One-To-One Pattern Cutting

 One-To-One Pattern Cutting Class. 

(02). You dont need a pattern cutting degree to get a job as a pattern cutter in the UK. You just need to know how to cut patterns. But to take a pattern cutting course in the UK often involves learning so many unnecessary topics.

Our one to one pattern cutting classes  teach you exactly what you want to learn. Our tutors are highly experienced professional pattern cutting tutors, located  in various locations around London and the UK.

Our  two main London locations for teaching pattern cutting are Greenwich, and Walthamstow.

These part time classes are  designed for complete beginners and professionals alike. They can cover just about anything you want to learn. Ideal for beginners or experienced pattern cutters requiring flexibile learning. This is better than a degree course because we can teach anything you want to learn, at a pace to suit you.

If you are interested in learning  digital pattern cutting, using computer  programmes, then we also run a one to one digital pattern cutting class  in Essex. Please enquire for details.

Specialist Pattern Cutting Classes. 

Many of our pattern cutting students want to learn about a specialist area of pattern cutting, or a niche that is not catered for by the larger fashion schools. That may be swimwear, or sportswear, or equestrian wear.

The only way to learn about these niche areas ( and certainly the most efficient way  is to have private pattern cutting classes.

If you are searching for a particular area of pattern cutting that you do not see listed, we can create a course just for you, as long as we have a specialist tutor available :-

• Swimwear Pattern Cutting.
• Sportswear Pattern Cutting.
• Lingerie Pattern Cutting. 

EMAIL  

[email protected]

Online Courses.

If you would like to know more about our online pattern cutting courses, we would be happy to answer any questions you may have.

Small Group Tuition. 

If you have a small group requiring pattern cutting tuition, please email us  to discuss your requirements.

Saturday Pattern Cutting Classes.

We will shortly be starting a Saturday morning beginner  pattern cutting class. The class will be for a small group with a  maximum of six students per class.

How It Works.

Your tuition is by very experienced professional pattern cutters. One-to-one tuition ensures that you receive complete attention from the class tutor.  You will learn much faster and more comprehensively.  And the lessons will be designed specifically for you.

We  generally use a combination of flat pattern cutting and draping, although we can teach whichever method you prefer.

While  the standard size for ladies pattern making  is either 10 or 12, we can use any size for our pattern cutting instruction. If necessary we can draft  bespoke patterns for each student.

We teach our students how to learn for themselves.  It is essential to have just the right ratio of practise and assistance. We encourage you to work with our  mannequins, and to purchase your own if possible. If you need any advice about buying a mannequin, feel free to ask.

Plus Size Pattern Cutting.

Reduced Rate For Paired Tuition. 

We can teach pairs at a reduced rate if they apply together and have the same aims in mind. The second student would have a 50% reduction, which would mean a total of 25\5 reduction for the two students.

Distance Learning From Home.

Uniquely, we run remote pattern cutting classes with live tuition, so that you can learn from home  as and when you like. This means that you can choose to learn at weekends if that is more convenient to you.

In order for you to study at home, we do need you to have use of a professional tailors dummy. These are not cheap, but will last you a lifetime. If you are serious about pattern cutting, then purchasing a mannequin will be a great investment in any case.

You will also need an internet connection, and a modern phone with a camera in order to communicate effectively. And calico for toiling.

You will be using a mix of pattern cutting techniques, working both with flat pattern cutting, and draping on the stand. This will give you a way better understanding of pattern cutting than being taught pattern cutting theory using the flat pattern method.

We can tailor each class to your exact requirements. If you just want to learn how to draft a tailored sleeve, then we can provide you with the instructions and guidance, then check your results and advise on adjustments.

For beginners, the first thing we do is to get you to create your own block, using your mannequin so that your block fits your mannequin exactly. We would then instruct you on how to draft the sleeve for your block on the flat.

From this initial block, we can construct  dress blocks, blouse blocks and jacket blocks.

Pattern Cutting Theory.

Theory is important in learning pattern cutting. But it can be over valued. Like any skill, pattern cutting can take many years to learn thoroughly. It requires exactly the right mix of theory and practise.

