I have finally came to the conclusion that it is the right time to start collecting my designs in the form of patterns which can be stored in some decent way and then reused with some small adjustments. I have studied in this matter a bit just to make sure I’m not making some terrible mistakes. I prepared first sewing pattern with pictures to show you how to make a pattern from an existing clothes. This way saves a lot of frustration while trying to find right size while sewing for yourself, family or customers (especially when you are just starting up your business). I thought that pattern cutting will be rather difficult and I will probably miss out some details which will affect final result but I was mistaken. Pattern making is actually very easy and this is a truth reason of this post. I want to encourage all of you to make your own patterns and sew more beautiful clothes much quicker not mentioning they will all fit perfectly. Oh yes! I forgot that possibly most of the new tailors would start their sewing carrier from purchasing ready patterns and sewing from them. Next step would be pattern making and then sewing without patterns just from the measurements. I have started opposite way. First I have worked on sewing straight from the measurements and only now I’m doing my own patterns. To be honest with you it is simply from need of sewing faster and sewing patterns definitely helps with it. You can just imagine how fast you can cut individual pieces of top or dress when you have simple paper form to follow.I have decided to cut first pattern for my daughter’s dress. I have used other dress which fits her perfectly to trace it the pattern from it. You will also need baking paper, scissors, sticky tape (just in case if need them wider) pen or marker and measuring tape.I will need only single strips of paper. You need to remember that we are cutting only half of the pattern if both sides of clothing (left and right) are symmetrical. You have to make sure that edge of the paper is right in the middle of the dress and then cut external line of the clothing.Please make sure you are as detailed as it can be. You have to watch for every curve or sharp edge. Please flatten the fabric of clothes you are using to make your pattern. It maybe a challenge sometimes so it is a good idea to iron clothes before copying.Can you see how paper have to overlap a bit to reach stitching line of this dress? This is where paper have to be cut to make pattern correct for further stitching to meet in right way.Since I have started to cut back first I need to keep line of it all the way including collar. You can see on the pictures that paper lies under full shape of the dress. This is how I have started thinking that maybe I should make a pattern for full back and front and then I have realized that only half of it needed so I have removed other half later.Now we need to make front of the dress which is a bit more difficult as you can’t see all the shapes properly. This time I placed the paper over it and marked shape before I cut. I picked under and over to mark in the right spots and I have also pressed paper to fill the edge of the fabric through it.

Both parts are ready. Now I have signed them as front and back and marked width, length ect.Since this dress didn’t have a sleeves (I did pick this one on purpose to have clear picture of shapes) I had to take anther top with sleeves and trace them from it. I hope you can see pen marks to trace top edge of the sleeve.Now I have 3 pieces of pattern which can be adjusted if needed. For example I can shorten the sleeves for summer dress or I can change waist line from very low to tall and adding small gathering we can make a top instead of the dress.Once I have completed my pattern I had to give it a try and test it out.Dress came out just lovely. It fits well but I did have small problem to be fixed. Front neck line came a bit to low so I fixed it adding single gathering and pretty bottom on the top of it. For next piece of clothing I have to remember to cut an inch taller neck line or I will simply re-do the front part of my pattern. Now I will use same base pattern to different types of clothes and I will show them to you for sure. If you have any questions or maybe some of my instructions were unclear please go ahead and write to me. Pattern making is not hard at all and sewing from patterns is even easier. I hope I helped you to learn how to make a pattern.