2012 IS A TECH-LEAP YEAR FOR
PATTERN DESIGNERS IN SMALL BUSINESS!
A plateau has been reached this year in which the whole pattern project
stream from concept to product happens from a keyboard.  Even for
those born without tech DNA, it's easy, affordable, compatible and portable! 
What's there not to love?  Here are a few of the more interesting ones. 

PWStudio:  We have been using this program for years and love it.  They do little advertising so you may not have heard about it.  Has over 500 slopers, does everything from illustrations to patterns to markers, works great on a laptop (PC), simple (just like your flat pattern course), prints and emails. It runs on PC but if you're a Mac user it makes getting an inexpensive dedicated PC laptop worth it.
More info . . .
Get the demo . . .

Marvelous Designer CLO 3D:  Have been watching this one from South Korea for a few years and now it is affordable and enables 3-D draping -- very cool and combined with Upcload it could make remote custom clothing a breeze. Add this to the PC laptop too.  We'll be testing it this year.

Upcload: For accurate, remote measuring.  We are watching Upcload closely for consumer availability.  It is just out, but if this works in most tech environments, pattern designers will be able to obtain accurate model or client measurements remotely and email patterns.  They will need only minor fit adjustments if any and those can be done by the consumer or a less trained person.  Think store-front custom clothes without pattern making on site.

____________________________________________

BLOCKS

What are these things and why does everyone make such a big deal about them?

For the best blocks there is Martin Shoben, the Englishman behind our blocks.  A good block is the fundamental pattern from which all flat pattern designs can be built.  If the block isn't beautifully balanced, proportioned, graded and exactly accurate, the whole design suffers. To draft a good one requires an innate understanding not only of human proportions but also movement and fabric behavior.  Many pattern designers use blocks (called slopers in the US) as insurance against a poor foundation for their designs and also to speed up the design process.  Blocks are different from a moulage in that a moulage duplicates the body and does not have ease whereas a block does.  If you use flat pattern methods, try out starting from a professional block -- makes it all easier and more professional and the Big Plus -- you know it is going to fit!!   We have graded blocks for men, women, children and stretch!

____________________________________

Click on the image and watch a video
by Pearce and Fionda that illuminates our mission here at the Center for Pattern Design.

The Newsletter: 
Each of our newsletters has an 'angle'.  If you're new to us, sign up and also send in if you have a good item!  See the Archives!