My Lack Of Patternmaking Tools - I Can Cut It

Working on those patternblocks,  aiming to having everything (at least my slopers) complete by the end of December.  

I'm taking stock of which tools and rulers I use most often and I have to say that my curve square and L ruler are in biggest demand when I'm drafting my patterns.   If I had that flexicurve ruler though I think that may change depending on how well it keeps its shape.   For now I'm just stuck using my trusty old tape measure.   I'm going to get that curve square replaced though as the one I have has a few serious cracks in it.   If you don't know the tool I'm talking about here it is:

I consider this delicate thing indespensible and the only place I can find it online is at this UK store,  here's the link:
http://www.sewessential.co.uk/Category.asp?CategoryID=776&NumPerPage=5&Page=1
You'll find it at the bottom of the page and it's not called a "Sew Easy Curve Square".

The other thing I wish I had was that thing called an awl,  a little hole poking device for marking dart points and 'walking' sleeve blocks into armholes.   Instead I use a soap smoothed point on a safety pin to facilitate dart transfer like this (I usually have two fingers supporting the raised paper underneath while I'm making the hole):

I manage to 'walk' my sleeves by taking what ever bodice/torso block and 'walking' the sleeve onto it tiny pinch by tiny pinch.   This can be a distance of about a 1 cm to 1 inch depending on the curve area.  I'm making due alright.

Was doing a little 'window' shopping online for what I've got in store when I want to make patterns for my own collections.   As I'm not going to use non-eco fabrics for my designs (or their development)  it leaves me with a number of pricier options.   I'll probably get most of my fabric from Near Sea Naturals,  they've got dyed and plain organic cotton wovens for around $10 and up and organic cotton knits starting from $12 and up.   Not great,  but not too bad either.   If I want to get cruelty free wool,  they've also got that (not at all an easy thing to come by trust me) it'll be quite a bit more costly  with their most affordable options being their black and fawn solid color wool wovens for $55 per yard.   Now if I want to get some satin,  I'll have to go to GreenFibres and get their undyed cotton product for around $26 a yard (13 GBP that is).  

Well I've got an idea of the price range at least.  It'll be a while till I can get started to be sure,  but it will happen.   Just got to some patternmaking work and experience with clients.

By the way,  when I 'shop' for fabric,  I just go straight to my Eco Friendly Fashion Designer Resource Page.   One of the reasons I made it,  when I need materials to get started with my collections I'll have everything there in one place and in a great way that everyone else can use it too with it's selection of eco fabric sources,  dying informatios,  eco-friendly fabric paint,  notions and more.  Here's the link if you're also interested:
The Eco-Friendly Fashion Designer's Resource Page

If you'd like to read more about fashion, information on the industry and online schools check out my site at:

Budget Online Fashion Design Schools and Resources

Getting The Master Pattern Blocks Complete

Going through the master slopers again like this is proving very useful.   Pattern blocks have to be perfect,  as a matter of fact,  if you haven't been called a perfectionist more than once in your life,  than you may want to pick a different form of work.   You kind of want to be the sort of person that feels perection is a kind of beauty in itself. 

I'm doing the sleeve patterns again right now.   and I want to get them right.   Because I didn't have the dressform when I first started studying patternmaking,  I didn't actually take too many precaustions toward accuracy since there was no way for them to turn out right.   Now,  however,  I'm paying attention.

There are varying amounts of fullness that's drafted into the top of the sleeve cap to create that "cap" effect when the sleeve is sewn into the armhole.  However,  once I 'walk' the sleeve into the front and back armscye slopers,  I'll have to make sure the 'center line' on the sleeve to be sure there's 1/4 or so more for back portion of the sleeve as compared to the front.   And that's fine,  but there's no ease in the wrist area and I don't like that so I think I'll add some to the master pattern,  think I'll make that an 1" or 1 1/2".   Then I'll be doing the shirt sleeve and then the raglan pattern blocks.   (sweater dress patterns,  here I come :).

Now when I have to draft another pattern block from the basic bodice blocks I don't have any pattern weights to keep it in place,  I've thought of a neat idea though,  I just take the square off sleeve curve ruler and lay it on top of the pattern to hold it in place.

If I have something larger to deal with though,  I just use my little square books "Arts and Crafts" and "Art Nouveau" from Flame Tree Publishing.   Nice as that may sound though,  I'm thinking about getting some real pattern weights along with a flexi-curve ruler,  a replacement sleeve and neck line curve ruler because the fairgate sleeve curve ruller I have right now is too narrow,  and the one shown above (it's actually cracked in two places) I can't find any where.  I'll keep looking though.  It's too good not to have.

If you'd like to read more about fashion, information on the industry and online schools check out my site at:

Budget Online Fashion Design Schools and Resources

If you're a designer or home sewer and you'd like to find some cool eco-friendly fabrics and more check out my resource page at:
The Eco-Friendly Fashion Designer's Resource Page

My First Sewn Pattern Block

Okay,  I managed to draft the basic bodice,  make a copy to add seams and sew it up to see if it fit okay on the dress form.   I trued up the pattern blocks really nice and then I sewed them up,  just wish I would have remembered to align the shoulder darts in the front and back.   Other than that it was perfect :)   Oh yeah,  and I used old flannel diapers from my kids to sew it up,  lol,  how's that for eco-friendly?   Okay,  well of course I wouldn't wear something made from old diapers,  but it's okay for a pattern test.   When I'm ready to do my designs,  I'll get some organic muslin from Fabric.com or one of those other online stores listed on my eco-friendly fashion designer's resource page (don't worry I put the link below).

My machine wasn't working well either. I t was my bad though,  the thread tension was out of wack,  I adjusted it after and tried again and it worked fine.   Actually the shoulder seam didn't come out exactly the way I wanted because it was 1/8 inch narrower than I wanted (my sewing is rusty from not having sewn in a few years and my son was trying to take over the machine,  not good)  That's okay though it worked out great otherwise and I'll be starting work on developing the rest of the master blocks from this bodice's flat pattern.   So cool.   

Now however,  the real world dictates that I need to work on my freelance writing,  got another 12 article project from one of my old clients,  that will be some of next week's groceries.   And I also have to start working on my friend's new book,  I'm doing the illustrations for.   The second installment of a children's salat book (I illustrated the first one too actually)   I'm just hoping that my kids will let me actually get the work done for the rough story board.   I think I'll be able to find a way.   I also have to write the text for it,  shouldn't be too,  too hard though.   

Got to keep those patternblocks coming so I can start working on getting my patternmaking business started.  Slowly but surely.   I want to be up and running before the year is out.   I'm hoping to get my hands on a button hole ruler and a flexi curve ruler though,  that'll help me out lot once I get started.  I'll be getting those from Gold Star sewing supplies online.  They're cheaper than a lot of other stores.

If you'd like to read more about fashion, information on the industry and online schools check out my site at:

Budget Online Fashion Design Schools and Resources

If you're a designer or home sewer and you'd like to find some cool eco-friendly fabrics and more check out my resource page at:
The Eco-Friendly Fashion Designer's Resource Page

Working With A Dress Form And Plotting A Course

Well, I had another rewarding educational experience,  my dress form wasn't marked with the usual princess seams and neckline,  waist,  bust and hip lines so I had to draw those in.   Took me all evening to get it right,  but I just had to get it done (the same evening I brought the dress form home)so it would be ready to use.    First I drew in the 'rough' lines with a pencil,  using Connie Amaden Crawford's dress form illustrations in her 'pattern making made easy' book as a reference to how they're supposed to look.   Then,  when I was satisfied with my line work,  I darkened the lines with a blue sharpy and here are the results:

So that wasn't too bad,  than the next morning,  I just had to drape the basic front and back bodice blocks,  I loved it and unfortunately got so carried away I forgot to take pictures of it with my cell phone :(,   I did take a shot of the fabric blocks afterward though and here they are:

 I haven't trued them up or anything,  they clearly need it.   I've already traced them on paper and I'm going to true them up this morning.   I then want to make a seam allowance copy,  sew it up and test it on the dressform.   If it fits like it's supposed to then,  Voila!  I've got my perfect set of basic blocks then I'll be able to get to work on the rest of the master blocks that are built from these two.   I'll just draft all of them on paper first then transfer them to poster board to make my durable working copies.

As for my sewing and fashion illustration skill development,  I've come up with a practical plan.   Just like how I tried to practice my pattern making whenever there's been a dry spell in my article work (and on weekends),   whenever there's no pattern making to do,  I'll practice my sewing or illustration skills.  Just build on one thing at a time like Will Smith's "brick wall" principal.  For all of you who aren't familar with this reference,  check out "Will's Wisdom" on Youtube,  he's a very inspirational/motivational speaker.  (Thanks again for that one Philippe).

I'll keep you guys posted.

If you'd like to read more about fashion, information on the industry and online schools check out my site at:
Budget Online Fashion Design Schools and Resources

If you're a designer or home sewer and you'd like to find some cool eco-friendly fabrics and more check out my resource page at:
The Eco-Friendly Fashion Designer's Resource Page