How To Make A Pattern From Your Clothes

Copying A Garment.

1-1-0).You dont need to cut up your favourite garment  in order to make a sewing pattern from it. Although it may sometimes be easier and possibly more accurate, it is generally more time consuming.

If you do decide to cut it up you would have to be very careful to not lose the shape. You will need to either keep all the seam allowances intact, or to cut exactly on the seam itself.

Each type of garment may require a slightly different approach, and some are more difficult than others. It is important to be as accurate as possible when copying a garment, because small discrepancies can mount up.

Tools Required.

Table.

Professional pattern cutting tables are pinnable. They have a dense spongy layer, with a smooth firm surface. A little like a dense lino, or cork.  This makes it easy to use push pins to control the garment to be copied. If you dont have anything similar, a normal table will do, but you wont be able to use push pins.

Pattern Paper.

Any suitable paper will do, although if you are pinning through it you may need to use cardboard underneath for additional support. Or you could just use card to pin through.

Pins Or Push Pins.

If you are using push pins, you will need a suitable surface to push the pins into.

Tracing Wheel.

For tracing through lines on to the paper. Or just use  pins.

Pencil.

You may prefer a medium to hard pencil for more accuracy and to prevent marking your clothes.

Tape Measure.

You dont really need a tape measure if you just use the pattern itself to make sure it all fits together. You may need a tape measure to measure the garment against the pattern though.

Ruler Or Set Square.

A long ruler and a set square would be best.

Copy A T Shirt.

A  plain T shirt is the easiest garment to copy, as it is flat, has no bust dart, and is cut very simply. You will use the same basic method as for any other type of garment. Although accuracy is not as crucial with a T shirt pattern, as with other more complicated clothing, it is a good exercise to help gain the necessary skills.

The front and back body are normally cut the same shape, except for the neckline. Sometimes you will find that the front chest width is a little narrower than the back, to allow for forward movement of the arm.

To prepare your garment for copying, make sure that  it is smooth and wrinkle free. Press it if necessary.

The Body Pattern.

Draw a vertical line in the middle of the paper. This is your centre front and centre back line.

Draw a horizontal line near the bottom of the paper. This is your hem line, assuming it is straight.

If the front and back T are the same shape except for the neck (and maybe the armhole), you can pin the shoulders and the side seams together so that they lay flat on the paper.

Find the centre front  neck point and place a pin through front and back together.

Find the centre front hem point and place a pin through front and back together.

Find the centre back neck point and place a pin.

Pin the garment to the paper along the hem line, matching the centre front pin to the vertical line. The hem may have stretched a little in the making, and the body may be slightly distorted. This happens with some T`s. Try to adjust as well as you can.

Smooth out the T so that it lays flat, and pin the front and back neck points to the paper, along the CF line.

Place a few more pins along the CF line, making sure that the garment is flat and correctly centred.

Pin along the side seams, making sure the garment is as flat as possible, but dont stretch it.

Pin along the shoulder line, keeping it as flat as possible.

Using your tracing wheel, or pin, trace through the neck line along the seam.

With your pencil, mark the side seams and shoulder line.

If your T has a neck rib, mark a line the same width, inside your neck line. The rib will probably have been stretched on to the neck, so it should be cut the length of this new line.

Fold the paper along the centre line and trace through from one side to another. Where there is a discrepancy between one side and the other, mark a midway line, and take this as your final line.

Cut out your pattern,following the back pattern, as this will retain the markings for the front.

The Sleeve Pattern.

The sleeve will probably be cut the same back and front, although sometimes they are cut with the front a little hollowed out.

Cut a piece of paper a little wider and longer than the total sleeve.

Draw a vertical line in the middle representing the mid sleeve line.

Draw a horizontal line near the bottom for the hem line.

Pin the side seams.

Smooth the folded sleeve and pin along the midway fold, starting from the hem line.

Place the midway line along the drawn line.

Smooth out the sleeve and pin to the paper. If the hem line is cut straight, it will follow your drawn hem line, or it may be curved, in which case, just pin it where it falls.

Trace through the armhole line, checking that it is more or less the same front and back. If it is not the same, just mark both lines. If there is a difference, it should be the front that is hollowed out more than the back.

Mark the underarm seam and the hem.

Fold your paper along the mid line, and mark trace through markings from one side to the other. If one underarm seam is different to the other, mark an in between line. If the front and back sleeve head is roughly the same, then mark a midway line for both. If the front is noticeably more hollow, then mark front and back differently.

The Neck Band.

The inside line that you marked should measure the correct length for your stretch on rib. Measure the length and the width and transfer these measures to paper. Double the width to allow for the fold.

Back Neck Stay.

Your T may have a back stay that may cover just the back neck, or the back neck and shoulder. This may be just a length of tape, or it may be fabric. The purpose is to stop the neck from over stretching.

Checking You Pattern.

Cut out your patterns without seam allowances.  For the body, cut two patterns pinned  together, then recut the front with the proper neck line and armhole.

Measure the front and back armhole, and the front and back sleeve head.

Check that the armhole measures match the sleeve head. Dont worry if they dont quite match – T shirts are often a little stretchy, so it is not easy to get an exact copy. Make some minor adjustments to the pattern so that they match. You may need to stick some paper back on for the adjustments.

When the armhole and sleeve measurements match, place the front sleeve against the front armhole as if it has been sew, so that the under arm and side seam become one line. This should be a smooth line, with no sharp angles. Do the same for the back.

Place the front shoulder against the back shoulder, as if they have been sewn together. Make sure that there is a smooth line with no sharp angles.

When you place the front and back side seams together, you may get a sharp angle, but as the side seam and underarm are sewn in one run, this will not matter.

Adding Seams.

Normally T shirts are made with 1/4″ (.7 cm ) seams, and 3/4″ (2 cms ) hems. You may prefer 3/8″ (1 cm) seams. Mark the seams  on your folded pattern pieces, pin together, and cut out on the fold. Cutting on the fold ensures more accuracy.

Marking Pattern Notches.

Sometimes notches are not marked for T shirts with 1/4″ seams, except maybe the shoulder notch. If the front and back sleeve and armhole are different you will not want to confuse the two.

We normally differentiate front and back by putting a double notch on the back, roughly half way. On the front we put a single notch about 1/4 way up from the side seam.

Pattern Cutting Classes.

At The London Pattern Cutter we provide  1-2-1 pattern cutting classes, both face to face, and remotely via Zoom. We use  professional freelance pattern cutters at various price levels, depending on your requirements.

We are constantly looking for  new pattern cutting instructors and specialist pattern cutters to teach the students.

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