The biggest  mistake that most inexperienced  pattern cutters make is to rely too much on theory from pattern cutting books, rather than using their own eyes to see what is in front of them. Experienced pattern cutters do not cut patterns to a formula.

Practical Learning.

The best way to learn pattern cutting is to practise as much as possible, with access to experienced professionals. In order to get the best value from our pattern cutting classes, we recommend that you practise as much as possible in your own time, so that we can answer all resulting questions.

Pattern Drafting Systems Course.

Tailors and dressmakers tend to cut their base patterns to a formula, using drafting systems.  But they are dealing with a limited range of garment types to fit a large range of body types. Tailors use their experience to choose a good drafting system and  adjust it to suit. They then perfect the fit on the customer.

Well known drafting systems such as the Mueller system, designed by Mueller & Sons are widely used in the UK.

For anyone to become really good at anything, they need to thoroughly  learn and understand the theory. Then they want to throw the theory in the bin. Our one to one lessons will teach you the theory and allow you to use this knowledge to practise and learn for  yourself through experience.

Creating Pattern Blocks.

While it is possible to create each style from scratch on the dummy, most pattern cutters will create their own basic blocks for every type of style.  Even if they prefer to use the draping method, to complete the pattern, it is useful to be able to start from a basic block shape that you know and trust.

The blocks may either be made for a specific mannequin, or for a particular individual or body shape. These blocks can be used for years, sometimes with minor changes, such as shoulder widths. You may want to create a block for your own stand, or a bespoke block to fit your own body measurements.

A pattern cutter may  have a number of pattern blocks for each type  of garments, or they may simply use previous styles as a starting point for the new styles. Basic blocks may include :-

• Blouse Block
• Skirt Block
• Dress Block
• Jacket Block
• Coat Block
• Trouser Block
• Jeans Block
• Shirt Block

Draping On The Stand.

Many of the best creative pattern cutters will drape their patterns on the stand. They may not be naturally inclined towards the restrictive nature of the pattern cutting process. Instead they stumble upon pattern cutting as part of the design process.

They might just throw a piece of fabric on a mannequin and start playing around with it to see what looks good. Then they take that fabric and create the pattern from it. This is the opposite to how most pattern cutters work initially.

We call this “draping on the stand”. Or “modelling on the stand”.  Or “toiling”.  Beginners tend to be too scared to use this method because it completely ignores any  theory. But it really is the best way to learn how to cut patterns and to understand what is happening.

With the draping method, the designs are created on the stand with calico, then the shapes are transferred onto paper . This means that you can just play with the design as you make the pattern. This is the art of pattern cutting.

Some people will mix flat pattern cutting with draping, by starting with a block shape and manipulating it on the stand. Other people may initially use paper rather than calico. While paper is very unforgiving and does not drape, it is a popular way of working for many professional pattern cutters.

Using A Mannequin.

Using a mannequin to model on the stand is by far the best way to understand pattern cutting. I always suggest using a mannequin in conjunction with pattern cutting tuition.

A good mannequin is a great investment as it will last a life time, although it may need recovering once every twenty years or so. Using a mannequin you get to understand about pattern cutting rather than just learning theory from books.

Modelling With paper And Calico.

Although pattern cutters generally use calico for modelling on the stand, many professional pattern cutters will begin by modelling the paper pattern on the stand. They may construct a basic shape from a rectangle of paper.

They do this by pinning and cutting the paper to shape as they go. Or they may start from a basic shape.  As paper is far more rigid than calico, the paper will normally  only provide a very basic starting point. This can then be used to make a more accurate  calico version.

Finding A Good Mannequin.

A good mannequin may cost around £600 from somewhere like Morplan. You can occasionally find them on Ebay far cheaper. The shape and size is really important for a pattern cutter.

It is worth taking some time to find out which one is best for you. It may be that a cheap, adjustable tailor`s dummy will suit you well, if you need to make patterns for a variety of sizes. Some people buy cheap shop dummies, but these can be very exaggerated shapes that bare little relationship with a real human body.

The best mannequins are pinnable ( You can put pins in them). This is important for a pattern cutter. Some are just for the torso. Others are for legs. And others still are for both. There are mannequins for swimwear and lingerie. Or for tailoring.

