Methods of Pattern Making

Pattern making is the art of manipulating and shaping a flat piece of fabric to conform to one or more curves of the human figure

Pattern making involves three methods-
· Drafting
· Draping
· Flat paper patternmaking

Drafting: It involves measurements derived from sizing systems or accurate measurements taken on a person, dress or body form. Measurements for chest, waist, hip and so on, and ease allowances are marked on paper and construction lines are drawn to complete the pattern. Drafting is used to create basic, foundation or design patterns.

Draping: It involves the draping of a two dimensional piece of fabric around a form, conforming to its shape, creating a three-dimensional fabric pattern. This muslin is transferred to paper to be used as a final pattern (Armstrong). Ease allowances for movement are added to make the garment comfortable to wear. Advantage of draping is that the designer can see the overall design effect of the finished garment on the body form before the garment piece is cut and sewn. However, it is more expensive and time consuming than flat pattern making.

Flat Pattern Making: It involves the development of a fitted basic pattern with comfort ease to fit a person or body form. A sloper is the starting point for flat pattern designing. It is a simple pattern that fits the body with just enough ease for movement and comfort (Shoben and Ward). Five basic pattern pieces are used for womens clothing. They include a snug-fitting bodice front and bodice back with darts and a basic neckline, a sleeve and a fitted skirt front and back with darts. However, as fashion changes frequently womens styles fluctuate frequently. These basic slopers are then manipulated to create fashions.

Taking body measurements

Bodice measurements:

Bust:Measure around the fullest part of the bust raising the measuring tape slightly to a level just below the shoulder blades at the back.

Waist:Measure snugly around the waist keeping the tape parallel to the floor.

Neck:Measure around the the neck, passing the tape just above the collar bone time front and along the base of the neck at the back.

Shoulder: Measure from the neck joint to the arm joint along the middle of the shoulder (A to B in fig. a)

Front waist length:Measure down from highest point of shoulder to waist line through the fullest part of the bust (A to C fig. a)

Shoulder to bust: Measure down from highest point of shoulder to tip of bust

Distance between bust points:Measure in the horizontal direction, the distance between the two bust points (D to E fig. a)

Back width or across back measurement: Measure across back from armhole to armhole about 3 inches below base of neck (P to Q in fig b)

Back waist length: Measure from the base of neck at the centre back to waist line (R to S in Fig b).

Armscye depth:Measure from base of neck at centre back to a point directly below it and in level with the bottom of the arm where it joins the body. (R to T in fig b).

Sleeve measurements:

Upper arm circumference: Measure around the fullest part of the arm.

Lower arm:For lower arm, measure around the arm at desired level corresponding to lower edge of sleeve.

Elbow circumference:Measure around the arm at elbow.

Wrist: Measure around the wrist.

Sleeve Length: For short sleeve length, measure down from tip of shoulder at top of arm to desired length of sleeve (B to F in a) For elbow length sleeve measure from top arm to elbow point (B to G in a) For full length bend the elbow slightly and measure down from to of arm to back of wrist passing the tape over the elbow point (B to H in a).

Skirt measurements:
Waist: Measure snugly around the waist keeping the tape parallel to the floor.

Hip: Measure around the fullest part of the hip horizontally. (7 to 9 from waist approx.)

Waist to Hip: Measure down from waist at centre back to fullest part of the hip (S to U in fig.b).

Skirt Length: Measure down the centre back from waist to desired length of skirt (S to V in fig. b)

Sewing Machine - Common Problems and Remedies

Little problems with the sewing machine can be very irritating and time consuming. They can happen to even the most experienced seamstress. The next time you have machine troubles, check this list to see if you can determine the cause of the difficulty and correct it. It may save you a service call and save you time as well. If you can’t correct the trouble, it is wise to seek professional help.

To avoid breaking needles:

— Use proper size of needles for thread and fabric to be sewn.

— See that the presser foot or attachment is securely fastened to the bar and that the needle goes through the center of the hole.

— Avoid pulling fabric when sewing. The needle may become bent and strike the back of the needle hole.

— Use a needle that is the correct length. If it is too long it will come in contact with the bobbin case and break. If it is too short stitches cannot interlock.

