Beauty vs Comfort. Why not both?

Vortex Technique Masterclass Online

Too many budding designers want to skip the mathematics and geometry of design and jump straight into the "fun part".  But it is not likely that you will last long in fashion design without learning at least the boring basics. Here is an example of what I mean. When I first began to design, I made two gorgeous dresses for my stepdaughters. I spent a week almost non-stop working to have the dresses finished in time for a holiday party that we were to attend. I had noticed some flaws in the dresses when they had tried them on before week's end but - without any knowledge about darts and other patternmaking basics for adjusting design to body type - I had no idea how to resolve them. I may as well have been blindfolded during the fitting process.
    The day of the party finally arrived. The girls were chatting excitedly as they made themselves up. Custom made dresses! But the excitement began to fade when my first girl shimmied into her gold and black satin A-line dress.  Beautiful when it was still on the hanger, the dress now made my sweet, innocent 14-year-old stepdaughter look pregnant. Sibling rivalry took hold, "Look at the front flying out!" her sister laughed at her. But now it was her turn. She confidently slipped into her own sparkly strapless cocktail dress. "My boobs feel like they are falling out." she whined, wide-eyed, looking to me for a solution.
     "It is late." I answered, almost in denial. "We've got to get going." I secretly hoped these wardrobe malfunctions would somehow magically disappear by the time the party started. For the rest of the evening one girl had her hand on her belly and people kept asking her if she had a tummy ache. The other spent the entire party looking down to make sure her boobs were in place and spent most of the time tugging her dress up.
     Apparel design involves more than just a pretty outcome. The wearer of your creation must also be comfortable and feel confident. Once you have learned the basics of patternmaking you will find that not only will your designs be more comfortable to wear and fit more gracefully. The architectural concepts of basic patternmaking lend to modification and enhancement in order to create beauty in a garment as well.  Your creativity will be set free. You will not be stuck wondering HOW to make a creation functional.  Shingo Sato is a master at this, transforming basic patterns and going way outside the box. Consider enrolling in one of his 3 or 5 day TR Patternmaking seminars, held in Milan or Melbourne. There is also an online masterclass. Note: Although not required, it is suggested you have basic patternmaking skills before you enroll.  Next sessions September 2013. Shingo Sato - TR Cutting School

Drape Patternmaking: Lesson 1 How To

Tutor Couture gives you your first lesson in draping a bodice. Draping is the more intuitive way to make patterns. For a perfect fit drape it right on your client's body rather than on the dress form.

How to Draft a Basic Pant

Thank you for your patience.  I have finally uploaded the written tutorial How to Draft a Basic Pant Pattern.  Stay tuned for the video tutorials on basic pant drafting and transformations into shorts, cigarette pants, bellbottoms, capris and any other imaginable form a pant can take!
(If the above link does not work copy and paste this URL:  http://www.wonderhowto.com/how-to-draft-basic-pant-pattern-0126850/
More:
Take Your Measurements
Draft a Bodice
Draft a Skirt

Sew a Circle Skirt Easy as "Pi"

There are many ways to make a circle skirt.  Some people just fold fabric in half and estimate curves.  Some use a string compass, some divide their waist circumference by 6 and cut into a square of fabric folded into quarters.  I like to use π the Greek letter pronounced "pi" (as in a slice of apple pie) which is algebra for the number 3.14 .  I never understood why pi works.  I just knew it did and never questioned it.  But at some point I had to wonder....

According to Richard Fischbeck, inventor of the Randome Shelter; an emergency shelter made up of geodesic circles that can be randomly put together in a very short period of time, "Nature does not use π (pi).  Pi is merely an approximation.  Nature always builds with whole numbers. We have H2O, not HπO.  Mr. Fischbeck further explains, "A circle is always a polygon no matter how many corners it has. It can never have infinite corners. A polygon is not smooth or continuous. It is bumpy. It is made of many many tiny angles.

Easy as Pi Circle Skirt Tutorial

Scenic Turnout Blog:  http://juliehrose.blogspot.com

Suggested reading:  Take it to the Limit.  Stevenven Strogatz on math, from basic to baffling.  

See more "how-to" videos:

  Draft a Basic Bodice,  Convert Bodice into Blouse,  Rotate a Shoulder Dart

The Importance of Darts

Now that we have learned a bit about darts and the slash and spread method of transfering them from one place to another. You can begin experimenting and rotating them around on your own! There will be future videos on Fettuccinetube with tutorials on dart transfers; but don´t wait for me to get around to uploading them. Forge ahead on your own if you feel like!  There is wonderful free information on the internet on this topic.  Here is a series of short explanations on the different dart configurations that give some great insight.  Fashion Dart Variations by Laurel Armstrong. 

The main concept in creating dart variations is to transfer or convert them. What you remove from one part of the garment needs to be made up for in another part. You can divide one dart into two little ones for example or you can lump two darts together into one, convert a dart into a seam etc... Newspaper is my favorite paper to use for experimenting and creating new designs.

Transfer of Darts in Patternmaking

Lesson number 3 in the Advanced Beginners series on Fettuccinetube will be a demonstration of various dart rotations that can be made to the basic bodice pattern in order to achieve different designs.  Meanwhile those interested in getting a head start can look up information on this topic.  And of course there are hundreds of new and used books about couture design on Amazon .

 Here are a few I thought looked quite good. I actually already have the High Fashion Sewing Secrets book. That is an excellent book for people who already have introduction into drafting patterns and transfering darts and seams.  And explains many finishing treatments that the famous designers use as well as a bit of insight into the fashion  industry itself.  Quotes made by famous designers in the past regarding fashion and Claire Schaffer gives some of her secrets and tips in little sections throughout the book based on her long history working with famous designers since the 1950s. The other book, How to Make Sewing Patterns is written by Don McCunn who also has clothing design tutorials on YouTube.

How to Make a Basic Bodice

Written Instructions with Diagrams: http://www.wonderhowto.com/how-to-draft-basic-bodice-pattern-0120717/
See  "how-to" videos:

  Draft a Basic Bodice,  Convert Bodice into Blouse,  Rotate a Shoulder Dart

Basic Bodice

-->

"Clik" para Español  See the Written Instructions and accompanying Video "How to Make a Basic Bodice".   As usual, I will conduct the lesson using the metric system.  If you do not have access to a metric tape measure please order one from the Petit Poix shop.   
See  "how-to" videos:

  Draft a Basic Bodice,  Convert Bodice into Blouse,  Transfer a Shoulder Dart

The bodice is the most basic pattern for any top, and converting a bodice pattern into anything else; be it a t-shirt, a blouse, even a dress; entails some simple letting out or rotation of the darts.  More about this will be explained in the video.  In the meantime here is the accompanying information if one cares to review it beforehand.  Another suggestion, get familiar with How to Take Measurements and if  you are so inclined write up a list of your measurements, this will be necessary when you draft your basic bodice pattern.

Written Instructions

Video

Draft a Basic Skirt Pattern

See  other "how-to" videos:

  Draft a Basic Bodice,  Convert Bodice into Blouse,  Rotate a Shoulder Dart

Video      Written Instructions

 See the written instructions and diagram on how to draw a basic skirt pattern. From this one pattern you can make the modifications to make practically any other type of skirt and adjusted to perfectly fit your own unique bumps and curves. See my Skirt Pattern Tutorial Video on Fettuccinetube .