Methods to Master: Five Patternmaking Skills Learn five key skills for { by Sarah Veblen } adjusting and correcting your garment patterns. Employ these techniques to streamline the fitting process and create more flattering, comfortable garments. 38 sew NEWS AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2014 Pattern Precision In garment sewing, the pattern plays A transparent 2”x18” plastic ruler 1 a key role: It allows you to repeatedly marked with an ⁄8” grid allows you to 1 achieve consistent and predictable re- see the pattern markings through the 1 sults. A well-executed pattern makes it ruler as you work. The ⁄8” interval easier to sew the garment because all of works well for patternmaking because the puzzle pieces fit together perfectly. garment seam allowances are usually 1 3 1 5 In addition, subtle pattern changes, ⁄4”, ⁄8”, ⁄2” or ⁄8”. such as slightly adjusting the hip curve A transparent curved fashion ruler, to fit you more precisely, make the sometimes called a Styling Design finished garment look more flattering. Ruler, aids in measuring and Incorporating just a few skills into drawing curves. your patternmaking arsenal gives you more control. For example, if you #1: Focusing on Seamlines notice that two side seams are not the When making pattern alterations, 2 same length, rather than wondering concentrate on the seamlines (stitch- what you did incorrectly, you’ll know ing lines) and ignore the cutting lines. how to check—and more importantly, Many patterns, especially multi-sized correct—the pattern. Having this patterns, don’t have any seamlines knowledge puts you in charge of the marked on the pattern. So the first pattern, rather than the pattern being step is to accurately draw the seamlines in charge of you. on the pattern for your reference. There’s no need to be intimidated Use a clear ruler and pencil to draw the by pattern adjustments and alterations. seamlines according to the pattern seam 3 Everyone can learn basic patternmaking allowance listed on the guidesheet. skills and achieve more successful re- If making very complicated pattern sults. Taking a little time to practice the alterations, cut off the seam allow- following five techniques will give you ances entirely so there’s no possibility a solid foundation on which to build. of confusion. After the pattern work Develop clean and precise pattern- is complete, add the seam allow- making habits to make tackling more ances back to the corrected pattern. difficult problems down the road much easier. By taking control of the pattern, you’ll be amazed at how much more #2: Using Rulers If your pattern only has cut lines, use a relaxed and confident you are when Use a straight-edge ruler to draw ruler and pencil to draw in the seam- sewing your next garment. straight lines and a fashion ruler to lines. For accuracy when drawing the draw any curved lines. With practice, seamline, place the ruler mark exactly the rulers will become an extension along the printed cut-line outer edge to Ruling Rulers of your hands. As you gain experi- account for the thickness of the printed Set yourself up for success when mak- ence, you’ll find that you don’t need line (2). Don’t align the ruler mark ing pattern alterations by having the to hunt for the optimal ruler position, directly over the printed cut line (3). right rulers on hand (1). but rather that you instinctively place Press the ruler securely to avoid shift- A transparent 1”x6” ruler marked with the ruler close to the correct position ing it while tracing the edge. Direct 1 an ⁄8” grid comes in handy when for the effect you want to achieve. the pencil point into the ruler edge. working and maneuvering in smaller pattern areas. SEWNEWS.COM 39 4 5 Draw a series of tick-marks to Position the pattern pieces with right indicate the seamline along each sides together. Match the seamlines at pattern edge (4). To achieve a straight the lower edge (13). edge, connect the marks using a long Carefully move the upper pattern as straight ruler (5). For a curved edge, 6 needed to align the seamlines in succes- use a fashion ruler to connect the tick sive sections. Place a pin through both marks (6). seamlines to match them exactly (14). For accuracy when blending or con- Continue matching and pinning along necting curved lines, position the ruler the entire seam length (15). so that as much of the ruler as possible When you reach a notch, mark on the is touching the marks that need to be upper pattern (16). Match and mark the connected or blended. Draw the curves first dart leg (17) if applicable, and then that will be connected (7). Carefully mark the second dart leg (18). Match align the fashion ruler as completely as the seam to the upper edge (19). 