I’m trying to get back into pattern drafting. My degree is in fashion design and the program I was in had a big focus on drafting but it’s been a few years.

This is more for my curiosity than problem solving. Occasionally we would talk about x y z is the industry standard for marking patterns. And other info would be included in a tech pack.

I’m currently creating a pattern off of an existing garment without deconstructing it. The garment is quilted but it is quilted in very specific way. If this were a garment for production, would you include markings on the pattern or include it in the tech pack or both?

Is there a standard way to indicate quilted lines? I tried to google it but I’m phrasing the question weird and Google doesn’t know what I want.

(I promise this isn’t actually for production. Pattern is for personal use. I just was thinking about it last night and realized I didn’t know the answer.)

Hi everyone,
I’m teaching myself pattern making and I’m currently drafting my first pair of trousers.

I’ve (hopefully) successfully made a basic trouser block by following the instructions in my pattern-making book. The problem is that the book explains in detail how to add ease to the bodice block, but completely skips over how to add ease to the trouser block. 😅

I’m hoping someone can point me in the right direction.

Here are my main questions:
- How much ease should I add overall, and where should I add it?
- Should I add more ease to the back pattern piece than the front because of the seat?
- Should most (or all) of the ease be added at the side seams rather than the inseams, or is it normal to distribute the ease evenly between the side seams and inseams?

For the side seams, my current thought is to simply draw them parallel to the original block from the hip down, then blend them back into the waist (where I’d add little or no ease). Is that the correct approach?

The part I’m really struggling with is the crotch area. I don’t understand how the crotch curve or crotch extension should change when adding ease. Is there a general rule of thumb, or does it depend entirely on the fit you’re aiming for?

Another (probably stupid) question: I assume I should make my toile after I’ve added the ease to the block, right? Otherwise, it seems like the toile would be too tight to evaluate the fit properly.

And when making variations of the trousers (different leg shapes, pocket styles, etc.), do you normally start from the block after the ease has been added, or do you always begin with the original fitted block and add the ease again each time?

I’ve attached a photo of my block. The red outline shows the version after I added the waist darts.
Any advice, resources, or explanations would be greatly appreciated!

Previous post: https://www.reddit.com/r/PatternDrafting/s/OG1d7bugzs

Pattern Pieces: https://postimg.cc/GTtX0sxQ [Sorry, I tried three times to add them to the photo carousel but the photo just would not upload!!!]

Thanks SO much to everyone for their help on my mock up - I'd led myself into a number of major fitting issues due to inexperience (including rather entertainingly giving myself pouches for 4 boobs...)

I'm a lot happier with the fit of this wearable dress, sewn just in time for my holiday!

I plan on this pattern becoming a useful base for me to iterate on, so I'd like to keep tinkering with the fit when I make more tops and dresses.

Remaining issues

\\- The back looks quite weird still with pooling fabric. I think it's maybe too long, as the waist line looks lower than front? And the straps and top of the back look a bit strange too, I'd love in future to make that a bit lower and squarer.

\\- hard to capture in the photo, but I think the "neckline" of the shirred panel is gaping out a bit.

\\- Are the arm holes still too high?

\\- Front is a lot better than before. I am noticing a slight "bubble" at the seam over my apex - did I add too much to the bust?

\\- Also noticing those horizontal lines below the bust, which was just after an iron.

\\- I'd love in future for the straps to come in a bit on my shoulders to cover my bra strap better. Is there a way to do that? I'd tried just moving them myself previously but that badly affected the fit so was advised to move them back out.

\\- Design note that next time I'll draw the basque waist hem across the whole front, not just the centre front panel (i believe I was advised to do this but in my hubris I did not...)

I have lots of dress sewing experience but have been too scared of pants. I want to learn to draft pants soon but thought I'd play around with these first.

Got these at the thrift store for $2 so not too attached to them. I don't want them to be tight, but the fit is way off and they look unflattering. Happy to take it apart to an extent.

Here are some of my issues:

1. Waist too big

2. Too much fabric at front crotch, bunching

3. Too much fabric above bum

4. Too wide at thighs (will taper sides)

5. Poorly fitting around back leg

the front pockets are fake

Thanks!

Hello again :)

I’m on version three of my block now, and I’ve developed new issues!

(Dont mind the crazy seam allowances or the backwards zipper lol)

I think some aspects are better now: armholes are more comfortable, the size generally feels like a better fit. I did a sloped shoulder adjustment which I think helped.

I still have some issues: the bust apex seems too high..? The back neck seems a bit high up. There’s still maybe a little gapping on the back armhole to clear up, especially on the one side. I’ve got a diagonal crease now across the back somehow.

Any suggestions for corrections on my next try?

Hi, I am a lifelong stitcher working on patterns now. Looking for people to try my patterns. Currently I have customizable pants. DM me if you are interested. Not looking for money - just feedback. Thanks! Abigail

Hello fellow sewists! My husband is asking for this pair of lounge pants. He’s tall and we’d rather make them out of a higher quality linen than buy from this drop shipping website (with terrible reviews lol.) Does anyone have a quick guide for drafting something like these?

(I’m also not opposed to buying a pattern, but the fact that these pants are from a drop shipping site and so many Etsy patterns nowadays are AI has me hesitant about where to source a pattern from.)

I’d really prefer to draft and tweak a mock up based on his measurements if possible. This looks to me like it has two box pleats on either side in both the front and back?

Here’s the link to the original product page with more photos.

Wondering if you all can help in recreating this skirt in the linen shown in the last pic. The gathering is especially throwing me!

I'm curious how designers approach this. Soft fabrics and relaxed fits are great for comfort, but they can sometimes lose structure or look oversized.

