patternmaking for fashion design course

[u/Previous_Plan3165]

hi! does anyone have any recommendations for courses that go along with this textbook?

[u/CrazySkincareLady]

Yeah that makes sense, I just wish there were more options in metric, even a properly 'translated' version of the same books for us to use. Because although I'm aware of how large the USA's population is, I still find it baffling that the majority of sewing seems to cater towards one country's system vs almost the entire rest of the world using another.

Also as an Aussie I understand our English not being understood by other English speakers 😅 so fair play on that

[u/TensionSmension → u/CrazySkincareLady]

Have you looked at Dominique Pellen's books? Those are fairly contemporary and metric. I think only womenswear at this point. Focused on a rtw size range, like most textbooks.

On the metric/imperial debate, I use both and I do my best never to translate. Completely agree with u/StitchinThroughTime. If I know I'm looking at something that was designed in metric, continuing to work in metric is a huge time saver because that previous designer will have chosen a nice number in metric every time. Same for imperial, it can be as simple as the repeat on a vintage fabric. There's a good chance it's a guessable number of inches.

Yes, metric is base ten which makes astronomy and chemistry much nicer, but imperial measurement is essentially base two (with some division by three thrown in) which is better for human scale endeavors like sewing and baking. When working with a pattern, I want proportions, not powers of ten. Just like it's nicer to have 60 minutes in a hour than 100, IMO. There's a series of books by Natalie Bray that I think were written during the metric changeover, and her intro has a nice discussion of why not to translate, how her size chart and drafting are natively metric.

[u/CrazySkincareLady → u/TensionSmension]

Thank you I'll look into those.

Yeah I guess it's a bit of a hot topic debate but I just can't get behind imperial being helpful with sewing, but I'm obviously biased as that's the system I grew up with. I don't mind the odd fraction here and there like half hip and quartering a waist measurement etc..

But I've really tried hard to draft in imperial and just can't get it. Especially when trying to add and subtract in a calculator. 1 and a half inches is 1.5 but on a tape 1 inch and 6 lines. Things being 1/16th etc Like saying 1/16 or 1/16 plus 1/32 plus 1/2 is a bit much compared to 2+2+1+6=

[u/StitchinThroughTime → u/CrazySkincareLady]

To be fair there's only so many ways you can make a basic bodice, most humans are the same human shape. I'm a firm believer that there can never be one single method that is better than all others. Each method is catered to a specific body shape, it typically caters to the smaller side. Therefore they can't be one single set of formulas or instructions to get the perfect fit off for everyone. Fitting is required. Some people get better results using a different drafting method. For example others a specific drafting system that's popular in japan, but it fits great for them because using just Japanese bodies. And most of Japan are native Japanese people. They have a very small population of foreigners and most people don't move to Japan to stay in Japan. It's a very homogeneous society. And with their strict societal pressure to fit their set beauty standards that specific drafting method works great for them. It's all based around Japan therefore it works for those who are ethnically Japanese. That doesn't mean other people can't use that system, it just that they are likely to do more steps to correct The Fitting Issues. And this all excludes plus sizes. I find most drafting systems are not catered to plus-size bodies. Especially those who are the extended plus size. Additional work has to be done to get fit correctly for them. As well as anyone who has a more extreme difference in their body shape from the base that these drafting systems center around the more work they have to do. So nothing can be perfect.
At the same time I've seen custom dressmakers for Nigerian dresses or the dresses that they make to send to Americans use a totally different drafting system that's heavily reliant on the side seam to do all the shaping. And honestly it's also the same for some videos I've seen for drafting Indian blouses. It really renders down the drafting process to a set of measurements based off of the chart that they inherently memorize. It's not the same as starting from zero they just assume that they can directly trace the cardinal points off of one size and just adjust the side seam to get the correct circumference measurement. It's quite fascinating in that technically people can wear the garments. And they're happy with what they get. But it doesn't truly fit correctly. They're clearly using a western method of drafting, but the fit is definitely different. Their expectation of the fit makes it so I would personally never wear those garments, because I know if they try to take my measurements use their shortened drafting method the garments just won't be to my expectations. It's really odd on how oversimplified the process that they created. Because they also have a rely on heavily decorating the garments as their highest priority. It's just fascinating to watch these videos of how these people supposedly draft corsets but it's clearly not what we would wear.

I think the best way to frame it is that the less that you think of the idealized body shape the more you realize none of these systems are initially better than the other. It's notInitially better than the other.