Sewingplums

So, you know what styles you like and where your wardrobe gaps are – how about making your own pattern? I wrote so much about books on this it’s become two posts, this one on pattern altering, the next on pattern drafting and fit. First some comments on what I mean by this distinction and why I list the books the way I do.

For general comments on my book lists, see my post on favourite books about Style and wardrobe planning.

I’m not calling these ‘recommended’ books, as I don’t have illusions that what I like is best for everyone. And there are hundreds of sewing books that I haven’t seen.
I also mention some pattern magazines and a couple of pattern lines.

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Pattern making intro

Pattern making textbooks describe two very different processes.
1. pattern drafting – draw out basic pattern blocks from scratch, based on personal or standard size measurements, using nothing more than paper, pencil, simple rulers.
2. pattern altering – change basic/ master patterns/ blocks to make new styles (also called ‘developing’ the pattern).

It’s important to realise you can do this pattern altering on any starting point pattern. You don’t have to start by drafting your own blocks from scratch, you can start from any pattern and alter it.

In fact there are several levels of difficulty of pattern making, depending on your starting point – what you use for your basic blocks :

– Draft your own basic blocks from measurements. Then alter them to your design. Good if you enjoy the maths and geometry involved, but not necessary.

Lots of books on doing this, including college text-books. I mention them in my post on Pattern making – the formal route, and plan to summarise my favourite books in the next post in this series.

– Use a commercial simplified method for getting well fitting basic blocks, such as a fitting shell from one of the pattern companies, a special ruler or multi-sized pattern, or pattern making software. Then alter them to your design.

As far as I know there are no books on these easier methods for getting personal blocks. I summarise the methods in my post on Easier fitting shells.

– Start from any pattern which is close to what you want, and alter it (what most professional designers do most of the time).

This post is about books on pattern altering which don’t expect you to start by drafting pattern blocks from scratch.

There are also two other approaches to pattern making which don’t start from basic blocks :

– For simple garments which don’t require good fit – start with an existing garment and use that as the basis for your pattern.

– And for something completely different there’s draping. Cut fabric shapes close to what you want but with big seam allowances. And play with manipulating the fabric on a dress form or model until it’s what you want. (See my post on Draping.) Work with fabric, pins, scissors. Rather than with paper, pencil, ruler. Some people find they’re much happier and more inspired this way.
There are books on draping but I haven’t tried it and don’t know them.

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Start from existing garments

Get the basic shapes and proportions for your own style from an existing garment. These books are fun, but they’re not for making high quality close fitting clothes 😀

DIY Couture by Rosie Martin has instructions for drawing garment shapes directly onto the fabric. Often drawing around existing garments. There’s a long review with sample pages by nouvellegamine.

Hippie style Hassle-free make your own clothes book by Bordow and Rosenberg – a bit like DIY Couture, but you draw the shapes onto paper rather than direct onto fabric.

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Pattern ALTERING – starting from an existing pattern – wardrobe pattern books

Wardrobe pattern books provide the base starting point patterns and have good pattern altering instructions for specific projects.

The easiest approach if you want styles which fit. Best to get the base patterns to fit well, before doing any pattern alterations. See next post in this group for books on fit.

Most of the pattern altering instructions in these books can be used on other patterns too. Wardrobe pattern books supply both base pattern and altering instructions. But you can apply the same ideas with many other patterns as your starting point. Such as your Tried ‘N True patterns.

Simplest style altering

Change fabrics and trims, all pattern changes supplied.

Kay Whitt Sew Serendipity
3 base patterns, 6 variations of each.

Pattern magazines like BurdaStyle, Knip Mode, La Mia Boutique, Ottobre have complete traceable patterns, often the same pattern made with slight changes to give very different looking styles.

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Very simple pattern alterations

Kerstin Martensson Easy Sewing the Kwik Sew Way
5 base patterns, for tee, dartless blouse, 2 skirts and pants with elastic waists – with instructions for many simple pattern variations. Good sewing instructions for advanced beginners.

Alison Smith Dressmaking (There’s a 2021 edition of this, Dressmaking).
12 base patterns for classics, 19 simple pattern variations. Excellent sewing instructions at intermediate level.

There used to be a couple of pattern lines oriented to pattern altering, which have discontinued since this post was first written.
Nancy Erickson of the Fashion Sewing Group published 6 base patterns (fitted and casual jackets, knit twinset, skirt, pants, coat). Plus innumerable suggestions for different versions in booklets and newsletter.
Shirley Adams of Alternatives had 3 base patterns (fitted and drop shoulder jackets, shell), plus other patterns which had the pattern pieces for variations.
See post on Pattern ‘hacking’ for 2021 pattern lines.

out-of-print

Rusty Bensussen Making a complete wardrobe from 4 basic patterns
Big shouldered 80s styles ! but still good inspiration for making small pattern changes with big effects. Though don’t follow the 80s idea of making dress, jacket, coat all from the same pattern simply by changing the length. Do make coat at least 2 inches/ 5 cm larger than jacket, and jacket at least 2 inches/ 5 cm larger than dress, if you want to be comfortable! Though if you’ll only be wearing a sleeveless top under the jacket, you can make jackets and dresses from the same block.
Minimal sewing instructions.
I have a post on following the inspiration of this book using a modern pattern.