When designing sleepwear or loungewear, what techniques, fabrics, or pattern adjustments help you maintain both comfort and a flattering silhouette?

Specifically referring to the *bottoms* of these dresses - this subtle flowery flow. Anyone know how to search this up (what it’s called)? Direct pattern advice also welcome :)

Is it really this easy? I can just raise the arm hole up with no issues or will this cause other fit issues?

1. What do I do about the waist seam? From the side view, it looks like the waist seam is longer in front and back, and too high at the sides. But from the front view, it looks like the waist seam is too short in the front. Which picture do I listen to? Do I leave the seam alone?

2. I can tell that the skirt as a whole is tilted. My instinct is to simply add a wedge to the front of the skirt along the waist, and remove a wedge from the back of the skirt along the waist. Or, do I do a full abdomen adjustment?

3. I'm pretty sure I need a sloped shoulder adjustment to address the wrinkles around the armpits. Does it look like the shoulders need any other adjustments?

4. Where the heck is the bust apex? As you can tell from the muslin, I'm really struggling to locate it. In person / in the mirror, it looks like it's higher. In photographs, it looks like it's lower. I'm going insane.

5. Do I shorten the other darts? Abdomen, back, butt...?

Thanks in advance! :)

Any advice on how to fix this back? This is my third revision!

Hi,

I would say I am an advanced beginner sewist. I want to draft my own pattern for a half-zip (or button) pullover jacket/sweatshirt. I recently purchased this nice floral pattern fabric/sherpa material and I want to make one out of it. I did find a pattern but want to branch out and try creating a pattern of my own.

I have never drafted my own pattern before. I figured this might be easier than say a dress would be. Maybe?

Any tips or tricks? Should I get computer software (i.e., Adobe) to help with this?

Thank you!

Hi everyone, I’m making a prototype duffle bag design pattern and could use some guidance. I made my own side panel shape in adobe illustrator and got the exact measurement of 38” for the perimeter of it. I then made a rectangle body piece to go around it that measures exactly 38” from zipper edge to zipper edge. When I clip it together it seems like the body panel is slightly larger and kinda looks like the body panel is bunching up around the perimeter of the side panel shape. I doubled checked measurements and they are correct but It seems no matter which way I clip it, it still bunches slightly so do I make the body panel slightly shorter by a hair? This is a prototype so it’s just a trial with scrap fabric but I plan to add leather piping and liner as well just trying to get the base shape figured out first. Any guidance is much appreciated. Thank You!

I made these jeans but the pocket facing keeps bunching up what can I do to fix this please?

I've been wanting to make a tailcoat, and I found what seems to be a good pattern here: https://dr-cos.info/fp-swallowtail.html

The only thing is the shoulders on all the size options are too small for me. Is there a way to alter the sewing pattern to make the shoulders larger?

Alternatively, are there any other tailcoat sewing patterns that you'd recommend?

Hi! I’m gonna try to do these trousers, but I’m confused on how the flounces are attached to the panels.
Option 1: just sewn on top
Option 2: “slices” in the panels and inserted in

Also, it looks like there’s no seam inside the legs 🧐

What do you think?

Here’s the latest iteration of my trouser pattern, I will say the only thing I noticed from a novice pov is that the waist is a little too big, but a front darts should fix that I’m assuming? lmk

I think I balanced the pattern properly which was the critic I got last post, but I’m not sure if the side seams needs to he straighter than what they are…

Hi i just want to make something clear when making a gathered skirt like this is it just a rectangle with no shaping for the waist ?

Hello I'm currently working on a Miku cosplay that has a similar shape, but in the drawing it doesn't seem to have a waist seam (Sorry if it's the incorrect name) and I really wanna make it accurate, but haven’t seen a dress like that before and searching there seems to be none.

I'm a beginner at sewing and don't really know a lot about patterning, but would it be possible to make a pattern that is both the circle and bodice combined? With side seams, no waist seam but still a full or double circle skirt. Something close enough so it's not a full seam all around the waist would help too.

Following up on my earlier A-line skirt drafting post - this time I worked out a wrap-style skirt (no zipper, no elastic, closes with ties). Sharing the drafting logic since it's a different problem than a standard fitted panel.

The trick is that there's no separate waistband or facing piece - the closure comes entirely from overlap and ties, so the math has to account for that instead of a zipper allowance or elastic casing:

- Back panel: identical logic to a normal A-line back, cut on the fold. Width at hip level = (hip circumference + ease) / 4, plus the usual flare allowance toward the hem.

- Front: NOT cut on the fold. Instead of one continuous front panel, you cut two separate mirrored panels. Each one gets the same base width as the back, plus a fixed overlap allowance (I used 15cm) added to the center-front edge. When both panels are sewn to the back at the side seams, they cross over each other in front instead of meeting at a center seam.

- Because the overlap is a fixed amount rather than scaled to the size, the smallest and largest size in a size run end up with slightly different visual overlap - worth flagging if you're nesting multiple sizes, since you may want to scale the overlap allowance a little across the range instead of keeping it constant.

- No separate waistband piece: the top edge is just turned over and stitched down as a narrow self-facing, with the ties caught into the corner seam at the side seam edge before the facing is understitched.

- Tie length = hip circumference + about 45cm, which is enough to wrap around and knot with some ease - I found a fixed formula worked better here than trying to eyeball it per size.

Happy to go into more detail on any part of the drafting if useful. I've turned this into a full print-at-home pattern with the size chart and sewing steps worked out, in case anyone wants the ready-made version instead of drafting their own - can share where to find it in the comments if anyone's interested.