— Be sure needle is tightly fastened in the needle bar.

Also be sure presser foot is tightly fastened.

— Sew over pins carefully. Be sure they are perpendicular to the seam and keep the heads of pins away from the stitching line.

Cause of stitches looping:

— Looped stitches are usually caused by improper tension. If the loop is on the upper side, it may be corrected by loosening the top tension or by tightening the lower tension. If the loop is on the under side, it is usually best corrected by adjusting the upper tension.

— Be sure that the upper and lower threading is correct and that the needle is of good quality and the correct size for the thread.

— Looping of stitches is sometimes caused by placing the bobbin in the bobbin case the wrong way.

— There may be lint, dirt, or thread between tension discs.

Causes of upper thread breaking:

— Needle is in backwards.

— Machine improperly threaded

— Tension too tight

— Needle bent or having blunt point

— Thread too coarse for size needle

— Burr on needle hole of presser foot (Caused by breaking needle when pulling fabric from machine)

— Needle too long for machine, or not inserted all the way in the needle bar

— Take-up spring bent or broken (Send for adjuster to repair).

— Tension discs worn so that thread works in groove

— Needle too fine for size of thread and fabric to be sewn

— Threads not properly pulled back under presser foot when starting to sew

— Lint or dirt around bobbin case holder

— Irregular sewing speed

Causes of lower thread breaking:

— Improper threading of bobbin in bobbin case

— Tension too tight

— Thread wound unevenly on bobbin in bobbin wound too full

— Spring on bobbin case worn to sharp groove

— Burr on under side of throat plate (sometimes caused by sewing over pins or breaking needle)

— Knot in bobbin thread

— Lint, dirt, or thread under tension spring of bobbin case

Causes of puckered seams:

— Tension is too tight

— Stitch too long for fabric being sewn, especially on fine fabric

— Wrong presser foot used

— Puckered threads across seams are due to a blunt needle or too large a needle.

— Stitch too short for synthetic and easy care fabrics

— With automatic machines, the use of the plate with wide needle hole may cause straight seams to pucker.

— Upper thread and bobbin threads are of a different size and/or type.

— Pressure too heavy for fabric

— Fabric pushed of pulled while stitching

Cause of machine not feeding properly:

— Pressure incorrect for the fabric being sewn

— The feed dog worn smooth. This can be determined by running the finger over the teeth. If they are not sharp, the feed dog should be replaced by a competent adjuster.

— Feed dog clogged with lint

— The stitch regulator may have been turned back so far that the feed is entirely out of action.

— Needle may be bent.

— Spool of thread may jerk and catch if machine is operated too rapidly or at uneven speed.

— Stitch regulator incorrectly adjusted

— Throat plate incorrectly positioned

Cause of machine working heavily:

— If the machine works hard after standing, it may be gummed with oil and in need of a general cleaning.

— The belt may be too tight and hence puts excessive pressure on the bearing.

— When the belt is too loose, it slips on the balance wheel.

— Thread jammed in bobbin case

Cause of skipping stitches:

— Needle not correctly inserted in the needle bar

— Needle too small for the thread used

— Needle too short for the machine

— Blunt or bent needle

— If zipper foot is used, the edge of the foot is too far away from the needle.

— Needle threaded incorrectly

— Needle hole in throat plate too large

— Pressure too light

— Upper tension too tight

— Upper thread and bobbin thread of different size and /or type

Cause of stitch length variation:

— Stitch regulator incorrectly adjusted

— Feed dogs clogged with lint

— Pressure incorrect for fabric

— Tension incorrect for fabric

— Throat plate adjusted incorrectly

— Presser foot loose or not suited for fabric being sewn

Parts of a Sewing Machine

Sewing Machine

1. Spool pin: It is fitted on top of the arm to hold the reel.

2. Thread guide: It holds the thread in position from the spool to the needle.

3. Tension disc: The two concave discs put together with the convex sides facing each other. The thread passes between the two. The tension of the thread is adjusted by a spring and nut which increases or decreases pressure

4. Take up lever: It is a lever fitted to the body of the arm. Its up and down motion feeds the thread to the needle and tightens the loop formed by the shuttle.

