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With online pattern finder of menswear only. (Moderated by Sharon1952)
Member since 5/12/16
Posts: 186
Posts: 186
Västerbottens län Sweden
Skill: Advanced Beginner
Skill: Advanced Beginner
Posted on: 3/30/19 5:48 PM ET
There is a new (2 issues so far) online Sewing Magazine only about menswear. Cant review it because it is only readable with an account...but, they have a pattern finder database with a lot of potential that you can use without signing in!
https://bartack.co.uk/
https://bartack.co.uk/
Posted on: 4/1/19 1:08 PM ET
In reply to MariaBL
Thanks for posting this, Maria. It looks very interesting. Nice to see that Wright scissors is advertising on it. I got lost down a rabbit hole following the link to freesewing.org!
Posted on: 4/1/19 2:50 PM ET
I created an account at the free membership level. It looks basic but decent. There's an interview with Andrew Ramroop, a highly respected Savile Row tailor.
Member since 5/12/16
Posts: 186
Posts: 186
Västerbottens län Sweden
Skill: Advanced Beginner
Skill: Advanced Beginner
Posted on: 4/1/19 2:52 PM ET
It could grow into something great... time will tell!
Posted on: 4/1/19 2:52 PM ET
In reply to Sanibelle
I don't believe the man who created freesewing.org has any formal pattern making training. Patterns can be drafted by computer, but the pattern makers usually have a very solid manual pattern drafting background. I've never liked his attitude, "Gosh, nobody ever thought about this before."
Posted on: 4/2/19 9:14 AM ET
In reply to pointpatou
I don't know his skills, but that's an odd distinction to make. There are different sorts of drafting by computer, and his site is promoting a very low level method--meaning, just like with paper, plot out each point, line, or curve. Doing this sort of drafting by computer is completely analogous to learning drafting by hand and does not detract from skill development. If anything it's a boon, because being able to make a correction early in the draft without painstakingly redrawing the entire thing, allows one to better understand the consequence of each decision and allows more rapid iterations. Some times the old ways are just old. I feel fortunate that in school I took intro mechanical drafting, sewing, and programing. But of the three mechanical drafting by hand is the one that would never be taught today.
Posted on: 4/2/19 11:04 AM ET
In reply to JNE4SL
I've been aware of him since he started posting on Reddit a few years ago. If you don't think that having a formal background in pattern making is essential before you start coding pattern making software for the public there's nothing I can say. For years, people here have complained about independent pattern companies that produce faulty patterns because they lack the proper training.
For some of us, expertise and experience matter. They save us time and frustration.
For some of us, expertise and experience matter. They save us time and frustration.
Posted on: 4/2/19 11:53 AM ET
In reply to pointpatou
Coding pattern making software is the electronic equivalent of providing pencils, rulers, and hip curves, it doesn't require a degree in fashion design, if anything you'd rather someone good at coding handle that. As far as indies who can't draft, I'm going to complain as loud as anyone. However, some of the worst offenders are the companies that *don't* use software. There are even indies run by people who *do* have fashion degrees, that put out nothing but boxy designs, and it would seem access to software is one of the limiting factors. (That or the simple fact that plenty of people can get training in a task and still have no aptitude for it. And, conversely, some people are self taught and more capable than the certificate holder.)
Posted on: 4/2/19 2:58 PM ET
In reply to JNE4SL
If you didn't need to know how to draft manually first, fashion design schools would start out with computer drafting. It would be cheaper and could be taught online.
Again, I'm old-fashioned, I actually respect expertise.
-- Edited on 4/2/19 at 2:59 PM --
Again, I'm old-fashioned, I actually respect expertise.
-- Edited on 4/2/19 at 2:59 PM --
Posted on: 4/2/19 4:02 PM ET
In reply to pointpatou
Design schools in the long run need to teach students to use industry standard software packages. Those are powerful, but also have a high barrier to entry, they wouldn't be a good first learning environment. In addition they are priced for industry and require access to plotter printing to be useful. So, no, that wouldn't work outside a school environment or make online teaching possible.
But, what I'm talking about is low level drafting software that simply allows points and edges to be plotted and manipulated based on simple instructions--instructions, very similar to the ones in a drafting book. It doesn't do anything like automatically rectifying darts, or drafting complete garments from measurements. There's a small learning curve, but then drafting on paper also has a learning curve. Nonetheless this does very much speed up plotting a draft (which I have done by hand plenty). It's the difference between a word processor and a typewriter. Typewriters were excellent technology, but it sure was a drag that each draft meant pulling out a fresh piece of paper and starting a new. No one thinks they're learning how to write as they type, but some people do think they're learning about composition when they try dragging text from one position to another and rapidly editing their writing. This is exactly the way low level plotting helps with drafting. (I use Sewist, but his methods sound equivalent.)
Now, I can understand why schools wouldn't adopt this approach. It requires some work to rewrite curriculum and there wouldn't be much payoff if they still be the necessary transition to professional software later. Anyway, they may have exclusive contracts with a given software company. But for someone who doesn't have access to a school or professional software, low level drafting software is a powerful tool, and a very real learning aid to boot. This isn't disrespecting expertise, I'm just able to digest a lot more expertise via a computer than I ever could by hand.
But, what I'm talking about is low level drafting software that simply allows points and edges to be plotted and manipulated based on simple instructions--instructions, very similar to the ones in a drafting book. It doesn't do anything like automatically rectifying darts, or drafting complete garments from measurements. There's a small learning curve, but then drafting on paper also has a learning curve. Nonetheless this does very much speed up plotting a draft (which I have done by hand plenty). It's the difference between a word processor and a typewriter. Typewriters were excellent technology, but it sure was a drag that each draft meant pulling out a fresh piece of paper and starting a new. No one thinks they're learning how to write as they type, but some people do think they're learning about composition when they try dragging text from one position to another and rapidly editing their writing. This is exactly the way low level plotting helps with drafting. (I use Sewist, but his methods sound equivalent.)
Now, I can understand why schools wouldn't adopt this approach. It requires some work to rewrite curriculum and there wouldn't be much payoff if they still be the necessary transition to professional software later. Anyway, they may have exclusive contracts with a given software company. But for someone who doesn't have access to a school or professional software, low level drafting software is a powerful tool, and a very real learning aid to boot. This isn't disrespecting expertise, I'm just able to digest a lot more expertise via a computer than I ever could by hand.
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