Customer Reviews

Patternmaking for Fashion Design (3rd Edition)

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

After receiving this textbook for my third level patternmaking course in design school, I managed to read through after the term was over and realized how much we had skipped over - this book is packed with how-to information on developing not only the basic block (bodice F/B, skirt F/B, fitted sleeve) but variations of all sorts. I think a reader with good skills at visualizing a fashion design could, with this text, learn to pattern and build almost anything. First, every single exercise she covers is more than adequately illustrated, with fashion figures (or portions thereof) modelling the particular neckline, sleeve, skirt silhouette, etc so you can accurately see, not guess, what the style line in question looks like on a body. And technical drawings are clear and plentiful, so one can easily understand whether she's overlapping the skirt panels to compare hip curves or pivoting the bodice back to transfer a dart from waist to side seam. No confusion here, which is quite an accomplishment given the complexity of the subject. Second, the accompanying text is abbreviated to make the read easier but not so much that you will get lost in following from step a to step b. And at the beginning of each section the author given a little introduction which compares the efficiency and difficulty of the given method, outlines its uses and end results, and possible further adaptations. In the first 2 chapters, author covers the workroom (incl. list of tools, photos from manufacturing, completed sample cost sheet/pattern chart/design specification sheet, basic fabric and pattern terminology used in later chapters, and summaries of computerized patternmaking and development processes) and model form measurement. Chapter 3 covers drafting the basic pattern set. Chapters 4-9 cover the three main principles of flat patternmaking: dart manipulation, added fullness, and contouring. Author then devotes a chapter to each of: collars, built-up necklines, cowls, skirts/circles/cascades, sleeves, kimono/raglan/dropped/exaggerated armholes, buttons/buttonholes/facings, plackets/pockets, dresses without waistline seams, strapless foundations/interconstruction, bias-cut dresses, shirt foundations, jackets/coats, capes/hoods, knockoff methods, pants, knits, knit foundations, actionwear/dancewear/exercisewear, and swimwear. Then follows this with 7 chapters covering various aspects of childrenswear. Yep, REALLY comprehensive. This text will function quite well as a reference volume, because it's logically organized, well indexed, tells and shows WHY the principles in question are true, and addresses problems to be solved in addition to just explaining basic elements. In addition to patternmaking instructions, the author includes lots of useful reference material, for example: names of different types of pleats, standard sizing for childrens' wear, definition of a peplum (with illustrations), recommended methods & materials for knocking off (copying) a ready-made garment, whole page of button size technical drawings, definition of parts of a classic blazer, and blank pattern charts and cost sheets (useful for manufacturing, not really for home sewing). With 821 pages nose to tail, this isn't a light read, nor will you find any color photos of designer name work. Don't buy it for your coffee table or plan to tuck it into your purse for reading in waiting rooms. But do buy it to add depth to your understanding of patterns and to expand your skillset at pattern alteration and development. If your goal is to leave behind commercial patterns and flesh out your own fashion concepts or to really figure out how mere measurements can gel into a working pattern, this text will help you do it. Since the author is an instructor of fashion design at LA's Trade Technical College, she knows how to teach and what information will really be needed. So stock up on large sheets of pattern paper, clear off a table, and dig in and enjoy!

I was introduced to this book through a pattern making class, and though I have not read this book page-by-page, I found to be very useful. I have a sloper of my own measurements that I use for my own designs, but this book provides a copy of various half-scale slopers you can use to practice with. There is also a chapter on making your own sloper, but I just skimmed over it.

This book teaches you the basic principles behind pattern manipulation. You can use the principles in this book to make original designs of your own. There is so much information in this book that I cannot touch on everything and keep this review short, so it's a bit long. Once you have your own sloper made, and understand the principles that this book teaches you, you will never need to buy a store bought pattern.

There are 36 chapters in this book; and just to give you an idea of how broad a scope of pattern manipulation this book touches on I'll list the chapters:
1. The work room, 2. Model Form and Measurements, 3. Drafting the Basic Pattern Set, 4. Dart Manipulation (Principle #1), 5. Designing with Darts (Tuck-darts, Pleats, Flares, and Gathers), 6. Stylelines, 7. Added Fullness (Principle #2), 8. Yokes, Flanges, Pin Tucks, and Pleat Tucks, 9. Contouring (Principle #3), 10. Collars, 11. Built-up Necklines, 12. Cowls, 13. Skirts/Circles and Cascades, 14. Sleeves, 15. Kimono, Raglan, Drop, Shoulder, and Exaggerated Armholes, 16. Buttons, Buttonholes, and Facings, 17. Plackets and Pockets, 18. Dresses without Waistline Seams (Based on Torso foundation), 19. Strapless Foundations, 20. Patternmaking for Bias-cut Dresses, 21. Shirts, 22. Jackets and Coats, 23. Capes and Hoods, 24. Knock-Off-Copying Ready-Made Designs, 25. Pants, 26. Knits-Stretch and Shrinkage Factors, 27. Knit Foundaiton, 28. Actionwear for Dance and Exercise, 29. Swimwear, 30. Introduction to Childreswear, 31. Drafting the Basic Pattern Set Measurement taking Standard Measurement Charts, 32. Collars, Sleeves, and Skirts, 33. Dresses and Jumpers, 34. Tops, 35. Pant and Jump Suits, 36. Bodysuits, Leotards, Maillots, and Swimwear,

I am using the third edition of this book for my flat pattern drafting class. Despite good recommendations, my classmates and instructors all really dislike the book. I had a chance to compare it with the second edition, and I found out why we have had so many problems (e.g., exercises not working correctly, contradictory information in the text, missing information, etc.). It seems that when the third edition was created, a lot of essential instructions and information were taken out of the book. There are also innumerable editorial errors. As a reference text, this book is voluminous although not comprehensive. A lot of the information is presented with no explanation. There is a lot of conceptual information about pattern drafting that this book doesn't include, and overall, I don't recommend it as a book for teaching oneself how to draft patterns. If you do use it as a text, be prepared to be skeptical of the exercise directions, and remember to use a lot of common sense. Personally, I am now going to try to get a copy of the second edition, because I did really like it. The exercises were easy to follow (unlike the third edition), and the book does tell how to draft just about anything.

Elizabeth M. Allemong from Vestis Books
author of European Cut - How to Draft Basic Slopers for Custom-Made Clothes

This huge and comprehensive textbook prepares college students for making patterns for the ready-to-wear industry. As most patternmaking manuals in this country, the book teaches the American method of drafting slopers with minimum ease included, as well as applying design lines to basic patterns.

What the book does not teach is where and how much to add of design ease. (Wearing ease, design ease, and design or style lines make up the complete sewing pattern). The technique of adding design ease to every possible garment cannot be done in a book of hundreds pages; this book would have to be thousands of pages. Readers must understand that.

Adding design ease depends on several factors, for example: type of garment, occasion, fashion silhouette, fabric, type of fit, etc. Professional patternmakers know these factors and they consider them carefully, whether they make patterns for factories, pattern companies, or individual clients. (I imagine that students attending Armstrong's classes at the L.A. Trade-Technical College learn about adding design ease.) I learned about adding ease in my school.

Would I recommend this book to a home-sewer who wants to start learning patternmaking? Wholeheartedly! While I prefer to use the European method of drafting basic slopers, I used Armstrong's book extensively when I was learning to apply design lines. Adding design lines is universal, regardless of what method of drafting slopers one uses.

Armstrong's book is also rich in details of other aspects of patternmaking, like contouring, an important patternmaking principle, often forgotten by other books. The reader must also remember that while faddish designs change quickly, classic designs remain the same. The purpose of this book is to learn basic patternmaking so that making any future patterns, regardless of style, becomes possible. Helen Joseph Armstrong prepares her students well.

