7 December 2011

Patterns-do you make your own or buy commercial ones?

Feeling thoughtful about patterns this month. As a bespoke pattern cutter, I make one off patterns based on a unique set of measurements that fit one individual. However commercial patterns are designed to fit universally and are multi sized, but do require some skills to adjust. 
Making your own patterns is time consuming and very mathematical.  Once commercial pattern adjustments are learnt, it opens up a wealth of available  patterns which vary seasonally and have been road  tested by the manufacturer.
Then there's the tracing versus cutting debate! I like to cut out a tissue template, but many more fashionable patterns like burdastyle come as traceable patterns, with multiple patterns laid on top of one another. Personally, just looking at the multi pattern sheets in the burda style mag, makes me feel queasy, but I will be making myself do this over the next month in the name of research!

So are you a cutter or tracer? A pattern maker or consumer of commercially bought patterns?

I'd love to hear your thoughts?

Happy Stitching!