Pattern Grading or Pattern Making What is the difference?
Both pattern grading (or pattern making) serve different purposes and are done at different stages of garment production. They are also performed by different members of a team. They are sometimes mixed together. Both have similar sounds and patterns, so it is not surprising that they are often mixed up.
Let's get clear by first looking at the definitions.
Wikipedia states that a pattern refers to the template used to trace the garment's parts onto fabric, before they are cut out and assembled. Sometimes, the process of creating or cutting patterns can be condensed into the one-word Templatemaking. However, it can also refer to Pattern(-)making and Pattern cutting.
The following definition was found on the same website:'pattern Grading refers to the process of turning sample or base size patterns into additional sizes by using a size specification sheet, or increasing grading .
There is clearly a dependency. It might be difficult to understand the differences between these two processes if you don't have a basic understanding.
It is possible to better understand their relationship and dependence by looking at product development and manufacturing cycles.
(image of product development/manufacturing cycles)
Every fashion collection begins with a creative idea. Every fashion designer in the world starts by designing blueprints for their collections. This could be a collection of sketches or fabric draped on a tailor's model. It doesn't matter what you do, the goal is to create a feel that will show how the garments would look on a human body. A designer creates a fashion collection by combining styles.
After the collection has been finalized, the fabrics are sourced and the technical sketches are complete, the designer can then approach a pattern maker for assistance in creating patterns. The pattern drafting process begins.
There might be several pattern drafts of the same style. These are often accompanied by multiple toile fittings. The result is usually garment samples. All patterns made at this stage will be in the same size. The base size will be determined by several factors, including the availability of a model to fit the pattern, the target audience and the production size range. It is usually up to the designer, who will determine the base size of the fashion collection. Then they will need to provide the measurements to a pattern cutter. This set of measurements is used to create the first pattern and sample.
It's now time to begin selling and move on with bulk production. They will need to make their garments in different sizes, regardless of whether they are producing for wholesale or retail. This is where pattern grading comes in. A pattern grader multiplies the base size of any pattern to create the desired number.
A blog post called Making sense of pattern grading was particularly helpful to me by Terry Harlamus. This post covers the basics of pattern grading in great detail. It sheds light on important topics like grading vs. alteration and pattern measurement vs. body measurements.
These issues are covered in great detail. I will not address them now. Instead, we will focus on some common mistakes that we have observed our fashion studio designers making:
1. Designers often rely on industry-standard grading standards without fully researching them and whether or not they are in compliance with their target customers.
2. Many base size patterns are chosen without considering the product size range.
3. Designers don't fully use the potential of uneven grading rules in order to create better-fitting garments.
In our next blog, we will take a closer look at the consequences of these three common errors.
If you'd like to learn more about fashion production, including our tech pack, grading rules and how to make it better, then join us for our next masterclass. You can also check out our events page for more information.
