Pattern Drafting Crash Course – Tips & Tricks for Pattern Construction

Jul 072010
 

Here are some suggestions for some common items that can make drafting and sewing for smaller dolls easier!

Dryer sheet– can be used for any spot that requires interfacing of sorts as in collars and cuffs but should not be used for the entire garment. I have tried it several times and cutting it away sometimes ends in holes in the actual garment no matter how careful I am.

Tear away stabilizer– this is useful for china silk that is slightly heavy yet still slippery. The bad thing is that tearing it away sometimes will distort the stitching and fabric.

Water Soluble stabilizer— my latest discovery! This stuff is easy to use simply trace the pieces to the stabilizer and construct the garment. When ready to get rid of the stabilizer simply dunk in cold water and it all dissolves like magic leaving soft silk in it’s place. It is also handy to use in bodice construction as when you turn bodices sometimes pointy or even dull tools can poke through the fabric the stabilizer helps to prevent this thus avoiding the ruin of a lot of work! So far I haven’t found a downside to this yet.

The 2 stabilizers mentioned above are available in the machine embroidery section of any sewing or craft store and are usually very light weight. My current packages of both the Tear Away and the Water Soluable (Solvy) are by Sulky. No I do not sell the items mentioned I just use it and love it!

Machine basting patterns to fabric is a lot of work. I’ve found that hand basting is faster and less of a hassle as you do not have to pin the pieces to the fabric first. Slightly larger stitches are ok for this too as you want to be able to see to take them out later!

Best tools I’ve found so far are crochet hooks. A size 5 crochet hook has a blunt butt end that is smaller than a bodkin which is useful also but the crochet hook also has a rounded end by the hook that is great for getting bodice pieces to turn nicely too. This is especially important for half inch scale bodices!

Got small kids in the house? I do!  Mischief makers both. Now being that I sew and do it A LOT I use needles and pins…. standard pin cushions don’t babyproof enough to suit me. My solution is to take the nice childproof prescription medicine bottles and put pins and needles in those. I have a nice fat one for pins and several skinny ones for various types of needles including sewing machine needles. This makes good storage…. and the kids can’t get into them!

Alternate to ribbon for measuring small dolls accurately is a twist tie.To measure simply place one end at the starting point and the other end you bend then measure the tiny portion before the bend against an accurate ruler.

Dressmaker’s Ham Pattern (pressing aid) – originally on Perfect Patterns but not on the current site it’s on an old page.

Sue Darby
~www.suestinycostumes.com

NEW! Find me on FaceBook Sue's Tiny Costumes

Pattern Drafting Crash Course – Specification Sheets

Jul 062010
 

Why are they useful? Specification sheets are very useful to keep track of design details. This is including but not limited to what doll, fabrics, item numbers for those of us in a business or that have a huge doll collection. Most important cost of a project not to mention a copy of the actual design, front and back view with notes and swatches. You can also list where you bought a fabric or what else it might have been used for. Care instructions and anything else you think might be important for future reference.

A specification sheet would be kept with the measuring chart for the doll that the design goes with. If it goes with multiple dolls then the measurement chart for each doll and a copy of the specification sheet should be with each. Later you can also add copies of the patterns in Ziplock bags or file folders and any construction information you need too. It is best to have some form of file folder system for this information if you think you may have a large collection of doll patterns as they are very easily lost!

Permission given by author to photocopy this page.

Specification sheet
Doll: Size of Doll:
Name of garment: Style: Number:
Season : Designer:
Yard goods:
Face fabric: Cost: Sketch & Swatches
Width: Length:
Color: Weight:
Interfacing Cost:
Width: Length:
Color: Weight:
Lining: Cost:
Width: Length:
Color: Weight:
Trims: Cost:
Width: Length:
Color: Weight:
Total $:
Notions:
Fastners:
Thread: Spools: Colors: Size (Yds):
Total $:
GRAND TOTAL $:

Sue Darby
~www.suestinycostumes.com

NEW! Find me on FaceBook Sue's Tiny Costumes

Pattern Drafting Crash Course – Supplies

Jul 042010
 
Below is the supply list you will need to draft patterns for small or miniature children dolls. In future posts I will also try to list places to find some of the more unique items such as miniature French Curves suitable for drafting in the smaller scales.
  • 1/8 or 1/4″ Ribbon -used to mark where the bust waist and hips land so that measurements are accurate. To help measure hard to get into places on small dolls. You can lay the ribbon on the doll and then use a pen dot to mark the desired amount and then measure the end to the dot.
  • A plastic coated twist tie works very well for very tiny dolls as you can bend the wire to the exact amount you need and then use a ruler to do the measuring
  • Eraser- pink pearl or kneaded gum
  • French Curve, tape dispenser, or sets of “doll size” French curves
  • Glue stick helps hold tiny pieces to cardstock for final blocks
  • Light Table or A Box with a Light Inside and Clear Glass or Plastic Over the Top or A Child’s Light Table – used for tracing patterns easier
  • Magnifying glass Lets you see small things easier
  • Manila Envelopes, Thin Cardboard, Card Stock Or Junk Mail Post Cards Or Thin Cardboard Boxes- for creating permanent blocks
  • Measuring Tape – a normal sized human one works well. Alternately the retractable purse size measuring tape found at Wal-Mart works very well too.
  • Muslin- relatively inexpensive way to do test fits and be able to sew the pieces together along with marking on the pieces any changes*Paper- light weight for first drafts of the pattern
  • Paper Towel, muslin, used dryer sheets- inexpensive way to test patterns*Pencil- mechanical pencil or a no. 2 normal pencil with a sharp point
  • Ruler – an accurate one marked in 1/16ths and also centimeters (metal is best) There are clear rulers that are marked in 1/10ths that are very useful as well
  • Scissors – fine tip sewing scissors some for paper and another pair for fabric
  • Scotch Tape- taping parts of a pattern in place while adjusting or stylizing
  • Small Rotary Cutter With A Sharp Blade- to ease cutting out pieces from fabric optional The 18mm size is perfect for cutting out even 1″ scale pieces accurately
  • Small Rotary Mat- must be used if you use a rotary cutter optional
  • Ultra-Fine Point Sharpie used for giving a very fine line that is more visible than pencil to a final pattern
  • Xacto Knife- to aid cutting out permanent blocks

Sue Darby
~www.suestinycostumes.com

NEW! Find me on FaceBook Sue's Tiny Costumes

 Older Entries  Newer Entries