7 possible with the curves, and then trace to connect them (8), rather than align- If the seam length between two notch- ing the ruler only with the area that es is greater on one pattern piece than needs to be connected (9). the other when comparing adjoining pieces, this is often due to intentional By using a fashion ruler, you have the ease being incorporated. When truing 8 ability to create subtle but important pattern pieces, control where that ease differences to fit the curves of your occurs with notch placement. body. For example, flatten or add to the bust curve as needed (10.) Or When walking and truing a pattern, add more fullness to the hip curve as concentrate on the seamlines. It doesn’t needed (11). matter if the cutting lines that are paral- lel to the seamlines are the same length, because it’s the seamlines that will be #3 Walking & Truing Seams stitched together. The length of two adjoining seams should always be exactly the same As with any pattern work, working 9 length, unless one garment component cleanly and accurately is important. If intentionally has ease in comparison to desired, walk a seam more than once the other. It’s easy to check if adjoining to ensure that the pattern is accurate. 1 seams are the same length by “walking” Aiming for accuracy within a ⁄16” the seams. tolerance is a reasonable goal. Mark the seamlines along both adjoin- ing seam edges (12). 40 sew NEWS AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2014 17 11 18 10 #4 Truing Dart Legs When altering a pattern with a dart that 19 intersects a seam, it’s necessary to true the dart legs. This is a quick and simple 12 technique, because the dart extension (the paper that’s usually triangularly shaped and extends beyond the seam- line) automatically becomes the correct shape during the truing process. And having trued dart legs makes it easy to 20 accurately fold the dart when making the garment. 13 If working with shaped (curved) dart legs, redraw the dart legs using a straight Match. edge ruler, connecting the dart point and each dart leg where it intersects the seam. Perform the pattern work using these straight dart legs; but sew shaped 21 dart legs during construction. 14 To true the dart, fold and pin the dart in place on the pattern. To cre- ate the correct dart extension, fold the dart in the direction it will be pressed. Horizontal darts are usually folded down; vertical darts are usually folded toward 22 the garment center. Refer to the dart leg that’s closest to the direction the dart will be folded as the “leading dart leg.” For a 15 horizontal dart, the lower dart leg is the leading dart leg; for a vertical dart, the dart leg closest to the garment center is the leading dart leg. Fold the leading dart leg (20). 23 Fold the remaining dart leg, placing 16 the dart point along a table corner to aid in folding the point crisply (21). Pin the dart (22). Note the discrepancy along the seamline (23). SEWNEWS.COM 41 24 30 33 25 31 34 26 32 35 27 Unfold the dart, and then tape addi- ing method to true difficult seams. This 28 tional paper along the dart edge (24). example is for the seam where a jacket Refold and pin the dart, and then trace front and side panel are joined (similar the cutting line onto the pattern using to an armcye princess seam). a fashion ruler (25). Align the adjoining patterns with right While the dart is folded, cut along the sides together. Note the area where the drawn cutting line (26). Unfold and seams aren’t true (28). Tape additional unpin the pattern for a perfectly trued paper along the cut edge (29). edge (27). Extend the seamline onto the addi- tional paper (30). Pin the seamline 29 #5: Truing Difficult Seams as it will be sewn (31). Some seams are not as simple to true Fold the upper pattern away from the as others. And pattern companies don’t seamline, and then redraw the edge as always true their patterns so it’s easy needed to match the seamlines (32). to see where adjoining seams align at an intersecting seam and cut line. Two Cut along the drawn line while the pat- examples of difficult seams are armscye tern is folded (33). Unpin the patterns princess seams and tailored-jacket sleeve and cut away the excess paper (34). back-of-the-arm seams. Use the follow- Align the patterns to see that the seams are now trued (35). Z 42 sew NEWS AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2014.