Pattern Design Books  

You might have missed!  Some new, some out for a while but not found in regular bookstores.  

All are available on Amazon except for  the second one and our's.

• Classic Fashion Patterns of the 20th Century by Anne Tyrell.  This is a great "time-less silhouette" book, all the basic patterns for each era of the 20th C. for both woman and men.  And -- the best part is that they are all printed in the book, which is over-sized, in 1/4 scale with fine lines.  You can enlarge them electronically or by tracing on 1/4 grid tracing paper and then retracing on 1" grid paper to enlarge.

• Patternmaking in Fashion: Step by Step, by Lucia Mors de Castro.  A simple basic book with an unusual set-in sleeve -- done the way the couturiers do a sleeve with the cap pitched forward.  Patterns in it can be easily enlarged.  Included are four fundamental garments -- skirt, dress, jacket and coat -- which are used to explain pattern making step by step, with clear photo sequences, patterns and descriptions.

• Patternmaking for Fashion Design by Helen Armstrong.  This one has been out for many years -- a great text -- but I noticed that now it can be purchased in a ring-bound binder and has many extras like children's wear, stretch, swimwear and more.  Time to update your version!  

• Designing and Pattern Making for Stretch Fabrics by Keith Richardson.  Stretch fabrics are more popular than ever from H&M as well as Missoni's colorful knits to Donna Karan's basics. Covers the specifics of knit fabrics and the patternmaking process for different garments. Fibers, dyes, treatments, care, and fabric sources are discussed, along with the principles of sizing and measuring for women's, men's, petite, plus, and half sizes.   AND!  Be sure to check our book, Stretch Pattern Cutting by Martin Shoben --- everything you need to know. 

• Make it Fit by Sylvia Rosen.  Make It Fit will provide foolproof solutions on ways to tailor clothing for all body types. With illustrated instructions, this manual shows users how to measure, calculate and mark basic patterns to customized dimensions. It also includes a pack of 29 full-sized slopers - basic patterns for garment sections, without style lines or seam allowances - printed on a soft, synthetic fabric to drape over the body or model form, allowing users to mold the pattern over an actual form to attain the correct measurement. 

• Complete Guide to Size Specification and Technical Design 2nd Edition by Paula J. Myers-McDevitt.  The Second Edition of this guide equips students with everything they need to know about measuring sample garments, creating fully-graded spec sheets, and fitting garments for production. Over 450 technical flats are clearly labeled with measurement points and instructions for taking measurements. This book is also ideal for industry professionals working without a comprehensive spec manual.  

• Fashion Law A Guide for Designers, Fashion Executives and Attorneys by Guillermo C. Jimenez, Barbara Kolsun.  This text addresses such legal issues as: defining and protecting intellectual property, knock offs, licensing, counterfeiting; agreements such as franchising, distribution, rentals, leasing; handling customs; and creative copyright infringement -- everything you need to know!   

• There is a full scale SOS -- Save Our Skills -- campaign going in the UK, promoted by Drapers, an industry news organization, which has given the fashion schools permission to teach real skills, like pattern design!  Big Yes!!  Given the stature of the UK schools in the fashion world, this means that the bean-counters have decided that designers actually need to know how to make, not just conjure -- it's a concept that brings in more income and that is not an option these days.  Check out this article on what skilled people are earning in Europe.  

•  The luxury market is identifying garments made in US as a means of assuring luxury customers that a garment has been well crafted.  This is a big sign that people are willing to pay more to get better quality and also a welcome harbinger of the return of garment manufacturing to the US.  Bear in mind that this time around, we will be doing it the way Mega Trends predicted in the chapter called High Tech-High Touch, meaning that this time it will be smaller businesses, personal, computer driven, sustainable and done in studios as well as factories.  Read the whole story.  And, most of all, strive to do the best work!    
• The status of fashion law legislation:
  "Congress came very close to passing a US law protecting fashion designs late last year. Time ran out in the last session of Congress, though, and the Innovative Design Protection and Piracy Prevention Act championed by both the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) and the American Apparel and Footwear Association (AAFA) will have to be reintroduced this term. If passed, the bill will give a short, three-year term of protection against copies that are "substantially identical" to original designs and have only trivial differences from the original. Having even this little bit of intellectual property protection will change the game for emerging designers, since they can't just rely on consumer recognition of their trademarks.  The work of indie designers is often copied without the label or logo, which leaves them with no legal protection at all -- and design pirates know this. Once a new law is in place, copyists will have to think twice before making near-exact replicas from the runway."  From an interview with Susan Scafidi from the Fashion Law Institute at Fordham University -- read the whole interview.   This is an emerging field and Caseclothesed and Counterfeit Chic are two sites that do a great job.  BTW, someone can copy your copy since it is not your own.       

• Cheap -- The High Cost of Discount Culture by Ellen Ruppel Shell.  Just listen to the Podcast and then change your ideas about your stuff and how you get it.  Low-cost does not make something more valuable -- Love the item not the deal.  

