A guide on how to communicate your design concept to a pattern cutter.
What does a pattern cutter need to create my designs?
It can be difficult trying to communicate your creative ideas. Whether it's your first collection or if you have never worked with a pattern cutter before you may be struggling to figure out the best way to present your designs. If you haven't worked with a pattern cutter before it's hard to know what they are going to need to translate your designs from 2D to 3D garments.
At The Pattern Room, this is what we do day in, day out. Every designer has a different design process and every time we start from a different point. Some designers will have a sketch and some will use reference images.
Ensuring we create your design as close as possible to how you imagined it’s important from both ends to communicate the design in as much detail as possible so the end product is as close to the original concept as possible.
Here are a few ideas on how to get on the same page as your pattern cutter!
Every single one of our clients at The Pattern Room has a completely different design process and inspiration can come from many different sources. Some designers create from a sketch, and some even design in their head. It can be hard to translate that process into something for someone else to understand.
As a designer, it can also feel frustrating when your ideas are not understood. We are here to give you the tools to enable your designs to come to life!
SHOW US YOUR DESIGNS
What does a pattern cutter need to create my designs?
If you haven't worked with a pattern cutter before it's hard to know what they are going to need to translate your designs from 2D to 3D garments.
At The Pattern Room this is what we do day in, day out. Every designer has a different design process and every time we start from a different point. Some designers will have a sketch and some will use reference images.
Ensuring we create your design as close as possible to how you imagined it’s important from both ends to communicate the design in as much detail as possible so the end product is as close to the original concept as possible.
Bringing in an old garment. If you love the fit or the cut of the garment and want to incorporate this in your design you can bring the pattern cutter the garment to work from. They will be able to draft a new pattern based on the garment and adjust it to fit your design.
Hand sketches. A sketch can communicate many things about a design, the weight of a fabric, the structure of a pattern/design, fastenings and trims. If like many of us sketching is not in your skill set, you can also draw up a basic technical sketch with finishings labelled.
Reference images of similar products. Providing reference images of garments to communicate the garment's structure or fit is a great way to show a pattern cutter what you're looking for.
CAD's and tech packs. Learning how to use design software will ensure your pattern cutter understands the technicality of the garment.
SHOULD I WORK WITH A PATTERN CUTTER
All designers come to their final product in a different way and some choose to not work with a pattern cutter. But if you want to create something unique that may not be on the market, working with a pattern cutter is a great option for you!
Working with a good pattern cutter is an important part of the design development. A pattern cutter will reduce the risk of garments coming out incorrectly by ensuring notches are in the correct places and the patterns are properly marked for production.
There is a language all people working in garment construction understand and working with someone who knows how to communicate in that language when pattern cutting is important.
HOW CAN WE HELP
At The Pattern Room, we are here to prepare you for manufacturing. From pattern cutting to sampling, our job is to transform your 2D design into a ready-to-wear 3D garment.
If you have more unanswered questions book a consultancy session with Fran the owner of The Pattern Room.