Have you ever dreamt of making your own clothes? Did you use to sketch designs on the back of newspapers or old magazines? It all starts with pattern making. Creating patterns for clothes is a skill that requires technique and attention to detail.
Learning pattern cutting can help you explore your creative side, bring your design ideas to life, and even help save the planet. If you’ve come across this article, the chances are that the idea of pattern cutting has entered your mind at least once. Why not try your hand at learning a new skill?
You can kickstart your pattern cutting journey with the help of Professor Pattern. For just £15 a month, you can get access to all our classes to learn the art of pattern making and sewing directly from the experts. Read on to find out why you should start pattern making and how it can unlock your inner creativity.
What is pattern cutting/making?
Pattern cutting is a fine art that is all about the details. It’s about creating a pattern that ensures your garment works to the specification of the size and design. There’s little to no margin for error with pattern cutting. The more precise, the better.
The pattern cutting process comes after the sketches, and technical drawings of a garment are finished. It’s pattern-making that takes an idea from the page to reality. Whether you want to solely design clothes or sew them, pattern cutting is a concept you want to understand.
The pattern is what brings a sketch from a vision to a finished product – acting as a bridge between the original sketch and the garment itself. It’s perhaps the most crucial part of the design and production process.
Why you should learn pattern cutting
Whatever your interest is in fashion, learning the art of pattern cutting can give you a greater understanding and appreciation of fashion garments. Without pattern making, there would be no silhouettes or intricate shapes.
If you want to bring your designs to life, you need to learn pattern cutting. Even if you’re not the one constructing the garment, it helps you visualise the process while you’re designing.
Learning pattern making is a skill that can benefit everyone in the fashion industry. Whether you’re a fashion buyer, textile designer, or illustrator, understanding the pattern cutting process can help you approach your job from a new angle.
Pattern cutting is the practical skill behind every garment and accessory. Without the pattern maker, the design would never leave the page. While designers are often seen as the creatives, pattern cutters use just as much imagination to transform the sketch into the desired garment. You can think of pattern cutters as the directors of the fashion industry – without them, the work couldn’t be shown in its best light.
That is why you should learn the craft of pattern cutting. You can’t make clothes without understanding pattern making, you can’t design without considering the pattern cutting, and you can’t appreciate a garment without seeing the wonder behind the pattern.
The environmental benefits of learning pattern making
If you’re a casual student, learning pattern cutting can help you make clothing for yourself at home. Sewing your own clothes is a more sustainable option than buying from fast fashion brands. Not only are you reducing waste, but you’re creating clothing made to fit and flatter your figure. You’re more likely to love and appreciate a garment that you’ve made by hand – thus cherishing it for years to come.
You can lower your carbon footprint by salvaging fabrics, buttons, and zippers – anything that you might use on a new garment. You can’t sew clothes at home without learning the techniques behind pattern cutting. While YouTube can help you work out the first stitch or two, you’ll need a more in-depth education to master this fine art.
Garments are sustainable when they’re made using eco-friendly materials that have a minimal impact on the environment. The fashion industry is the second-largest pollutant industry in the world, with shipping being a major contributing factor. When pattern cutting and sewing at home, you can help tackle this growing pandemic by using sustainably sourced fibres and textiles.
By switching from fast fashion to sustainable at-home pattern cutting and sewing, you can do your bit to make our world a better place for future generations. Not only can you help the environment, but you can make the clothing that you want to wear, and that is made to fit you like a glove.
What skills do I need to start pattern cutting?
The beauty of pattern cutting is that it’s a skill you can learn without any experience. Whether you’re a fashion student or someone with a lifelong admiration for clothes, you can start learning the art of pattern making. You can start our online lessons right away to help you get started on the path to making your own clothing.
Our pattern cutting classes are ideal for anyone looking to make clothes for themselves or who inspires to one day launch their own clothing brand. You don’t need to come to our lessons with any necessary prior knowledge, but it always helps to have some basic background experience with the industry.
Knowing how to sew is a bonus but not a requirement. You’ll quickly grasp the basics of sewing – and fabrics – once you start learning pattern making.
The most important skill that you can bring to pattern cutting is motivation. If you have the drive to learn this skill, you’ll be able to navigate your way through the different techniques and details to master the art form. Some of the most talented pattern cutters are self-taught, while others go through formal education. There’s no set path to becoming a pattern cutter – which is the beauty of the skill.
Are you ready to start pattern cutting? Sign up today for your Professor Pattern monthly membership to get full access to all our pattern making and sewing classes. Happy sewing!
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