Fabric, Form and Flat Pattern Cutting

by Winifred Aldrich

One of the more difficult aspects of a designer’s training is learning how to create patterns that make full use of the characteristics of individual fabrics. With an ever increasing range of fabrics available to the designer, an understanding of the relationship between fabric, form and pattern shape is now probably the most important skill a designer has to acquire.

This book discusses the factors that need to be taken into consideration and offers a unique and practical method for solving problems. Its approach to design and flat pattern cutting is based on the appraisal of the fabric (according to a scale of five for each of five fabric characteristics – weight, thickness, sheer, drape and stretch) and body shape. The book is lavishly illustrated and makes use of numerous practical examples.

Genres: Sewing, Fashion

224 pages, Paperback

First published April 18, 1996

Reviews

[Karmologyclinic · Rating 4 out of 5]

The long indexing of fabrics is rather useless, though the method of indexing them is useful. The rest is very good information of essential advanced patternmaking, if you already know the basics from Metric Pattern Cutting (same author). Providing the blocks at the end is priceless.

There is much information that I felt was missing from the Metric Pattern Cutting. Includes: knitted/jersey blocks with various amounts of ease, basic grid blocks, advanced kimono blocks manipulations. Also includes information about mixing fabrics, choosing the right blocks for any given fabric, interlining, panelling, all sorts of manipulations and advice that comes with experience.

I would not recommend it to beginners. Start with Metric Pattern Cutting, then move to this.

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

A technical manual for fabric. Shows how to quantify drape in a fabric, and how to modify designs based on fabric weights.