1. Everything you need to know about Patterns…..
Apparel I
4.00 Pattern and Fabric Preparation

2. Objective 3.01 B Understanding Patterns
Start Date: 10/19
Essential Questions:
What are the parts of the pattern?
What are the pattern symbols and how are they used in garment construction?
What are the sections of a guide sheet and how are they used?

3. Pattern Envelope Photo Pattern Number # Cost Sizes Available
Suggested Fabrics
Notions
Yardage
Measurements /size
Sketch

4. Pattern Basics
A pattern is a blueprint with all the instructions to construct a project
Three essential parts:
Pattern envelope
Guide sheet
Tissue pattern pieces

5. Guide Sheet Includes: cutting layout sewing instructions
finished product sketches
other special information

6. Pattern Pieces & Symbols
Fewer pattern pieces= easier pattern

7. Things to be aware of on the Pattern Pieces!
Pattern piece name/number or letter
Front or back
Number of pieces to cut

8. Cutting line (solid outline)
Grain line (parallel line, designates placement on grain)
Lines to
be aware of!!
Cutting line (solid outline)
Stitching/seam line (broken line, usually 5/8”)
Hem line (indicates how much depth to be turned up for hem)
Adjustment line (double parallel lines where can be shortened or lengthened)

9. Brackets (Place on Fold Line)
Center front and back
Indicates the center front or back of garment
Center
front
Overlap
Brackets (Place on Fold Line)
Requires solid line to be placed on fold of fabric
Usually seen at center front or back
May also be represented by only a line with “place on fold” printed.

10. Darts Notches Triangular shapes to designate fold and stitching
Control fullness
Stitching line
Fold line
Notches
Diamond shaped symbols
Used for matching seams and joining garment pieces.

11. Dots, Squares, or Triangles
matches pieces of fabric
great for places with easing (like sleeves)
Sometimes to indicate placement of details like pockets or zippers
Buttonhole Placement
Shows exact location and length of each buttonhole
. .

12. Multi-sized Patterns Have many different sizes on same piece
Mark cutting line to remember which size before cutting– use a highlighter
They do not have a seam line on them

13. Laying out patterns

14. Fabric Cutting Layouts
The diagram on the guide sheet that shows how to arrange the different pattern pieces on 45” or 60” fabric
Select your layout diagram based on:
the view of the pieces
fabric width
fabric type
size

15. Fabric Grains Selvage – two finished edges, do not ravel or fray
Lengthwise grain – runs in the same direction as the selvage, strongest threads.
Crosswise grain – runs across fabric
from one selvage to the other,
usually has slight stretch.
Bias – runs diagonally across the fabric.
Has the most stretch.
**Groups do fabric demo

16. Fabric Folds Lengthwise Fold Crosswise Fold
Fold fabric in half lengthwise with right sides together
Crosswise Fold
Fold perpendicular to selvages

17. Center/Double Fold Partial Fold
Folded twice along the lengthwise grain
Selvages meet in the middle
Partial Fold
Fold fabric only wide enough to fit the widest pattern piece needed on fold

18. Placement of pattern pieces
A shaded pattern piece on a cutting layout indicates that the piece should be turned printed side down
FIRST: place the pieces on the fold or the largest ones
Refer to pattern piece for number of fabric pieces to cut by each pattern
Place all pattern pieces on fabric before pinning any to fabric, and especially before cutting!!!!
Follow layout diagram exactly or at least get pattern pieces to fit with all on proper grain

19. Fabric Prep, Pinning, Cutting, and marking

20. Fabric Preparation Preshrink fabrics by washing Helps straighten grain
Removes some fabric finishes
Shows how it will be when finished garment

21. Pinning Pin the grain line first! Place pins about every 6”
Pins should be perpendicular
to fabric/pattern edge (cutting line).
Place pins closer in curves
Place pins diagonally in corners

22. Cutting Use dressmaker shears Cut with long, smooth cuts
Keep fabric & Pattern flat on
surface
Notches should be cut away from seam allowance.
Double notches should be cut together with one long edge.

23. Marking Mark areas with important features Mark dots & squares
Mark darts
Mark only on the wrong side of fabric.
Remove before pressing- or what happens??

24. Quick Things you should know!
Where can you find care instructions for fabric?
What information is on a pattern piece?
What information is on the guide sheets?
What pattern symbols assist you in matching pattern pieces?