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More complex pattern altering

Wendy Mullin Sew U and Built by Wendy series
Patterns for casuals. 3 base patterns in each book, with detailed pattern altering instructions for many variations, and even more suggestions. Inspirational pattern altering, but beware poor fit and minimal sewing instructions.

Sew U

Home Stretch knits

Built by Wendy Dresses

Coats & Jackets

Nora Abousteit Burda Style Sewing Handbook
5 base patterns, for blouse, skirt, dress, coat, bag. Pattern altering for several variations of each described in detail, with photos for more inspiration. Brief sewing instructions with few illustrations.

Sewing magazine Sew Stylish usually has suggestions for pattern altering, using a linked Simplicity pattern as a base (not supplied with magazine).

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Pattern altering – starting from basic personal blocks

When you do want to start making your own pattern from well fitting basic blocks, rather than from an existing pattern. The basic set of blocks is : fitted bodice, fitted sleeve, skirt, pants. Next step is to add casual/ dartless/ box torso block with associated looser armhole and sleeve.

Project based – Sure-Fit Designs booklets with DVDs.
Beyond bodice basics
Pants that Mix ‘N Multiply
Sew Sensational Shirts
Show you how to make various designs starting from basic pattern blocks. Related to the Sure-Fit Designs basic patterns, but can be used with any personal basic pattern blocks. Very clear with DVD demos.
The booklets that come with the basic dress, shirt and pants kits also include clear instructions for making many styles.
I like Glenda Sparling’s booklets. My body shape is so far from average that SFD basic blocks don’t give me a good starting point to make personal patterns from. But I can use her pattern altering instructions with my own personal blocks.

General principles without specific projects :
Adele Margolis Make your own dress patterns
Good clear guidance on how to alter your basic blocks. No basic patterns or specific projects, and nothing on how to draft personal fitting blocks. She assumes you start from a commercial fitting shell. (List of fitting shell patterns from Butterick-McCall’s-Vogue about half way down this post.)

Mrs Stylebook is a Japanese pattern magazine which gives detailed instructions for altering basic blocks to make specific styles. Visual presentation, metric, no sewing instructions. Use your own fitted and casual bodice blocks rather than theirs, which are for Japanese body shape.

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Goodness there are many options for devising your own patterns.
Which approach do you think would suit you best ?

These are my favourite books about pattern altering.
A post about pattern drafting and fit books is planned, then the final post in this group of book posts will be about sewing.

Do you make your own pattern alterations ? Start with a simple approach and see where it takes you 😀

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Post written June 2013, links checked May 2021

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An updated version of this post is in my free .pdf
e-Book on Personal basic pattern making blocks.

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I keep going on about starting from well fitting basic pattern blocks. But how do you get those well fitting basic blocks in the first place. . .

Some people have no difficulty with fit. But obviously many of us do need help, as we support a huge industry of books and teachers and companies providing tools. It’s fascinating how many different methods there are.

I’ve pulled together all the information I have about methods which are supposed to make it easier to get a good basic block. These links have been scattered around in various posts. So here’s the combined list in case it’s helpful.

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Pattern Drafting Software

Most pattern making software has a demo version so you can check if you like the method of working. Though you do have to pay out before you can find if it produces a good pattern for your own body shape. The software packages include guidance about improving the fit. Sadly that doesn’t necessarily work, if the calculations don’t allow for your particular body shape specialities.

Bernina My Label [support discontinued at end of 2012]

Dress Shop

Garment Designer   (link on left in menu along top)

My Pattern Designer

Pattern Maker

Pattern Master
They have introductory software on fitting garments, so you can check if their basic blocks work for you.
 
A few more comments in my post on pattern making software.

P. S. Your Personal Fit and pattern.stringcodes.com are 2 companies that do the calculating and printing out for you. Claim to send you basic personal blocks drafted from measurements you send them.
Fit Me Patterns claims to do the same for specific styles.
P.P.S. Wild Ginger, makers of Pattern Master Boutique, have personalised individual style pattern downloads at e-patterns.com.
I don’t know anything about these.

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Tracing methods

There are also paper-and-pencil easy ‘personal fit’ methods. Allow for a limited number of measurements.

Bonfit Patterner
Top, skirt, pants – plastic templates slide together to make different sizes.

Fit Nice System
Tracing very simple basic shapes for knit top and elastic waist pants. Many suggestions for pattern alterations.

