential customer (live
model) as a fit model and may wish to
work with avariety of body shapes. If the
patternmaker wishes to work for afashion manufacturer that produces sta
ndard-sized clothing, a fit model should be cho -sen with measurements that match a
standard sample size sothe garments fitas
many people aspossible.
The size charts included in Chapter 2,
Table 2.1, can help guide you in picking a body form or a live model that reflects
realistic proportions for to day's average
woman. People have continued to grow larger over the centuries, particularly in the past few decades. Women also wear different undergarments than they did in
u ..c (ij ~ 0 Qj ell .8 ~ E 0.. (ij .D OJ OJ ·00 C C Qj .~ ~ E s.~ ro ro a.. a.. Q) Q) (/) (/)
years past, when pointy bras and wais
t-cinchers or girdles were the norm. The supposed "ideal" proportions of 36-inch bust, 26-inch waist, 36-inch hip may be
pleasing to the eye but they do not reflect
today's average figure. Some women meas -ure their hips across their "hip bones."
However, the largest circumference of the
hips and buttocks is often lower on the body. You will need to find the largestc
ir-Clt7Tiferenceof the lower torso for the correct hip measurement.
Questions
1.When using a marker to cut out gar
-ment pieces, isthe fabric folded inhalf parallel to the selvages, and the marker half the width of the fabric from selvage to selvage?
2. What does the word "ply" refer to?
3.How may fabric that does not stretch and that is cut with the straight grain running up and down the body be
made to fitclosely and smoothly over the contours of the adult female body?
4. Will a fabric that does not stretch on the straight grain, stretch at least a small amount on the bias grainline? 5.Does the cross grain of a piece of fabric
run parallel or at a90-degree angle to the selvages?
6. Does the grainline drawn on a pattern piece run parallel or at a 90-degree angle to the fabric's selvages when it is laid out tobe cut?
Taking Measurements, Body
Forms
,
and Live Models
The ability to take accurate measure
-ments from body forms and live models
is an important skill that all patternmak
-ers must learn_ Working with a body
form is less complicated than working
with a live model. Body forms can be
pinned into, drawn on, are always avai
l-able, and never gain or lose weight. Live
models must be treated gently, their modesty needs to be respected, and they may gain or lose weight; however, your
final garment is produced for alive per
-son to wear. Live models are velY v
alu-able as fit models because they can move
about, sit, walk, bend, and tell you ver
-bally if the garment you have made is comfortable and practical.
Using the instructions in this chapter, you will be able to measure fit models of anyJunior's, Misses', or Women's size. The designs shown in this textbook are drawn from a Misses' size 12 set of meas -urements. However, some of the styles shown may be appropriate for Junior's or Women's sizes. The instructions in this textbook will give you the knowledge to proportion the pattern styles to the size you are working with. Several charts of measurements are included in Chapter 3 to help you draft or drape the size of your choice. If your model's size is not included in the charts, just look at the increments between sizes and add or sub -tract these to arrive at the measurement for the size you need. Look at the size charts included later in this chapter before selecting a body form or live fit
model with which to work. If you wish to
be able to grade a range of average sizes from your sample size, pick a fit model that closely resembles one of the sizes in the charts mentioned.
Note: For grading purposes, itis
best to work with a sample size
closest to the middle of the size
range you wish to offer. If you wish
to make custom clothing for a
client orfor yourself, it doesn't
matter what size your model is.
Aprofessional pattern maker must have a full-scale model for fitting patterns and garments. The pattern maker must take very precise measurements from the fit model and record them for future use. These measurements are used to draft or drape very basic pattern pieces called slopers, which are the subject of Chapters 3 and 4. The slopers and the fit model
measurements are then used to make flat patterns for almost unlimited styles. Some styles or the textiles used to make them require pattern draping, which is covered in selected chapters. Measur e-ments must be taken from a body form or live model carefully, so mistakes will not be transferred into the patterns, causing fit problems. If you wish to make pat -terns to fit yourself, have someone else take your measurements, because it isdif
-ficult to take your own measurements accurately.
Checklist for Taking Measurements
1.Select a body form or live model as your fit model. You will need abody formwith legs if youwish to make pa t-terns for such garments as pants, shorts, swimsuits, and bodysuits, or find a livemodel to measure forfitting these items.
2.Toprepare a body form for measuring,
you will need the following items: straight pins, narrow ribbon or twill tape, an accurate flexible tape meas -ure,and rulers that are 48to 60inches long or a carpenter's level (to check horizontal levels).
