Pattern Making: How To Start Making Your Own Patterns

Pattern making is a fun activity for anyone who likes to make their own clothes, but it can be daunting to start with if you’ve never learned about the pattern making process before.

This article is more of a pattern making for beginners guide, to help sewing lovers better understand the methods of pattern making, and to be inspired to start learning the skills for themselves!

Later on in the article I’ve rounded up the various pattern making tutorials that I have created so that you can get started with your learning for free.

Note: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission if you make a purchase at no further cost to you.

Pattern Making Isn’t As Hard As You Think!

While for some people pattern making will feel hard, for others it will feel like a walk in the part. Yes it’s quite a technical skill, but anyone can learn it.

You’ll need to be ok with numbers – either in your head, on paper or using a calculator – because making patterns includes a bit of math, but I promise you it is a skill that is learned!

The Five Methods Of Pattern Making

There are five methods for making your own patterns:

1. Pattern drafting with measurements
2. Clone existing clothes from your closet by tracing them
3. Deconstructing ready made clothes
4. Developing a block from a commercial sewing pattern
5. Draping on the stand

You can learn more about the ways to make your own sewing patterns here.

If you’re interested in learning draping, I have an online draping course for beginners that you can join anytime!

And for anyone who really needs their hand held, I do have my Creative Dressmaking membership which is most pattern hacking existing sewing patterns or blocks/slopers. This blog post explains more about it.

2D Pattern Making vs Flat Pattern Making

2D pattern making is a technique that is also known as flat pattern making, so without the use of a dress form or draping.

When you take a basic block and develop it into a pattern, you’re actively 2D pattern making! It’s become the go to method for garments that are not form fitting, such as jersey/knitwear pieces or less tailored dresses, skirts and shirts.

Working Patterns

A working pattern is one that is used to create clothes. There are four stages of creating a pattern:

1. Line drawing
2. Development pattern
3. Working pattern
4. Production pattern

Line drawing

This is a simple line drawing of a garment design, and is the often the starting point for a creative pattern cutter when developing a pattern.

If you’re making your own clothes patterns, then you’ll make a sketch and this will act as your line drawing. You’ll also use your line drawing to decide which block to start with.

Development Pattern

This is a pattern that stays intact, so that you can refer back to it. You’ll include style lines, pivoting, transfers, flaring, goddess etc!

I like to add dates to my development patterns so that I can easily go back if there’s an error later on.

Working Pattern

This is the finalised version of your development pattern, and you trace this off to create your production pattern.

Production Pattern

This is the pattern which includes seam allowance and is ready for production!

The production pattern that you create as part of the pattern making process should include:

• Grainlines
• Notches
• Balance points
• CF and CB info
• Design name
• Design code
• Size
• Number of pieces to be cut

Creative Pattern Making

Creative pattern making is the technique of developing both flat patterns and draped patterns in a more creative way.

Rather than following step by step instructions, a creative pattern cutter will experiment with a combination of flat pattern cutting and draping to create a unique and creative pattern.

This is my favorite way to create a new pattern!

How To Make A Pattern From Scratch

To make a sewing pattern from scratch you have several options.

1. Pattern Drafting

You can learn how to draft patterns using measurements. This is a great way to understand the basics, and by using your measurements you get a block/sloper that is closer to your body than a commercial pattern!

2. Pattern Development

You can also use a commercial clothing pattern and develop it to fit the vision you have. I teach this method inside my Creative Dressmaking membership!

3. Tracing Your Clothes

Finally, you can create a pattern from scratch by tracing existing clothes. It’s also known as ‘cloning’ and some people frown upon this but if you’re doing this for personal use only, I see no issue with it. In fact, this is a favourite method for both home sewers and fashion designers!

The Best Software For Pattern Making

If you’re keen to use a digital device to make sewing patterns, then there are a few to choose from. I personally use Adobe Illustrator to make my sewing patterns, but there are many that you can use. Here are just a few:

• Valentina
• Affinity Designer: now owned by Canva and free to use
• Adobe Illustrator: a recurring paid subscription
• Clo: a software that a friend uses, but I have no experience with at present.

I’ll be covering full reviews for each in due course!

Pattern Making Essentials

Let’s start with some of the essentials! These articles and tutorials are perfect for anyone completely new to making your own patterns, and will help you put together a pattern cutting toolkit, understand the different ways to make patterns as well as the various pattern symbols and more!

If you’re not completely new to pattern making, scroll down for my more advanced tutorials!

Pattern Making Tools

There are many tools available for pattern making – and I’ve covered many in my pattern making tools article – but here are several articles that are specific to individual tools so that you can better learn who they work and how to use them:

• How to use a tracing wheel
• French curve rulers for pattern making
• Measuring tools for patternmaking and sewing

Understanding Sewing Patterns

In order to make your own patterns you first need to understand them. These articles will help:

• How to read sewing patterns
• How to print patterns
• How to assemble patterns
• How to add seam allowance to a pattern
• What is pattern ease
• How to true a pattern

Drafting Basic Blocks & Slopers

Pattern drafting is the process of taking measurements and creating blocks from them. these could be your basic bodice block (mine is in the image above) or they can be drafted with additional ease such as a jacket block. Here are some of the pattern drafting tutorials available to you:

• How to draft a female bodice block
• How to draft a straight skirt pattern
• How to draft the straight pant pattern
• How to draft a pant pattern: detailed method
• Drafting a basic sleeve block
• How to use a commercial clothing pattern to make a block / sloper

Dart Manipulation Techniques

Darts are an integral way of suppressing fabric, and learning how to manipulate darts is an important skill. These articles will help:

• Types of darts in dart manipulation
• Pivoting darts
• Slash and spreading darts

Beginner / Intermediate Pattern Making Tutorials

Now that you have your basic blocks and an understanding of dart manipulation you’re ready to move onto more beginner / intermediate pattern making tutorials.

Making Skirt Patterns

You should have drafted a straight skirt block from the tutorial further up but you can also draft a full circle skirt pattern using your measurements too!

Sleeve Pattern Making Tutorials

Sleeves can be a great way to modify an existing pattern and make it more unique. As well as the basic straight sleeve block / sloper mentioned further up, these sleeve pattern making tutorials will help you be a little more creative with your sleeves:

• Puff sleeve pattern
• Kimono sleeve pattern
• Raglan sleeve pattern

Collar Pattern Making Tutorials

As well as sleeves, adding new collars can also work well to change up an existing sewing pattern. These collar pattern making tutorials will help you do just that:

• How to draft a mandarin collar pattern
• How to draft a Peter Pan collar pattern
• How to make a sailor collar pattern

If you want more guidance with pattern making, do check out my Creative Dressmaking membership here!

And if you’d like to see more advanced pattern making tutorials, let me know in the comments below!