Pattern Cutting On The Flat.

The whole purpose of pattern cutting on the flat is to produce a shape that fits a body.  So, ultimately it is how the garment fits on the body that counts. Experienced pattern cutters figure out ways of working that use a certain amount of theory gained from experience, but also working on the stand. Some of this is lost when we use computers to make patterns.

Even computer pattern cutters will often use draping to figure out how to make a particular shape. They may not use this for the whole pattern, but just for a part of the pattern.

In the flat pattern cutting method, we learn how to create  basic block patterns, and then to develop them into individual styles by a combination of methods.

Pattern Blocks.

A pattern block is usually made in a thick card, or sometimes plastic. It needs to be durable. It is a basic template  shape,  used by pattern cutters  to make further patterns from.

There needs to be a different block for each type of style. So, there may be a tailored jacket block, a fitted jeans block, a flat front trouser block, a pleat front trouser block, etc. This saves time, and ensures that there is a standard fit throughout the range.

In practise, many pattern makers will just use previous patterns to make new shapes from. Although it may start out as the same basic shape as the block, it may be altered over the course of several fit meetings and re-iterations of the design.

Slash And Spread.

What is slash and spread ? you may ask. This is a pattern cutting technique used in flat pattern cutting where the paper pattern is cut into and then spread open to add fullness. The same thing can be achieved on the stand using paper or calico, or the initial shape can be made on the flat and transferred to the stand for refinement. With experience it should be possible to just use draping.

Learning.

Maybe you just want to learn about dart manipulation. Or how to cut sleeves.  Or how to make pattern blocks. Maybe you want to learn how to cut swimwear patterns. Or sportswear patterns. We can offer you a number of one to one  pattern cutting courses, tailored to your exact needs. Our pattern cutting classes are  conducted from our fully equipped London  studios.

Trial And Error Vs Tuition.

Pattern cutting is not easy to master. It  takes  years of experience, with  constant learning and  practise  to become  fully competent. Most learning either comes through trial and error, or tuition. Most pattern cutting students do a class, then forget about it until the next class.

The secret to getting the best value out of any pattern cutting class is to be given  the knowledge and skills to be able to go away and practise in your own time, before returning for further teaching. During that practise the student will encounter a number of problems that are can be answered during the next pattern cutting class.

Pattern cutting students straight from college do not have the skills or knowledge to be able to work confidently on their own as a pattern cutter – unless they have been able to use their own time on top of teaching time, to practise what they have learnt. It is practise along with good teaching  that is the secret to becoming a proficient pattern cutter.

We have had many ex fashion students who have really struggled to find work as a pattern cutter. They just  havnt been given the required skills or experience. We help provide both the skills and the experience, allowing our students to develop  the extra confidence that will  greatly increase their job prospects.

One-To-One Learning.

Our pattern cutting course involves one-to-one tuition. This means total attention from your tutor. We can however, accomodate two, or even three students at one time. So, if you have a friend or colleague that is interested in learning with you, we will try to help.

Pattern cutting is only a very small part of a student`s  learning at a traditional fashion college.  The student will normally sign up for a four year course. This course would involve learning a wide variety of subjects, such as millinery and embroidery.

This is fine if that is what you want, but no good if you just want to learn pattern cutting.  The student  – teacher ratio allows for very little one to one teaching. There are a number of highly respected, and even world class places to learn pattern cutting in London, but they dont offer the flexibility that we offer.

If you want to learn your pattern cutting using a particular size, then we should be able to help construct the base patterns to work from just for you.

Part Time Course.

If you find it difficult getting time to do pattern cutting course, we are happy to work with you to find times that suit. That may mean learning part time, or flexible times.

Dart Manipulation.

An important part of flat pattern cutting, dart manipulation is used to move suppression around the pattern by pivoting from the dart point. The dart may be incorporated into a seam, or into gathers or ease.  fullness

While we can teach you about such things as dart manipulation, block creation,  pattern balance, etc,  we also like to teach you how to discover and learn  things yourself.

We supply all  pattern cutting equipment, although we are happy for you to bring your own to our pattern cutting class.

Pattern Making Course.