Making your own patterns

[cmd210]

With all of the talented seamstresses on the board, I thought that I would ask what advice you have for creating your own patterns. When I was younger I use to sew a lot and made clothes for Kirsten and sometimes created my own patterns/designs. I was only 12-15 so at the time I thought my creations were pretty good, but now I can?t imagine Kirsten wearing them. Fast forward 10 years, I now have some free time and have started to sew again. I have no problem making doll clothes from McCalls and Simplicity patterns. I have even used Vogue and official AG patterns without too many problems, but I want to be able to design my own doll clothes. I have found that sewing is a lot of trial and error, but does anyone have any advice on how to learn to create patterns? I have tried reading some books at that library, but does anyone have a particular one they found useful?

[marymax]

I have sort of done that....I take a part of a pattern I like lets say the skirt I know the skirt will fit all the dolls...then I look to see what I want to do with the top of the dress...it could be part of another pattern but I make it fit...same with sleeves and collars....a dress top can become a blouse....a blouse a dress top, you can add any kind of collar....a blouse can even be a dropped waist dress...with a ruffle...does this make any sense..

[Nethilia]

My mother taught me to draft when I was a young girl, and had me look things up in books on how to draft up and design patterns. Some are really easy, once you have measurements, but others are more complicated. I actually redrafted a set of McCall's Patterns for Addy because I wanted dropped shoulders for all her outfits, and it wasn't hard at all. I'd suggest getting a doll clothes pattern and a book on drafting patterns, and just play around. If you don't want to use good stuff, get some cheap unbleached muslin--it's only $.99 a yard, so it can be used without feeling like you're wasting it.

[ReddKatt]

One of the best ways to learn how to make patterns is to learn how to _drape_ clothing.

When you drape something, you take a dressmaker's dummy, or a live person to whom you are fitting something. In this case you can use the doll. Using the fashion fabrics, OR, to save $$$ use muslin or a cheap fabric *realizing it isn't going to drape as nicely as your fashion fabric*, you cut and piece your clothing items, basting as you drape things on your model *whatever form it may be*. Once you have your "completed" clothing item, complete with darts, hems, etc., anything that is used to "fit" the clothing, you deconstruct the piece and make pattern pieces from THAT.

Does that make sense?
There is also the option of taking pieces and parts from various ready-made patterns or clothing and combining and changing them to draft a new pattern. The making of patterns for the doll is much easier than fitting a "live" person, as with the dolls there are no breasts to work around, no flared hips, no rear-end to fit something to, etc.

Hope that helps a bit!

Kathie