3.To prepare a live model for meas ur-ing, you will need the following: straight pins, narrow elastic, thread for tailor tacks or chalk, an accurate flexible tape measure, and rulers that are 48 to 60 inches long or a car -penter's level (tocheck horizontal lev -els). Your live model should wear appropriate undergarments (a bra and underpants that give the wearer a natural shape foreveryday clothing), with either a full bodysuit orone that reaches to mid-thigh, which may be marked and sewn with elastic.
4. A copy of the measurements from this chapter, to be filled in and saved for future use. These measurements will be referred to throughout the tex t-book.
Note: Because panty hose or tights usually have tight waistbands and distort the waistline measurement, your model should not wear them during the measuring process.
Preparing the Body Form
Figure 2.1
1.Place a pin 1 inch below the armhole plate at the side seam to mark the underarm/side seam intersection. Leave this pin in the form for refer -ence.
Figure 2.2
2.Place a pin at the edge of the shoulder tip/armhole intersection. This point is located at the shoulder seam where the shoulder tipjust begins to curve downward toward the armhole plate. I t is not at the top edge of the armhole plate, which is usually placed about
1/4inch below the curve of the sho ul-der tip.
3. Place a pin directly across from the screw in the armplate, measured 1/4
inch into the fabric away from the plate-on the front, only-to mark the front mid-armhole point.
Figure 2.3
4. Establish the bustlevel. On thefrontof the form isthe apex or bust point posi
-tion. This is marked along the prin-cess seam on the right and left sides of the form at the fullest part of the bust
mound or curve, which is at thelargest
circumference of the bustline. Place pins at each apex/bust point and leave them in the form. Be sure both pins
are the same height from the floor. Next, take alength of narrow ribbon or twill tape and pin it from apex to
apex without slack. Pin the ribbon completely around the form, parallel
to the floor, to establish the bust level. 5. Establish the waistline. On most body forms, the waistline is marked by a woven tape. If your body form is not marked, measure the form to find the smallest circumference between the bust and hips, and pin ribbon or tape around the form at this level. Waist -lines are not necessarily perfectly pa
r-allel to the floor. On adult females, the waistline may dip alittle at center back. This is normal; however, you should check that the waistline at the side seams measures an equal distance from the floor on the right and left sides. The waistline seam ismeasured at the center of the waistline tape. 6. Establish the hip level. Find thelargest
circumference of the hips and but
-tocks bymeasuring at several levels of the lower torso. Once you've found the level of the largest circumference, mark it with ribbon or tape parallel to the floor to establish the hip level. This level will not necessarily touch the "hip bones"; it may be lower, nearer to the crotch level.
Preparing Live Models
Your model should wear abra and unde r-pants under a full bodysuit that can be marked, pinned, and sewn with elastic to establish the bust level, waistline, and the hip level. Panty hose and tights have snug waistbands that distort the waist measure -ment and should not be worn.
Figure 2.4
1. Place apin, or use chalk oratailor tack (thread looped through fabric with both ends sticking out) to mark aspot 1 inch below the model's underarm
along her body.The model should not
lift her arm when you mark this posi
-tion and also when measuring to this
point, because the underarm hollows
out as the arm lifts, which will distort
the measurement.
2. Place apin below the model's under -arm on her arm.This placement isused for measuring the arm. The pin place -ment for the arm isdropped less from
the underarm than the pin placement for the body to enable the sleeve cap
area to fit into the armhole with the correct amount of ease. Many women have a large biceps circumference in
proportion to their bust circum -ference. To fit a sleeve with the correct amount of cap ease, the cap height must be shortened at the underarm area. Only on models with slender arms or large bustlines, or both, may the underarm mark on the arm match the underarm mark on the body. For average-sized women (see Table 2.1, page 34), measure pin placement lj4 inch below the underarm on the
model's arm.
Figure2.5
3.The model's shoulder/armhole inter -section isfound by pressing with your thumb or a finger in this area to find a dip between the bones. Mark this point on the model's bodysuit with a pin, chalk, or atailor tack. This pos i-tion should be at the top of the s houl-der curve. If you cannot feel the dip between the bones, try to envision where the armhole seam would na tu-rally meet at the model's shoulder and mark this point.
