How to Learn More About Fabrics And Pattern Making

Question:  “How can I learn more about fabrics and pattern-making?”

Answer:  If you attended a fashion design school, you'd take classes on fabric and pattern-making to learn the details of putting together a garment from start to finish.  If you don't attend a fashion design school, you either need to learn these things on your own, or pay someone to do them for you if you intend to sell your designs.

For this discussion, I'll assume you're interested in learning how to do these things yourself.  Here's how to get started:

FABRICS

To start learning about fabrics, head to your own closet.  Pull out your favorite pieces and think about why it is that you like them.  Do you like the way they drape on your body?  How they hold you together so that nothing jiggles?  Keep you warm?  Clean easily?  Require no ironing?  What? 

Then take a look at the labels.  What are they made of?  Are they 100% of a certain fiber, or are they a fiber-blend?  Do they require special care, like ironing, hand washing, or dry cleaning?  Make notes of what you like and dislike about each fabric.  It will help you to think about fabrics for your own designs.

Next, look at the evening or special occasion apparel you have on hand.  What kinds of fabrics are those made of?  What do you like or don't like about those fabrics?  Again, make notes.  You'll refer to it later.

If you're thinking about designing lingerie or accessories (scarves, handbags, or shoes), take a look at those items from your wardrobe.  What are they made of?  How do they wear?  Again, make some notes.

Now that you have a general idea of fabric characteristics, it's time to learn more about the subject.  The best free resource I've seen is

“Fabric University” at FabricLink.com,

http://www.fabriclink.com/University.html . 

You'll find tons of information about fabric history, care, and cleaning, so print out the pages for future reference.  Want another good resource for fabric care?  Try Fabric.com,

http://www.fabric.com  

Once you've learned a little about fabric, head to the mall for some more research.  If you've never given fabric serious thought before, I guarantee that you'll start seeing clothes in a whole new light.  Make notes of what types of clothes are generally made from which fabrics, like shirts, pants, dresses, coats, etc.  You'll begin to see some interesting commonalities among usage, price range, care, etc.

Now don't put yourself into a box creatively with this exercise, thinking chiffon can only be used for mother-of-the-bride apparel, for example.  Instead, use it to see what's already selling and why.  Since the fastest path to success is to follow something that's already working, you'll be able to leap from the fashion starting gate faster with this knowledge in the back of your mind.

Finally, head to the fabric store for a little one-on-one time with some fabric.  See what's available, think about your designs, and  envision which fabrics would work best.  If you have a design and pattern available, make up the design in different fabrics to see which one works best.

Since this is the medium in which you're going to bring your designs to life, take the time to learn it well.  The more you know about it, the

easier your job will become.

PATTERN-MAKING

If you don't sew or have never altered a pattern, making patterns can be a little tricky at first.  But don't let that stop you.  You have to have a blueprint in order to accurately reproduce your designs, and a pattern is the way it's done. Fortunately, you don't have to re-invent the wheel.

The two most common ways to create a pattern is on paper and by computer.

Traditional pattern making is done on paper and is called a “flat pattern” design.  Typically, an existing pattern is used as the basis for the new pattern.  This could be a basic shirt, skirt, or pant pattern, for example.  The pattern maker creates the new design by adding design details like pockets, lapels, buttons, etc., to match the

design sketch.

The new pattern is often made of a heavy-weight paper called “tagboard,” which is similar in weight and handling to a file folder.  It can be easily cut and traced around to create other patterns.  The intended fabric is an important consideration at this point, since you'll need to know how much to add for stretch, gathers, and other fabric characteristics.

Computer pattern making is a fast and easy way to get the job done.  Like paper patterns, computer-generated patterns often rely on a basic pattern as the basis of the new pattern, allowing the pattern maker to embellish the template with the new design details.  Many large companies rely on pattern design systems (PDS) to accurately size and scale designs, but the equipment is expensive and out of reach for many

starting designers.

So, there you have it.  In order to create and sell your designs, you need to know them intimately — including what fabric they're made of and how they're constructed.  Once you understand this aspect, you’re well on your way to fashion design success.

Good luck!

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Diana Pemberton-Sikes is a fashion writer and image
consultant and a contributing author to FabJob’s Guide
to “Become A Fashion Designer.”  You can visit her
online at FashionJobReview.com .