5. Needle bar: This is a steel rod to hold the needle at one end with the help of a clamp. Its main function is to give motion to the needle.

6. Bobbin case: This moves into position to catch the top thread and form the stitch as the needle is lowered into the bobbin chamber.

7. Presser foot: It is fixed to the presser bar to hold the cloth firmly in position when lowered.

8. Presser foot lifter: A lever attached to the presser bar for raising and lowering the presser foot.

9. Stitch regulator: This controls the length of the stitch.

10. Bobbin winder: A simple mechanism used for winding thread on the bobbin.

11. Fly Wheel: When this is made to revolve, it works the mechanism of the motion

12. Clutch or Thumb Screw: This is in the center of the fly wheel and it engages and disengages the stitching mechanism.

13. Slide Plate: A rectangular plate, which facilitates the removal of the bobbin case without lifting the machine.

14. Needle Plate or Throat Plate: A semi-circular disc with a hole to allow the needle to pass through it.

15. Feed dog: This consists of a set of teeth fitted below the needle plate. It helps to move the cloth forward while sewing.

16. Face plate: A cover which on removal gives access to the oiling points on the needle bar, presser bar and take-up lever.

17. Spool pin for bobbin winding: Spool of thread is placed on this at the time of bobbin winding.

Consumer Groups in Fashion

Fashion  Innovators 

• Fashion  innovators  are  fashion  leaders  who  sense  the  spirit  of  the  times  and  are  early adopters  of  new  styles.
• They  may  be  designers  themselves  and  are  therefore  the  ones  who  actually  create fashion  trends. 
• They  are  quick  to  adopt  new  styles  long  before  they  become  full-blown  trends making them influential within and beyond the social  group. 

Fashion  Motivators 

• They play  a  role  in  motivating  consumers  to  adopt  new fashion.
• They  can  be  movie  stars,  models  or  celebrity  professionals  who endorse  fashion products  and  brands  which  are  motivating factors  for  increased  purchasing patterns  across  all  social  strata. 
• They  can  be  media  persons  and  fashion  journalists  whose articles  in  newspaper columns,  fashion  magazines  and  blogs  are avidly  read  by  many.

Fashion Victims

• This phrase is sometimes used to refer to those who follow fashion trends without exercising their own judgment. 
• This consumer segment is often characterized by high income and high purchasing power. 
• They tend to buy the latest fashion simply because it is expensive or because media or fashion pundits declare it as being 'in'. 

Fashion Followers

• They are the majority of consumers who accept and emulate trends which are firmly entrenched in the market. 
• They feel a sense of comfort in conforming to styles that merge with others in a larger group. 
• Fashion followers may also be those who may not have much of disposable income or have limited time and interest in fashion. 

Laggards

• The more price-sensitive or less style-sensitive consumer may adopt a style in decline. 
• These consumers are known as  decline laggards  or  fashion reactive,  as they are slow to react to changes in fashion style.

References:

1.  The art in everyday life، Harriet Goldstein، Read Books، 2007
2. Elements of fashion and apparel designing, by Sumathi G.J., New Age International Pvt. 
   L.t.d.
3. Inside the fashion business, by Macmillan publication company.
4. Fashion from concept to consumer, by Gini stephens Frings, Low price edition.
5. Fashion designing and sewing technology text book، Bharathiar University.

Fashion Forecasting

Fashion Forecasting

Fashion Forecasting is a complex activity where research and analysis of previous fashion trends help in identification of future trends. It is a method by which the activities of fibre, yarn, fabric and apparel producers as well as retailers are coordinated. 

Fashion forecasting is the prediction of mood, behaviour and buying habits of the consumer. It is no longer a question of identifying the customers by age, geography or income, but looking into how and why they buy, based on their mood, beliefs and the occassion. It is impossible to ask all consumers what they will want to wear a year or two in advance . Because designers, merchandisers, and retailers must work so far ahead of selling season.

