Pattern Cutting Techniques for Beginners
Shubham Anil Jain
Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail Limited
Bangalore, India
Email: shubhamajain125@gmail.com
What is Pattern Cutting?
In the garment industry, pattern cutting is the process of turning a design into cloth. However, it is first turned into paper (2D) before being turned into fabric. For instance, the clothing you are wearing right now was originally a design that was probably first created in paper and then translated into fabric in three dimensions. A pattern cutter’s job is to translate your design into paper, card, or digital form so it may be turned into the fabric of your choice. Patterns are like the building’s foundations; once they are laid, you may build on top of them while keeping aesthetics in mind. When it comes to patterns, after the fundamentals, such as size and fit, are established, you may continually modify the pattern and switch up the designs while upholding your brand’s sizing ethos.
Pattern Cutting Techniques:
1. Draping:
Draping was first employed to transform a flat clothing design into a three-dimensional form about 3500 BCE. It is also referred to as 3D pattern cutting. Draping is the process of creating a three-dimensional structure out of any fabric. Designers can express their creativity by folding, twisting, and turning the fabric with this fun technique.
2. Flat pattern cutting:
Another name for flat pattern cutting is creative pattern cutting. In this technique, paper is used to create a pattern in two dimensions on a flat surface. When using this technique, a pattern cutter would frequently employ pattern blocks, which are composed of a standard pattern with precise measurements to draw the pattern. Despite providing a less sophisticated cut, this procedure is speedier and more precise than draping. However, it is also feasible to create a single garment by combining the two pattern cutting techniques.
3. Computerized pattern cutting:
This sometimes referred to as CAD or Gerber techniques. The process is really comparable to the creative technique. Based on a certain design, a series of measurements is made and then fed into the computer. A computer-aided design (CAD) system is used to create the patterns.
4. Subtraction pattern cutting:
Julian Roberts invented the process of subtraction pattern cutting. Julian’s method, which is the opposite of conventional cutting patterns, focuses on removing shapes from a flat material to create empty places for the body to occupy. He calls it “an approach to garment making that incorporates chance discovery, distance, and the ability to cut fast and inaccurately without too much reference to numbers, fractions, or sizing scales.” This is due to the fact that the pattern-cutting process itself results in the design of the garment, as opposed to working backwards to construct a net after the final design of a garment is envisaged.
5. Zero waste pattern cutting:
One strategy towards sustainable fashion is zero waste pattern cutting. There is ‘zero waste’ left since every square inch of a cloth is used to make a garment. Given that fabric comes in rectangular shapes, boxy silhouettes are ideal for many zero waste designs. In many ways, this technique is akin to subtraction pattern cutting because of how the geometry of flat fabric affects the final design. The limits of what patterns may be created using the zero waste method are continually being pushed because it is a relatively new way of cutting patterns. This zero waste community is an excellent location to start learning and exploring.
Japanese cutting patterns and the Transformational Reconstruction technique In the 1970s, when designers Rei Kawakubo of Comme des Garçons and Yohji Yamamoto unveiled their creations in Paris, Japanese cutting patterns captured the attention of the world. This technique led to avant-garde collections that reinterpreted how clothing might drape and appear on the body. The Pattern Magic book series by Tomoko Nakamichi and the Transformation Reconstruction method created by Shingo Sato both teach similar techniques. Using numerous portions of the basic block to create a highly sculptural design at the seams is a crucial component of these techniques.
Conclusion:
One of the most vibrant industries in international trade is ready-made garments. From a worldwide viewpoint, the industry is predicted to produce a sizable quantity of income and jobs. The production of clothing is one of the most in-demand industries worldwide. Methods for creating as well as cutting patterns and how they are processed are essential steps for the business. The sophistication and fine tuning of pattern-making and cutting software programmes has increased with technical advancement and innovation in order to better serve the needs of the clothes producer.
References:
- https://medcraveonline.com/JTEFT/various-approaches-in-pattern-making-for-garment sector.html
- https://gradehouseltd.com/what-is-pattern-cuting/
- https://www.instituteofmaking.org.uk/blog/2021/07/the-world-of-patern-cutting
- https://www.cfscreativefashionservices.com/post/what-is-pattern-cuting
- https://www.the-sustainable-fashion-collective.com/introduction-to-pattern-cuting
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- Garment Pattern Making Techniques
- Importance of Pattern Making in Fashion Industry
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- Garment Construction in Fashion Designing
- Steps of Garment Pattern Making
Founder & Editor of Textile Learner. He is a Textile Consultant, Blogger & Entrepreneur. Mr. Kiron is working as a textile consultant in several local and international companies. He is also a contributor of Wikipedia.
