What programs do Independent pattern makers use?

[Former_Member]

Hi everyone!

First of all, happy, happy Wednesday!

Secondly, I am a technical designer for a very large fashion company. At work, we use Lectra for all our pattern work. I eventually want to take what I have learned from my experience working at this company and branch out on my own as an independent pattern maker but am stumped as to how I can create the patterns. Lectra/Gerber are too expensive to buy privately. So I ask you all, how do you go about making your patterns? What programs do you use? And how do you produce/manufacture your product? I appreciate any help and advice you cana give me :)

Sincerely ALWAYS,
Maddie
www.madalynne.com

[Former_Member]

All my patterns are in PDF so I don't have them printed. I use Corel Draw for everything! I create my PDF files in there, my illustrations, and diagrams.

It's a vector drawing progam and a whole lot more. It's the one that I used when I worked in the printing business so I've been using it for 12 years. We used PageMaker for our typesetting but we used Corel for logo design and everything else.

They have various versions for various uses. They have a student edition, home edition, and the full version where they allow for commercial use. I use that one.

[TheSewingLoft]

Hello Maddie,
The world of fashion had me hooked at an early age and I was a TD forever. About 2 years back, I jumped off the rat wheel and decided to breathe! It took awhile but I have determined that patternmaking is really my thing. Only after so many years in the industry, I am tired of making clothing. Now, I create toys, accessories and more.
Your question about producing patterns- well, Sheryl gave you the main stay of the PDF world but I am thinking you are concerned about the "spec" aspect of a clothing pattern. If so, you need to think about how you are going to ship these patterns. Will they be in a downloadable format sent via email? Or will you be snail mailing a hard copy?
The drawing part has always been my biggest hurdle but I have found that with time and persistence, all things can be managed.
Think about your end goal and feel free to drop me a line. I am happy to help out a fellow tech!

~Heather
www.thesewingloftblog.com

[Former_Member]

Oh it's so great to hear from a fellow tech!

PDF world? I'm unfamiliar with that term. I use Corel and Illustrator at work for all my tech packs and fit comments but I don't see how I could use these programs to draft patterns. And I would want to both email as well as make a hard copy of the pattern. I'm still unsure as to how I would draft a pattern in Corel or Illustrator. I apologize if this sounds like a stupid question. I'm just used to using Gerber or Lectra.

Thanks again for all your help!
Sincerely ALWAYS,
Maddie
www.madalynne.com

[TheSewingLoft]

Hello Maddie,
I understand and love Gerber too! But in the small biz world the cost of Gerber was not an option for me. Instead, I create all of my written patterns and photos in word. I sketch my patterns, save them as a jpeg and then insert them into the word file as a photo. Once everything "looks" pretty, I do a simple save as to a PDF file in word.

Since I am not sure what size pattern you are thinking of or what your pattern will look like in written form, it is hard for me to explain how my process could work for you. Since there is no overlap in product offering between us, if you are okay with it, I am happy to take a look at what you are thinking and see if I can help. Your files might end up being very large if you are going to include specs for each size...

feel free to email me outside of the post.
heather@thesewingloft.com

~Heather

[Former_Member]

I use a vector drawing app on my ipad to draw my patterns. I find it so much easier to do on the ipad than on the computer (I have done some of my patterns in photoshop). I then put them in photoshop to edit, change sizes, etc as needed. I use word to make my tutorials. I then save them as a pdf, and I have a pdf creator software (nitro) that I use to put it all together, condense, etc. Kind of complicated, but it is what works best for me. It is much less complicated than I used to make it!

[Former_Member]

I use Photoshop to make some of my patterns, then write the instructions in word. I often keep my instructions separate from the pattern since I know when I'm working from a PDF pattern I don't print out the instructions in order to save paper/ink. If I do combine them, I save the Photoshop file as a jpeg and insert it into word. I should add I only use Photoshop because my mother got a free copy from work. I don't think it's exactly inexpensive, nor the best for pattern making.

[Former_Member]

I teach sewing for beginners and have designed patterns I sell to students and online. I use Microsoft Publisher. I take photos as I'm progressing in steps as I'm making up my sample project and use those by my written instructions. I also make diagrams using MSWord, "group" the parts of it together as one object, and put that in some places in Publisher. Then I use pdf Creator to convert it into a pdf file to sell online.