Fashion forecasting involves the following activities:-

• Studying market conditions. 
• Noting the life-styles of the men, women, or children who are the customers. 
• Researching sales statistics to establish sales trends. 
• Evaluating the popular designer collections to find fashions that suggest new directions or trends. 
• Surveying fashion publications, catalogs, and design services from around the world. 
• Observing street fashions

Fashion Forecasting is done through many communicating media, such as, cinema, fashion shows, press, magazines, newspapers and window display.

It includes:

1. Market research - Manufacturers and retailers must constantly research their target market through
    a) Consumer research- manufacturers and retailers may ask consumers directly about their buying preferences. Methods of questioning consumers can be formal or informal. Market research companies may be asked to make inquires through;

o Surveys- by telephone or mail are made by publications and market research companies for manufacturers and retailers.

o Consumer focus groups- are meetings of target customers ususlly selected by a market research firm to meet with manufacturers and retailers.

o In-store informal interviews-can help researchers to obtain information by simply asking customers what they would like to buy, what styles they like that are currently available, and what merchandise they want but cannot find.
         b) Shopping- To study what consumers want and need, designers and merchandisers also 'shop' retail stores to find what merchandise is selling best. Designers and merchandisers compare the styling, price, fit, and quality of lines that compete with their own.
          c) Sales Records-  Every manufacturer and retailer researches its own sales recors. Rising sale statistics show what fashion trends are developing; declining sales show what styles have passed their peak etc.
2. Evaluating the collections- American manufacturers and retailers turn first to Europe for an indication of the newest fashion ideas.

        a)Fashion Trends- Fashion trends are the styling ideas that major collections have in common. They indicate the direction in which fashion is moving. The trend may appear in a fabrication, a silhoutte, or another design element that appears in several collections. A new trend appears in small doses until it spreads to other collections. The press notices similarities between collections and highlights them, the media exposure also helps establish the trends.

    b)Trend for Target Market- Designers and merhandisers must decide what trends best suit their own customers based on age range, income level, life-style and fashion preferences.

Terminologies related to fashion

Fashion
• Fashion is a style that has been accepted and used by the majority of people in any one group, at any one time.
• Fashion is the style or styles most popular at a given time.
• Malcolm Barnard traces the origin of the word 'fashion' to the Latin 'facere' which means 'to make' or 'to do'.
• In simple terms, fashion is a style that is popular in the present time, or a set of trends which have been accepted by a wide audience.
• The terms "fashionable" and "unfashionable" are employed to describe whether someone or something fits in with the current popular mode of expression.

Style
• Style is any particular characteristic or look in apparel or accessories.
• Style is always constant. It does not change whereas fashion changes. Fashion is not constant.
• The term style is a popular word in fashion and refers to a sub-division within fashion. By definition, it is that which has certain characteristics that distinguish it from other designs. For example, the fashion could be pleated skirt, yet the style is box pleat.
• A style may come and go in fashion, but that specific style always remains that style, whether it is in fashion or not.
• When we add a different neckline and different sleeves with some trimming here and there over a basic garment then the basic garment is modified into a different look or a different outfit, this modified garment will become fashion, when it is accepted by people.
• It is a common fallacy to believe that the famous designers create fashions. They create styles which they hope will be accepted. When these styles get mass acceptance, they become fashion.

Basics or Classics
• Basics or Classics are the outfits which stays in the fashion scene for a long period of time that is from past to present and even in future it stands.
• A classic can be described as an item that is considered in good taste over a long period of time.
• When a fashion is constant or long lasting, such as, salwar kameez and saree, it is called Basic or Classic.
• Classics are enduring styles that do not become obsolete; instead reaching a plateau of acceptance continuing for a long period of time.
• Classics have acceptability through minimal modification in design thus retaining a sense of simplicity and timelessness.
• A customer has one or more in her wardrobe, to be worn to suit different occasions.
• There are many outfits that fall into this classification, such as, chudidhar, kurta, dupattas, shirt and trousers, plain or pleated skirts and denims, etc.

