Make Your Own Patterns: An Easy Step-By-Step Guide To Making Over 60 Patterns [Paperback]

Rene Bergh (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 30, 1997

Never buy a pattern again! See how professionals take accurate body measurements to make patterns for shirts, dresses, jackets, and trousers. Try the tricks for collars, sleeves, and necklines. Glorious style photos will inspire you, and quarter-scale patterns for every item will help you succeed.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Rene Burgh is an expert in tailoring and has written several sewing books on dressmaking and soft furnishings. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: Sterling (June 30, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1853687022
• ISBN-13: 978-1853687020
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 5.1 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,141,032 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

476 of 490 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars not written for the people who need it most, December 28, 2001

By 

Jacqueline Kiffe (College Station, TX USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Make Your Own Patterns: An Easy Step-By-Step Guide To Making Over 60 Patterns (Paperback)

Patterns are so easy to find nowadays for $1.99 (or at the very least, at half price), that only those with fitting difficulties would want to draft from scratch, and this book assumes that the user has the perfect, very young figure. I am quite experienced at both alterations and drafting from body measurements, and I can tell you that the thing which is most overlooked is that the greatest variation in the body is from the side view, while her waist and hip values assumes half of each measurement falls in the front and half falls in the back of the body, which is true for almost no one who is not on the cast of "Friends." If you have fitting problems sufficient to drive you to want to make your own patterns, this book will do nothing for you, whether you have a large or drooping bust, large derriere, low abdomen, flabby upper arms, etc. I personally prefer "Bodymapping" by Kathy Illian, "Fantastic Fit for Every Body" by Gale Grigg Hazen, or even "Every Sewer's Guide to the Perfect Fit" by Mary Morris & Sally McCann. A to-die-for pattern-making book (although it does not cover fitting) is "Make Your Own Patterns" by Adele Margolis. It is not flashy, but the wealth of information is breathtaking and inspiring. If you want to be avant-garde, then "Make Your Own Japanese Clothes" by John Marshall is a super little book.

A real help is an actual mold of your body (neither difficult nor expensive to do, and a hysterically funny weekend project for two sewing friends), as described in "My Twin Dress Form" by Carol Stith. I don't know if it is still in print, but it is the absolute best way to produce a proper sewing mannequin. No matter what your figure characteristics, you can produce pretty good results if you have an accurate model to drape on.

I have a number of books intended for the professional that are too expensive to recommend, but if you want to be *really* chic, the absolute best of the best is "Modern Pattern Design" by Harriet Pepin. This gem is a Funk & Wagnalls Company publication from 1942, and it is utterly delightful. Many of the techniques are within the range of anyone even slightly willing to try something new, and they are so old that they are new again. You don't even have to draft a pattern from scratch (although detailed directions are given if you wish to do so) to apply some of the details. If you love the clothes in old movies, this book has more than pictures; it has details on how to produce them.

I would recommend any of the above books over this one.

97 of 98 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Presentation, User-Friendly Pattermaking!, August 9, 2006

By 

Salihah "Book Addict" (Minneapolis/St. Paul) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Make Your Own Patterns: An Easy Step-By-Step Guide To Making Over 60 Patterns (Paperback)

I have been drafting patterns for years and have read many patternmaking books, from the usual books found at public libraries to the expensive, comprehensive pattern-drafting textbooks. Many books offer the instruction needed to draft an effective, well-fitting pattern. However, many are very costly, dry, technically focused with little to offer for readability, photos, and enjoyablity. Make Your Own Patterns: An Easy Step-by-Step Guide to Making Over 60 Patterns, is a wonderful blend of affordability, how-to drafting skill, clear, easy instruction, and a pleasing format and layout that makes for optimum user-friendly use, particularly for someone new to making their own patterns.

Rene Bergh takes you through understanding and taking your measurements, then step-by-step through how these measurements create a two-dimensional pattern to fit a three-dimensional form. Hands-on patternmaking occurs as you create your own "sloper" or pattern shell custom fit to you! You then use these basic pattern pieces to create almost limitless designs and styles all to your own preference and liking. Bergh presents dozens of examples with clear step-by-step instructions on how to duplicate the design technique with your own basic pattern sloper you made. She includes full-color drawings or photos that illustrate the finished design, as well as the technical diagrams to accompany the step-by-step instruction, when needed. It all combines for a readable book with concepts that are clear and easy to duplicate.

Sewing experience would be recommended for this book, as well as familiarity and comfort with various types of clothing patterns. You do not need to be an expert in the least, however, and even if you have only sewn with commercial patterns and never made a pattern or adjustment of your own, you could be well on your way to creating your own special style with this book. I am not plus-sized and fit a standard pattern size, however, I have used this book's techniques to create dozens of patterns for plus size friends and relatives of all types and curves. They have all turned out beautifully with an excellent fit. Infact, when drafting specifically for a plus size friend, this is my preferred book to reference, or when drafting for myself. This is also a fun reference book to flip through when you're looking for a new idea or inspiration to add a special touch to your sewing.

Even if you have no interest in making a custom fit and drafted pattern, this book could be invaluable for how to make basic and varied design changes to a regular commercial pattern you found at a fabric store. You could browse the fabric store pattern catalogs knowing that you can pick and choose patterns that fit your basic liking and change the details for your own style and taste! Or you could say, "I'll just make my own!" Enjoy!

43 of 44 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent for modifying basic patterns, July 16, 2000

By 

Joanne "Reader" (NY USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Make Your Own Patterns: An Easy Step-By-Step Guide To Making Over 60 Patterns (Paperback)

This book starts out immediately with drafting a fitted bodice, which is remarkably easy and accurate. It goes on to illustrate how to draft basic bodices, skirts and pants, and how to modify them with design features. It is not in anyway a textbook on pattern drafting and does not go into any detail regarding pivoting darts, determining ease or fitting specific figures. It is more a starting point for designing independantly and could well be used in conjuction with an existing sloper or basic commercial pattern.