What Does A Pattern Cutter Do ?

238. In the clothing business, a Pattern Cutter`s role is pivotal between designer, sample machinist and factory. An experienced pattern cutter will have an expansive range of knowledge and they are the key to your success.

A pattern cutter`s role will be different working as a freelancer than working full time in a company. As a freelancer they will need to take on a number of roles on top of their own traditional one.

Working With The Designer.

For the pattern cutter, liaising with the designer is important in order to get a feel for what the designer is looking for, and what their inspirations are. They need to understand how the designer works.

Interpreting their sketches can be tricky at first, as they can can often be a little flamboyant. Sometimes it can be difficult understanding what to take literally and what is artistic license.

Making The Pattern.

The pattern cutter will make a pattern by interpreting the designer`s sketch. This pattern is used to cut the fabric that is to be sewn to make the finished sample.

The pattern needs to be accurately marked so that the sample cutter knows exactly how to cut the garment out, and the sample machinist knows how to make it – What fabric, how many pieces to cut and where the grain line is.

Working With The Sample Machinist.

Pattern cutters need to liaise with the sample machinist, providing them with all the necessary information to construct the sample correctly.

They may need to provide the sample machinist with a technical sketch along with necessary written instructions. The pattern itself should also provide adequate information. To make it easy for the machinist, the pattern needs to fit together accurately.

Fit Meetings.

Once the sample is made, the pattern cutter would usually be involved, along with the designer in fit meetings, where the garment will be tried on a model and adjustments made by pinning.

The pattern cutter would then alter the pattern accordingly. Alternatively, the pattern cutter may do the alterations from a list of instructions, illustrations and photos provided by the designer.

EMAIL [email protected]

Pattern Cutter Or Pattern Maker ?

We are sometimes asked what the difference is between a pattern cutter and a pattern maker. There is no difference. They are the same thing. We use both terms equally.

Getting The Pattern Right First Time.

While large international fashion companies can afford three or four attempts before achieving a final perfected pattern and sample, most smaller companies with limited budgets do not have this luxury. The Pattern needs to be pretty much right first time. Or second time with a few alterations.

The Pattern Cutter must be able to lead you to provide whatever is required to achieve this. Be prepared to supply some basic measurements, and appropriate existing garments where possible. If you are providing a tech pack, make sure that it is of a professional standard.

EMAIL [email protected]

What To Look For In A Pattern Cutter ?

One thing to be aware of is that Pattern Cutters tend to specialise in certain narrow areas. Most will do either Menswear or Ladieswear. Some Ladieswear Pattern Cutters will do Evening wear. Others will do Tailoring, or Outerwear. Still others will do Sportswear or Lingerie, or Leather wear.

Menswear is divided into fewer specialist areas, although there is a sharp divide between Tailoring and casualwear. Few Pattern Cutters will do all types of patterns equally well, although some long term Freelancers like myself will have gained lots of experience in multiple genres.

While I will do pretty much any type of pattern, my own areas of particular skills are Mens and Ladies Tailoring, Sportswear, Leatherwear and any Menswear really.

But normally you must make sure that the Freelance Pattern Cutter you employ is a specialist in the area of pattern cutting that you require – A dress Pattern Cutter normally cannot make a professional jacket pattern. A Ladieswear Pattern Cutter normally cannot make a professional Menswear pattern.

This is really important to remember. A well established and experienced Pattern Cutter however, should know exactly what they can and cant do well. And if they are busy they will not be in need of the work anyway, so will be less inclined to take on work that they are not able to do with confidence.

But a good Pattern Cutter`s job should extends well beyond the cutting of the pattern when you are setting up a clothing business. An experienced Freelance Pattern Cutter should be your main source of advice and your link to the manufacturer.

A good Freelancer should be able to advise on the correct protocol to follow as well as production methods and advising on good U.K. factories. This part of the job is vitally important as, if the correct procedures are not followed the results can be disastrous. Your business can easily haemorrhage money if you dont follow logical and practical procedures.

A good Freelance Pattern Cutter should let you know exactly what is required in order to produce an accurate pattern. This normally requires you supplying one page with a sketch along with clear, concise written instructions, a fabric swatch, an existing garment if possible and a “look book” to give the Pattern Cutter an idea of the type of look you want to achieve.

I would suggest not complicating things by giving lots of disjointed information spread over several sheets of paper or “just one more thing” emails. Again, if information is not clear and concise this can lead to costly errors.

EMAIL [email protected]

Computer Patterns Or Manual Patterns ?

As a Creative Manual Pattern Cutter, I naturally tend to have a bias toward manual pattern making, While a Computer can be a very useful tool, it cannot replicate a “hands on” approach. Computers are good for storing, printing and grading patterns, and sending pattern files round the world.

In the hands of an experienced Pattern Cutter they can work very well and are used to good effect within the Clothing Industry, but most patterns will require some element of manual pattern cutting. If your styles are quite “generic” , then a computer pattern may work well for you, as there is little need for interpretation or pattern manipulation.

There is a strong temptation to just use a generic pattern that is already in the system and that can be printed off with minimum effort and maximum profit.

If you want something more specific or complicated, then there is no replacement for a manually cut pattern using traditional methods and tools. I always create my patterns from scratch according to the specific instructions I am given. I will produce an initial pattern by hand that is normally modelled on the mannequin and that can later be digitised and graded once the style is passed for production.

Factory Made Patterns.

It can be tempting to have the factory make your patterns as it can make things easier keeping everything in one place. Sometimes the factory may be cheaper than a professional freelance Pattern Cutter. Often they are more expensive. But they are rarely of a high quality.

Factory Pattern Cutters are generally not real full time Pattern Makers at all. They are often skilled fabric cutters who do some pattern work when required by the factory. There are some exceptions to this, but in those cases the factory will generally charge very high prices for the pattern work.

Another thing to remember is that if the factory are providing the patterns then the patterns will normally belong to the factory rather than to you. If you decide to move to a different factory, you will then have to remake the patterns as near as you can to the originals , which may be very difficult if you are working with the wrong Pattern Cutter.

Fashion Startup Workshops.

Our most popular workshop is our bespoke 1-1 fashion startup workshop. Please feel free to ring for details and prices –

Services By The London Pattern Cutter :

Pattern cutting
Pattern grading
Sampling
Fashion design
Quality control
Fashion start-up workshops
Video workshops
Mentoring
Spec sheets
Small production runs

EMAIL [email protected]

“No one ever listened themselves out of a job”

HERBERT HOOVER