[Former_Member]

Hi, I use illustrator and there is an excellent tutorial on burdastyle.com on converting patterns to digital. Good Luck!!

[Former_Member]

I am totally new at the idea of PDF pattern making. This is my first day researching how it can be done. I have a simple digital camera, scanner/printer, and open office software. I do not intend to get anything new or fancy. To make a PDF pattern, could I just draw the pattern on regular paper sections, scan it into jpeg / pdf (?) on the printer, and then what? I am still working on this. Does this sound like a way to make PDF downloadable patterns for Etsy? All comments, instructions, etc. are welcomed. I need to understand this process as soon as possible.

[Former_Member]

HI Maddie,
I too am thinking of persuing an independent pattern business. I currently am using Cameo v4 and will soon upgrade to v5. The file format is dxf which is transferable through out the garment industry.(I can check to see if it can be converted to PDF). You can get grading and pattern engines as extra modules. Althought it's not the high powered programs the big guys are using, it will work for us beginners. It will draft your beginning blocks, grade patterns, print markers and has all the production sheets for tracking. You can check it out at Wildginger Software. For about $2000 you can be well set up. The printer is expensive. I have a 36" OCE. Kinko's will print for you until you can afford more equipment. I use Illustrator for pattern instructions and diagrams. Good luck with your venture! Shoot me a message if you would like to keep intouch. You can also find me at www.notthenorm.biz.
Claudia

[Former_Member]

I've used Publisher in the past too, but I have photoshop and illustrator and would love to figure out how to electronically draw out my patterns to real pattern size. Figured when I have patience to start working on putting them all together to release I will have to go do lots of google searches. Right now I only have one PDF available, but plan on releasing about 6 hopefully before the end of summer.

[Former_Member]

Hi Maddie,
This is something I struggled with for awhile. Once you become used to industry standard programs it's hard to settle for less. I use Optitex which has an option to convert to an illustrator file for further manipulation. It's a lot cheaper than gerber and lectra, but still pricey in it's own right. You might want to check out PAD, they are in more of the $3000 range.
I feel that it is hard to find an in between option. I basically bit the bullet and got optitex, digitizer and plotter. For me I have enough freelance work to rationalize the expense, but I know it can be a lot. Also, very important: factor in how you are going to print out your proofs because I couldn't take it anymore and got the plotter as well. I was getting insane quotes from print studios.
Look, I know I'm new around here so I don't want to step on any toes, but I got the set up- 100% professional garment industry standards. I've been making patterns for 10 years now. If anyone needs me to digizite and clean up the patterns for them so they can be sold as a PDF I would be happy to help. I also do grading.
Sorry, I don't mean this to be a shameless plug. I just want to be able to help because I know first hand how costly the process can be. I've got a good paying day job so I am not looking to make my living lurking through etsy users in need of help. I just want to help out. I sell a few of my own patterns on etsy just because I like to make patterns and I hope that someone can get some use out of them.

[Former_Member]

Well, girls, I really thought I had found the program that I needed. It's found at www.designsew.com.

I didn't think the price was so bad for all that it does. They do have a cheaper version, and the big daddy is $399 right now.

The problem is that I can't get any response from ANYONE. I've called and emailed several times. I get an answering machine, and I leave messages, but no one calls back.

The place is in Canada, and I even found out who owns it, but It makes me so bummed that I can't talk to anyone. I would never invest that much money without knowing I had technical support - which their website says they have!

Has anyone on here ever dealt with this company?

[Former_Member]

It looks like a great program. Too bad you can't get any tech support. It's quite pricey but I'm sure for some it would be worth it. All my stuff is small crafty patterns and I can do most of them in my drawing program.

[Former_Member]

Sheryl, I wish I could watch someone do that. I've read all over the internet, and also read some tutorials, but I haven't been able to master any of it. LOL I don't have Corel, but some say they use Photoshop, Inkscape, and others to do their drawing.

