CUSTOM PATTERN MAKER SAVES TIME

The process of custom sized pattern making is very time consuming. Traditionally, "French forms" were created in the size and posture of the client and garments were "draped" on the form. In contemporary times, the cost of labor is too high for this practice to be used in most cases. A combination of adapting historical patterns with commercial home sewing patterns and ones made by drafting has become the most common practice. This combination of methods makes it difficult to produce accurate fit patterns for body proportions and postures that are not close to the norm established by the garment industry.

As a result, the accurate fit is accomplished through the process of creating a "muslin mockup" which is the painstakingly fit to the clients body and then disassembled, altered and recut for a second fitting before the cutting is done in the actual fabric the garment is to be made of.

Custom Pattern Maker provides a different process for arriving at an accurate fit. The computer handles the mechanical drafting process, based on accurately taken measurements of the client's body. The pattern maker then creates, through the flat pattern design process, a pattern that fits the body with extraordinary accuracy.

The accuracy of the fit eliminates the need for the "muslin mockup".

C.P.M. allows those who (like the designer of the program) find drafting to be a tedious and frustrating bore to become active and accurate pattern makers by letting the computer ensure the accuracy.

Principle pattern makers also function as supervisors for the sewers. Many find it difficult to effectively perform pattern making tasks during the same time. Often they end up coming in early or staying late in order to have "quiet time" when they can focus on the patterning process.

C.P.M. makes it possible to delegate many fundamental pattern making and cutting tasks to less skilled staff, students or volunteers. Custom Pattern Maker can cut up to 2/3 labor time from the tradition custom pattern making process.

Basic Block creation is many times faster than the process of drafting a custom fit basic block from scratch. Relatively unskilled students, volunteers and crew can easily learn to enter measurements, add seam allowance and add text labels to pattern pieces and then plot them out.

If you are dealing with a person who is very uneven from one side to another, each side can be made from its own set of measurements.

The blocks fit so accurately that you do not need to do the customary muslin check-fit.

Doing flat pattern design with C.P.M. is no slower than producing patterns with the traditional "cut and spread" method and sometimes faster. The payoff is in the accuracy of the patterns produced, the fact that it can be done sitting in a comfortable chair, the ease with which it performs tedious tasks such as seam allowances, facings, linings, duplicate flipped-side pieces, button and button hole placement, etc.

Often designers find it difficult to maintain the technical discipline necessary to produce good patterns. C.P.M. pattern making methods, through use of AutoCAD® built-in functionality, ensure accurate placement of grains, keeping matching seamlines accurate and accurate placement of measurement points. Designers often feel that C.P.M. is the best computer game out there.

C.P.M. makes it possible for less skilled workers (including student and volunteer crew members) to perform accurate flat pattern design. The layout methodology ensures accurate grain placement. Less skilled workers can be entrusted with placing the plotted-out cutting layout and with the cutting itself.

The biggest payoff in time saving comes from the fact that there is no need for making a muslin mockup of the new pattern. The accuracy of the pattern is such that it can be directly cut in the garment material. Our experience has been that all is needed is one fitting for fine tuning and hem marking and a final check fit.

Supervisorial time is saved by including construction symbols and text instructions on the patterns. If you are using a multi-pen plotter, patterns can also be color coded to make construction easier to follow.