I never drafted a pattern before I read this book. Now I can make my own designs. It is easy to follow. Has great illustrations and clear instructions. I love it

I was required to purchase this book for my fashion design class. At first I was completely blown away at how comprehensive it was. It talked about measuring, darts and manipulation, basic patterns and principles, women, mens, children, knit, and sportswear. From what I can tell, it's based off of " Industry Standards". So It's not your everyday Joe book.

During class though, many of my teachers noticed discrepancies in the instructions. Particularly the fitted arm block. It made me fail my class twice because the first and second teacher didn't catch that the instructions were incorrect, causing me to continually make an incorrect arm block. It took my DRAPING teacher to find out that the book was incorrect in the instructions for the sleeve cap.

We also had a problem during class, when the instructions made an extremely wonky sleeve pattern, and also a two dart bodice. The student was extremely frustrated with the book and the teacher for their lack of help and knowledge. The student was not an " industry standard" size. So the measurement guides were not available to her to make a proper judgement. She had to receive a bad grade because the book would not produce the correct pattern, and the teacher didn't know what to do.

Otherwise, this book is still a great reference. Many of the styles seem outdated, but yet can be played on to create current looks. But some of the wedding sleeve types are somewhat awful, but that's personal opinion.

After many years of diddling commercial patterns, I will never have to buy another pattern again! Great text for the novice to advanced sewer alike. Used as a text book in Australia Colleges/Universities. Simple instructions with clear diagrams. Pattern making for woven, stretch and childrens wear. Highly recommended to all! There is nothing that you will not be able to make a pattern for after studying this book.

I am fairly new to sewing and, while using the third edition of this book, I continually came up with problems getting the assignments done for class. The third edition has left out many of the basic instructions which are needed for the more novice seamstress. In addition, there were errors in calculations that even I, as a beginner, found. The second edition is more comprehensive and more geared to those with limited knowledge and experience in this field. I would recommend using the second edition for those individuals who may need a little more direction in designing and completing garments.

I learned to sew a long time ago as a little girl, and as ten year old I could not identify with the outdated sketches in the pattern drafting books my mother had in her possession. This book on the other hand inspires creativity, I look in it and I see her explaining methods that result in clothes close to what you see on the runway. She doesn't get into haute couture but you can make some pretty darn amazing stuff using her instructions. She also includes variations and encourages readers to practice or at least figure out the method used to achieve it. I did think that she could have had more clearly defined areas for her basic blocks, and she really didn't delve deeply enough into pants for me. Overall though I am thrilled with this book and even though in my money it is six times the price you see, I think it was a great investment!

This book is packed with dozens of different patterns, from different types of pants to different types of skirts. But I have two gripes with it.

My first problem is that some of the instructions seem like certain, important, key manuvers (i.e. how to blend the hip line into the waist line, from the slack pattern) are more inferred than they are explained. It feels like the author assumes that the reader knows to do this as opposed to that. Unfortunately, little things like that can result in the wrong fit. I wish the author could have explained the instructions more, like why this has to be done and why that won't work... I know this was created for the more experienced sewer but the format seems so much for the beginner.... It just felt a little misleading to see that each step is clearly organized only to find that in between steps there are un-noted, excluded instructions/reasons that are obviously very important to the final pattern.

My second problem is that alot of the styles seem very dated and downright dowdy. Yolks? I don't see many people wearing yolks these days, nor do I see them on ready-to-wear clothes in the stores. I probably have the 2nd edition but still, it wasn't written that long ago. But then again, as they say, to each their own.

I really wanted to give this book 5 stars for being the only comprehensive and somewhat up=to-date book on patternmaking available today but I felt that it could have been much better and less of a struggle for us less-experience sewers. So, if you've taken patternmaking classes before and are well-versed in dressmaking, this book would be great for you. As for the rest of us, this book is not as kind to the beginner.