Fad
• Fads are fashions of short duration that peak in popularity due to a fast rate of acceptance by the consumer but have a brief life expectancy with the tendency to become outmoded rapidly.
• Fads are short-lived which may come and go in a single season.
• Another characteristic is that they are typically confined to particular social groups.
• They lack design strength to hold consumer attention very long.
• They tend to begin at lower prices, are not expensive to copy or produce and therefore the market gets saturated easily and public tires of them quickly and they die out.
• Examples are fluorescent coloured T-shirts, ankle or calf length jeans with turn-up cuffs, baggy anti-fit jeans etc.
• Overall, Fad can be defined as short lived fashion, lasting for a very little time or period, acceptable by only a certain group of people.

Trends
• A trend is a general direction for clothing design.
• Fashion trends are the styling ideas that major collections have in common.
• They indicate the direction in which fashion is moving.
• Fashion forecasters look for the styles they think are prophetic, ideas that capture the mood of the times and signal a new fashion trend. Several designers may use a similar fashion idea because they have been inspired by common sources.
• The trend may appear in a fabrication, a silhouette, or another design element that appears in several collections.
• Very often, a new trend appears in small doses until it spreads to other collections. As the press notices similarities between collections and highlights them, the media exposure also helps establish the trends.
• Evaluating the collections becomes one way a designer, working for a mainstream manufacturer, can research fashion direction. As designers are not invited to the shows, they must evaluate by shopping in major fashion capitals or using design services, magazines, and newspapers.
• Empowered by the Internet and television, global trends are moving at an accelerating pace. The life-span of a trend is now about five months instead of a year. For the junior market, the span is only three months.

Haute Couture
• Haute couture (French) refers to high fashion created by designers known as 'couturiers'.
• Couture refers to unique and exclusive creations of fashion made-to-order customized for individual clients, since the design is never duplicated.
• These clothes are most luxurious and the most expensive.
• The extremely high prices are due to design exclusivity, high quality of fabric, skilled labour used for surface design techniques, embroidery, drape, craftsmanship, garment construction and quality of finish.
• The term haute couture is protected by law in France and is defined by the Paris Chamber of Commerce (Chambre de commerce et d'industrie de Paris).
• India has several designers like Ritu Kumar, Tarun Tahiliani, Rohit Bal, Suneet Verma, Sabyasachi Mukherjee, Manish Arora, Manish Malhotra and others in this genre. The main label of most designers is 'eponymous', i.e. the label bears the name of the designer.

Prêt  a  porter 
• In (French) it  refers  to  ready  to  wear  (RTW)  clothing derived from  the  couture  line  or collection  of  each  designer.
• It reflects  the  same  aesthetics,  manufactured  with  high  quality standards, at  more  affordable  prices  in  multiple  sizes  in  a wider  range  of  colour  options  or  'colour  ways'.

Avant garde
• In (French) it refers to the 'advance guard' or vanguard of art and culture which differentiates it from the mainstream.
• These designs are limited in numbers and may not be wearable or commercially viable.
• The underlying idea is to showcase these creations as statements of the designer's vision or ideology

Mass or volume fashion 
• Mass  or  volume  fashion  as  the  name  suggests,  is  widely  available  in  stores  nationwide.
• These designs  are  available  in  a  variety  of  'colour  ways'  (options  of  colours)
and  sizes,  practical  and generally  affordable  by  a  wide  cross-section  of  society.

Knock-off
• A  close  resemblance  or  reproduction  of  a  designers  'look'  by  another  designer  or  company  usuallyusing  relatively  cheaper  materials  and  lower  production  cost  is  called  a  knock-off.
• This is a common practice where popular trend or distinct style of a successful designer/brand is replicated with minimal changes if any, to lower the cost for moderate level market.
• While  this  gives  the opportunity  to  the  larger  population  to  buy  popular  styles  in  fashion,  it  also  raises  problems  of Intellectual  Property  Rights  (IPR)  and  Copyright Law infringement.

References:
1. The art in everyday life، Harriet Goldstein، Read Books، 2007
2. Elements of fashion and apparel designing, by Sumathi G.J., New Age International Pvt.
L.t.d.
3. Inside the fashion business, by Macmillan publication company.
4. Fashion from concept to consumer, by Gini stephens Frings, Low price edition.
5. Fashion designing and sewing technology text book، Bharathiar University.