APPAREL MANUFACTURING - I 3(1+2)

Lesson 6 : Pattern Designing

Pattern Alteration

Pattern alteration is making a pattern perfect to your requirements. This includes altering the pattern in length and width wise and/or making changes in dart positions. Length and width alteration can be done by “fold a pleat method” for decreasing and “cut and spread method” for increasing. But dart alterations are very important in pattern designing. It includes shifting to a new position and combining or splitting the darts. Dart alteration can be done by two methods:

1. Slash and spread method
2. Pivot method.

Slash and spread method: in this method pattern is slashed at new dart line and spread to the desired amount to form a new dart of desired width. This method is easy to understand as pattern shape is visible during slashing and spreading process. Following are the steps for altering a pattern by this method.

1. Pattern is traced with all markings.
2. Dart legs are marked as A and B (as shown in figure 2.a)
3. Slash line is drawn at new position
4. Pattern is slashed from slash line to bust point (figure 2.b)
5. Slash line is spread until dart legs A and B are closed (figure 2.c)
6. A and B are taped
7. New pattern shape is traced on a new paper
8. Mark ½ inch below bust point, this is dart point
9. Draw dart legs to dart point.

Pivot method: this method does not require slashing of the working pattern. It is faster method but requires experience. In this method pattern is pivoted, shifted and traced to make a new dart. This method include following steps:

• Place the working pattern on a paper with push pin through bust point. Bust point is considered as pivotal point. (figure 3)
• Name the dart legs A and B
• Mark new dart position on paper beneath. Name that C
• Trace the pattern from existing dart to new dart position (A to C)
• Pivot the pattern until dart leg B touches A on paper
• This pivoting created space for new dart. Trace the remaining section of the pattern from B to C
• Never trace the section of pattern again if traced once
• Remove working pattern from paper
• Draw dart leg to dart point by marking ½ inch below bust point.
• Cut in muslin for test fit.