Professional Pattern Maker
Dona Vansoest
Professional pattern makers are employed by apparel companies and work closely with design teams. Depending on the employer, pattern makers may be required to execute the design from the 1st pattern through production. Comprehension of fabric properties, the ability to execute corrections, manage fittings, and knowledge of Photoshop and Illustrator are some of the qualifications sought after by the industry.
Apparel patterns, or garment patterns, are shapes that are cut out before a garment is made, and one pattern can often be used to make several garments. Patterns can be cut out of several different materials, including fabric and plastic, but a thin paper known as pattern paper is typically the most common type of material.
The purpose of a pattern is simple. When creating several of the same type of garment, the pieces used to make the clothing should be uniform size and shape from one garment to the next in order to prevent unusually shaped or sized garments. Tracing around or cutting around pattern pieces for each of the different sections of a garment helps ensure this uniformity.
A patternmaking career generally involves working deep in the fashion industry. They may work to design and create patterns for unique pieces of clothing for mass production, for instance, or they may work closely with designers in order to create custom patterns.
Before creating a pattern, a patternmaker must first have a good idea or image of what type of pattern needs to be made. In some cases, patternmakers must come up with these design ideas and sketches themselves. On the other hand, patternmakers might also be required to look at a sketch or picture of a certain garment and create a pattern from that.
In order to create a good pattern, a patternmaker must first decide what size the garment will be. This can often be done by basing a new pattern on an existing pattern that is available in several different sizes.
Draping is another relatively common method of creating a garment pattern. To use this method, cloth is draped over a dress form or mannequin and pinned in place. The fabric is then marked where the seams would be, and it is then laid out onto pattern paper. The marks made on the draped fabric can then be traced onto the pattern paper to create pattern pieces.
Once a pattern is complete, the majority of patternmakers will then sew together a test garment. Making this garment helps ensure that a pattern is useful and accurate. In some cases, a garment may not go together correctly, and a patternmaker may need to adjust the pieces of the pattern.
Professional patternmakers can often find steady work with large clothing and accessory manufacturers. Some pattern makers may even make a decent living creating sewing patterns for do-it-yourselfers.
Patternmaking careers can also sometimes go hand in hand with fashion design careers. Some patternmakers work with fashion designers, for instance, creating patterns used to make some of the fashions seen on the major runways. Also, a number of patternmakers are also successful fashion designers, and vice versa.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of patternmaking careers, as well as the average salary for patternmakers, is projected to decline -13% from 2018 to 2028. This is mostly due to the fact that garment manufacturers have been able to find extremely inexpensive laborers overseas. Although you may not be able to strike it rich as a patternmaker, you will most likely be able to make a decent wage with this type of career.
Due to the extensive use of measurements and geometric shapes, an aspiring patternmaker should be a skilled mathematician. Drawing and fashion design skills are also helpful, as are sewing skills. Individuals interested in pursuing a career in patternmaking will usually need to attend an art institute or fashion design school in order to earn a degree in patternmaking or fashion design. Some traditional universities may also offer the necessary courses needed to pursue a career in patternmaking. Students interested in this area will usually need to take classes in drawing, CAD, anatomy, textile design, and math, as well as fashion design.
What recommendations would you make to a person who wants to educate herself to work as a professional patternmaker? I have seen the books you recommend (and plan to acquire some at Christmas) and would like your advice on schools, exercises, experiments, etc., you think are helpful.
Does anyone know of any schools in CA which teach pattern making? Do you have to acquire a full AA or BA? Can you just get certificate and then go to work? Are there any schools in CA which give certificate?
Thanks,
Deb
My name is Cristian Suarez from Miami, FL,
I design clothing on my own time while working a 9 to 5. I really want to pursue work as a pattern maker. Should I go to trade school and get a pattern making certificate or degree (if there is one)? or is this something I can just practice on and apply to jobs for?
I am wondering if the different programs could be listed and complied for their offerings. May take tons of research but it would be interesting to know how many programs are still being offerred in the US.
Thankyou or this. Can you tell me what the most common operating systems/programs are, that are currently used in the industry? When looking at schools I want a more clear cut way to evaluate how well spent my time will be. Thankyou so much!
Patterns are drafted individually based on your actual measurements. No gimmicks, standardizing or shortcuts. Every line is unique to your measurements. You'll never make anything that fits as well as Patternmaker Pro patterns.
The Fashioner is a separate program that allows you to draft patterns from scratch or customize many patterns in the catalog. You know you've always wanted to be a designer, now there is nothing stopping you.
That reminds me when I was fresh out of highschool and just started the mandatory tailoring apprenticeship that was required for fashion school. The in house pattern maker at the studio I worked at suggested that I would be much more suitable as a pattern maker. I felt pretty insulted at the time, because I wanted to be the high flying designer.
While in Fashion School I always enjoyed the pattern and draping classes much more than the design ones. And if I may brag, I was the only one who was allowed to show the entire senior year collection, because I really payed attention on the execution of the clothes rather than the wow factor.
Wow, in school I thought about working as a pattern maker. I had an excellent professor who taught pattern making and gave us an article about Nicolas Caito.I never thought of pattern makers as failed designers, I actually thought of pattern makers as THE experts. Technical skill like that requires years of practice and perfection. Kathleen what is the best way for a new grad to get a job in pattern making? Im in Toronto Canada.
I agree a hundred percent. Having more of a visual, creative mind, I have a hard time taking my draping to flat patterning. I struggle with translating the precision adjustments I make from fitting to the pattern. Each adjustment on paper seems to solve one problem, but create another. Good to know there are those out there that love and enjoy that part and can do it so well. But, unfotunately, it is not me. Do you have any tips for becoming a better pattern maker? Loaded question! Maybe another post? :).
Sad how school can corrupt entire generations.. I started in software when we had the most eclectic bunch of educational backgrounds. Developers were on the whole a very nice bunch, kind of geeky but earnest, and curious to learn anything, not to mention eager to work with others. The later generations trained specifically for this in school are not so nice to work with. Takes them at least 10-20 years to relax, if they ever do. And almost none of them are into it for the fun of it, most of them would have been MBAs in the 80s, or dentists in the 50s.
I suspect most of your young designers would have tried to be rock stars in the 70s :-). Patience, most of them will eventually open a restaurant and leave you to work in peace..
I am NOT bagging designers! But what I look for in a client is someone who has good business skills and knows exactly what they want and who their customers are. I did NOT learn this lesson in school. I hope the educators now are doing a better job of getting the word out.
Unrelated to clothing, but the same concept: I majored in music and when I graduated, I wanted to be a studio musician, or perhaps play in a pit orchestra on Broadway. I never wanted to be a famous performer. I just loved playing very accurately and beautifully. Again, I will accept a compliment if a listener thinks I have good taste, but that is not the same thing as being a pop star or any kind of star, really. I continued to play music over the years, in addition to more education & employment in accounting and IT. My engineer husband understands my sewing hobby and fascination with pattern-making.
I am a designer and I am definitely intimidated by pattern makers and hold them in high regard, maybe its because I still (struggle) and do around half of my own patterns! I know how talented and smart they are! It is a luxury when I get patterns done and I appreciate it soo much!,
My most expensive patternmakers I have used are the best ones, I use the pattern blocks again and again- good patterns are worth the weight in gold and save you so much money in the long run.
I have had terrible experiences too, lazy pattern work with terrible fits- not even what I would do on a first pass- but that is every profession.
no one is less than anyone in any proffession in my view.
As a pattern maker, you are working closely with the designer and the buyer. The designer draws an illustration and together you run through the vision for the garment; how the silhouette should look like, the details on the garment, fabric choice etc.
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