Sure Fit Designs
Bodice, skirt, pants, shirt, by join-the-dots tracing method. Good booklets on pattern alterations.

The Lutterloh System only allows for bust and hip measurements. When I was trying these methods I already knew that was not enough for me.

A few more comments in my post on easier fitting shells.

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Simplest basic block drafting from scratch

For people who’re willing to do the work themselves, there are basic pattern drafting instructions on the web. Start with your measurements and a large piece of paper, and make your own basic patterns.

Perhaps the best known free ones are from Burda Style :

Fitted bodice with darts
[If your front is not average in size or location, you may want to add shoulder-to-bust-point, shoulder-to-waist-over-bust-point, and bust-point-to-bust-point measures to this method. Or try Sure-Fit Designs. Also doesn’t include sloping/ square shoulders, high round back. . .]

Sleeve
[Doesn’t include a bicep measure, so not much help for large arms.]

Simple bra pattern
[Developed from the bodice block, so has the same limitations.]

Skirt
[Doesn’t allow for different measurements front and back.]

Conversion to princess line dress

Loose fit dartless top

Trousers/ pants
[Doesn’t include crotch length. Or allowing for the different effects waist-to-crotch height, flat/ large butt or abdomen, deep torso, sway front/ back have on the pattern needed.]

All pattern drafting methods using personal measurements claim to give a well fitting personal block, but they all have similar limitations. As do the software methods based on them. They would have to be horrifically complicated to include all 88 fitting topics in the Liechty book (see below). These detailed personal adjustments really are made more easily using a muslin.

If you’d like to start your pattern drafting with something simpler, here’s a couple of books.

The simplest is :
Jessop & Sekora. Sew What ! Fleece
Simple patterns and simple sewing instructions for near beginners.

A bit more complex :
Cal Patch. Design-It-Yourself Clothes
Basic tee, shirt, dress, skirt, pants, plus instructions for pattern alterations. Minimal sewing instructions.

For a list of some pattern making books, see my post on Pattern making – the formal route.

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Altering a muslin to fit

Sadly the ‘easy’ methods don’t work for everyone.
I spent several disconcerting years trying most of these methods (including a couple of top-of-the-line software systems and some college level pattern drafting books) without getting a good fit.

I finally realised the only way that worked for me was to start with a muslin for a basic block (from any source) and do a lot of alterations using the information in the marvellous fitting book :
Liechty et al. Fitting and Pattern Alteration. 2nd edtn.

Yes, ‘doing it the hard way’ – but
Hurrah, success at last 😀

If you’re very lucky you can find a good professional dressmaker to do this for you.

If I’d started this way, instead of spending years trying all the ‘quick and easy’ methods, I might have got there much faster. On the other hand, I don’t think I would have had the knowledge about patterns and my body to be able to ‘see’ the alterations needed, from the start. Like many other aspects of styling, for many of us getting a good fit is a learning process, not something that can be got right in one step.

Butterick, McCall’s and Vogue all have patterns for basic fitting garments you could start from. With some instructions about how to adapt them to fit better (not enough for me).

Butterick 5627 dress, for sizes 6 to 22.
Butterick 5628 dress, for sizes 16W to 32W.

McCall’s 2718 dress with bodice fronts for 5 cup sizes. Individual patterns for sizes 6 to 22.

Vogue 1004, dress, individual patterns for sizes 6 to 22.
Vogue 1003, pants, individual patterns for sizes 6 to 22.

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A mixed method

Donald McCunn How to make sewing patterns has instructions for a simple personal block. You make a muslin from that. Plus instructions on altering that to fit an individual body.

He also has online classes with many videos which show how to do the pattern drafting, sew the muslin, and adjust it to fit well. Plus photos of different body shapes and alterations they need.

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Kitchen cling film

Or have some fun with a helper and a generous supply of kitchen wrap.

Here’s the original article describing the wrapping method, by Kathleen Fasanella.

Here’s a blogger telling it for real with many photos 😀

This isn’t a completely simple method, as you need to add movement ease to the basic body shapes, to have a wearable pattern.

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Oh dear, this was supposed to be a quick summary 😀 but I keep thinking of comments.

I’m considering a post on which methods include which measures and so which body shape features. But even if it’s possible that may be rather a large task.

Sadly, none of the tools which are supposed to produce a well fitting basic block without much effort actually work for me. And I haven’t got a good helper. Don’t know how many of us have this difficulty. But I’m no longer innocent. Don’t believe any marketing claims that a simple method works for everyone ! Now I’ve found what I need in the Liechty book, I’m quite relaxed about it all. Before this I had several upsetting and confusing years without success, trying many methods which claimed to give a good fit but didn’t work well for my body shape. Ah well, it was one way of learning about fit.

So if the easy methods produce a successful pattern for you – then how marvellous for you, and how lucky you are. I’m jealous 😀

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Links available April 2012

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