• Fast Fashion Useful Downloads:  A Slow Death for the Planet by Lucy Siegle  & How Can Fashion Designers Make Clothes Less Disposable? by Timo Rissanen.  Sustainability is here to stay and important legislative mandates and economic pressure from all sectors and countries will make sure it is.  So it is time for each businessperson or aspiring fashion professional to get on board and find their avenue to

  How will we prepare for the future of the fashion industry?

  sustainability.   Check these free downloads.  Then make plans to get this certificate below at the California College for the Arts.   

• California College of the Arts Fashion Sustainability Workshop Series and Certificate Program.  Arranged as a series of week-long intensives over the course of two summers, each session is highly focused and guided by dynamic design experts, industry professionals, and academics.  It starts this month and offers a certificate -- a big plus on any fashion resumé!  Timo Rissanen will teach a Zero Waste Fashion Design program in late summer.  We brought him to Kwantlen in Vancouver a month ago and his class was just incredible!   

• Suit Up for Success.  Nothing is older than this idea , nor more predictable in every economic downturn.  So far, mankind has only reinforced, not reduced, the importance of the first-30-second impression. World culture today celebrates global transitions, individual choices, visual impressions -- unfortunately, all contribute to ease in reaching conclusions about someone or something too soon.  The best defense is to dress every day, especially if you need a job.  Both women and men are now expected to wear formal business attire for interviews and important client meetings.  Think of dressing as a personally curated art exhibition with a financial goal -- more fun that way!   

• Measure of America.  For everyone out there who is wondering where we really are and what's the reality these days, this is who we are now  and what we are doing and thinking.  Be sure to scroll L to R through the Publications you can read online.  This is great for forecasting the business future, understanding social change and just plain old knowing the facts -- no guessing about why things are or arguing about things that can't be verified.    

• How to have a summer!  It's been busy this year so we'll be taking some time off this summer -- so we will resume the Draping Series with St. Laurent Le Smoking Pant Suit in the fall when vacations are done.  We'll get more organized, make some tech improvements, think, develop new directions, make books, think some more and read a lot -- all good things to make the next year wonderful and interesting.  There will be a short announcement in July for fall events and/or new products.  Take some time off this summer too! 

• Draping Series Lessons.  One new direction -- For some time we have been wrestling with the problem of how to spread the lessons -- teaching here, there & everywhere but still not reaching pattern designers who want to know when the classes will come to their area.  The days are not long enough!  So we have decided to produce a few videos of the Draping Series, beginning with the St. Laurant Le Smoking Pant Suit -- to debut with the fall class.  We hope this will save money on travel, allow more people access to the Draping Series and inspire other teachers to teach the lessons.   

• New Patterns.  Testing, testing. Another new direction -- we'll offer some half scale patterns of the Draping series iconic pieces to fit a regular 1/2 scale dress form and also the MySize Barbie, converted to a form.  We think we can do them as an inexpensive download for those who wish to enlarge or make the 1/2 scales for display and teaching.  First one, La Cigale, the Dior Dress on the right.  Then, there are 5 -6 Balenciaga type patterns. 

• A new and quite wonderful video by Julian Roberts on our home page about all the ways to see and be!  For free -- just let yourself imagine.  Then go make something incredible!  Photo is from his recent class at University of Biera in Covihlã in the Portugese mountains -- Subtraction Cutting seems to be everywhere now. 

• Photos of the 2011 Pattern Design Tour are up in the Gallery and also the Balenciaga classes.  Thanks to all that sent their pictures. Take a peek! 

• Shingo Sato & TR Pattern Design.  We are working on a grand plan to have Shingo Sato come to San Francisco for a month, (he has fallen in love with the City!).  He would like to teach three 4-day classes (long weekends), so students can design and create a TR masterpiece from start to finish.  The dates are:  Sept 22 - 25, Sept 29 - Oct 2 and Oct 6 - 9 -- possible location:  beautiful facilities in Oakland, right near Bart.  We're trying to keep it under $500 for the classes -- do-able only if we get good enrollment.  To give us some confidence in going forward, let us know if you are interested and wish to be notified.  My personal TR favorite here, in ivory silk satin, yumm yumm . . .   ------------------------------------------------->   

• Book topics coming . . . Two on men's bespoke work wear by Harry Simons, then Designer Diagonals by Virgina West and one more to be a surprise!   
• Hot rumor!  The Jean Paul Gaultier exhibition, currently in Montreal until Oct.2 will make a stop in SF! 

Wishing you a happy summer with flowers and two quotes to dwell upon -- 

"Everything that deceives can be said to enchant." ~ Plato.     

  and

"Nothing that is bought or sold is of any value, unless it has that which cannot be bought or sold.  That priceless ingredient is the honor and integrity of him who makes it." ~ Thomas White, inventor of the White Sewing Machine.