Figure2.6
4. Have the model raise her arm about 45
degrees from the floor and swing it
slightly toward the center front until a crease forms, which marks where the
front mid-armhole will be. Mark this
point with a pin, chalk, ora tailor tack.
Figure 2.7
5. Establish the bust level. The apex or bust point position is at the nipple.
The apex marks the fullest portion of the bust mound. Mark the apexes with chalk, tailor tacks, or pins. The apexes should be the same height from the floor. Pin alength of narrow elastic from apex to apex without slack. Continue pinning the elastic around the model, keeping an equal distance from the floor, to establish the bust level. Sew the elastic onto the model's bodysuit so this position does not change for future fittings. Elastic stretches as your model removes the bodysuit.
Figure 2.8
6. Establish the waistline. Have your model bend to the side at the waist.
A crease will form at the natural waistline. Check that her underwear is not creating a false waist position. Mark the waistline first with a pin or chalk, then pin narrow elastic around
the model's body. The waistline may
dip down in the back, which is no r-mal for women. Sew the elastic onto the bodysuit for future fittings.
Figure 2.9
7. Establish the hip level. Find the largest
circumference of the hips and but
-tocks by measuring at several levels on
the body. Once you've found the level
of the largest circumference, mark it with elastic parallel to the floor to establish the hip level. Sew the elastic onto the model's bodysuit for future fittings.
Figure 2.10
8. Establish the center back neck posi
-tion. This is found by pressing with your thumb or a finger in this area to find a dip between two prominent bones, which are vertebrae. Mark with chalk, a tailor tack or a pin.
Figure 2.11
9.To mark the crease in the back mid -armhole, leave your model's arm hang -ingdown. First, establish the shoulder
blade level on the model. Measure the
center back from the neckline down to the waist = _
then divide this measurement by 4:
_____ 7-t= _
Using this final measurement, meas -ure from the neckline down along the center back and place a pin or tailor tack at this point. A line going through this point parallel to
the floor iscalled the shoulder blade level. The back armhole seam runs
along the crease formed between
the arm hanging down. The inter
-section of the shoulder blade level
and the armhole is called the back
mid-armhole.
Figure 2. 12
10. Establish the shoulder/neckline inter-section. Visualize where the curve of the neckline seam would be if your
model were wearing a collar that
hugged the neck. (The collar in this
photo is set too far from the natural neckline seam; thus, the pin mark is on the collar itself.) This position
should also intersect at the top of the shoulder curve.
Figure 2.13
11. Establish the underarm/side seam intersection. The side seam of your model's body suit may not be in the
correct position, so you will need to
mark this intersection with a pin, ta i-lor tack, or chalk. This point should line up in the center of the underarm
on the model's upper rib cage and
should intersect with the pin that is placed 1inch below the underarm.
Figure2.14
12. Establish the side seam/waist inte
r-section. Again, keep in mind that the side seam of your model's body suit may not be in the correct position.
Visualize a straight line (or use along ruler) going halfway between the front and back of the model's leg and continuing straight up to the waist, and mark this point.
Upper Torso Measurements Avoid pulling the tape measure tightly
over the body as this will distort the meas -urements. Be gentle. Do not let a live
model hold in her stomach or stand in an unnatural position. The following steps
are shown on a body form, but the same
measurements are needed if using a live
model.
#1(Figure 2.15)
Total shoulder girth level= _
Measure all the way around the upper arms and body with tape measure parallel to the floor. If your body form does not
have arms, seeTable 2.1 (page 34) tofind the shoulder girth measurement that co r-responds with the shoulder width and biceps circumference ofyour model.
#2 (Figure 2.16)
Total upper chest level= _ Measure all the way around the upper chest under the arms. The tape measure may dip down a little inthe back.
#3 Total bust level= _
Measure allthe wayaround the largest cir
-cumference of the bust, with the tape measure parallel tothe floor.
#4 (Figure 2. 17)
Total rib cage level= _
Measure all the way around the rib cage
directly under the bust mound, parallel to the floor.
#5 Total waist level= _ Measure all the way around the smallest circumference of the torso. The waist level
may dip inthe back.
#6 (Figure2.18)
Shoulder seam = _
Measure from the high neck point out to
the shoulder/armhole intersection along
the top of the shoulder.
#7(Figure 2. 19)
Half the front neckline = _
Measure from the high neck point around tothe pit of the neck.
#8 (Figure2.20)
Center front neck to shoulder tip= .
Measure from the pit of the neck to the shoulder tip.
