Pattern Magic

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We build and maintain all our own systems, but we don’t charge for access, sell user information, or run ads. I love how beautifully this book is designed and photographed - the mini-size dress form is so cute. The author, who was a professor at Bunka Fashion College, shows how very complex and unusual sculptural effects can be added to simple garments through experimental manipulation of paper. For example, this front top section below, from Pattern Magic , could create a beautiful bodice section for a silk dress or the perfect front of a top in a light cotton fabric. You might find it helpful to use our free Pattern Cutting Cheat Sheetthat I have put together to provide a quick checklist as to what you should have on every pattern as well as giving a better understanding of all the pattern cutting symbols.

Sometimes the pieces can look so distorted or they are so intricate that you will need all the markings you can get to sew them together in fabric. Taking inspiration from nature, from geometric shapes and from the street, this book harnesses the sheer joy of making and sculpting clothes. However I’ve done most variations on the pieces from book number 2, so I guess this means that it’s the most inspirational for me. Every time I look at them they provide new ideas for other designs or just a great 3D fashion jigsaw puzzle; as a lover of jigsaw puzzles, this is a great variation of the classic puzzle for me.I mean, the book gives you the technique, but you can place the cuts differently, add more (or less) volume than it says and so on. One of the best bits about the books is that Japanese born Tomoko Nakamichi has created these sculptural designs so they can be incorporated into other designs/outfits.

Intimidating and inspirational at the same time, Pattern Magic is not so much a "read" as a "see and ponder. This content was uploaded by our users and we assume good faith they have the permission to share this book. I consider myself an above-average pattern maker for theatre, where we have to think oddly at times to get the job done, and this book just blows my mind.This dress below, from Pattern Magic ,is one design thatI found to require numerousnumbered notches since once you've dissected the pattern and cut it out of fabric, matching the curves becomes a lot more tricky. Having made a few of these designs, my advice would be toalways label your pattern pieces, use more notches than you've ever used before and numberthe corresponding notches. Gives all the basic information needed to start pattern cutting: from the basic block to measurements and scaling. There are others, too, but what I love about these in particular, is that instead of just giving you the finished pattern to copy, the book explains how to draft it yourself!

Web icon An illustration of a computer application window Wayback Machine Texts icon An illustration of an open book. The author's explanation (or the translation of) is clear enough that even I can understand what her meaning is - well, for most of the projects. There is a section in the first two books, that illustrates how the stylelines work: how you can replace the darts with any kind of cut, as long as it passes through the dart-points.The book takes a creative approach to pattern making, with step-by- step projects for fashion designers and dressmakers to enjoy.