[Former_Member]

I second Claudia's post. I was trained in both Lectra & Optitex, but could afford neither as an independent. I decided on Cameo, and have been using it for about 8 years! It takes some getting used to...
I'll generally start a project by inputting the measurements into Cameo and use their pattern library to get close to the silhouette I want, print it out and do a muslin, drawing my changes/style lines on it, transfer those changes to the original paper pattern (legibly) and then input those changes back into Cameo and print the finished pattern.
The program is fully-functional, and if you're comfortable with pattern drafting, you can make Cameo sing! Anything it doesn't have a shortcut for I can usually figure out how to do it manually. The patterns look nice and clean. The marker/layout module is handy. You can also create specs and tech packs in it, though it's very labor-intensive and heavy on data-entry. I prefer to use Illustrator and Corel for the other stuff.
I purchased a used 36" plotter/printer from an architectural firm for $350. They were upgrading, but a basic plotter was perfect for my needs.
I use Cameo on a MacBook Pro running parallels. I don't really recommend that, as it's a huge memory-sucker and a couple of the minor functions don't work properly. I originally ran it on a PC laptop and it was much smoother, but that laptop died.

[Former_Member]

OH! Cameo's tech support isn't great, so you have to be pretty tech-savvy and do your own problem-solving.

[dawson915]

I'm new to pattern making and have been researching pattern software as well. But for now I'm just using Excel. I first draw my pattern and then scan and save as a PDF or jpeg file. Then I import that picture into excel and trace. You can make your picture bigger or smaller to scale. Excel will tell you how long your lines are that you create. And you can also free draw a shape, change your lines to different colors and change how thick you want your lines. You can buy Adobe writer and create one there or with writer you can import excel files to be able to save them as pdf.

[PeachPatterns]

Hi all. So glad to have found this team!

I have never worked in the industry, am self taught and came to pattern making through a passion for creating clothes for my daughters.

I hand draw patterns and test and retest the muslin in a particular size and then when satisfied scan the pattern pieces into my computer as jpegs. I then place the files in illustrator and grade them there.

Then further testing of the graded sizes happens and when I finalise those I put "the package" together in InDesign with words, how-to drawings and the pattern drawings.

I know using Illustrator is not "industry standard" but it's workable, affordable and I'm really happy with the professional result. Best of all, my customers are happy.

Marina :)

[Former_Member]

Sew, Mama, Sew did a lot of posts related to ePatterns back in April 2011. They included a 3-post series from Carla Crim of Scientific Seamstress in which she goes through the process from start to finish in layperson terms (http://sewmamasew.com/blog2/?s=%22Making+ePatterns+Part%22&submit=Search). I found it really helpful and was surprised that she is able to create her patterns and tutorials using, in her words, "very old" versions of MS PowerPoint and Adobe PhotoShop. She includes lots of screen shots and images in these posts, too. :)

[Former_Member]

Hey girls!!

I'm also looking into having my patterns made..either having them printed or making them into PDF...but I have no idea how to do it. I currently draw all of mine by hand.

[Former_Member]

I originally started hunting for a computer program to use to make patterns to sell. Most of the ones that I could afford won't let you sell the patterns. I may have stated before that I found one on Designsew.com, but no one will respond to emails or answer the phone. Too good to be true, I guess.
I wish someone would post a tutorial as to how they do their grading in a drawing program. I've played with a couple, but I cannot figure out how to keep the lines straight. It's just so frustrating as I really wanted to do this.

[ApparelPatternMaking]

Hello there...

I just joined this group recently and not very familiar with making PDF patterns from Photoshop, Illustrator or Excel. But I’ve been using Cameo for my patterns and client work for some time now. The program works well for me, but can problematic at times. I’m usually able to figure out the issue and resolve it, but I tend to be more on the techy side and like figuring that kind of stuff out. I also use to use Gerber when I worked in the industry, but it is so costly it’s not worth the investment for me for the amount of work I do.

I was also wondering if anyone uses the newer version of Cameo and what your thoughts are on it. I’m thinking of upgrading, but not sure if it’s worth it. Any thoughts? : )

[Former_Member]

This is so interesting. Thank You everyone for sharing your experiences.
I have an Apple lap top and use pages for my patterns. Pages on the iPad is different from the pages soft wear I have. (09 pages)

If you want to design pdf patterns , down loadable, you Must start with the size of the project and how the customer will be able to print it. You must be able to control the actual size of what will print so that the parts will fit together. I scan some of my appliqués, but I would not trust putting scanned parts into my patterns.
The beauty of online/pdf patterns is the ability to teach thru step by step photos and being available to help the customer when they get stuck.
I'm off to check out the iPad mini this morning.
I don't think it will help my pattern making skills but I do have a neat cover pattern in my head.
thanks for being pattern making friends.
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