I have quite a collection of pattern making books. Its my biggest passion and I love to have books around me on things I love. Some people will stick to just one book, and refer to it as if it’s their ‘bible’ for that topic, whereas I am a little freer, and love all the books.
Some may not be as great as you hoped for – one viewer of my YouTube video on pattern making books complained about the menswear one included in this list – but no book will ever be ‘perfect’ and knowing what each excels at is the best way to get the most from a book.
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Winifred Aldrich’s Metric Pattern Cutting For Women’s Wear
This book was the first pattern making book I ever owned, and when I lost the original purple cover version during a move, I went out and bought the newer green version (6th Ed.), but you can find secondhand versions quite cheaply.
The book is full of guidance for creating various blocks / slopers, and developing them into a range of patterns and designs. Whether you’re just starting or want to expand your skills in pattern making, this book can be a great go-to reference.
I remember the very first pattern I made using Winifred Aldrich’s Metric Pattern Cutting for Women’s Wear. I was studying part time at Central St Martin’s back in 2007, and making a coat pattern for the professional sewing class. I recall drafting the pattern on the carpet of my ‘room’ where I was a live-in nanny, using scrappy bits of paper and trying to make it work.
It was not perfect. The shoulder line hung about 4” / 10cm off my actual shoulder and as I had drafted in extra puff to the sleeve cap, it was an odd look.
It was also too short in the waist so I frankensteined an integrated waistband panel to add some length. All in all it was an odd looking garment, but although I messed up, it was the very first pattern I completely self-drafted and I was SO proud!
The original version of the book was published back in 1975 and Winifred is one of the most well known academic researchers on the topic of pattern cutting. While you may find the designs included a little old fashioned, I see a breadth of design ideas that can be used as inspiration, for they show you how to take a basic sloper and easily modify it into a new design.
I do feel like the older versions of the book provide more variety in examples; the newer versions have been expanded and focus on the basics of form and flat cutting. This is not a bad thing, but if you do need a book that covers more design ideas, you may want to check out the last book on this list too!
You can grab a new copy of Metric Pattern Cutting for Womenswear here.
Pattern Cutting And Making Up By Martin Shoben
As someone who loves pattern making, I couldn’t help but include Martin Shoben’s books in my list of favorites. There are two books he has written on the subject, and I find both extremely beneficial, especially so for beginners.
The books are titled “Pattern Cutting and Making Up,” and they cover various aspects of pattern making, from taking measurements to understanding fit and construction. They are filled with tips and tricks for maintaining proper fit. A great example is the explanation on how to pivot excess fabric to create a more snug bust area.
I really enjoy the illustrations within the book – they’re just simple black and white line drawings which help to provide a clear understanding of the techniques being discussed, without the distraction of color or photography.
The “making up” section of the book will be especially helpful as it walks the reader through the construction process of the garments. Although I already have experience in this area, Martin Shoben’s book is a great resource for those just starting out and uncertain on how to make up the clothes they’ve patterned.
Grab a new copy of Volume 1 here and Volume 2 here though the latter is often out of stock!
Pattern Cutting for Menswear by Gareth Kershaw
If you’re looking for a pattern cutting book that helps with menswear designs, then Pattern Cutting for Menswear by Gareth Kershaw is a good option.
What I appreciate about this book is the way it’s structured – it starts with the basics of pattern cutting, including the various tools and equipment one might need, and then it branches out to cover the instructions you’ll need for creating different blocks such as trousers, shirts, and jackets. This works well as a foundation before diving into specific projects and designs.
I should add here that the blocks in this book are what people frequently take issue with. The book is written by a university lecturer teaching fashion design students, so the blocks / slopers within it are more ‘fashion’ based, and are used as a basis for design development.
The book offers step-by-step guidance for numerous projects including shirts, trousers, and outerwear. Some of the shirt styles covered are Grandad, Polo, Lumberjack, and the bib shirt, while trousers include tailored shorts, chinos, and jeans. Outerwear patterns you’ll be able to develop include single and double-breasted jackets, wax jackets, parkas, and more.
When I first started working on menswear projects, I found this book to be an excellent resource, as it walked me through the entire development process of each pattern design, which makes it a great tool for building creative ideas and understanding the fundamentals of pattern making, specifically for menswear.
Grab a copy of the new updated 2021 version of Pattern Cutting for Menswear here.
Zero Waste Fashion Design by Timo Rissanen and Holly McQuillan
When I first became aware of zero waste design, I bought the first edition of the book Zero Waste Fashion Design, written by Timo Rissanen and Holly McQuillan.
The book starts with a bit in the history of zero waste fashion design before diving into how it is used as a design tool by various fashion designers.
I love the section on the ‘criteria for zero waste fashion design’, wherein this sentence resonated: “…the elimination of fabric waste should never be used to justify a compromise in aesthetics or fit; nor should it result in undue increase in manufacturing cost, for example, due to unnecessarily complicated construction.” P87, Bloomsbury
I think in our rush to be as sustainable as possible when designing and making clothes, we often feel we should overlook a design or fit issue to make it zero waste, when in fact ‘minimal’ waste is also a worthwhile goal.
Continuing on, the book then covers a variety of projects that are thoughtfully designed and inspiring to look through. My favorite – which I have yet to make actually – is the basic spiral trouser set up, starting on page 115. I loved the examples of spiral pattern cutting taught to me at fashion school, and this project is one on a long list to have fun with.
While the book is not marketed as a pattern cutting book, it does include a lot of cutting layouts and detailed instructions for zero waste pattern design, which is why it has earned it’s spot in my top 5 pattern cutting books.
The 2023 second edition of Zero Waste Fashion Design can be bought here.
Patternmaking for Fashion Design by Helen Joseph-Armstrong
This is the book I refer to as my ‘bible’. It’s a heavy weight book on pattern making, and my copy – this 4th edition – is literally falling apart.
I have never used the actual instructions in this book – it’s all in inches, which I cannot work with – but if you are a visual learner, this book is brilliant. Every page within is full of diagrams. There may be an intro paragraph of text, but then the only other ‘words’ on the page are basic bullet point instructions.
An example is on pages 209/110, where on the first page we have the intro paragraph explaining ‘built up necklines’, along with a small illustration on what this looks like. Then there are 6 illustrated heads face on with different designed necklines, as well as two designs for a stovepipe neckline. There are no instructions on this page. On the opposite page, we have the instructions with simple diagrams and bullet points on creating the first of the two designs, but the second design? Nope. It’s a practice design for you to have a go at yourself.
And this is why I LOVE this book. It teaches you the fundamentals, but also encourages you to stretch that design muscle by working out how another design is created.
It is weighty, coming in at 776 pages (not including the appendices or index), so not one for carrying out and about with you, but it is one that should be on every fashion design student’s work desk.
The newer edition of this book was published in 2009, and you can grab a brand new copy here.
Let me know your thoughts on the five books above – are there any you have or don’t have, perhaps you’ve used one and didn’t gel well with it? Let me – and other readers – know in the comments!
I’ve also got a selection of books that you might enjoy reading including: