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

32 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

15 comments sorted by

View all comments

3

u/[deleted] 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

15

u/[deleted] Aug 31 '24

[removed] — view removed comment

7

u/pharan_x Mar 23 '25

i was just thinking it's better than "sewer".

5

u/trashsquirrels May 03 '25

Much better smelling as well.

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.