Pattern Making

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 …

I love fashion. I love seeing what’s new in the shops and what’s trending on runways. But what I don’t like is that there are very few designers or stores where I can walk in and get a great fitting item of clothing. My body does not conform to the ‘standard’ sizing, with its long …

If you make your own clothes, a dress form will be handy for fitting garments as you make them and for draping and developing patterns. Choosing the best dress form for your needs is where it gets tricky. They can be expensive clothes hanging devices if you choose the wrong dress form for your needs …

It’s a funny thing, but over the past years since launching The Creative Curator (all the way back in 2016!) I’ve been asked many times if I have a Patreon. This is mostly by readers who wanted to support me for the content I’ve provided here on my website for free, but also for those …

Making your own sewing patterns is a lot of fun. Sure, it can also be complex and confusing but for those who are eager to learn, it’s also one of the best ways of creating a wardrobe of clothes that fit you like a glove. As in, no awful fit issues that make you want …

Pants are one of the trickiest patterns to fit – very rarely will you get the perfect fit from a paid pattern at the first attempt – and it’s for this reason that I like to start with a basic block that I drafted myself and then modify it to get the pant style I’m …

When it comes to making your own clothes, there are many ways, but the basic requirement is to use a pattern. And if you’ve read my other articles on pattern making, you’ll know that a pattern is the product of using a block. But what do you do if you don’t have a block or …

If you’re new to pattern making – or even just a keen sewer that has come across the word – you’ll be wondering what a pattern drill is. And the short answer is that a pattern drill is the tool used by pattern makers to make uniform sized holes in patterns at key points like …

If you’ve been sewing a while, you’re well aware of what a notch is… right? Only you may be used to seeing the kind of notch that extends beyond the edge of the pattern instead of pointing inwards. As a creative pattern cutter and fashion designer, I’ve been creating my own patterns for a long …

I do love a raglan sleeve myself – I love that they can be used for sporty style garments but also for more dressy items like dresses and tops when we don’t want something to look too formal. I have a video tutorial on raglan sleeve pattern drafting over on my YouTube channel, but thought …

In this tutorial you’re going to learn how to draft your own kimono sleeve pattern. I’ll also run through a brief history of the kimono sleeve as well as some frequently asked questions at the end. Do check out my guide to the different types of sleeves as well so you can see other sleeve …

Today I’m going to show you how to draft a sailor collar pattern, which is a collar type inspired by the uniforms worn by sailors. Who’d have thought it? This collar style is classified as a non-convertible collar type – you can learn more about collar types here! – and is an easy enough collar …

You know that a French curve ruler is just one of the many different measuring tools for sewing, but how do you know which is the best French curve ruler for sewing or even how to use one? In this article I’m going to explain what a French curve ruler is used for, what they’re …

New to sewing? Did you recently come across the term ‘notch’ and started wondering what are notches in sewing and pattern making? I feel you! Sewing pattern words and symbols can be rather obscure to the sewing beginner, which is why I’ve created this dictionary of sewing terms and their meanings and this guide on how to read …

If you’ve ever looked made a clothing sewing pattern, you’ve dealt with pattern ease in sewing patterns. It is a term that is thrown around quite a lot and if you were to visit any sewing Facebook group and mention that the pattern you bought, cut out and sewed up fits nothing like it should, …

When it comes to creating a sewing pattern design to sell, there are more steps involved than when we make our own sewing patterns for ourselves. To start with, you need to consider your idea audience, your ‘customers’. Everything always goes back to the customer! Your Ideal Customer Sewing pattern designers usually work in a …

Today you’re going to learn how to draft a godet! I love a godet – in fact one of my very first projects as a first year student at fashion school was a dress with godets! It had a close fitting bodice made from a faux leather with a sweetheart neckline, and the skirt section …

If you love to sew your own clothes, you’ve definitely come across and used commercial sewing patterns at some point, but did you know that those patterns originate from blocks or slopers? And those blocks and slopers are created using a technique called pattern drafting. Note: Some of the links in this post are affiliate …

If you love a Peter Pan collar, this step by step pattern making tutorial is for you! Learn how to make a Peter Pan collar pattern for tops and shirts, a technique you can use again and again to jazz up any sewing patterns that you own. This is by far the easiest pattern collar …

Today I’m going to show you how to draft puff sleeves with my puff sleeve pattern tutorial! This is a very thorough step by step pattern making tutorial to help you draft a puffed sleeve pattern for yourself! Pouffy sleeves are a fun take on a regular sleeve, with more volume at the shoulder and …