In dressmaking, a pattern is very important because it gives you the initial outline of the dress or any item you are trying to create. Aside from providing you the outline, patterns also give you an idea how much fabric you should use and the ideal kind of the fabric for the project.
Dressmakers who have been in this industry for so long would agree that in order to get the right patterns for dressmaking, the tailor must first decide what kind of item he or she wishes to make and then the list of measurements needed. Compared to tablemats or curtains, patterns are more valuable when it comes to clothing or dressmaking because the “wearability” of the clothes will basically depend on the patterns chosen.
Where to find patterns for dressmaking
A specific pattern that will be used for dressmaking will greatly depend on who is going to wear it. Nowadays, since more and more people are into sewing and dressmaking, there are so many sources of patterns available. They come in various types and designs which aids comfort when sewing for clothes.
These patterns are available from almost all craft stores or specialty stores meant for dressmaking. You can get it from craft stores or specialty dressmaking stores where you bought the materials like fabric, thread, and the like for your project. Aside from buying these patterns at stores, you can also get it from various magazines that feature basic sewing or in online sewing sites.
The right way to measure
When it comes to patterns in dressmaking, it is best to always consider the standard measurements used by the dressmaking industry to be able to get accurate results. It is always advisable to make use of the measurement charts that can be found in various pattern books because these are based on the standard measurements used by almost all tailors.
The major considerations when it comes to dressmaking patterns are the accurate measurements of the person’s bust/chest, waist, hips, and back length for blouses and tops and the measurements of the crotch area, butt area, and leg length for skirts and pants.
Remember, when taking measurements from these key body parts, always make sure that they are taken with undergarments on using a tape measure that is held just enough to get the correct size and adjustments. It is always best if two people will work on taking these measurements so lesser errors will be committed. If you are the one who is taking the measurements, ask the person to stand up in his or her usual posture to get accurate clothing measurements.
If you are taking bust or chest measurements, make sure that you place the tape measure around the person’s bodyjust across the chest or breastsand slide it under his or her arms across the back. For the waist, always get the person’s natural waistline by placing a string around the waist before using the tape measure. While the measurement of the hips is usually taken below the waist, the back length’s measurement is taken from the bone that is most prominent in the back of the person’s neck.
Once you get all the measurements correctly, you can proceed to using the right pattern for the person who will wear the clothes and you may proceed to the dressmaking process. To make sure that you wont have any problems in losing the measurements that are very important for patterns, make sure that you always keep a spare copy.
You can do this by photo copying the listed measurements or by simply copying the measurements in the logbook.