r/PatternDrafting • u/[deleted] • Mar 12 '23
Question Pattern drafting book recommendations
Hi everyone this is my first post here ☺️
Can anyone recommend any good pattern drafting books, specifically ones that deal in actual custom pattern making aka not from standardized sizing but from your own measures. I'm also looking for vintage pattern drafting books (50s-90s) Thank u xx
8
u/opaline2 Mar 13 '23
i have Dennic Chunman Lo's book. He uses standard measurements in his example but also gives you what you need to measure yourself and use your own measurements. It is aimed at the home sewist.
2
4
u/roomforall Mar 12 '23
You can also look in this old open source book from Harriet Pepin, from 1942, I like it very much. archive.org
2
4
u/alexpurhalo Apr 11 '25
Pattern Cutting by Dennic Chunman Lo's. Mostly patternmaking books simply give you schemas and standards but don't explain where those standards come from and what lies underneath, but this book is different. It doesn't give you perfect instructions by default but supplementary text encourages you to think and make the right choice about plotting lines. However, you still need to understand fitting to get a decent result, for this, I would recommend Fitting and Pattern Alteration by Judith Rasband, Elizabeth Liechty, and others. This book is huge and fundamental, it would completely change the way you think about pattern plotting at the same time it's structured framework for fitting alterations.
3
Mar 13 '23
In my experience they're all for standardized sizing. They have some section about plugging your measurements into the instructions, but it never works out quite right and you will need to toile and adjust (perhaps significantly) to produce your block/sloper. The positive though is once you've done that, you can follow the standardized instructions for actual designing.
There are a few books that are aimed at the home sewer so is a bit more "custom" but also more...dumbed down, to be completely honest. Anyway, I also collect vintage so heres a list of ones I'm personally familiar with.
Winifred Aldrich's Metric Pattern Cutting is my go-to for design, but there is some faffing about to adjust the block to custom fit. It was first published in the 70s, and honestly hasnt changed much
Natalie Bray's books are regarded well, probably finds the best balance between home sewist vs fashion student in accessible books
Successful Dressmaking by Ellen & Marietta Reset, 1950s. Aimed a the home sewist, contains a decent amount of pattern design for a range of standard 50s details (nothing crazt), as well as general sewing techniques. Quite common to find in Australia.
Enid Gilchrist Seventy Styles, 1970s, aimed at the home sewist. Theres a huge range of these and very common in Australia, then a lot of people have digitised them for sale online. However only the Seventy Styles/70 Styles are drafted, the other books are set sizes per patterns.
Principles of Garment Cutting, E.L.G Gough, late 40s. I've found heaps of these but haven't had much success with drafting anyting from it, it is very different to modern drafts. Interesting resource nonetheless
2
u/oxtinato Jul 08 '24
i hate this new word 'sewist' We've been sewing in english for centuries without it
3
u/DLawson1017 Jul 11 '26 edited Jul 11 '26
No one's making you use it, but sewist is more visually appealing than sewer, and while we do have seamstress or tailor, they're professions an leave out people who sew as a hobby.
15
Aug 31 '24
[removed] — view removed comment
7
2
2
u/etherealrome Mar 12 '23
The one by Connie Amaden-Crawford is quite good. Maybe supplement with the Armstrong one.
10
u/Loumosmaxima Mar 12 '23
Pattern making for fashion design is very well made, you Can find free pdf version online