Before you can make a garment, you need to have a pattern. Patterns simply are sheets of paper or cardboard. Each pattern piece is shaped precisely and serves as a master copy according to which you cut the different parts of the garment out of fabric. It is possible to buy a different pattern for each garment or to use a basic pattern, like dressmakers, and adjust it according to need. But before you can cut out a pattern, you need to know what your measurements are.
Taking your measurements
Use a tape measure and write down the necessary measurements in the table. You will need a helper to take some of the measurements. Study the sketch on the following page to ensure that the measurements are taken correctly.
These are some important guidelines :
Be relaxed while your measurements are taken.
If you pull in your tummy, the garment may be too tight when it is finished.
Use the tape measure loosely rather that tightly. It is easy to cut away excess fabric if the pieces are too large, but you cannot add on fabric when they are too small.
If a measurement is not measurable to the centimetre, round it off to the following centimetre.
Your body is still growing and you must make allowances for such growth.
Measurements
My measurements in cm
Shoulder length
Shoulder to waist
Shoulder to hip
Shoulder to chest line
Chest
Arm (length)
Waist
Hip
Inner leg
Outer leg
DISCUSS THIS WITH YOUR FRIEND:
How would you adjust the above measurements when you want to make a loose-fitting T-shirt?
Must pattern pieces be made to the exact size of the garment?
How would you indicate where different pattern pieces have to be stitched to one another?
What fabric / kind of paper should be used to make pattern pieces?
The pattern
The following shows a typical pattern for a garment. Can you suggest what kind of garment will be made from this pattern?
The solid line indicates the edge of the pattern along which you have to cut.
The dotted line that is 15 mm inside the solid line indicates the line along which the pattern pieces must be sewn to one another.
This 15 mm-wide area is the seam allowance.
You have to allow at least 30 mm at the lower edges of pattern pieces for hems when you are cutting out the pattern.
The single and double notches show you where pattern pieces have to be aligned (placed together).
The arrow shows how the pattern piece must be laid on the fabric when you want to cut it out.
The product
Designing my own pattern
You are going to design a pattern for a T-shirt for yourself.
How long should the T-shirt be?
Should the neckline be rounded or V-shaped?
The neck opening should slip over your head. How are you going to achieve this?
Should the shirt fit or be loose?
What type of fabric will suit the purpose of the shirt?
What type of fabric will you use?
Must it be soft / elastic / absorbent?
Must it be expensive? For what purpose will you use it?
Must the fabric be colourful or plain?
Will you decorate it with some painting or appliqué?
Must the fabric be crease resistant? Do you like ironing?
To better understand how the different part of the body works.
To understand the physiology of the various structures in the body.
To differentiate the systems of the human body
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