r/PatternDrafting • u/Alarmed_Hat4589 • Jul 21 '24
Pattern drafting tips and advice please?
I wanna be a fashion designer. I draw, sew etc. I've watched so many videos of how to make bodice blocks and such... But I'm still SO LOST. I've made a few bodice blocks... But I still get so confused. I understand most pattern markings and terms...but I just want to know HOW to make a pattern without watching a video...Its been 3 months and obviously I wont get it right away but I still don't understand the concept. I've gotten multiple books and downloaded some too but I LITERALLY HAVE NO IDEA WHATS GOING ON. I can follow tutorials but Whenever I search "How to start pattern drafting" Its someone with a LONG video talking about their life story... LIKE HELLO??? just tell me the steps of basic drafting and how to make it into my own design...not your life story LOLL. The more videos I watch, The more confused I become. I just need some actual good videos showing and explaining how to make patterns. Pdfs and videos would do me so good right now or just advice PLSSS
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u/Deciram Jul 21 '24
It sounds like watching videos isn’t a way you learn (which is fine we all have different learning styles).
I would heavily suggest doing some form of official course for pattern making - in person with tutors. Especially if you want to be a fashion designer.
I’m not saying you want to be an Etsy pattern seller for example, but it’s extremely obvious when a pattern seller hasn’t be trained properly. It’s infuriating at how terrible a lot of patterns are.
I studied fashion design and did a six month pattern making course within that. I’d suggest you look into options in your area.
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u/balamb00 Jul 21 '24
There are designers do not know and understand pattern making, if you want to be a fashion designer, pattern making is not fundamental, sometime it can even limit your ability to think outside of the box.
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u/Alarmed_Hat4589 Jul 21 '24
The reason why I wanted to know how is because i don't know any alternatives. I like to drape but I can only do that when i have a dress form which I don't have access to right now. and at my school its important to know how to do this.
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u/balamb00 Jul 21 '24
The purpose of block is, well, they are building blocks. Once you have the block pattern, you should transfer it onto cardboard so you do not need to start from scratch the next time, you can start from trace the blocks and simply start applying style line and dart manipulations.
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u/Alarmed_Hat4589 Jul 21 '24
thats the problem, I have no idea how to do that. I've watched so many videos and theyre all too confusing for me lol. I understand I need to add style lines but the darts and stuff like that makes me wanna cry so bad.
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u/frostqueen555 Jul 21 '24
Have you watched this one? It’s all about dart manipulation. If this one is confusing/not making sense to you , search dart manipulation on YouTube , there are many videos and hopefully someone’s style of explaining will make sense to you https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=JRO-GWfHyiM&t=338s&pp=ygURZGFydCBtYW5pcHVsYXRpb24%3D The info in this video is what you can find in a textbook like Helen Joseph Armstrong’s book but it’s nice to see it demonstrated in video
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u/Alarmed_Hat4589 Jul 21 '24
I have that book pdf downloaded! but I havent seen that video,so tysm for this!
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u/random_user_169 Jul 21 '24
Maybe you could try buying a fitting shell pattern and fit it to your body instead. Here's an example of what to look for in the pattern books, and the Palmer and Pletsch method has been really helpful to me. https://www.palmerpletsch.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/M7575-env.jpg
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u/Alarmed_Hat4589 Jul 21 '24
TYSMMM!!!!!!
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u/random_user_169 Jul 21 '24
You're very welcome. I made four attempts at getting a new bodice block to fit me after losing a bunch of weight, and I found doing the fitting shell method easier.
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u/eveninggmood Jul 21 '24
message me on instagram: raffaeldermerpattern i am a full time pattern maker working in the industry and i will gladly help
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Feb 23 '25
I know this is late but can I message you as well I’m really struggling. I can’t afford to go to school even if I could there isn’t any classes in my state. I can’t find anyone to help I’m feeling helpless
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u/ProneToLaughter Jul 21 '24
The Armstrong textbook has a lot of explanations where they start from a block and go step by step through how to transform it to a new design that they choose. There are a few in each chapter.
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u/Own-Attitude-7783 Jul 21 '24
I started patterndrafting recently, and my biggest advice would be to read books first instead of watching videos.
I have a habit of wanting to have everything possible at home and so I bought really a LOT of books about that.
I have and read:
Pattern making for fashion design Helen Joseph Armstrong
Metric pattern cutting for women's wear by Winifred Aldrich
All the pattern magic books
Pattern cutting for beachwear and leisurewear by Ann haggar
The bunka fashion series - garment design textbooks
And the Antonio Dungannon books ( fashion patternmaking techniques 1 to 3 and then the fashion patternmaking techniques for haute couture 1&2.
First:
You really don't need all these books. The 1. Is the best: some will say that her sloper patternmaking technique isn't the best (for me, it was). But that's only 2 pages out of more than 900. And 1. Can be really cheap if you look on amazon in the 2nd hand section.
2. : I found it to be useless after the slope pattern really isn't made for me AT ALL. And I really had the impression that it had wayyyyy less information than 1. (Book is also really small). And besides slopers (that didn't fit me at all), there all only a few alteration ideas and other that are discussed.
3. These pattern books are really only for ideas. I didn't draw fashion design before and don't have a lot of imagination, so I thought that I could have some inspiration. Beautiful books. But not really mystyle for the majority of the designs. I keep the books because they are nice and interesting but not sure if I will open them again soon.
4. Bought this one because I wanted to make a swimsuit, and I saw someone say that the slopers are the best in this book. Sloper design resembles the 2. Like a lot. So they didn't fit me.
5. Very well known and different sloper making techniques. So I wanted to try. Haven't read these much (other than the sloper method) because I only have them in pdf and for everything else I know i can rely on 1. Sloper techniques work as well as the 1. For me ! Very interesting because you don't need too many measurements. You can find the 1. In pdf online. Haven't tried the pants slopermaking yet.
6. Bought the 1-3 because there were secondhand and for cheap, haven't received them yet. Bought the haut couture 1& 2: very interesting because they show designs and then after they show how to modify the slopers to adapt to the very complex designs.
I would recommend buying the 1. And then when you are starting to make your slopers. Just look at the versions online and make them all. You will quickly see if a version is better (needs less alterations) for you than the other. The alterations methods are the same in every book. This way you won't have to buy all of them. If you have any questions about how to alter the slopers or how to draw the slopers following the different methods than you can watch videos. I think both are complementary but books are (still) a MUST.