Customer Reviews

Professional Pattern Grading for Women's, Men's, and Children's Apparel

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I can't believe nobody has reviewed this book because it is -hands down- the best book in the business. It's self-published so its release and publicity is limited but I can tell you this is the book that is most often USED in the apparel industry. Not the book most used in schools, but in real life (I've been a pattern maker for 25+ years). I guarantee all the pattern grading services keep it on hand! The way the grading charts and mapping is set up in the book most closely mirrors the way we work in the industry. The charts in competing books (Price/Zamkoff) are so complex but Handford's book nails it.

Unlike many book authors, Handford was a pattern maker for years. He'd work in the industry for a spate of years, get disgusted, go back to school, get disgusted with school so he'd go back to pattern making, then in to teaching, then back to school, then back to manufacturing over and over. He did this over the lifetime of his career finally ending up with a Ph.D and 50 years of industrial experience! I mention his background because it means his book is keenly attentuated to the needs of everyone, students, pattern makers and educators. He did it all so he'd know what was most efficacious for all parties concerned. His book blends the needs of everyone simply and succinctly. You could buy another book rather than this one but I don't know why you would.

this book is best for people grading by hand, as it gives step by step instructions on how to move the pattern to grade up/down.
it does NOT give standard grading charts of standard sizes. it gives only the BASIC BASIC grades between them, such as 2" for the waist.
I was expecting something a lot more thorough and updated than this, especially since the apparel industry has changed so much. I wanted standard specs with grading, not common-sense instructions on shifting a pattern up and out, etc.