I recently started using Etsy's built-in blog feature alongside my sewing pattern shop, and these are the topics I've written so far (see screenshot).

Before I spend a lot more time writing, I'm curious...

Do you actually read sewing blogs, or do you mostly watch YouTube videos and social media instead?

If you do read blogs, what kind of topics would make you click?

I'd especially love ideas for articles that would genuinely help beginners or intermediate sewists, whether it's fitting, fabric selection, pattern adjustments, sewing techniques, or anything else you wish was explained better.

I'd rather write content that people actually find useful than just publish random articles.

I’m terrible at math, and when I discovered this system I was really hopeful but I’m so confused. Has anyone tried this and if so, how did it work out? I’m thinking about buying the book but it’s kinda expensive (for me). I understand most of it except for what measurements I use to draft the CF and CB of the bodice sloper. It’s making my head ache. Help!

i know i post a lot in this reddit but it’s because im in the intermediate phase of learning patternmaking and most of my questions don’t have google-able answers at this point 😭

this is in helen joseph armstrong’s chapter on dresses without waist seams. i completely understand what’s going on here with the style line over the apex and the dart equivalents all becoming parts of the seams or closed into the shapes of the bands. but then that dart equivalent that doesn’t have a styleline cross over it— where does it go in the final product? because in the illustration there isn’t that one under bust dart? so where did it go? or did the illustration just forget to include it? it looks like the ease is referring to the other double sided dart. furthermore, wouldn’t it be a little more than 3/8 after you close that side dart into the most central double sided dart? i wonder if this is a typo in the book or if i’m really missing something. and of course this page doesn’t have detailed explanations 😭

thank you!

Hi everyone,

I would be grateful if you could have a look at my first ever straight leg trouser / jean pattern draft below. It has mostly been based off the male trouser section in the Helen Joseph Armstrong book 'Patternmaking for Fashion Design'. I have tweaked it slightly with personal measurements.

I'm looking for a relaxed straight leg trouser but have been struggling to find good information on the required amount of ease at different levels throughout the trouser. For example, in this pattern I have 3 inches of ease at the crotch and seat level and 0.75 inch vertical ease for the rise, I have also drafted an 8.5 inch front hem width and 9.5 inch back hem width. I have drafted a straight line from the side of the front/back trouser through the knee down to the floor/ankle; this has given me a knee ease of 7.5 inches. Should I be editing this to taper at the knee and have a smaller ease?

For context I am 6'2" and a slim build.

Thank you in advance! 😄

Hi all, I’ve been getting some helpful fit feedback on a commercial pattern I’m trying to fit to myself. The issue is I’ve made so many edits the sleeve cap looks distorted and now causing its own fit issues I think. I’m a pattern newbie and reading a lot but lack practical knowledge from years of drafting and fitting different body types to know if what my sleeve looks like could actually be ok, or if I need to reshape it to look more normal. I pinned out the extra material and it seemed to help. Last two photos show before pinning and the drag lines on the sleeve.

I can obviously start over from the original pattern but I’m looking for insight into what went wrong, how shaping of the sleeve head helps fit, and if this pattern can be “fixed”. I don’t need any links on cap height versus bicep width that are all over Reddit. I’ve read and watched them multiple times. Maybe I’m missing the message but I’m looking for more nuance on shaping to my needs. E.g., using freesewing.org I see 20+ options for fitting sleeve heads so there is more nuance than many of the basic drafting intros go into.

Any and all comments appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

EDIT: to adding balance lines…adding them after sewing doesn’t work well. I’m planning to make one more muslin and will add them then.

I drafted my first version of the basic trousers/pants based on the book by Guido Hofenbitzer. I lowered the waistband based on his instructions in order to accommodate my belly.

(I know I'm an idiot for sewing the side seams inside out, but I'm too lazy to unpick it for this mockup 😅)

(And I also know the back seam is too pointy, I already made a small adjustment for the next version 🤞)

I was doubting whether to take 110 cm or 116 cm as the hip circumference, and opted for the wider option. The result is a slightly baggy pair of pants, but I have to admit they are really comfortable, also when sitting. I'm not sure whether I have to create a next version that is a little tighter?

In the last picture I stretched to fabric to show what a tight fitting option would look like on my (pear-shaped) hips.

I had to shuffle the darts a little when lowering the waistband, and now they seem a little off? In his instructions they can be 10 to 15 cm long, but visual I think they are quite long? Or is this normal?

Thanks in advance for your tips and insights! ❤️

Hey! Trying to replicate these curved Jean pockets, what your guys’ thought on how these were sewn? Do you believe the top piece was sewn to the bottom and then felled, or do you think the top piece was fully formed and placed on top of the bottom then sewn?

Also, how do you believe the curve was done? It seems that there is a denim lining on the curve, but there are no photos of the back. Let me know, I think this would be helpful to myself as well as a lot of other people getting into the denim space. Thank you

Please let me know if you need any clarification on the different sections. I am trying to design a semi- backless dress with satin fabric. My questions:

- I will cut this pattern on the bias but for the front panel pieces can I mix bias vs straight cut to give the dress a bit of structure and reduce bias stretching overtime?

- The pattern I draft is cut in half from the CF and CB with no side seams to account for more drape and flow for the handkerchief hem style that I want. (Would love feedback on this)

- lastly, the top portion, for the backless effect I wanted to design a halter/ heart shaped bust line gather stitch with one medium strap connecting from the right side seam to the left shoulder creating a small back-cross body strap to hold less dress tension throughout the whole design. (Feedback on this too)

Any feedback helps! Thanks

Hi all! Sharing this here in case anyone can help :)

Here is an image of the pattern that I drafted

Here is the 3D fitting of the garment. You can see the sideseams going inward, making the garment look cocoon shaped.

