Pattern Designing Concepts at DragonCon 2012

This was a sad panel, not because it was poorly done but because it was too short. Each of the panelists could have filled a full hour on their technique.

Cathy Jones of God Save the Queens Fashion started with draping. She climbed up on the table and did an excellent demo, showing how to use the selvage to start on your center front.  Using a Sharpie, some canvas weight muslin, ‘Pinching’ and ‘release cuts’ she created a sloper on the dressform.  It was pretty amazing.

Freddy Clements spoke of the classic style of creating a pattern from personal measurements. I think of this as Okinawan style because the custom seamstresses of Okinawa (and Hong Kong) use similar style. You see this online sometimes –

To Draft the Neck. To lay out the neck at the shoulder, measure 2″ from point A on line AC and locate point L; to lay out the neck at the center front, measure down 2″ from point A on line AB for a neck measuring 12″ (increase this measurement 1/8″ for each 1/2″ increase in neck measure, for instance for a neck measuring 13″, measure 2 1/4″, etc.)

Like the first time you see algebra it looks much scarier than it turns out to be, yet you need to learn it or it stays a mystery.

Mary Abreu spoke of using the sloper, either custom or store bought

And ‘Sasha’ Chernova spoke on self-patterning or making patterns from existing clothes.

Unfortunately, time ran out and everyone kind of got the short versions. It was too bad as I would have loved to hear more about all the styles.

I love sewing!