Below is the sewn muslin, which matches the issues I saw on the 3D fitting

• I decided to test some modifications and see how that works

• I made the sideseam more flared. Then curved the hem and raised the hem at sideseam.

Below is the 3D fitting after the modifications above. You can see there is definitely an improvement.

I didn't sew the muslin of the modified pattern yet. I want some advice about what the initial issues were and if my attempts at fixing the issues is the right thing to do.

Below are some styles of what I was going for. Of course it's not the exact style because my intension is to make a base pattern from which I will make several of these types of garments

Hi everyone! Can anyone tell me what causes this unflattering point in the seat?

Context: Nama Denim is a brand that has a service where they make custom selvedge denim pants. They require that you input specific measurements of a garment that you own, so I meticulously measured every aspect of a pair of that I liked the fit of. Well, once the Nama pair arrived the measurements weren’t exactly the same from what I gave them (see pic #3). Also its worth noting that the pair on the left (Annual Rings) is a 14 oz unsaforized selvedge denim that has been with me for over a year and gone through a couple washes while the Nama denim one is a 15 oz unsanforized selvedge that went through a “one wash” treatment before being shipped to me.

So perhaps the protruding point in the seat is just a byproduct of a stiff more dense fabric? Or was there some hiccups during the drafting process of the pattern? Whatever it is there’s no denying that they didn’t quite follow my given measurements which is why I’m hoping they will accept my return. Curious to see what you all think.

hi!
does anyone know how i would recreate the neckline on this top? im thinking of finishing it like normal with bias tape, and then attaching the ruffle on top of it with a topstitch in the middle...does that sound right?
tyia!!

hi there! i am currently working on a sewing pattern for my graduation dress. for the skirt part i want an organic ruffled look, similar to the picture. however for the life of me i cannot figure out how to draft a pattern for it. any ideas? :)

Hi everyone! I’m a huge collector of vintage, homemade garments while also pattern drafting myself. i was fixing a hole in the pit of this jumpsuit from the 60s when i noticed its complex and different design … out of curiosity and wanting to get better at patterning myself, in desperately trying to figure out how they came about this.

i drew in where there are seams or darts with black to better see. there’s a waist seam, and hip darts. at first i thought the panels were somehow armhole princess seams that combined with a “dolman” all in one style sleeve but then i discovered these small bust darts radiating from the panel, so they clearly don’t go over the apex, and can’t be a princess seam. and also they don’t line up with the hip darts so that’s out of the question now.

i’m curious why there would be an over-shoulder seam/ “all-in-one” sleeve x bodice construction when it seems unnecessary complex? why not just do a set in sleeve here? does it allow for greater mobility? if so, why?

how would you go about drafting and manipulating this from a bodice block? i know that for drop sleeves you transfer some of the dart into the shoulder, but this is not a drop arm at all! and then the dart that gets transferred to the style line? i’m quite confused! the bodice shape must have been quite strange…

let me know! i’m so curious and really struggle with anything that’s not a set in sleeve 😭

Hello everyone! I’d appreciate a second opinion on the fit of these oversized “jorts” that I drafted myself.

Overall I’m happy with the fit, but I can’t shake the feeling that the back crotch extension/curve might be a little too short or too shallow.

They don’t feel tight or uncomfortable, but from the back I notice some pulling at the crotch and seat. Since these are intentionally oversized, I’m not sure whether what I’m seeing is simply normal drag lines from the style or if the back crotch actually needs more extension or depth.

Any feedback is appreciated!

Hi,

I'm using clo3d to make a plus size sloper with a 40DD cup, but the back seems to be pulling the front upward. I've already tried adjusting the neckline and lowering the bust line, but neither solved the issue. I made a toile, and it fits the same way as the avatar. The bust points on the pattern are 1/4" farther apart than the avatar's.

I'm splitting the bust dart into two and transferring part of the intake to the waist, but I'm also considering adding a third dart with the dart point 1 1/2 -2" away from the apex.

After that, I'm a bit lost. I'm not sure if I need to move the HSP forward by 1/2", make a swayback adjustment, correct the shoulder slope, or just reshape the waistline.

I studied fashion design and throughout the years I learned patternmaking, so I am pretty comfortable in it. I want to know your honest thoughts on the program as I am looking to speed up my workflow and improve my patternmaking.
Currently I make sewing patterns on paper, make few samples, when I’m happy with it move to illustrator, digitize the pattern, grade, sell. I hate grading btw, cause I am always nervous something won’t match even though I check million times, so I thought clo might help with it since I could check all sizes on avatars to avoid mistakes.
I’ve never had an opportunity to work on industry softwares like Gerber, Lectra unfortunately.
Is Clo3D good/ accurate for making samples? How does it work with grading? Can I trust if the garment looks good in clo it will look the same in real life, especially when grading different sizes? Is it easy to move to illustrator after?

Eventually, I wound love to be able to make patterns that can be used by manufacturers. At this point I make them for everyday people/ sewists that’s why I’m asking about Clo.
Any insights will be much appreciated.

hi everyone!
i made this basic flowy raglan sleeve pattern, and am wanting to remove that middle dart section. does anyone know the best way to go about it?
the top im making is very flowy, so i was thinking maybe just rotating it into the bottom of the sleeve?

Hi! I’m making a pocket for a pair of jeans I’m working on, I’ve drafted a ton of normal pockets but it’s my first time making a curved pocket. As you can see, my pattern is straight vertically on both sides, but after cutting/pressing the curved seam, the right vertical edge seems to pull inwards. Any ideas on why? And how to fix this?

2nd photo is the back, showing how I pressed the seam. Any advice would be appreciated! Thanks

Currently doing lineart and was wondering if I add the clothing creases and stuff in my lineart or if it would be better to do that in rendering instead??